bbcuk--2020-08-17--A-level and GCSE results: Pressure mounts on ministers to solve exam crisis

Pressure is mounting on ministers to let teacher-assessed grades stand in England to avoid a second wave of exams chaos hitting GCSE results this week .
About 40 % of A-Level results were downgraded after the exams regulator Ofqual used an algorithm based on schools ' previous results .
It comes as Northern Ireland said it would use teachers ' grades for GCSEs .
The government has so far stood by its system but the appeals process is far from clear .
Head teachers called the A-level results `` unfair and unfathomable '' , with many gifted pupils losing top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and further education colleges particularly badly hit by the algorithm .
Students across the UK were not able to sit exams as normal this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Ahead of UK GCSE results day on Thursday , Northern Ireland Education Minister Peter Weir announced the scrapping of algorithm-adjusted results and a move to teacher-assessed grades .
Last week in England , 280,000 A-level results were downgraded from teachers ' assessments , almost 40 % of the total .
In Wales , 42 % of A-level results predicted by teachers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why did the A-level algorithm say no ?
It comes after Scotland 's First Minister , Nicola Sturgeon , apologised over downgraded exam results there and agreed to accept assessments by teachers when her nation 's results were published two weeks ago .
The government also faces growing concern from Conservative backbenchers , with at least 17 MPs criticising the system .
The list includes former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt who said she would be seeking meetings with the Department for Education on this issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of young people have lost out so much already , we must ensure that bright , capable students can progress on their next step . ''
Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond said Ofqual 's failure to publish an appeals process for A-levels was a `` shambles '' , arguing that a delay to GCSE results may be `` the best thing to do in the short term '' .
Kate Green , Labour 's shadow education secretary , told BBC Breakfast : `` We 're now going into week three of this debacle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland two weeks ago , we know about the problem last week with A-levels .
`` Here we are just two or three days away from GCSE results and the government still has n't got a grip on the problem . ''
Labour has called for teacher-assessed grades to be used for A-levels in England and has said the option should remain open for GCSEs .
Former Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said it was `` inevitable '' that the government would have to accept the grades estimated by teachers .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is he 's losing the confidence of head teachers around the country , '' he said , adding that `` he is losing the dressing room '' .
The Grammar School Heads Association and the private schools ' body , the Headmasters ' and Headmistresses ' Conference ( HMC ) , also back a switch to teacher-assessed grades , as do the teaching unions and many prominent education academics .
Dr Simon Hyde , HMC 's incoming general secretary , said it was `` the only way now to stop this intolerable strain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` unavoidable '' grade inflation .
The Sixth Form Colleges Association said teachers ' predictions should be adopted if the algorithm could not be made fair .
Many students are expected to appeal , although there has been confusion over the appeals process after Ofqual withdrew its guidance for challenging results hours after publishing it on Saturday .
New guidelines are still being drawn up by Ofqual , the Department for Education said on Sunday evening .
Parents will now be wondering why teacher assessed grades are good enough for 16-year-olds in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England ?
Pressure has piled on the government to find a solution , with both grammar schools and sixth form colleges saying their pupils have lost out , further undermining confidence in this year 's grades in England .
If anyone should have done well based on previous years ' results it 's grammar schools that select on academic ability .
Yet they say the A-level results were a `` great injustice '' .
Grammar schools have a totemic place in the Conservative Party so this will worry many backbenchers .
One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Ofqual is to maintain confidence in the system .
Yet confidence is in short supply - with Sixth Form Colleges Association analysis showing students getting lower A-level grades than similar 18-year-olds in previous years .
A Department for Education spokesman said hundreds of thousands of students had received a calculated grade to `` enable them to progress '' and that the department aimed `` to build as much fairness into the appeals system as possible '' .
Prof Tina Isaacs , who sits on Ofqual 's advisory board , said `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system '' and she was `` very concerned indeed '' that Thursday 's GCSE results would make the situation worse .
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he would be writing to Ofqual to start legal action over the `` deeply flawed '' allocation of grades , the third legal challenge the exam regulator faces over this year 's A-levels .
On Sunday hundreds of students held protests against grades they believe were unfairly awarded .
Meanwhile , analysis by the Sixth Form Colleges Association ( SFCA ) looked at 65,000 exam entries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and found that grades were 20 % lower than historic performances for similar students in those colleges .
The SFCA said it had not found a single one where the results were above the three-year average .
Ofqual states that its objective for A-level results this year has been to ensure `` national results are broadly similar to previous years '' .
The research showed that Ofqual `` not only failed to produce broadly similar results , but has in fact produced worse results in every single subject '' , the SFCA said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Grammar School Heads Association , said the results had also been unfair to some of its students .
He told the BBC that `` a great injustice has been done '' with `` utterly baffling '' results for some students with the `` only fair outcome '' being to accept grades predicted by teachers .
Three of Oxford University 's colleges - Worcester , Wadham and St Edmund Hall - have confirmed that all places offered to UK students will be secured irrespective of their A-level results .
Ahead of GCSE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , former Conservative Education Secretary Lord Kenneth Baker urged the government to delay the publication of grades until the situation surrounding A-levels had been resolved .
`` If you are in a hole , stop digging , '' Lord Baker said .
• ALHAN 'S WORLD : Health tips to keep you in good shape in these socially distanced times • WAKE UP TO MONEY : Bracing for the Covid recession Have your A level results been affected by this year 's grading system ?
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bbcuk--2020-08-17--NI GCSE results to be based on teacher predictions

