bbcuk--2020-07-27--Coronavirus: How bad will winter really be?

Winter is coming and traditionally it is party time for colds and flu .
This has raised fears that coronavirus will surge when the seasons change , possibly leading to a second wave of the disease that is even bigger than the first .
However , predicting what a Covid winter will look like is complex and uncertainty reigns - there are reasons both to be worried and to be reassured .
How bad a northern hemisphere winter will be is dependent not only on the coronavirus , but on what happens to all the other winter bugs , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failures , of government policy .
There is also the relatively new field of science showing one viral infection can potentially block another one , with still unknown implications for coronavirus .
So are we heading towards the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's vision of normality `` by Christmas '' or could it be a rough ride ?
Will coronavirus spread more in winter ?
This is a big unanswered question but the science leans towards yes .
This is largely based on what we know about other viruses .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause common cold symptoms .
Each spreads more easily in winter .
Influenza , rhinoviruses , which also cause the common cold , and respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) have similar behaviours .
`` It may be seasonal , based on other viruses that do tend to peak in winter , '' Dr Rachel Lowe , from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told the BBC .
She added : `` But the driving mechanisms are poorly understood , is it the meteorological conditions or human behaviour ? ''
All viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is cold .
The UK 's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) says a temperature of 4C is a particular sweet spot for coronavirus .
There is also less UV light , which inactivates the virus , from the sun in winter too .
We gather indoors once the weather turns and beer gardens and BBQs are less appealing .
We also slam the windows shut so there is little ventilation .
All of this can help coronavirus spread .
As one senior government official told me , `` We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
A report by the Academy of Medical Sciences estimates there could be 251,000 deaths this winter in the UK , in a worst-case scenario .
That figure assumes the R number - the number of people each infected person passes the virus onto - rises to 1.7 .
It was around 3.0 before lockdown and is below 1.0 at the moment .
However , a smaller rise in R would lead to a significantly smaller rise in cases .
• What is the R number and how is it calculated ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think , '' Prof Wendy Barclay , from Imperial College London , told the BBC .
She added : `` It 's quite possible there will be a second wave , it is clear we have n't reached anything like herd immunity and winter is a very obviously a time you 'd expect a second wave to do well .
`` It 's a huge unknown at the moment , I think things could be bad , yeah . ''
It is estimated that only around 5 % of people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far - or in other words around 95 % have no immunity at all .
The US has demonstrated cases can surge if control of the virus slips .
Will other winter viruses like flu be a problem ?
The big fear is that we will be hit with the double whammy of a really bad flu season and a second wave of coronavirus .
However , everything is out of whack and it is not clear how many of the normal rules apply .
The massive transformation of societies and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , face coverings , social distancing and working from home - to stop the spread of coronavirus appears to have had a knock-on affect on other viruses too .
Lockdown in Hong Kong appeared to suppress flu season there and Australia , where it is currently winter , is either having an almost non-existent flu season or it is arriving unusually late .
A similar picture on flu and other winter bugs , is emerging in other countries in the southern hemisphere , including Chile and South Africa .
It is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will happen in the northern hemisphere 's winter .
Lockdowns , school closures and limiting flights around flu season would have had an impact .
But now some countries in the northern hemisphere are opening up not locking down .
`` It is possible that social distancing has decreased the amount of flu that 's around and that would be great , but I do n't think we could rely on that , '' says Prof Barclay .
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• TESTING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : Our experts have answers • LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters If there are high levels of other winter bugs which cause coughs and a fever , like coronavirus , then far more people are going to have to be tested .
Prof Julian Hiscox , from the University of Liverpool , told the BBC : `` I think we should be prepared for a second wave and not let up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand hygiene because it will come if we do n't .
`` One of the ways I think we need to prepare is very good diagnostic tests to distinguish between those three or four respiratory infections where the clinical symptoms are initially the same .
`` Then , when someone walks in you can immediately say they 've got Covid or they 've got flu . ''
It is why the UK is trying to expand testing capacity to 500,000 a day and immunising a record number of people against flu .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] is something we absolutely have to prepare for , the biggest danger is people becoming complacent about protecting themselves , '' said Dr Lowe .
What happens when viruses mix ?
One of the most scientifically curious and unexplained aspects of winter is how the new coronavirus , officially called Sars-CoV-2 , will interact with other viruses .
Respiratory viruses are all trying to infect the same real estate in your body - the cells in your nose , throat and lungs .
This can lead to competition .
Studies have shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , elbow another one out of the way .
For example , a large rhinovirus outbreak may have delayed the 2009 swine flu pandemic in some European countries .
One explanation is the general immune response to one infection prevents the next one from getting in .
Dr Pablo Murcia , from the centre for virus research at the University of Glasgow , told the BBC : `` One virus infects , triggers an innate immune response and inflammation and this initial response will protect against certain viruses , for a variable period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies have shown some viruses actually get on quite well together and circulate at the same time .
So how will Sars-CoV-2 fit into this complex landscape ?
`` Our data showed that influenza is very rarely seen in mixed infections , so I would think that we will not see much Sars-CoV-2 and influenza co-infection , '' Dr Murcia said .
There have been few recorded cases of somebody being infected with both - and the result was far worse than either infection alone .
However , Dr Murcia said other types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the same time as RSV , adenoviruses and some parainfluenza viruses .
`` I am worried about now and the future , '' he said .
• INSIDE HEALTH : Why is there an elevated risk from Covid-19 for some groups in society ?
• DIET AND MENTAL WELLBEING : Does the food you eat help or hinder you emotionally ...

It is estimated that only around 5% of people in the UK have been infected with coronavirus so far - or in other words around 95% have no immunity at all. The US has demonstrated cases can surge if control of the virus slips.


bbcuk--2020-07-24--Coronavirus: How are indoor gyms and pools going to open?

Indoor pools and gyms are reopening in England from 25 July , for the first time since the beginning of lockdown .
Sports halls and leisure centres will also be opening .
How are indoor gyms and swimming pools going to open ?
Gyms will have to follow strict social distancing guidelines , including : • Temporary floor markings in dance studios where possible • Customers encouraged to shower and change at home Outdoor gyms and pools have been open in England since 4 July because there is less risk of catching coronavirus in the fresh air .
Swim England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen indoor pools , including : • Increasing the supply of outside air to pools • Minimising the use of changing rooms Indoor gyms have reopened in Northern Ireland , but no reopening date for gyms has yet been set in Scotland or Wales .
The reopening of pools in Scotland will be considered after 31 July and will not happen in Northern Ireland before 7 August .
No date has been agreed for Wales .
Which sports will I be able to watch and play ?
Bowling alleys and indoor skating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England for the first time since lockdown was introduced , on 1 August .
Spectators will also be admitted to some sport events on a trial basis , including cricket , snooker and horse racing .
It is hoped this will lead to a wider return of fans to stadiums in October .
Can I now have my eyebrows done ?
Beauty salons which allow treatments on the face - including eyelashes , eyebrows and threading - can start offering the services from 1 August , in England .
Nail bars , tanning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open .
Certain safety measures must be followed , including : • Using screens to protect staff and customers • Customers must not eat or drink anything except water In Northern Ireland and Scotland , nail bars and beauty salons have also reopened .
They will be allowed to restart on 27 July in Wales .
Changes for weddings , casinos and live performances Many other changes are being introduced on 1 August : • Indoor performances in front of a live audience can start if pilot events are successful • Wedding receptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed Can I now get a tattoo ?
Tattoo artists can also now work again in England - following similar safety guidelines to nail bars and beauty salons .
They work in very close contact with their customers , often for a long time .
Touching people is known to increase the risk of transmitting the virus .
The Tattoo and Piercing Industry Union submitted a 10-point plan for reopening studios to the government , which included : • considering relocating or deferring tattoos or piercings that require face-to-face working Tattoo studios have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 6 July .
They will open on 27 July in Wales .
No date has yet been set in Scotland .
What else will now be allowed in England ?
Outdoor arts performances in England have already resumed outdoors .
Events must : • Display clear social distance markings and be deep cleaned between performances Recreational cricket has also now resumed .
Grassroots football teams are allowed to resume competitive training and will be allowed to play competitive matches from August , with leagues allowed to resume in September .
However : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be limited • Sports where a ball is touched by multiple players should have a plan for cleaning it when it goes out of play • Spectators will be allowed in small numbers following social distancing guidelines Conferences and other business events can resume from October , subject to pilot events .
What is still not allowed ?
While there are dates for many businesses to reopen in England , it is still not clear when customers will be able to return to : • A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rules on self-isolation and exercise • WHAT WE DO N'T KNOW How to understand the death toll • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Outdoor sport is allowed, limited to 10 people from two households - but up to 15 people (including coaches) can now train outdoors together, through clubs affiliated to recognised sports governing bodies.