GCSE results in NI will be solely based on grades provided by teachers , the education minister has said .
There was controversy last week after more than a third of A-level and AS-level grades provided by schools were lowered by the exams board CCEA .
Schools were asked to give predicted grades but then other data was used by CCEA to standardise the results .
Education Minister Peter Weir has now said standardisation will not apply to GCSEs .
Mr Weir said GCSEs taken with exams body CCEA - which provides about 97 % of GCSE exams in Northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision .
`` Having received advice from CCEA and listened to the concerns of school leaders , teachers , parents and young people , I have decided that all GCSE candidates will now be awarded the grades submitted by their centre , '' he said .
`` Standardisation is normally a key feature of awarding qualifications in Northern Ireland and across the UK .
`` However , these are exceptional circumstances and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made .
`` I am conscious that for GCSEs , unlike at A-level , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance data for this group of young people . ''
Mr Weir said he wanted to encourage as many young people as possible to remain in education or training after the age of 16 .
He said he was acting to `` ease anxieties '' and `` reassure young people and their families '' .
`` I am also mindful that unlike A-Level , many GCSE pupils will not have access to previous public examination outcomes to inform any appeals process , '' he added .
CCEA said it welcomed the minister 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to implement this decision , with GCSE results published on Thursday 20 August 2020 , '' it said .
The minister has basically taken the exam board CCEA 's role out of the entire GCSE process this year .
Those grades provided by schools alone will be used to give GCSE results .
That is likely to see a massive spike in results overall , which were already pretty high in Northern Ireland .
Last year , over four in every five GCSE entries were graded at A* to C , what would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move will come as a substantial relief to many pupils and schools .
I do n't think you can paint this in any other way than saying it 's a u-turn for the minister .
There has been widespread criticism of the system used to determine A-level and AS-level grades .
On Sunday , a majority of the Stormont parties backed a move to recall the assembly to try to address the dispute over exam results in Northern Ireland .
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood , whose party proposed the motion , said students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the education minister and CCEA who continue to slavishly prioritise process over the prospects of thousands of young people '' .
`` The notion that the integrity of qualifications can be maintained when the reputation of the examining board and the Department is in tatters is extraordinary , '' he said .
On BBC 's Good Morning Ulster programme , Mr Weir was asked that given his intervention on GCSEs , should there be a similar move for A-levels and AS levels .
`` In GSCEs , about 2 % of the GCSEs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we effectively have an internal market , '' Mr Weir said .
`` In Northern Ireland at A-level , one in five A-levels are set by boards outside of Northern Ireland so they would n't be affected by any change that we would make here .
So you would immediately create a disparity between that 20 % and the rest of the student body .
`` But look I think the best remedy for the A-level and AS level is the very wide , robust appeals process that we 've put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of NI GCSE students who sat tests set by English exam boards who will not benefit from this move , Mr Weir said `` a small minority , I think , have been left in a difficult position as regards GCSEs in Northern Ireland '' .
Northern Ireland 's Children 's Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma said she had co-signed a letter sent out to universities across the UK , asking them to honour conditional offers made to students prior to last week 's A-level results .
`` We 've seen far too many young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bizarre grades .
The system is clearly flawed , '' she said .
`` The students of 2020 are special .
No other student has been through this experience .
`` We are calling on all universities to honour the conditional offers they made to those young people .
This system has clearly not been fair . ''
Following the cancellation of exams in March due to the coronavirus pandemic , CCEA was instructed by Mr Weir to ensure the calculated results in 2020 were broadly in line with performance in recent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicted grade for their pupils and then rank them in order within each subject .
It then used other data to standardise the results .
For A-levels , the model used pupils ' AS-level results and resit data .
• A third of NI A-level grades lower than predicted According to CCEA , in 37 % of cases this year teachers were overly optimistic in their prediction , affecting about 11,000 grades .
In about 5 % of tests teachers underestimated the result , meaning that about 1,500 grades rose as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judgement had been used on its own , results would have risen `` considerably '' .
Mr Weir said the move on GCSEs would not change the approach that was taken on A-levels .
He said : `` Unlike GCSEs , they were standardised on the basis of candidates ' prior performance in public examinations .
`` I would encourage those pupils dissatisfied with their result to contact their school or college to work through the appeals process which is free this year .
`` As the appeals process is now underway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very closely to ensure that fair results are restored .
CCEA has advised that extra resources are already being deployed to ensure that as part of a robust process the appeals will be dealt with both efficiently and effectively . ''

Asked by the BBC about the small number of NI GCSE students who sat tests set by English exam boards who will not benefit from this move, Mr Weir said "a small minority, I think, have been left in a difficult position as regards GCSEs in Northern Ireland".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--More coronavirus-vaccine volunteers needed

More than 100,000 people have signed up to take part in future NHS trials of a coronavirus vaccine - but more volunteers are needed , researchers say .
They want as many people as possible to enrol , to speed up their efforts to find a safe and effective jab .
And they are particularly looking for more volunteers from the `` high-priority groups '' disproportionately affected by the virus - those belonging to ethnic minorities or aged over 65 .
Kate Bingham , who chairs the UK 's vaccine taskforce , said : `` These trials are safe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get the clinical trials enrolled , vaccinated and get the results , the quicker we can get a vaccine . ''
• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : Our experts have answers • THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters A number of trials are expected to begin this autumn in the UK .
By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be at least half a dozen different coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials , including one being developed by Oxford University that is already in an advanced stage of testing .
And hundreds of thousands of volunteers will be needed .
They will be given either one of the test vaccines or a placebo jab and then visit a hospital , or other research site , a few times over six to 12 months , where they will : • be told about the research study • have the chance to ask any questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell the research team about any symptoms they have and may need to keep a diary or take weekly throat and nose swab tests at home .