bbcuk--2020-07-25--Working from home: How to cut your tax bill

If you 've been working from home over the past few months , you may well save on travel costs and lunches , but you 'll run up other bills , including heating and electricity .
Some employers give their staff an allowance to cover those excess costs .
But if they do n't , employees can still claim a small reduction in their taxes for the time they were forced to work at home .
How much can I claim ?
It would be very tricky to calculate exactly how much of your electricity bill is used for work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HMRC ) lets you claim up to £6 a week of expenses without having to provide bills or paperwork to justify it .
That does n't mean you save £6 a week - you only save the tax you would have paid on it .
That works out as £1.20 a week ( or around £62 a year ) for a basic rate taxpayer , or £2.40 a week ( £104 a year ) for a higher rate taxpayer .
And you must be working at home because you have to , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to claim more than £6 a week , but you have to provide paperwork to support your claim .
If your employer provides a working from home allowance , that 's tax free up to £6 a week - so you ca n't make another claim for tax relief on top .
These allowances have been available for years , but awareness has grown since the pandemic forced many offices to close .
`` We have had quite a few calls about this , '' says Yvonne Graham , tax manager at Ensors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not going to make people rich , but it is a useful amount . ''
Before 6 April 2020 , you were allowed to claim only £4 a week without providing evidence .
It 's still possible to claim back as far as April 2016 , but for prior years you can only claim the lower rate .
Emma Peck , who works in financial services in Buckingham , has been claiming the full allowance since she started working from home in 2017 .
She has no office to go to , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and therefore entitled to claim .
Previously , she was self-employed , and was used to claiming for expenses to reduce her tax bill , as many self-employed people do .
So every year when she gets her `` notice of coding '' from HMRC , which says how much she can earn before paying tax , it includes an allowance for `` Job Expenses '' - the cost of working at home .
This year , it 's £312 - in other words , 52 x £6 a week .
Emma has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim too .
`` The thing with people who are PAYE , they are used to having everything done for them .
They are scared to go onto the HMRC website . ''
How do you make a claim ?
There are two ways to claim expenses - either on your annual tax return , if you file one , or on a special form called a P87 , which is available electronically via Government Gateway , or on paper .
If you 're working at home indefinitely , you can get your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the savings regularly .
If you 're only working from home for a short period of time , it makes sense to wait until you 're back at work , so you know how much to claim for .
HMRC said in a statement : `` Employees can claim the P87 expenses at any time but claiming when they return to their place of work means their claim will be for the right amount and they will only have to contact us once . ''
Can you claim for other things ?
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a computer or an office chair to be able to work from home , your employer might pay you back .
If not , you can claim tax relief on what you have bought , as long as it is used `` wholly , exclusively and necessarily '' for work .
You will need to keep records , and claim the exact amount .
You can also claim for work telephone calls on top of the £6 flat rate - again , you will need to keep records and claim the exact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for home-related costs that do n't increase because you 're now working there .
That includes council tax payments , rent , mortgage interest , or water - unless you have a water meter .
Jonathan Griffin from South Yorkshire works in IT .
He has been working from home since 23 March .
He filed a claim using a P87 form for the tax on seven weeks ' worth of expenses from 6 April .
That would come to £6 x 7 = £42 .
As a basic rate tax payer he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about £8.40 - back .
He filed the claim online with HMRC on 23 May , which he found `` quite straightforward '' .
There is a tracker on the HMRC website , which initially said it would be processed on 15 June .
But at the time of writing the payment still had n't arrived and the tracker says it is still being processed .

HMRC said in a statement: "Employees can claim the P87 expenses at any time but claiming when they return to their place of work means their claim will be for the right amount and they will only have to contact us once."


bbcuk--2020-07-25--Did Bournemouth beach crowds spread coronavirus?

It has been a month since thousands of people flocked to Bournemouth beach for this year 's warmest weekend .
The pictures of crowded stretches of sand - at a time when more than 100 people a day were still dying of Covid-19 - caused concern about the spread of the virus , following the loosening of lockdown rules in early June .
On 25 June , Bournemouth , Christchurch and Poole Council declared a `` major incident '' - its leader , Vikki Slade , said the authorities were `` absolutely appalled at the scenes witnessed on our beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases ?
One month on , the statistics do not suggest a significant spike in coronavirus cases .
However , they have increased slightly : • For the week ending 21 June , the area had 1.3 cases for every 100,000 people in Bournemouth , Christchurch and Poole • By the week ending 19 July , this had increased to two cases for every 100,000 people To put that in context , the coronavirus rate in Leicester is currently 70 cases per 100,000 people .
This does not mean the crowds did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that any arrival of the virus in Bournemouth was not spread significantly .
We also do n't know if visitors spread the infection among themselves and then returned with it to their home areas .
It 's worth remembering that , at the time , although lockdown rules had been eased , restrictions were still in place on pubs , cafes and restaurants - places where people might gather .
If there had been a spike in cases , it would have been up to public health experts to determine whether there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Councillor Slade said the council was `` truly excited '' to welcome visitors back to the beach , but noted 25 June had been particularly busy .
`` As a hugely popular tourist destination with 15 miles of coastline , the resources of all local agencies were undeniably stretched when unlimited travel and exercise on beaches were allowed long before our hotels , restaurants and other attractions were permitted to open '' As a result of our experiences we have introduced marshals at busy car park entrances , extended our security provision - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional traffic management plans in place , '' she added .
What about other tourist areas ?
Bournemouth was not the only tourist area that said it was worried about the arrival of visitors .
In early June , concern was raised in areas including Dorset , Cumbria and Norfolk .
Counties such as these have much smaller health infrastructures to serve smaller populations .
To understand whether popular tourist areas have seen a spike recently , we took the 20 most popular holiday spots ( relative to their population ) in England @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weekly coronavirus rates have dropped or stayed the same in 13 of these areas • There is currently no data for the Isle of Wight for this week • The case rate has increased in Torbay , Devon , and Windsor and Maidenhead , Cumbria , Bath and North East Somerset , and Bournemouth , Christchurch and Poole .
However , it is important to point out that almost all of these areas have rates substantially below the national case rate in England of around 6.5 per 100,000 people .
Just Cumbria , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a higher rate .
There , the coronavirus case rate is 10.4 cases per 100,000 people .
In the week ending 21 June , the case rate was 5.8 .
Holiday accommodation , pubs and restaurants were only allowed to open from 4 July , meaning more tourists will go to these areas .
However , the government hopes that social distancing guidelines for businesses , as well as their test and trace scheme , will help prevent major spikes .
Local authorities now have greater powers to react quickly where there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas offer outdoor activities , such as going to the beach or hiking , is a benefit .
`` Outside activities are known to be much safer .
This is one of the few facts on Covid-19 that is virtually universally agreed , '' says Prof Keith Neil , a professor in infectious diseases at the University of Nottingham .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise The smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well , meaning the virus could be less likely to spread across the area .
During the recent spike in Leicester , the city 's tightly packed terraced housing and workplaces were pointed to as potential causes .
`` Rural areas have shown much lower rates of disease .
Population density is probably a factor and also there are fewer people to mix with .
From my limited experience in Derby and Derbyshire , social distancing has been better adhered to in villages than in the city , '' Prof Neil says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places wo n't be affected in future , according to Prof Linda Bauld , an expert in public health at the University of Edinburgh .
`` The biggest risk is if cases rise generally across the country while more people are gathering in those areas .
If that happens , particularly indoors , the risks are higher .
Those [ tourist ] areas are not going to be exempt from that , '' she says .
While many activities in tourist areas are based outdoors , pubs and restaurants in resort towns can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most tourist hot spots have seen far fewer cases so far .
Somerset , Torbay , Devon , Dorset , Cornwall and Bournemouth , Christchurch and Poole have all been in the bottom 10 for overall coronavirus cases .
Those tourist areas which have seen higher rates , such as Blackpool , Manchester , Liverpool and York tend to be larger and more densely populated .
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"The biggest risk is if cases rise generally across the country while more people are gathering in those areas. If that happens, particularly indoors, the risks are higher. Those [tourist] areas are not going to be exempt from that," she says.


bbcuk--2020-07-25--Gyms and mental health: 'I can't wait to be back on the squat rack'