By the end of the year, there could be at least half a dozen different coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials, including one being developed by Oxford University that is already in an advanced stage of testing.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Tory MP accused of rape will not return to Commons in September

A Conservative MP accused of rape has agreed not to return to the Commons until after his bail date in November .
The party said the former minister would instead work from home when other MPs return from recess on 1 September .
The man in his 50s was arrested on 1 August on suspicion of four separate incidents , involving allegations of sexual offences and assault .
His party faced calls to suspend the MP , but Chief Whip Mark Spencer said it was for the police to investigate .
The Mayor of London 's Victims ' Commissioner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the MP to work remotely , saying he should not have contact with constituents while being investigated .
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Sunday it had extended the former minister 's bail until the middle of November .
The force said its investigation was being carried out by the Met Central Specialist Crime , Complex Case Team ( CCT ) .
The Sunday Times , which first reported the story , said the complainant alleged the MP , who has not been named , assaulted her , forced her to have sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to go to hospital .
The newspapers said the allegations had been made by an ex-parliamentary employee .
The Met Police said it had launched an investigation after it received allegations on 31 July .
`` These offences are alleged to have occurred at addresses in Westminster , Lambeth and Hackney between July 2019 and January 2020 . ''
A spokeswoman on behalf of the Conservative whips office said : `` These are serious allegations and it is right that they are investigated fully .
A decision on the whip will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concluded . ''
But reacting to the news the MP would still be working from home , Ms Waxman tweeted : `` I advise some rape victims to talk to their MP if they 're dissatisfied in the way case is handled .
`` Now I have to think twice as I could be referring vulnerable victim to a rape suspect . ''
Conservative chief whip Mr Spencer has defended his party 's decision not to withdraw the whip from the MP , saying it `` did n't want to do anything to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the allegations were `` very serious '' and it was up to the police to investigate them .
`` Once they 've come to their conclusion , then we can assess where we 're at and the position that the MP finds himself in , '' he said .
A group of women 's charities and unions have called on Parliament to step in to suspend the MP , claiming the incident had shown `` party politics was still interfering in justice and fairness '' .
For an MP to be suspended by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered by the House 's Commissioner for Standards and an independent expert panel .
If the complaint is considered to be serious enough for suspension or expulsion , the panel will make the recommendation to the Commons and MPs will vote on it .
But a vote could not take place until Parliament is sitting again .

The Sunday Times, which first reported the story, said the complainant alleged the MP, who has not been named, assaulted her, forced her to have sex and left her so traumatised that she had to go to hospital.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Morrisons considers ditching all 'bags for life' for paper

The supermarket chain Morrisons is starting trials which could see it ditch all its plastic bags for life .
From Monday it will offer strong paper bags instead of reusable plastic ones in eight stores , and , if customers seem happy , offer them at all 494 stores .
Morrisons says the paper bags can carry up to 16kg , have handles and can carry up to 13 bottles of wine - as much as the plastic counterparts .
All leading supermarkets are trying to cut plastics use .
Tesco said its bags for life were made from 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It recently stopped using plastic bags to deliver online groceries following a successful trial last year .
Sainsbury gave the same details for its bags , and said it was trialling a return to bagless deliveries , which were temporarily stopped amid the pandemic .
Morrisons said there was evidence bags for life are being used once before being binned .
It said a full replacement of its bags for life would save 90 million plastic bags being used each year , the equivalent of 3,510 tonnes of plastic per year .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greener ?
Morrisons ' chief executive , David Potts , said : `` We believe customers are ready to stop using plastic carrier bags as they want to reduce the amount of plastic they have in their lives and keep it out of the environment .
`` We know that many are taking reusable bags back to store and , if they forget these , we have paper bags that are tough , convenient and a re-useable alternative . ''
Supermarkets began charging for plastic bags in England 2015 , after the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones to cut their use .
Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes to reduce plastic bag use .
In 2014 , 7.6 billion bags were handed out in England alone , around 140 per person a year , according to the environment department , Defra .
The number distributed since then has dropped by 80 % .

Morrisons' chief executive, David Potts, said: "We believe customers are ready to stop using plastic carrier bags as they want to reduce the amount of plastic they have in their lives and keep it out of the environment.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Woman charged with murdering boy, 10, in Acton

A woman has been charged with murdering a 10-year-old boy who was found dead in a house in west London @ @ @ @ @ was discovered in a property in Cumberland Park , Acton , after a woman arrived @ @ @ @ @ the early hours of Sunday to speak to officers .
The Met said Olga Freeman @ @ @ @ @ Park , had been charged with the boy 's murder .
She is due to @ @ @ @ @ Magistrates ' Court later .