Lots of people will be celebrating as gyms reopen on Saturday after months of lockdown closures .
But for some , it 's about more than just exercise .
Three young weightlifters spoke to Radio 1 Newsbeat about how weights have improved their mental health .
`` I 've always been a gym person , but it 's different now , '' Jake Smith says .
He has been treated in hospital for clinical depression and told us he tried to take his own life in January `` after a series of knocks '' .
Part of his treatment involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coping mechanism and somewhere I can go to feel safe , '' the 24-year-old says .
`` Going to the gym and reaching the goals I 've set really benefits me , probably more than the average person , '' he says .
Jake can now squat 200kg - much more than when he started .
It 's that progress which Jake says feels like a win .
`` Any type of achievement feels good . ''
He describes the gym as a form of therapy because it 's `` a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will people be rushing back to the gym ?
Though he 's started running in lockdown , being without a gym for four months has been a struggle .
`` Because of the routine , going from four or five times a week to nothing has been challenging . ''
`` I ca n't wait to be back on the squat rack . ''
Jake adds : `` Going to the gym is n't only about lifting or exercising .
It 's almost a social place with nobody judging you .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , the sound of weights hitting and people achieving things . ''
Weight training in the gym was a `` turning point '' for Hannah Hope .
The 24-year-old had anxiety at the age of 17 , later living with depression and anorexia .
She was `` scared to leave the house and go anywhere that was crowded '' , leading to her becoming very isolated .
After treatment , she said working on her physical fitness was the first time she `` felt free from everything '' .
`` I learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could focus on at that moment in time was lifting .
I think , 'oh , my body can do this ' . ''
That realisation made Hannah understand the importance of eating properly to be healthy and strong .
`` Lifting weights in the gym has made sure that I 'm now eating regularly and eating well .
And I 've realised it 's way more important what my body can do rather than how it looks . ''
Hannah says going to the gym helps to lift negative thoughts : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it makes me feel like I 'm more in control . ''
And she he has missed it during lockdown .
`` Not being able to walk into a gym , see those faces and train has been difficult .
I 've had days where I 've just stayed in bed and not had the motivation to get up . ''
The science behind exercise and mental health According to Dr Amit Mistry , there 's strong evidence about the benefits of exercise to our mental health .
`` When we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know we can boost endorphin levels , '' says Dr Mistry , who is the chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for Sport and Exercise interests group .
Endorphins are a feel-good chemical in our brains - linked to our mood - which we release when exercising .
But he adds that too much exercise can have `` a detrimental effect '' , so it 's important to set realistic goals and not `` obsess too much about numbers '' .
'The fitter I get , the mentally stronger I am' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gym helps her `` when the bad days hit '' .
The 23-year-old tells Newsbeat a sexual assault left her with post-traumatic stress disorder : `` It 's hard to explain to people who 've never experienced it .
You basically lose yourself - I 'm not the same person I was .
`` I was grieving for the person I was before .
But you have to try and discover yourself . ''
And that 's how the gym plays a massive role for Courtney .
Like with Jake , having goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus and the training side of things gets me where I need to be mentally and physically . ''
It 's cardio and `` mainly weights '' which let Courtney focus on `` the here and now '' .
She says that along with physical help , the trainers at her gym help her mindset .
`` They give support and advice which you can use when bad days come .
So I know then the best thing for me is to get up and train . ''
`` I feel like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and happier I am . ''
Courtney says the slow return to fitness normality will help her mental health .
`` You ca n't get the same heavy equipment as the gym .
I ca n't wait to go back and have that transition where you can go to the gym , workout and come home , rather than being in the living room or kitchen . ''
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Part of his treatment involved exercise. "I use it as a coping mechanism and somewhere I can go to feel safe," the 24-year-old says. "Going to the gym and reaching the goals I've set really benefits me, probably more than the average person," he says.


bbcuk--2020-07-28--Obesity: Have 20 years of policies had any effect?

The prime minister has launched a new policy on obesity in England .
This will not be the first attempt to tackle the problem - at least a dozen policies or white papers have been announced on the topic since 1997 .
So , have 20 years of targets and policies had an impact ?
In 2008 , a wide-ranging report on obesity aimed to improve diets , increase exercise and form personalised help for tackling the problem .
It also introduced two key targets : • The UK would be the first major nation to reverse the trend of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels to 2000 levels by 2020 The World Health Organisation ( WHO ) has a measurement of obesity that it works out by taking a sample of people from most countries and looking at their body mass index - or BMI - to see if they were a healthy weight for their height .
In 2008 , 59.5 % of adults in the UK aged over 18 were overweight or obese .
By 2016 , the figure was 63.7 % .
This means that , at that point , the UK had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 191 countries listed .
Looking at England only , the annual Health Survey for England suggests 63 % of adults over 16 are overweight or obese .
But it suggests that while obesity rates have increased significantly from 1993 , they have stabilised in recent years .
The second target was to reduce childhood obesity .
Using the Health Survey for England we can estimate that the proportion of obese or overweight two to 10-year-olds was the same in 2018 is it was in 2000 - a total of 25 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of overweight 11 to 15-year-olds increased from 31 % to 34 % .
All of these results are based on surveys , so there is a margin of error in the data .
In 2008 , the Labour government attempted to create a more accurate picture of childhood obesity by measuring almost all children in Reception and Year 6 .
This data shows a more sustained increase in childhood obesity than the Health Survey for England .
The Conservative-led coalition produced their own targets in 2011 , hoping to see a sustained decrease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not yet have data for 2020 , but it does n't seem there has been a long-term decrease .
In 2002 , the Labour government launched a physical education ( PE ) policy aimed at linking local schools with specialist sports colleges in their area .
The scheme came with the target to get 85 % of kids doing at least two hours a week of PE or sport by 2008 .
The government said they surpassed the target - reaching 86 % - up from an estimated 25 % when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended in 2010 by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government .
They also removed the requirement to record how much exercise was done in schools , although they said they expected schools to maintain the current levels .
There is some evidence that the amount of time spent doing PE dropped in the subsequent years - that came from teacher surveys and also figures on the number of hours taught by trained PE teachers .
In 2016 , the Conservatives announced that - using money from the sugar tax - there would be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the same year , their childhood obesity plan also recommended that children should do at least an hour of exercise a day , with at least half an hour in school and half an hour supported by parents and carers outside of school .
For 2018-19 , it was estimated that just under half of children met that target .
The 5-a-day slogan became government policy in 2003 .
Since then , the proportion of adults eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day has increased from about 24 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHS 's Health Survey for England .
On average , adults ate 3.7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day compared with 3.4 in 2003 .
However , the proportion eating fewer than two portions a day has remained roughly the same at 27 % .
The Conservative government 's child obesity strategy opened by saying `` the burden is falling hardest on those children from low-income backgrounds '' .
Over the past decade the gap in childhood obesity levels between the poorest and wealthiest had increased from 8.5 percentage points to 13.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given .
Across England , obesity rates vary considerably - ranging from over 75 % of all adults in Rotherham , Hartlepool and Thurrock to under 45 % in Camden and the City of London .
The UK introduced a tax on drinks that were high in sugar in April 2018 .
Companies have to pay : • 24p per litre of drink if it contains more than 8g of sugar per 100ml • 18p per litre of drink if it contains between 5 and 8g of sugar per 100ml The policy was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched as manufacturers changed the recipes of their drinks to avoid paying the tax .
Between 2015 and 2018 the total quantity of soft drinks sold containing at least 5g of sugar per 100ml fell 50 % while sales of drinks containing less than 5g per 100ml rose by 40 % .
The amount of tax paid in each quarter since the levy was launched has been higher than it was in the first , suggesting the reductions in sugary drinks being sold have not continued .
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Using the Health Survey for England we can estimate that the proportion of obese or overweight two to 10-year-olds was the same in 2018 is it was in 2000 - a total of 25%. Over the same period, the proportion of overweight 11 to 15-year-olds increased from 31% to 34%.


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Birmingham tornado 15 years on: 'A scene of total devastation'

`` I remember thinking this is what it would look like if a bomb had gone off ... and no one seems to remember it '' .
It is 15 years since a tornado devastated areas of Birmingham .
Lasting just minutes , it injured 20 people and caused damage that cost an estimated £40m to repair across Balsall Heath , Small Heath , Moseley , Sparkbrook and Kings Heath .
For some residents and emergency workers , the tornado was a defining moment but others have said the impact it had has been largely forgotten .
Adam Aston , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council , was on his first day as an ambulance technician at West Midlands Ambulance Service , and responding to the tornado was his first 999 call .
He said it was `` amazing '' no-one was killed .
`` When we got there , it was n't clear , initially , what had happened and it was only on the way we were told it was some kind of weather event , possibly a tornado , '' he said .
`` It was a complete scene of devastation , big chunks had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying in the road , street signs had been ripped off , trees were everywhere , there was glass everywhere .
`` Our patient was a gentleman with a severe leg injury who was driving a works van which had been half picked up by the tornado and landed on its side . ''
For Mr Aston , it is a first day he will never forget .
`` It was a very bewildering experience , a real baptism of fire , '' he said .
`` I was incredibly nervous , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope your first job as a front-line paramedic is something simple and this was n't .
`` Paramedics say you will always remember your first job and I certainly do .
`` Over the years I have attended thousands of 999 calls , I do n't remember most , but there are one or two I will always remember .
`` The declaration of a major incident is very rare and I have not been involved in one since . ''
Iejaz Uddin was at home in Moseley when the tornado hit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden , so much that I could n't see anything in the room , '' he said .
`` Facing my house there were two very large trees in the distance , they had always been there and I saw them flop to one side , it was unreal .
`` Unwisely , I tried to open the window and it was nearly pulled off its hinges . ''
After it had calmed , Mr Uddin began walking around the area with a camcorder , recording the immediate aftermath of the storm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I saw a friend I had n't seen for a while , the shop he had been working in was now just a pile of rubble and he said he would be looking for a new day job . ''
The chance meeting with a friend sparked an idea and he ended up setting up a website that provides free CV templates .
`` That has all come from a chance meeting with someone after a tornado in Birmingham , '' he said .
Deborah Kaya was a newlywed and had just accepted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road when the tornado struck .
She never spent another night in that home after it was damaged and , after staying in her sister 's attic room for four months , moved into her current Birmingham home .
The day after the tornado , she had to return to the flat to rescue her pet rabbit .
`` I was walking down Woodstock Road and I remember thinking this is what it would look like if a bomb had gone off , '' she said .
`` Every house had something , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Inside the flat it hardly looked like it had been touched , but then I realised I could see about three or four inches of daylight through the roof , and it had basically been picked up and dropped back down . ''
But Ms Kaya said she felt like nobody remembered the incident today .
`` People you speak to , even people in Birmingham , do n't seem to remember it happened , '' she said .
`` I still think about it quite often , I was speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flat recently and he did n't realise that was what had happened .
`` I have kids and I tell them about it and they are amazed that we had a tornado in Birmingham . ''
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Tornados form when ground temperature increases causing moist air to heat and rise. When that moist air meets cold dry air, it rises further and a thunder cloud may start to build. The upward movement of air can become rapid, and winds from different directions cause it to rotate and a "cone" or "funnel" of wind drops out of the cloud and hits the ground.


bbcuk--2020-07-25--Coronavirus: 'Soft play is heading for a cliff edge'

They are the salvation of a rainy day - where children can fearlessly fling themselves up and down brightly-coloured , spongy mats as parents seek solace with coffee and a chat , the latter usually drowned out by deafening , delirious-with-happiness screams .
But soft play centres face being wiped out amid the coronavirus pandemic as one of the last industries to have a proposed opening date .
In the last three weeks , at least 15 have closed their doors permanently and many more are set to follow .
More than 25,000 people have signed the # RescueIndoorPlay petition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision on reopening or offer more financial support to the UK 's 1,100 centres , which employ 30,000 people .
There is also concern among operators about the impact closure could have on families with young children , which rely on soft play centres for sanity and socialisation .
`` I feel for children and parents ' mental health , '' says Helen Whittington , who has started a crowdfunder to replace `` tricky to clean '' ball pools at DJ Jungles in St Albans and Hemel Hempstead with new sensory areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have baby classes , NCT meets and are a place for people to socialise - postnatal depression could increase and children lose the confidence to mix and make friends , share and take turns . ''
Simon Bridgland made the heartbreaking decision to close Big Fun House in Canterbury at the beginning of July , which he 'd run for six years .
The announcement was met with an `` outpouring of love '' from customers on his Facebook page .
`` I was blown away by the volume of comments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an easy decision to make , with 17 staff losing their jobs .
`` We 'd not had any income whatsoever since March .
Soft play is n't the gold mine people think it is - you make your money in winter to get through the summer months .
Most are in big warehouses and cost a lot of money to keep going . ''
Only last year he opened a £50,000 go kart track which had just a few months of use .
Instead , he has decided to diversify .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same site , and is going to extend it into what was Big Fun House .
Children will have the run of the place and its facilities .
`` It 's going to be one hell of a nursery , what with the sheer volume of space and lots of unique features .
`` Personally , I think soft play is dead .
The kids , they ca n't social distance .
So we were left with no option but to repurpose the centre . ''
Another owner reworking their business is Ellis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hub in Northampton , who is soon to get a delivery of 80 tonnes of play sand for a pop-up beach on the car park .
`` It 's cost us about £1,000 a day just to stand still with the doors closed , which is a serious chunk of money , '' he says .
`` We 've received hundreds of emails from parents who want to bring a sense of normality back to their children 's lives , because it 's the children that are being affected in all of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safety measures , and spent tens of thousands of pounds with air sterilisation and antibacterial fogging - all the things that we can do to keep safe but the government are just not having it .
They just wo n't let us open indoor play .
`` We 've 60 staff on furlough who are apprehensive about the future , and we want to give them some clarity .
There 's been some very dark times but emails and Facebook messages from customers have kept us going . ''
Mikey Johnson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the lack of clarity for soft play centres was `` diabolical '' .
Takings went down 90 per cent in the week before lockdown as worried families stayed at home .
Within a week it was zero .
As the pandemic took hold , Jungleland became a drop-off point for a local food bank .
In March the firm had 26 members of staff .
Now eight remain on furlough , all eyes on the next government announcement .
`` At the minute it 's an unknown , '' said Mr Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date , it 's the rebuilding period after that .
`` We 'd probably be working at half capacity , and that 's just not a viable business .
We need bums on seats .
It 's just a waiting game . ''
• 'It 's devastating news ' - the firms still closed • 'My hotel is losing about £40,000 a month' Representatives from the British Association of Leisure Parks , Piers and Attractions ( BALPPA ) - many in furry costumes - descended on 10 Downing Street recently to raise awareness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic meant they were n't allowed to physically hand in a petition , but that is gathering pace on Change.org .
`` We 've had a huge amount of support from people who use these centres all the time - they are embedded in our local communities , '' said Paul Kelly , chief executive of BALPPA .
`` We want the government to tell us the date we can reopen , or tell us why we ca n't .
There are 1,100 centres and I ca n't see them surviving if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are heading for a cliff edge . ''
Lizzie Elston , 45 from Harpenden , mum to Oliver , eight , is among those who are backing the campaign .
`` The benefits of soft play are massive .
Oliver 's not into organised sport - we 've tried to get him into rugby or cricket , but he 's at his happiest when he 's jumping off things just being a ninja , '' she says .
`` He 's always absolutely loved soft play - just being a lunatic - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because you can have a coffee with friends and know he 's safe , either by himself or with friends .
It 's so important for his physical and mental wellbeing just not being in front of a screen .
`` It ca n't be overestimated , the importance of soft play - it helps how they develop , how they learn and socialise , so it 's critically important for their mental health . ''

Only last year he opened a £50,000 go kart track which had just a few months of use. Instead, he has decided to diversify. Mr Bridgland runs Snowflakes Day Nursery on the same site, and is going to extend it into what was Big Fun House. Children will have the run of the place and its facilities.


bbcuk--2020-07-26--Nazi planned UK invasion via Donegal

Nazi planned UK invasion via Donegal

A suspected German spy identified a small hamlet in the Donegal Gaeltacht as a possible back door route for a Nazi invasion of the UK .
Nazi professor Dr Ludwig Mühlhausen lived in the tiny Irish hamlet of Teelin in 1937 , where he scoped out the potential secret U-Boat submarine base .
Upon returning to Germany , he broadcast Nazi propaganda in Irish from Berlin into Ireland during World War Two .
He later became a decorated SS officer .
Dr Ludwig Mühlhausen 's secret life is uncovered in a new BBC Two NI documentary Nazi sa Ghaeltacht .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Magee traces the professor 's footsteps back to Berlin and reveals that the German scholar was fast-tracked through the ranks of the Nazi regime because of his unflinching devotion to Adolf Hitler .
He also discovers that one of the first things Mühlhausen did when he found somewhere to stay in Teelin was to hang a large picture of Hitler on his bedroom wall .
While in the south Donegal area , he took many photographs and measured the depth of Teelin Bay by dropping lead weights into the tide , forcing locals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the place out as a potential landing site for Nazi U-boats .
In the documentary , a file at the Military Archives in Dublin , which the Irish intelligence agencies had compiled on Mühlhausen , is uncovered .
Previously unseen documents are also uncovered in Berlin which reveal his efforts to shape a Nazi plan for the Republic of Ireland .
In the end , with the Nazis defeated and Mühlhausen in a prisoner of war camp , he made one last desperate plea for help to Ireland .
The film was made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with support from Northern Ireland Screen 's Irish Language Broadcast Fund , and was filmed before coronavirus restrictions were imposed .
Nazi sa Ghaeltacht is on this Sunday 26 July on BBC Two Northern Ireland at 22:00 BST .

While in the south Donegal area, he took many photographs and measured the depth of Teelin Bay by dropping lead weights into the tide, forcing locals to later speculate that he was scouting the place out as a potential landing site for Nazi U-boats.