A spokesperson for Mr Freeman said the celebrity photographer had been in Spain "when he heard the shocking and heart-breaking news, and is beyond devastated".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--James Whale: Radio host reveals cancer in kidney, spine, brain and lungs

Veteran radio DJ James Whale has revealed he has cancer in his kidney , spine , brain and lungs .
The 69-year-old told The Sun he received the diagnosis two weeks ago .
It comes 20 years after he had one kidney removed because of a tumour .
`` It 's in my remaining kidney , '' he said .
`` I 've got a couple of small lesions in my lungs .
I 've got it in my spine .
I 've got it in my brain . ''
Whale has hosted a nightly evening phone-in show on TalkRadio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and confrontational host has been absent for the past month .
He told The Sun he went to the doctor when he started forgetting names on air .
`` The woman looked worried and she said , ' I 'm so sorry .
I 've got really , really bad news for you .
I 'm afraid 20 years ago you had kidney cancer .
Well , it looks like it 's probably come back .
You 've got a tumour on your kidney . '
`` And I thought , 'OK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to do all over again . '
And then she said , ' I 'm sorry .
Sadly it 's spread .
You 've got small lesions in your brain and your lung , in your spine , in your pituitary gland . '
'' He said he already had the tumour in his pituitary gland .
He has been on immunotherapy and hormone replacement treatment , and is already feeling the benefits .
`` I have n't got a proper prognosis yet because it 's very early days , but this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treating cancer - it gets the immune system to attack the tumours , '' he said .
`` I 'm probably going to be on tablets for the rest of my life but I 've gone from being like a little shrunken , old man in the chair who 's not eating and could hardly walk up the stairs , to where I can run upstairs . ''
TV hosts Piers Morgan and Charlotte Hawkins , fellow TalkRadio presenters Julia Hartley-Brewer and Ian Collins , and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage were among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial experience of cancer , Whale set up the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006 , which merged with Kidney Cancer UK in 2015 .
The host came to prominence in the late 1980s as the host of The James Whale Radio Show , which was simultaneously broadcast on radio and TV , becoming a Friday night fixture on ITV until the mid-1990s .
In 1995 , he moved to radio station TalkSport , but was fired in 2008 after calling on his listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was a serious breach of impartiality rules , and fined the station £20,000 .
He then hosted the drivetime show for LBC and the breakfast show on BBC Essex , and took part in the 18th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2016 alongside Christopher Biggins and Frankie Grande .
He joined TalkRadio three months later , being suspended for a spell in 2018 after an interview with a rape victim which the station said `` completely lacked sensitivity '' .
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"I'm probably going to be on tablets for the rest of my life but I've gone from being like a little shrunken, old man in the chair who's not eating and could hardly walk up the stairs, to where I can run upstairs."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Claims open for second self-employed support grant

Millions of self-employed people whose trade has been hit by coronavirus can now apply for a second support grant from the government .
More than three million people may be eligible for the payment of up to £6,570 each , which Chancellor Rishi Sunak said would be the final hand-out .
HMRC said it was pleased with the positive start the scheme made when it opened on Monday morning .
By early Monday 39,000 people had successfully made claims , HMRC said .
Angela MacDonald , deputy chief executive at the HMRC , told BBC Breakfast that those claims were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme opened .
The claims window is initially open for a four-day period but anyone who thinks they may be eligible and has n't been contacted by HMRC has until October to make a claim , she said .
`` We are trying very hard to contact all those people who are eligible in order to help them to understand when they can make their claim . ''
If you think you are eligible and have n't been contacted by HMRC , you can go onto the online system which will tell you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is you can make a claim .
`` People should n't worry about needing to do everything too much in a rush , '' said Ms MacDonald .
`` If you do n't manage it in those first four days the claims systems is actually open until the 19th October , so therefore everybody 's got the time to do it to suit their working situation at the moment . ''
The first grant , launched in May , saw £7.8bn claimed by 2.7 million people .
HM Revenue and Customs ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much , but it will not be demanding repayment .
Some 15,000 payments - less than 0.6 % of the total - were miscalculated in the first tranche of support , the tax authority said .
`` The vast majority of grants were paid correctly , but in a very small number of cases , not all the information held on a tax return was taken into account when calculating eligibility and grants , '' said a spokesman for HMRC .
`` Our top priority has been ensuring self-employed people receive grants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraudsters . ''
Legal services firm Integrated Dispute Resolution , which highlighted the error , said the scale of it was still not `` fully understood '' .
To be eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme , more than half of a claimant 's income needs to come from self-employment .
The scheme is open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19 , or an average trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17 , 2017-18 and 2018-19 .
Under the first payment , self-employed workers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grant of 80 % of their average profits , up to £2,500 a month for three months .
This was paid in one instalment , of up to £7,500 .
Applications for this first payment closed on 13 July .
As of Monday , those eligible can claim the second , slightly less generous , grant covering 70 % of the applicant 's average monthly trading profits .
It will also be made in a single payment , covering three months and capped at £2,190 a month , or £6,570 in total .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been affected by the virus on or after 14 July , but they would not need to have taken the first grant to be eligible for the second .
A number of self-employed people , such as directors who pay themselves in dividends , freelancers , and the newly self-employed , are unhappy at missing out on the government 's self-employment support package .
The Treasury Select Committee called on ministers to plug the gaps to fulfil the government 's promise of `` doing whatever it takes '' , but Mr Sunak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first phase of the crisis '' .
The system is the alternative to the extended furlough scheme for employed workers .
The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed welcomed the second round of grants .
But it said the government must be ready to reopen and `` extend it to the desperately struggling forgotten self-employed '' in the event of a second wave of the coronavirus .
Are you self-employed and looking to access these grants ?
Please share your experiences using the form below .
In some cases your question will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
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Use this form to ask your question :

If you think you are eligible and haven't been contacted by HMRC, you can go onto the online system which will tell you if you are eligible, and when it is you can make a claim.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Gatwick Airport: Man arrested over terror offence

A man has been arrested at Gatwick Airport on suspicion of committing terrorism offences .
The Met Police 's Counter @ @ @ @ @ man at about 04:00 BST after he arrived on a flight from Turkey .
He @ @ @ @ @ possessing material likely to be useful to a terrorist .
The Met said the man @ @ @ @ @ search was also under way at an address in north London .

The Met said the man remained in custody and a search was also under way at an address in north London.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Blackburn wedding party of 100 broken up by police

A wedding reception of more than 100 guests has been broken up by police in Blackburn .
Blackburn with Darwen brought in extra measures on 14 July after a spike in Covid-19 cases to try to avoid a Leicester-style local lockdown .
Police said the event at Waheed 's Buffet and Banqueting Hall in Randal Street was a `` significant breach '' of restrictions putting people `` at risk '' .
The gathering on Sunday was dispersed and no further action was taken .
Lancashire Police 's Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods said there were between 100 and 120 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The vast bulk of those people were asked to leave , they were very compliant , but in effect that wedding reception was closed down and what remained was a small number of people '' Today future action is going to be considered with the local authority to see what we can do with that premises to stop it happening again .
`` For businesses we know it 's hard but we will name and shame places that flout the regulations to this extent and there will be consequences . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Disappointing incident in Blackburn this evening .
`` Officers have attended a report of a significant breach of Covid restrictions , and found over 100 guests at a wedding reception .
`` This is a clear breach of both local and national restrictions that puts everyone attending at risk .
`` Officers have engaged with the attendees and at police instruction the gathering was dispersed without further issue .
`` Please work with us to help keep everyone safe by following the guidelines and restrictions . ''
A month on since tighter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared with most of the rest of England , the area still has one of the highest rates of new cases of coronavirus .
In the week to 12 August there were 141 new cases recorded , 20 more than the week before .
It works out at about 94 cases per 100,000 residents in the latest week .
The official data for England released on Sunday shows only Northampton , which recorded hundreds of cases following an outbreak at a sandwich factory , and Oldham currently have higher rates of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borough 's director of public health Dominic Harrison said : `` It 's not fair to the majority of the population who are sticking by the guidance we 've put out .
`` Many people have made sacrifices and for them , something like this is not fair .
`` We as a council , with the police , are going to be looking to take stronger action than we have up to now on events like this over the coming weeks . ''
He said the area 's coronavirus rates were currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not yet coming down as fast as we hoped '' .
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"We as a council, with the police, are going to be looking to take stronger action than we have up to now on events like this over the coming weeks."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--PC Andrew Harper's stepsister tells of 'unimaginable pain'

The stepsister of PC Andrew Harper has described her `` confusion and disbelief '' over his death last August .
Amelia Adlam , 15 , said she was angry his life had been `` stolen '' and the last 12 months had been `` absolutely unimaginably painful '' for their family .
She said the `` hole you have left in our hearts is greater than the room left '' .
PC Harper was dragged to his death after he was caught in a crane strap as he tried to stop three thieves fleeing as they stole a quad bike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police officer had only been married four weeks when he died .
Teenagers Henry Long , Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers have been jailed for manslaughter after they were convicted following a trial .
In a statement released by Thames Valley Police , Amelia said : `` A year ago today I would have never thought I would have had to go through what we have .
`` We have all sat in court and heard about the awful things that happened to you .
We have all wanted justice and we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but our family .
We all love you , Andrew . ''
Given the news the morning after he died , she said : `` I was left in utter confusion and disbelief that you had gone .
`` I 'm angry your life was stolen from you , from us .
You did n't deserve this .
You deserved the world and more . ''
She said it had been difficult to hear the `` pain and torture '' her brother went through before he died .
`` I went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To show you how much you meant to me and so I can move forward knowing I tried as hard as I could to stand by you . ''
PC Harper 's family have criticised the sentences and the reductions given due to the defendants ' ages .

"I went to court for me and for you Andrew. To show you how much you meant to me and so I can move forward knowing I tried as hard as I could to stand by you."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Public Health England 'to be replaced'

Public Health England is to be replaced by a new agency that will specifically deal with protecting the country from pandemics , according to a report .
The Sunday Telegraph claims Health Secretary Matt Hancock will this week announce a new body modelled on Germany 's Robert Koch Institute .
Ministers have reportedly been unhappy with the way PHE has responded to the coronavirus crisis .
The government was contacted by the BBC but declined to comment on the report .
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said : `` Public Health England have played an integral role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global pandemic .
`` We have always been clear that we must learn the right lessons from this crisis to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position , both as we continue to deal with Covid-19 and to respond to any future public health threat . ''
The Telegraph reports that Mr Hancock will merge the NHS Test and Trace scheme with the pandemic response work of PHE .
A leaked memo seen by the BBC , written by the head of Public Health England Duncan Selbie to staff said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health protection was to boost expertise with `` much needed new investment '' .
• PM : We could have done things differently The paper said the new body could be called the National Institute for Health Protection and would become `` effective '' in September , but the change would not be fully completed until the spring .
The Robert Koch Institute , which the new body will reportedly be based on , is an independent agency that has taken control of Germany 's response to the pandemic .
Earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way of counting daily coronavirus deaths in England following concerns that the method used by PHE overstated them .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also said the country 's response to Covid-19 could have been done `` differently '' and the government needed to learn lessons .
Public Health England has been seen by some at Westminster as a convenient scapegoat for flawed decision making in the early weeks of the coronavirus crisis .
Blame for a failure to have put in place a mass testing capability as the pandemic virus began to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's door .
But decisions at the time and in the months before the crisis were made across Government , with input from the advisory body SAGE .
PHE 's critics will argue that a shake-up is now needed .
But supporters will feel that blaming PHE is diverting attention from others in Whitehall and Westminster .
There is a logic to moving PHE 's coronavirus functions , including testing and surveillance , into a new health protection agency which also takes in the test and trace network and management .
But shaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still present is risky .
Ministers will need to demonstrate they are doing so for the right reasons and not just playing to a political gallery .
John Ashton , a former regional director of public health in north-west England , said PHE had had `` a bad pandemic '' but criticised the government 's reported plans to scrap the organisation .
He told the BBC News Channel : `` You do n't deal with the problem of an over-centralised , dysfunctional organisation by creating another over-centralised organisation which is what is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horses mid-stream - this pandemic has still got a long way to run , '' he said , adding that PHE should be strengthened rather than ditched .
PHE was created in 2013 - as part of an overhaul of the NHS in England under former health secretary Jeremy Hunt - with responsibilities including preparing and responding to health-related emergencies such as pandemics .
It currently employs around 5,500 full-time staff , made up mostly of scientists , researchers and public health professionals .
Its website says it was established to bring together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organisations into a single public health service .
• PANORAMA : Has lockdown changed what we eat ?
• FORT SALEM : Fancy some escapism ?
Binge-watch the new series