bbcuk--2020-07-26--Obituary: Olivia de Havilland, star of Hollywood's Golden Age

Dame Olivia de Havilland , who has died at 104 in Paris , was one of the last survivors of Hollywood 's Golden Age .
Her most famous role was that of the virtuous Melanie opposite Vivien Leigh 's wayward Scarlett , in the epic Gone with the Wind .
Her relationship with her sister , the actress Joan Fontaine , was a constant source of speculation in the gossip columns .
At the time of her death she was the oldest living performer to have won an Oscar .
Olivia Mary de Havilland was born in Tokyo on 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patent lawyer and his actress wife Lilian .
Her paternal family originated in the Channel Islands ; her cousin Geoffrey was the aircraft designer responsible for producing the famous World War Two plane , the Mosquito .
Her sister Joan was born in 1917 .
Both girls suffered from bronchial problems and her mother moved the family to California in 1919 in search of a more agreeable climate .
De Havilland 's father , who was notorious for his infidelities , soon abandoned them to return to Tokyo where he later married his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ singing lessons to her two daughters and introduced them to the works of Shakespeare .
In 1925 her mother married a department store owner , George M Fontaine , who imposed a strict regime on his two stepdaughters .
By this time the sisters had embarked on what would become their legendary feud , caused - according to their biographer Charles Higham - by Olivia 's inability to accept a younger sibling .
For her part , Joan thought her mother favoured Olivia , who Higham said enjoyed cutting up Joan 's clothes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together again .
De Havilland was bitten by the drama bug while at Los Gatos High School , making her stage debut in 1933 in an amateur production of Alice in Wonderland .
She later recalled : `` I was actually moving in Alice 's enchanted wonderland .
And so , for the first time , I felt not only pleasure in acting but love for acting as well . ''
She was spotted by director Max Reinhardt , who cast her as Hermia in a production of a Midsummer Night 's Dream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her screen debut when the play was filmed for Warner Brothers in 1935 .
It received lukewarm reviews .
Her breakthrough came when producer Hal Wallis persuaded the studio to cast her in Captain Blood , opposite an Australian actor named Errol Flynn .
The chemistry between the pair was immediate and they would star together in another seven films , including The Charge of the Light Brigade and The Adventures of Robin Hood .
De Havilland later claimed that Flynn , who had a reputation as a womaniser , had proposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he was already married .
Throughout the 1930s she appeared in a number of light , romantic films that allowed her to showcase her perfect diction but did little to advance her career , '' Playing good girls in the 30s was difficult when the fad was to play bad girls , '' she said .
With the support of Jack Warner 's wife , Ann , de Havilland was offered the role of Melanie in David O Selznick 's epic adaptation of the Margaret Mitchell novel , Gone With the Wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her performance and was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress .
She lost out to Hattie McDaniel who played Mammy , making her the first African-American actress to win an Academy Award .
De Havilland 's feud with her sister showed little sign of abating .
When Fontaine won a best actress Oscar in 1942 , she allegedly refused to acknowledge De Havilland , who had also been nominated , although Fontaine later denied this .
Some commentators suggested the pair maintained the pretence of an ongoing quarrel and pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social occasions .
De Havilland 's efforts to continue to play more serious roles were hampered by Warner Brothers which , like all major studios at the time , had complete control over its stars .
When she was told Warner was adding time to her original contract as a penalty for turning down roles , she took the studio to court with the support of the Screen Actors Guild .
The California Supreme Court ruled in her favour in what became known as the De Havilland Law , which loosened the grip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was told I would never work again , if I lost or won , '' she later said .
`` When I won , they were impressed and did n't bear a grudge . ''
However , De Havilland did not make another film for more than two years .
Subsequently her career flourished .
She won an Oscar in 1946 for her role in To Each His Own , the same year in which she married a naval veteran named Marcus Goodrich .
She went on to major dramatic roles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Heiress a year later , for which she won a second Oscar .
In the 1950s she moved to France with her second husband , Frenchman Pierre Galante , the editor of Paris Match , and devoted most of her time to a growing family .
She famously turned down the role of Blanche DuBois in the 1951 adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire .
Instead the part went to Vivien Leigh , who won an Oscar .
There was a Golden Globe nomination for her role in an adaptation of My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won much praise for Lady in a Cage , a 1964 film in which she played a crippled widow trapped in a lift by intruders .
She continued to act sporadically until the late 1980s , winning a Golden Globe in 1986 for Anastasia : The Mystery of Anna .
In 2008 , at the age of 92 , de Havilland received the US National Medal of Arts from George W Bush .
Two years later she was awarded the Knight Legion of Honour from French President Nicolas Sarkozy .
She had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
The feud with Fontaine , which had been reignited over quarrels about medical treatment for their mother in 1975 , finally ended with Fontaine 's death in 2013 .
Fontaine had been quoted as saying : `` I married first , won the Oscar before Olivia did , and if I die first , she 'll undoubtedly be livid because I beat her to it . ''
De Havilland issued a statement saying she was `` shocked and saddened '' by her sister 's death .
She was created a Dame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within weeks of her 101st birthday , making her the oldest person to receive the award .
She described it as `` the most gratifying of birthday presents '' .
Unable to travel to London for the investiture , she received her honour in Paris in 2018 from the British ambassador to France .
Also in 2018 , de Havilland began legal proceedings against the FX TV network over how she was depicted in their docudrama Feud : Bette and Joan .
The show , starring Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange , depicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crawford on the film Baby Jane .
Catherine Zeta Jones played de Havilland in the role of narrator .
De Havilland 's attorneys said : `` Miss de Havilland was not asked by FX for permission to use her name and identity and was not compensated for such use .
`` Further , the FX series puts words in the mouth of Miss de Havilland which are inaccurate and contrary to the reputation she has built over an 80-year professional life .
Specifically , refusing to engage in gossip mongering about other actors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself . ''
But the California appeals court ruled against her .
Further appeals to the California Supreme Court also came to a dead end .
Olivia de Havilland began her film career when black and white still held sway over colour and Hollywood studio bosses ruled their stars with a rod of iron .
The last of the major players in Gone With the Wind , she admitted in a 2015 interview that she still watched the film from time to time in order to connect with her former co-stars .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
`` Instead , when I see them vibrantly alive on screen , I experience a kind of reunion with them , a joyful one . ''

Subsequently her career flourished. She won an Oscar in 1946 for her role in To Each His Own, the same year in which she married a naval veteran named Marcus Goodrich. She went on to major dramatic roles in The Snake Pit in 1948 and in The Heiress a year later, for which she won a second Oscar.


bbcuk--2020-07-25--Obituary: Peter Green, British Blues virtuoso

Peter Green , who has died aged 73 , was one of the greatest Blues guitarists Britain ever produced .
His shape-shifting riffs and long , improvisational excursions made Fleetwood Mac one of the most exciting live bands of the 1960s Blues explosion .
He first picked up a hand-me-down guitar at the age of 10 and , like many of his peers , began to devour the import vinyl that trickled into the UK from the States .
He studied the greats - Muddy Waters , Buddy Guy and BB King - combining their tensely coiled playing style with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hank Marvin .
But he actually started his professional career as a bassist , until an encounter with Eric Clapton persuaded him to ditch the instrument .
`` I decided to go back on lead guitar after seeing him with the Bluesbreakers .
He had a Les Paul , his fingers were marvellous .
The guy knew how to do a bit of evil , I guess . ''
He later had the seemingly impossible task of taking over from Clapton in John Mayall 's Bluesbreakers .
Fans were unconvinced at first , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he won them over , earning the nickname `` The Green God '' .
The musician was humble about his skills , however .
`` I did n't really know what I was doing on the guitar , '' he later told Guitarist Magazine .
`` I was very lucky to get anything remotely any good .
I used to dash around on stepping stones , that 's what I used to call it . ''
In 1967 he poached Fleetwood and bass player John McVie from Mayall and formed Fleetwood Mac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ section .
It was here that his compositional skills came to the fore - creating songs that were tender and truthful , but often with an undercurrent of menace .
Black Magic Woman incorporated Latin blues and two exquisite solos , while Oh Well 's pounding riffs inspired a thousand metal bands .
But he had been experimenting with acid and became increasingly irrational .
His songs became more harrowing and paranoid .
After his bandmates rejected a call to give most of their money to charity , he quit in 1970 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after , and he was eventually diagnosed with drug-induced schizophrenia , spending long periods in psychiatric hospitals and undergoing electroconvulsive therapy .
Speaking to the BBC in 2017 , Mick Fleetwood said he wished he 'd spotted the signs of Green 's illness sooner .
`` I wish we had been better equipped , '' he said `` Maybe we could have seen something that could 've helped - not to keep him in the band , but to help this person through the beginnings of a very emotional ride that , really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak .
`` It affected his life in a very dramatic way , '' he adds .
`` I do n't think he was treated right for what turned out to be his illness , but he 's healthy now and doing ok. '' Green surfaced from time to time over the next 50 years , most prominently in 1998 , when Fleetwood Mac were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame .
And earlier this year , Fleetwood held a star-studded concert for his friend , accompanied by Pete Townsend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steven Tyler and John Mayall .
`` I wanted people to know that I did not form this band - Peter Green did , '' Fleetwood told Rolling Stone .
`` And I wanted to celebrate those early years of Fleetwood Mac , which started this massive ball that went down the road over the last 50 years . ''

"I wish we had been better equipped," he said "Maybe we could have seen something that could've helped - not to keep him in the band, but to help this person through the beginnings of a very emotional ride that, really, he's still on as we speak.