"We have always been clear that we must learn the right lessons from this crisis to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position, both as we continue to deal with Covid-19 and to respond to any future public health threat."


bbcuk--2020-08-13--Coronavirus: How can I use the 'eat out to help out scheme'?

Diners can get up to 50 % off their bill through the `` eat out to help out '' scheme .
Designed to boost the struggling hospitality industry , more than 10 million discounted meals were ordered in its first week .
How does the scheme work ?
The promotion gives people up to 50 % off when eating or drinking soft drinks in a participating restaurant or other food establishment .
It is valid all day Monday , Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 to 31 August , across the UK .
Food and drink will appear on the menu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take the money off the bill before claiming it back from the government .
Can I eat and drink anything ?
The discount is only on food and soft drinks that you intend to have on the premises .
There is no limit on how many times you can use the discount , or for how many people , including children .
There 's no minimum spend and you do n't have to order food to be eligible .
For example , a £3 coffee would cost £1.50 under the scheme .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with any other promotions and discounts being offered by the venue .
Which food and drink places are taking part ?
Establishments can choose whether to sign up , and can join the scheme at any point .
They need to register online and will be able to claim the money back and have it refunded within five working days .
To be eligible they must have a designated dining or drinking area , or access to one .
They must have been registered with their local authority since at least 7 July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eating out ?
Hospitality venues must also collect and keep the details of at least one person in your party for 21 days .
This is in case they are needed for contact tracing .
You do not have to provide your details , but bars and restaurants have the right to refuse you service .
Why was 'eat out to help out ' introduced ?
Hospitality is one of the UK 's biggest employers and has been hit especially hard by lockdown .
In April , 80 % of venues closed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed on furlough at some point since then .
Some venues have been able to provide a takeaway service during lockdown .
But this often means lower average spending per head and fewer people employed .
Why has the scheme been criticised ?
When asked if the government was promoting mixed messages , Care Minister Helen Whately said under healthy eating plans , large chain restaurants will have to publish calorie breakdowns of their meals , helping diners to make an `` informed choice '' .

Coronavirus: Will the 'eat out to help out scheme' be extended? Published 28 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
The "eat out to help out" scheme, which gives diners up to 50% off their bill, is due to end on Bank Holiday Monday (31 August).
Designed to boost the struggling hospitality industry, 64 million discounted meals were ordered during the first three weeks of the scheme.
The Treasury has resisted calls to extend the scheme but several restaurants say they will carry it on at their own expense.
Which restaurants say they will offer the discount for longer?
Chains pledging to continue offering some form of discount include:
Pizza Pilgrims
Tesco Café
The Real Greek
Until 9 September:
Harvester
Toby Carvery
Stonehouse Pizza
A longer list - including independent venues taking part by region - can be found here.
This is separate from the government scheme, so the discounts on offer may vary or change.
How has the Eat Out To Help Out scheme worked?
The UK-wide government promotion gives people up to 50% off when eating - or drinking soft drinks - in a participating restaurant or other food establishment.
The maximum discount is £10 per person.
It is valid all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August.
Food and drink appear on the menu at full price, but the restaurant takes the money off the bill before claiming it back from the government.
Image source, Getty Images
Can I eat and drink anything?
The discount is only on food and soft drinks that you intend to consume on the premises.
It does not apply to takeaways.
There is no limit on how many times you can use the discount, or for how many people, including children.
There's no minimum spend and you don't have to order food to be eligible. For example, a £3 coffee would cost £1.50 under the scheme.
The offer can be used in combination with any other promotions and discounts being offered by the venue.
Which food and drink places are taking part?
More than 83,000 businesses have signed up to the promotion. These include:
Restaurants (including those in hotels, leisure centres and holiday parks)
Cafes
Bars and pubs that serve food
Canteens
Food halls with a seating area
Members' clubs
Catering services, bed and breakfasts and mobile food vans are not eligible.
Image source, Getty Images
Lots of local independent pubs, restaurants and cafes have been taking part, as well as big chains.
To be eligible they must have a designated dining or drinking area, or access to one. They must have been registered with their local authority since at least 7 July 2020.
A search tool allows people to search for participating local venues within a five-mile radius.
The search tool may not include big chain restaurants taking part, a list of which can be found here. They include:
Ask Italian
Benugo
Bill's
Burger King
Caffe Nero
Costa Coffee
Cote Brasserie
Five Guys
Franco Manca
Giggling Squid
Honest Burgers
KFC
Leon
M&S Cafe
McDonald's
Nando's
Pizza Express
Prezzo
Pret a Manger
Starbucks
Subway
Turtle Bay
Wagamama
JD Wetherspoon
Zizzi
What are the rules for eating out?
Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants can now reopen indoors, with guidance issued for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on measures they must take to keep customers and staff safe.
These include social distancing, controlled access to toilets and the option of ordering food on apps.
Hospitality venues must also collect and keep the details of at least one person in your party for 21 days. This is in case they are needed for contact tracing.
You do not have to provide your details, but bars and restaurants have the right to refuse you service.
Why was 'eat out to help out' introduced?
Hospitality is one of the UK's biggest employers and has been hit especially hard by lockdown. In April, 80% of venues closed, and 1.4 million hospitality workers have been placed on furlough at some point since then.
Some venues have been able to provide a takeaway service during lockdown. But this often means lower average spending per head and fewer people employed.
The scheme has been used alongside other targeted help, such as a cut in VAT for hospitality and tourism businesses.
Why has the scheme been criticised?
Several fast-food chains have taken part in the scheme, which has drawn criticism from some anti-obesity campaigners. The National Obesity Forum, for example, has said it was a ''green light to promote junk food''.
The discount scheme sits alongside the government's healthy eating plan that bans "buy one get one free" deals on unhealthy food, amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and an increased risk from coronavirus.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: A-level anger, homelessness fears and self-employed help