bbcuk--2020-07-24--Boohoo: Five things you may not know about the fashion firm

You might have bought some joggers from there , or seen your favourite Instagram star wearing one of their dresses , but how much do you really know about Boohoo ?
The online fashion firm has been a real winner during lockdown , with a massive increase in its sales by 45 % to £368m in the three months to the end of May .
But it 's been hit by claims that workers at a Leicester factory that supplies some of its clothes were paid just £3.50 an hour , while being offered no coronavirus protection .
Boohoo has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but experts say it could struggle to make a comeback after the controversy .
Here 's five things you may not know about the company .
1 .
The Manchester-based family behind it are billionaires Boohoo was founded by entrepreneur Mahmud Kamani and designer Carol Kane .
The pair had worked together at Pinstripe Clothing , a company that was set up by Kamani 's father Abdullah .
It was one of the first suppliers to Asos and it designed and sourced clothes for Primark .
Kamani and Kane decided to cut out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up their own online fashion store in 2006 , with the aim of selling on-trend clothes directly , and cheaply , to shoppers .
Although Boohoo has come under fire for selling £5 dresses , Mahmud Kamani and his family are now billionaires .
He and Carol Kane are also in line for a £150m bonus if the business meets its growth targets .
The Manchester-based group also bought a stake in the Pretty little Thing brand - owned by Kamani 's son Umar - for more than £260m this year .
Umar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downs on his Instagram , from panoramic shots of warehouses and media statements , to glamorous parties with celebrities and private jet trips .
2 .
Social media is key to its success While big High Street names like Topshop or Debenhams might have been suffering over the last few years , business at Boohoo has been booming .
Part of its success is down to targeting under-30s who prefer to take style tips from social media influencers and buy clothes on their phones .
Boohoo spent £116.8m on marketing campaigns in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of its total sales .
To drive customers to its website , it 's worked on collaborations with influencers including Love Island contestant Maura Higgins and paid for celebrity endorsements from the likes of R & B singer Ashanti .
The strategy seems to be paying off .
According to research by polling firm YouGov in May , 11 % of 18 to 24-year-olds had purchased something from Boohoo in the previous three months .
Some experts have said that one key element behind Boohoo 's success is its online-only business model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower spending power , and they are more tech-savvy than older generations too , so the idea of online shopping appeals to them , '' says David Madden at CMC Markets , who analyses firms ' finances to help clients make business decisions .
He adds that while competitors like Topshop or New Look might appeal to younger shoppers too , they have expensive High Street shops to run .
Boohoo bought Nasty Gal 's brand assets , like its website and logos , in 2017 for $ 20m ( £15m ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amoruso who is credited with making the term `` girl boss '' mainstream .
But Boohoo 's recent purchases - including struggling chains Karen Millen , Coast , Warehouse and Oasis - have puzzled some .
`` It was partially about diversifying it , but it was also about snapping up the fallen competition , '' Mr Madden says .
`` If Boohoo does n't buy their assets someone else might .
The group can build its empire while reducing its dependency on its original brands . ''
Boohoo adds new dresses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website every single day .
To turn items around quickly , it uses what 's called a `` test and repeat '' model , where it produces small batches of lots of new styles - sometimes even just tens or hundreds of one item .
The company has the supply chains in place to then ramp up production of the best-selling pieces .
About 40 % of its clothing is produced in the UK .
Boohoo told the BBC that the quickest a piece of clothing can go from design to sale is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between four and six.But the firm 's dedication to `` fast fashion '' has been criticised .
Politicians have complained about the waste generated from cheap , disposable clothes .
Last year , a group of MPs even called for a clothing tax to be introduced .
Boohoo has also been forced to defend the fact it sells clothes very cheaply after allegations over pay and poor working conditions .
It has been accused of using a factory that underpaid workers , while they were being offered no protection from coronavirus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about its suppliers - if true - are `` totally unacceptable '' and has promised to take action .
`` We 're taking action to investigate allegations of malpractice in our supply chain and we ask government to take action too , '' wrote Boohoo boss John Lyttle in a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel .
He backed proposals set out by MPs to do more to protect clothing makers .
`` The main priority from here will be managing any reputational fallout , '' says Sophie Lund-Yates at Hargreaves Lansdown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and provides research to investors .
When the allegations came to light , Boohoo was criticised on Twitter and Instagram in posts using the hashtag # boycottboohoo .
Influencers such as former The Only Way Is Essex cast member Vas Morgan and model Jayde Pierce distanced themselves from the brand on social media .
`` The group is busy trying to root out if this is an isolated problem , or something more widespread , and we can expect an update on findings in the coming months , '' Ms Lund-Yates says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ today 's consumers expect more from companies than ever before . ''

Boohoo told the BBC that the quickest a piece of clothing can go from design to sale is two weeks. Usually the norm is between four and six.But the firm's dedication to "fast fashion" has been criticised. Politicians have complained about the waste generated from cheap, disposable clothes. Last year, a group of MPs even called for a clothing tax to be introduced.


bbcuk--2020-07-24--From Yemen to Wales: 'I thought I would die under that lorry'

Sixteen-year-old Mujahed Aqlan had never been so scared .
Not even when a group of gunmen had showed up at his home and threatened to kill his entire family .
As he stood shaking , steeling himself to run under a lorry and squeeze himself into a tiny space between its two massive tyres , he was overcome with feelings of anger and loss .
He had fled Yemen a few months earlier after it became clear to Mujahed 's father that his eldest son , a Sunni , would be a target for Houthi rebels fighting in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC , 'Muj ' , now 23 , relived his perilous journey from Yemen to Cardiff , where he has been granted asylum and played football for Wales in last year 's Homeless World Cup .
• Yemen crisis : Why is there a war ?
• Yemen crisis : Five years of hunger , five years of war • Five reasons why coronavirus is so bad in Yemen It was a `` simple life '' in Yemen , he said , but he had felt privileged to live a happy life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I was thinking 'why am I here ? '
, '' he said , recalling the build-up to his first attempt at stowing away on a lorry from Turkey to Greece .
`` My situation was very good in Yemen .
I had money and nice people around me - I had everything I need .
It 's a simple life but I felt rich . ''
Yemen 's civil war has raged for over five years , and led to the world 's worst humanitarian crisis .
In 2014 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Muj 's front door .
When his father was n't home , in the village of Dammaj , north-western Yemen , Muj assumed the role of man of the house .
He was there with his mother and seven younger siblings when he heard violent banging at the door .
He answered to find two men holding large guns , demanding to know where his father was .
Muj 's father was a sheikh and landowner , meaning he was often the subject of intimidation and blackmail .
But nothing could prepare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They tried to push me and they shot a lot , '' he explained .
The men had aimed at walls rather than Muj or his family , but it was a terrifying ordeal .
He summoned up the courage to challenge the men and they left , but they 'd come to send a message to his father - that his family was n't safe .
This event would change the course of Muj 's life .
A tactic of the Houthis , Muj explained , was to kidnap boys aged just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or make them fight .
`` When they came they said 'if your dad does n't come , I 'm going to take you and you will be fighting against your dad ' , '' he said .
It was n't a risk his father was willing to take .
About a month later , Muj was on a flight to Turkey with only a rucksack and a small amount of cash .
It was an emotional farewell and Muj cried for most of the flight .
He has n't seen his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrival in Turkey , his father was unable to reassure him - he was homesick and deeply concerned for the safety of his family .
`` He tried to make me calm , saying 'do n't worry , we will come , just go study and do well ' , '' said Muj .
`` I really missed my family every day , every night .
Every night I start to think about them ... what are they going to do ?
`` Why do I have to be here ?
Why do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He made good friends with other migrants along the way and they had one goal : get to Europe .
There were two ways of making it from Turkey , but only one of these was available to Muj .
He could n't afford a flight , so he would have to try and stow away on a lorry heading to Greece by ferry .
But it was dangerous .
`` I saw people trying to go under the lorry and I thought , 'what 's going on here ? '
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't understand - why did I have to do this ?
I was really scared . ''
While he made it to Greece , it was a tough environment for migrants there so he wanted to get to Italy as soon as possible .
Muj had managed to get on another lorry in Greece and headed to Italy .
As the ferry pulled into Bari port in the middle of the night , he felt an overwhelming sense of relief .
But just as the lorry was about to pull off the ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the the driver knelt down and spotted him clinging on to the underside of the lorry .
Having been in this situation a few times , Muj knew the driver would either demand all of his cash or hand him over to police .
But instead , something strange happened .
The driver looked at Muj , signalled it was safe to go and got in his cab .
• Why do people risk their lives to get to the UK ?
He could n't believe his luck , but he decided he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the port before jumping off .
But the lorry kept going , and going - for 30 long minutes .
`` Every time the lorry moved , my hands slipped .
I did n't have enough power to hold my hands , '' Muj explained .
`` My left hand slipped because [ I was ] tired - I had n't eaten .
As soon as the driver turned right , my hand slipped .
`` And I said : ' I 'm dying ' .
That 's what I was thinking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands ' .
And I said 'no , no , nearly done , nearly done ' and hold so strong . ''
When the lorry stopped , Muj let himself drop on to the road , slowly got to his feet and stumbled over to some grass where he lay under a tree , relieved to be alive .
Muj became seasoned in this grimmest of tasks , and it help him to get to the UK .
He had not been in contact with his family for three years .
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news , he wondered whether his family had made it out alive .
Muj was otherwise in a good place - United Welsh housing association had found him a home in Cardiff and he had been selected to play for Wales in the Homeless World Cup in Bute Park , Cardiff .
But the nagging worry over his family 's safety was a constant source of pain .
Then , out of the blue , Muj received a message on Facebook from a man he did n't know , claiming his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't allow himself to get excited .
Muj gave the man his phone number to pass on and thought nothing more of it .
But a couple of days later , before the World Cup , he received a phone call .
It was his family .
`` I spoke to my family , I spoke to my dad , and he said he was okay and my family are all okay , so I feel like almost superman , '' he said .
`` I said 'look , the nice days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was amazing when you got that feeling , when you were playing in a game and nothing could stop you . ''
Muj has n't been able to see his family in person yet - he had been saving up but coronavirus dented his earnings and made travel impossible .
But when he finally does see them again , he 'll have two new siblings to meet .
`` I really , really miss my family .
For three years I have been thinking 'where is my family ? '
, '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - I want to live with them , I want to live with my little sisters , my brothers .
Seven years is not easy - not easy at all . ''
The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum .
This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries , who are likely to be granted refugee status , as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives , who governments are likely to rule @ @ @ @

The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.


bbcuk--2020-07-27--The assistant headteachers aiming to increase BAME representation

Aretha and Youlande are assistant headteachers , a rarity in the UK where black teachers account for only 1 % @ @ @ @ @ .
They have set up Mindful Equity UK , an organisation aiming to increase the @ @ @ @ @ teachers in leadership roles .

Aretha and Youlande are assistant headteachers, a rarity in the UK where black teachers account for only 1% of headteachers in the UK.
They have set up Mindful Equity UK, an organisation aiming to increase the number of black and Asian teachers in leadership roles.
Correspondent: Elaine Dunkley
Video journalist: Tobias Chapple


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Cocoa Girl: 'We made the first UK black girls' magazine'

During lockdown , six-year-old Faith and her mother Serlina searched for magazines that represented children like her .
The realisation @ @ @ @ @ of diversity in magazines for younger girls led them to embark on designing and printing @ @ @ @ @ for black girls aged seven to 14 .
Since publication , Cocoa Girl has experienced @ @ @ @ @ selling more than 11,000 copies since it launched in June - at a time when @ @ @ @ @ decline .

During lockdown, six-year-old Faith and her mother Serlina searched for magazines that represented children like her.
The realisation that there was a lack of diversity in magazines for younger girls led them to embark on designing and printing the first ever UK magazine for black girls aged seven to 14.
Since publication, Cocoa Girl has experienced a surge in sales, selling more than 11,000 copies since it launched in June - at a time when print magazine sales are in decline.
Reporter/Producer: Amanda Kirton
Video journalist: Tobias Chapple


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Coronavirus: Experts share advice on Spain quarantine rules

With sudden new quarantine rules meaning travellers returning to the UK from Spain will have to quarantine for 14 days @ @ @ @ @ this will affect them .
Its removal from the list of exempt countries follows `` @ @ @ @ @ last week in both the level and pace '' of coronavirus cases , the government @ @ @ @ @ partner at Freeths , Kevin Poulter , chair of ABTA , Alistair Rowland , and @ @ @ @ @ Gazette , Pippa Jacks , all share their expert advice on how this change will @ @ @

With sudden new quarantine rules meaning travellers returning to the UK from Spain will have to quarantine for 14 days, many are asking how this will affect them.
Its removal from the list of exempt countries follows "a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace" of coronavirus cases, the government said.
Employment lawyer and partner at Freeths, Kevin Poulter, chair of ABTA, Alistair Rowland, and group editor of Trade Travel Gazette, Pippa Jacks, all share their expert advice on how this change will impact holidaymakers.


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Daisy the St Bernard dog back home after Scafell Pike mountain rescue

A St Bernard dog that had to be rescued from England 's highest mountain has fully recovered and is back @ @ @ @ @ Daisy collapsed while descending Scafell Pike on Friday .
She had shown signs of pain @ @ @ @ @ had refused to move .
Members of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team had to intervene @ @ @ @ @ a stretcher .
St Bernards are usually the ones helping with such missions - they @ @ @ @ @ people in the Italian and Swiss Alps .

A St Bernard dog that had to be rescued from England's highest mountain has fully recovered and is back home with her owners.
Daisy collapsed while descending Scafell Pike on Friday. She had shown signs of pain in her rear legs and had refused to move.
Members of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team had to intervene and carried her down on a stretcher.
St Bernards are usually the ones helping with such missions - they were originally bred to rescue people in the Italian and Swiss Alps.
Read more:Praise for St Bernard mountain rescuers


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Northamptonshire tornado throws up trail of debris

Video footage has shown a tornado spinning its way across the Northamptonshire countryside .
The weather phenomenon picked up rubbish @ @ @ @ @ through the air , as it made its way across the county from about 19:45 @ @ @ @ @ east-northeast between Flore and Moulton according to weather radar .
The tornado lasted for about @ @ @ @ @ caused by a `` supercell thunderstorm '' , said storm-chaser and Weatherquest meteorologist Dan Holley @ @ @ @ @ that have rotation and can occasionally produce tornadoes much more common in US plains but @ @ @ @ @ of events , about 35 , each year in the UK , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ `` amazing '' by an onlooker heard in the video .

Video footage has shown a tornado spinning its way across the Northamptonshire countryside.
The weather phenomenon picked up rubbish and debris, twirling it through the air, as it made its way across the county from about 19:45 BST on Saturday evening tracking east-northeast between Flore and Moulton according to weather radar.
The tornado lasted for about 15 minutes and was probably caused by a "supercell thunderstorm", said storm-chaser and Weatherquest meteorologist Dan Holley.
"These are storms that have rotation and can occasionally produce tornadoes much more common in US plains but we do get a handful of events, about 35, each year in the UK," he said.
It was described as "amazing" by an onlooker heard in the video.


bbcuk--2020-07-26--Child obesity: 'Your postcode determines access to healthier food'

One in five children in Year 6 of primary school in England is obese , according to the National Child @ @ @ @ @ a campaigner for young people 's health organisation , Bite Back , and she 's @ @ @ @ @ it easier for them to have healthier diet choices .

One in five children in Year 6 of primary school in England is obese, according to the National Child Measurement Programme.
Tasha is a campaigner for young people's health organisation, Bite Back, and she's on a mission to make it easier for them to have healthier diet choices.
Read more: Unhealthy food deals targeted to tackle obesity


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Newspaper headlines: 'Holiday chaos' and 'plan to cut quarantine'

The Daily Telegraph claims the government is hoping to announce plans to cut quarantine to 10 days for people arriving @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus .
Under the policy , the paper says arrivals would need to take @ @ @ @ @ eight days after arriving , and if they tested negative they could come out of @ @ @ @ @

The i argues that the government made the correct decision, and "were right not to delay". It reveals the policy change "sparked an internal row" between No 10 and the Department for Transport, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock stepping in to make the final call.


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Anisha Vidal-Garner death: Man jailed after Brixton police chase

The son of a barrister who killed a woman in a hit-and-run crash during a police chase , throwing her in the air `` like a rag doll '' , has been jailed .
Quincy Anyiam hit Anisha Vidal-Garner on Brixton Hill , south London , after accelerating away from officers who had signalled for him to stop .
The 27-year-old kept driving after striking Ms Vidal-Garner , 20 , as she crossed the road in February .
Anyiam , from Surrey , was jailed for seven years at the Old Bailey .
Student Ms Vidal-Garner was pronounced dead at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into police - but not until two days after the crash , at about 21:45 GMT on 19 February .
Ms Vidal-Garner had got off a bus and was crossing the road with her boyfriend and friend as Anyiam 's black Mercedes hit her , the court heard .
Prior to the collision , Anyiam had been skipping traffic lights , speeding and at times driving on the wrong side of the road , jurors were told .
He kept driving after the crash before abandoned his damaged car .
Mandy Garner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vidal-Garner , said she `` adored her daughter and would miss her forever . ''
`` Every day I wake up hoping it has not happened and have to relive that initial feeling of shock and devastation , '' she said .
`` Just seeing her face and hearing her voice made the world a better place . ''
Anyiam pleaded guilty in March to causing death by dangerous driving , failing to stop and dangerous driving .
As she sentenced him earlier the judge , Wendy Joseph QC , said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anisha and she should have been quite safe from any vehicle travelling within the speed limit of 30mph .
`` She crossed the southbound lanes and was moving into the northbound carriageway when she was alerted to a black Mercedes C250 travelling north towards her .
`` She moved back into the southbound carriageway where she should have been safe but the car swerved across the middle of the road , into the southbound carriageway and struck her .
`` She was catapulted , spinning high up into the air like , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rag doll ... she had suffered multiple injuries and died at the roadside . ''

As she sentenced him earlier the judge, Wendy Joseph QC, said: "The road would have seemed clear to Anisha and she should have been quite safe from any vehicle travelling within the speed limit of 30mph.


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Coronavirus: What went wrong in Scotland's care homes?