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Monday morning .
We 'll have another update for you at 18:00 BST .
Anger over the awarding of A-level grades shows no sign of abating .
Sixth form colleges say their analysis shows grades across its institutions were 20 % lower than historic equivalents .
Grammar school heads are arguing a `` great injustice '' has been done .
On Thursday , hundreds of thousands of students in England are due to receive GCSE results calculated using a similar system - explained in detail here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of homelessness '' in England when a ban on evictions ends later this month , a group of MPs is warning .
The ban was introduced in March to protect those hit by the pandemic .
The MPs want ministers to guarantee all local authorities can fund accommodation for rough sleepers for at least another year .
Protections for tenants have already been extended in Wales and Scotland .
The BBC 's Victoria Derbyshire has been finding out about the reality of domestic abuse during lockdown , meeting some of the women trapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers trying to help them .
She has also been reflecting on her own childhood and growing up with a violent father .
New Zealand 's PM Jacinda Ardern has postponed the country 's general election scheduled for September amid a spike in coronavirus cases .
Earlier this week , the largest city , Auckland , went back into lockdown .
New Zealand 's response to the virus has been widely praised , with tough border restrictions , effective health messaging and an aggressive test-and-trace programme keeping deaths down .
5 .
Help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for government support during the pandemic can from today apply for a second and final grant of up to £6,500 .
The first grant , launched in May , saw £7.8bn claimed by 2.7 million people .
HM Revenue and Customs will contact those eligible , but critics say millions more will once again fall through the cracks .
Read more on who can claim .
Get a longer coronavirus briefing from the BBC in your inbox , each weekday morning , by signing up here .
Find more information , advice and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , see the latest on the number of cases in your area .
What questions do you have about coronavirus ?
In some cases , your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question : If you are reading this page and ca n't see the form you will need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include your name , age and location with any question you send in .
• FOOD REVOLUTION : Is the way we produce and buy food set to change for good ?

There could be "a new wave of homelessness" in England when a ban on evictions ends later this month, a group of MPs is warning. The ban was introduced in March to protect those hit by the pandemic. The MPs want ministers to guarantee all local authorities can fund accommodation for rough sleepers for at least another year. Protections for tenants have already been extended in Wales and Scotland.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Neets facing a 'ticking time bomb', says Colleges Wales

Wales faces a `` ticking time bomb '' over the number of young people not in education , employment or training ( Neet ) , according to Colleges Wales .
There are fears the Covid pandemic and recession will damage the prospects of a generation .
The number of Neets has increased in the last two years .
The Welsh Government said it would `` tackle any increase in youth unemployment '' .
Grace Williams , an electrical engineering apprentice with IAC in Newport , juggles studying for qualifications with working .
`` If it 's something that you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing , 100 % , because you get your experience and your qualification at the one time , and you get to earn money while doing it , '' she said .
But for 20-year-old , Caitlyn Morgan from Fochriw , Caerphilly county , it feels like everything is against her as she tries to find a job .
She had a short work placement at a large retailer organised by the Prince 's Trust but it was just as Covid struck and there was no job at the end of it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but she 's not confident about her future .
`` There 's a lot more people who have lost jobs and there 's a lot less jobs to go around and people like me who have n't got a lot to offer experience-wise , we are not going to be the ones at the forefront , '' she said .
`` We 're going to be the ones at the back of the queue .
So I feel like I 'm going to be at a major disadvantage to find work . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` This could well be a ticking time bomb for the economy , it 's clearly not good for individuals who find themselves in this awful category of Neets '' .
What do the figures tell us ?
Between 2011 and 2017 , the proportion of 16 to 18-year-old Neets fell .
According to the latest figures , the number rose from 10,800 in 2018 to 11,200 in 2019 - an increase from 10.6 % to 11.1 % .
The proportion of 19 to 24-year-old Neets continues to fall .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people like Caitlyn and Grace will be more limited in future as businesses face uncertainty .
A Welsh Government spokesperson said its £40m skills and jobs package will be key to `` ensure that anyone over the age of 16 in Wales can access the advice and support they need to find work , pursue self-employment , find a place in education or training or be supported to start their own business '' .