During the coronavirus pandemic more people died with the virus in Scotland 's care homes than in its hospitals .
The latest figures show almost 1,900 deaths in care homes where Covid-19 is on the death certificate .
A BBC Disclosure programme , The Care Home Scandal , looked at what went wrong .
At the height of the pandemic , 39 staff members at Whitehills care home in East Kilbride were off work .
In April , the BBC understands , the home had issued a red staffing alert - meaning it did not have enough staff to properly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the BBC under Freedom of Information suggest absence rates like this were not unusual .
During lockdown , the Care Inspectorate received 30 red warnings that homes did not have enough staff to properly care for their residents , and 149 amber warnings that staffing was stretched .
Louise McKechnie believes the high level of absence at Whitehills affected her grandmother 's care .
Bridget Snakenburg had been at Whitehills for four years when she contracted Covid , then had a stroke .
Louise - who herself works in the care sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shocked by what she saw .
She said she found Bridget soiled and wet , in a dirty room , with an open bag of used PPE in her bathroom .
`` That 's how bad it was , '' Louise said .
`` It was meant to be discarded right away , to prevent any more infection getting about .
`` She 'd been in her bed for a long time , and her room had n't been touched for a long time .
The debris had built up .
I 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There were n't enough staff to care for their needs . ''
Four days after her stroke , Louise decided to clean her gran 's mouth and found what appeared to be old food inside .
`` I had to break it off of her cheek . ''
Bridget died later that day .
At the time , the BBC understands , the home was on an amber staffing alert .
`` She should not have been left in the first place to die like that , '' Louise said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' A spokesperson for Whitehills said : `` We have apologised to Mrs Snakenburg 's family for failing to quickly remove used PPE from her room during the Covid crisis .
`` Our infection control procedures have since been fully reviewed and endorsed by the Care Inspectorate , which has praised our high standards of hygiene . ''
An investigation by South Lanarkshire Council found `` no significant issues that would pose a risk to care home residents '' .
Discharges from hospital into care homes with Covid In May , Rodger Laing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Twenty-two days later he was dead .
He had caught Covid-19 .
Rodger was one of more than 1,300 patients discharged into homes in Scotland to free up hospital beds for coronavirus patients .
The 80-year-old had dementia and had been in Midlothian Community Hospital for about seven months .
In December , before the pandemic , Rodger 's family had agreed on a move to a care home - one of several considered was Drummond Grange in Edinburgh .
But when social workers wanted to move him there , coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's story was first reported in the Edinburgh Evening News .
His son , Rodney Laing , was interviewed for BBC Scotland 's Disclosure .
He said : `` I said to the social work department 'you can not take a human being out of an environment that he 's healthy in , and put him in an environment that is riddled with Covid .
There 's elderly people in there dying .
You 're sending my dad to the gallows ' . ''
Rodney was worried about the risk from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree to move his father .
Rodger was tested when he left hospital .
The test was negative ; he did n't have Covid when he moved to Drummond Grange .
But within three weeks , the family 's worst fears were realised when he contracted the virus .
Rodney said : `` The people that were in the hospital ward with my dad are still alive .
And our dad 's not .
`` He was just a file with a name on it , and they wanted that file off their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him into that nursing home , then I can move on to my next case . ''
Morag Barrow , from Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership , said they had been working closely with the Laing family since December 2019 .
She said : `` Mr Laing 's son was given power of attorney to make the decisions affecting his father 's care .
`` Decisions affecting a patient can not be made without the permission of the patient themselves or in cases where that is not possible , their power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died , the Care Inspectorate carried out an unannounced inspection of Drummond Grange .
It found serious concerns about availability and use of PPE , infection prevention and control practices and staff knowledge of residents ' status relating to Covid-19 .
The home was issued with a letter of serious concern and at the next visit improvements were found .
Barchester , the company that owns Drummond Grange , said it had significant concerns about the Care Inspectorate report .
It told the BBC : `` The home had full PPE stocks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in infection control .
`` In addition , the home increased staffing levels to address the fact that not all residents have capacity , and many are not able to socially distance . ''
Care home residents could not get into hospital Gerry Gallagher battled to get his mother Rose admitted to hospital from Kyle Court care home in Paisley .
The 90-year-old had suspected Covid symptoms .
The home 's GP said the most important thing was for her to be kept comfortable in familiar surroundings .
`` I disagreed with that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : 'The most important thing is to have a chance of life ' . ''
A care home nurse told Gerry he might have difficulty getting Rose admitted to hospital because she had already been put onto end of life care .
`` I was stunned by that , and I am angry still about the fact that the GP put mum on end of life medications without any notification or agreement with me , '' he said .
Gerry said Rose had been written off , but he insisted she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days after she fell ill. She died a week later , with Covid .
Her son believes if she had been taken into hospital earlier , she may have had a better chance .
`` We should n't be treating care home residents as anything less than full citizens , '' he said .
`` Yeah , they are elderly , they 're dependent on us .
But they deserve the same treatment , and the same chance as other people . ''
A spokesperson for care home operator HC-One denied Mrs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said Kyle Court staff `` strongly believe they did everything possible to provide the best care and support '' for her .
They added : `` The care home has no control over the prescribing decisions made by GPs . ''
The Greenlaw GP Practice in Paisley said its clinical decisions were made `` in the best interest of the patient '' and it `` followed the national and clinical guidance on Covid-19 at all times '' .
At the time , the Scottish government guidance said : `` It is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to hospital for ongoing management but are managed within their current setting . ''
This guidance is no longer available on the government website .
The Scottish government told the BBC `` it has never been advised '' that care home residents should not be transferred to hospital `` when it is clinically assessed to be in their best interests '' .
Disclosure : The Care Home Scandal will be shown on BBC One Scotland on Tuesday 28 July at 22:45 , and afterwards on the BBC iPlayer .

He said: "I said to the social work department 'you cannot take a human being out of an environment that he's healthy in, and put him in an environment that is riddled with Covid. There's elderly people in there dying. You're sending my dad to the gallows'."


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Portglenone: Three dead after road crash

Three people have been killed in a two-vehicle crash outside Portglenone in County Antrim .
Two men and a woman , who are thought to be in their 50s , were pronounced dead at the scene on Lisnahunshin Road .
They were travelling in a silver Volkswagen Passat .
The man driving the second car , a black Audi , was taken to hospital as a precaution .
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service ( NIAS ) said it received a call about the collision at 10:40 BST on Monday .
Two emergency crews and a doctor were sent to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Police Service of Northern Ireland ( PSNI ) said the Lisnahunshin Road , Loan Road , Hiltonstown Road and Ballyconnelly Road remain closed .
TUV councillor Stewart McDonald said it was a `` very , very dangerous '' road .
`` There 's been fatalities here before in the past and there has been road improvements to highlight the crossroad and the junction ahead , '' he said .
Sinn Féin assembly member Philip McGuigan said the local community was `` shocked and saddened '' by the deaths .
`` Any death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and incidents like this are a reminder of the vital importance of road safety , '' he said .
DUP assembly member Mervyn Storey said it was difficult to imagine the shock and hurt for the loved ones of those who lost their lives .
`` Any death at any time is heartbreaking but in these sudden and tragic circumstances , the grief and pain experienced will be even more profound , '' he said .

"There's been fatalities here before in the past and there has been road improvements to highlight the crossroad and the junction ahead," he said.


bbcuk--2020-07-27--Seven Sisters: Blast-hit homes to be 'rebuilt through kindness'

A community has promised to rebuild uninsured homes destroyed in an explosion for free `` through kindness . ''
Jess Williams , 31 , and her two sons were injured in the blast in Church Road , Seven Sisters in Neath Port Talbot , on 24 June .
The boys , aged two and five , are now recovering with family .
But close family friend Brian Morris told BBC Wales Ms Williams is likely to remain in intensive care in Morriston Hospital for `` quite some time '' .
South Wales Police said the cause of the blast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ houses , was most likely ageing LPG ( liquefied petroleum gas ) equipment and environmental conditions .
Two of the three affected houses were uninsured .
Local independent councillor Stephen Hunt is leading a campaign to `` rebuild the homes through kindness '' .
He said tradesmen have been eager to offer their work free of charge and money raised for a trust fund would be spent on materials .
A local company has already completed a week 's work clearing the site free of charge .
Mr Hunt said : `` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ascertain development of the site .
`` We 'll have in quantity surveyors and structural engineers to put drawings together so that both the uninsured houses can be rebuilt to the standards and high quality that we expect going forward .
`` We 're hoping to do this through kindness… I 've been assured that nearly everybody that we need to carry out this work is on board .
`` We 're hoping that the people who will give us their labour for free and this trust fund that has been set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , will go some way on paying for materials and other aspects of the project if and when needed , but we 're emphasising on that labour , hopefully , the kindness of those master builders and the likes will come forward to do this work . ''
Huw Davies , who runs Ian Davies Plant Ltd , has been clearing the rubble and said he was happy to work `` totally free of charge '' to help the family .
`` When I heard the explosion had happened , I contacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business from the Dulais Valley , '' he said .
`` We 're professionals in doing demolition , so I felt that me and our team would be the best people to sift through the rubble , to get the personal belongings out and to get the houses safe . ''
Mr Davies said he and his team have receive `` mountains of support '' from the community while they 've been clearing Ms Williams home , as well as demolishing two-thirds of both neighbouring properties to make them safe .
`` A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days , but it 's taken us a week because we 've gone through brick by brick and picked out nearly every photo we could find , every personal belonging , everything we can do , '' he said .
`` Everything we 've come across we 've kept safe as good as we can that I could pick out with the excavator .
`` We 've come across everything , we 've come across watches , we 've come across photos , diaries , we 've kept laptops whole , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 've done everything that we can . ''
Mr Morris told BBC Wales the two boys were home and `` doing well '' , and Ms Williams was making a slow recovery in hospital .
`` The signs are good , we 're not out of the woods just yet , but things are getting better….it 's going to be a long road to recovery .
She 's going be in for quite some time , '' he said .
He said the family was `` overwhelmed '' by the community attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They 're just overwhelmed , they ca n't understand…people from far and wide have done donations and offers for their services .
`` The village and community spirit has been tremendous to be honest . ''

"We're hoping that the people who will give us their labour for free and this trust fund that has been set up which will have £25,000 in it or more, will go some way on paying for materials and other aspects of the project if and when needed, but we're emphasising on that labour, hopefully, the kindness of those master builders and the likes will come forward to do this work."