"If it's something that you want to go into it's well worth doing, 100%, because you get your experience and your qualification at the one time, and you get to earn money while doing it," she said.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coupar Angus food processing plant closed after coronavirus cluster

A food processing plant in Perth and Kinross has been closed after four members of staff tested positive for Covid-19 .
Two other workers at the 2 Sisters facility in Coupar Angus are awaiting the results of a test for the virus .
NHS Tayside said there are two connected cases in the community and arrangements are being made for the testing of other employees .
2 Sisters said the temporary move was `` the responsible action to take . ''
NHS Tayside Public Health was alerted to the outbreak on Sunday .
Management at the poultry factory , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision last night to temporarily close the factory .
It is understood a manager at the factory may have caught the virus from a close relative , who is not an employee of the plant .
The company said in a statement : `` Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of all colleagues , and we will be reviewing the situation closely in partnership with the relevant regional and national Scottish Covid-19 taskforces before we restart production .
`` The facility had previously operated for six months without a single positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ management team is working with Scottish government , Public Health Scotland and local environmental health teams to provide advice and support .
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said : `` Where clusters of cases develop we must find them and act quickly to prevent further spread .
`` Public health teams in Tayside are responding quickly to this outbreak and we are liaising closely with them , Food Standards Scotland and Perth and Kinross Council to discuss all appropriate measures to contain this cluster . ''

"However, individuals who have been in this plant should be extra vigilant, ensure they follow all public health advice, and if they have any symptoms of Covid-19 should isolate and book a test on the NHS website."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--The medical school trying to become anti-racist

A major British medical school is leading the drive to eliminate what it calls `` inherent racism '' in the way doctors are trained in the UK .
The University of Bristol Medical School says urgent action is needed to examine why teaching predominantly focuses on how illnesses affect white people above all other sections of the population .
It comes after students pushed for reform , saying gaps in their training left them ill-prepared to treat ethnic minority patients - potentially compromising patient safety .
Hundreds of other UK medical students have signed petitions demanding teaching that better reflects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical School Council ( led by the heads of UK medical schools ) and the regulator , the General Medical Council , say they are putting plans in place to improve the situation .
Meanwhile , a recent draft report by Public Health England suggests racism could play a part in the increased risk of death from coronavirus faced by black , Asian and other minority communities and recommends work continues to tackle discrimination within the health service .
A number of diseases manifest differently depending on skin tone , but too little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Dr Joseph Hartland , who is helping to lead changes at the University of Bristol Medical School .
And he says the problem is one that all UK medical schools and the wider NHS share .
`` Historically medical education was designed and written by white middle-class men , and so there is an inherent racism in medicine that means it exists to serve white patients above all others , '' he said .
When patients are short of breath , for example , students are often taught to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blue tinge to the lips or fingertips - to help judge how severely ill someone is , but these signs can look different on darker skin .
`` Essentially we are teaching students how to recognise a life-or-death clinical sign largely in white people , and not acknowledging these differences may be dangerous , '' said Dr Hartland .
He agreed there were other ways of making the diagnosis , but said teachers needed to question why training almost always focuses on signs as they appear in white-skinned people .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to training on common skin conditions like eczema , with students often going through their entire medical school education without seeing examples of how these manifest in people who do not have white skin .
But , he says , the problem goes much deeper than skin conditions .
After receiving a letter setting out areas for reform from black , Asian and other ethnic minority students , the school sent a detailed document to all students , outlining measures to `` de-colonise the curriculum '' .
• New textbooks demonstrating clinical signs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all clinical signs , where possible , are presented in both light and dark skin tones • Exploring the fact that drug trials predominantly involve white , male participants , and looking at how this may lead to inaccurate and harmful prescribing for other patients • Teaching on the history of medicine , including the exploitation of people of colour in scientific research • Training on spotting unconscious bias and helping students and staff more confidently report and act on racism • Setting up an anti-racism taskforce to promote an environment that actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black and minority ethnic medical student group at the school , said the changes would make better doctors - and ultimately help patients have better treatment .
She said : `` If the new generation of doctors are not being equipped to adequately care for the multi-ethnic population we see here in the UK and across the world , we are doing the patients a disservice . ''
She gives the example of studies showing black patients are often prescribed less pain relief than other people , despite having the same conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Some of this is rooted in problematic ideologies of the past - the erroneous idea that black people feel less pain .
`` It is important as students and staff that we understand this colonial history and have training so we can examine and reflect on our unconscious biases , '' said Miss Larkai .
One new area of the history of medicine that will be covered is the Tuskegee syphilis experiments - where for nearly 40 years , the US government conducted experiments on a group of black American men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would happen if their syphilis was left untreated .
Miss Larkai and Dr Hartland say it is important for students to learn about medicine 's difficult past to prevent such atrocities from happening again .
The work to `` de-colonise '' the curriculum is part of ongoing action at the University of Bristol .
The medical school is adding its own specific changes to help trainee doctors .
Dr Kathreena Kurian , who is helping with the changes , said : `` Bristol really has a unique opportunity to shine a light on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and as highlighted by recent high-profile events in the city . ''
Miss Larkai , who has spent years campaigning on the issues and co-founded the organisation BME Medics , said she feels positive about the recent advances , and proud of the students who have helped bring them about .
But she acknowledged the work took an emotional and social toll .
She added the reforms would require long-term funding and expertise .
The Medical Schools Council has already started working with universities to diversify curricula and improve support for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the council , said : `` It is vital that not only should the profession represent our diverse population but it should also understand the unique health differences in our various communities . ''
The General Medical Council - which sets the broad framework for medical training but not specific content in curricula - said it would work with medical schools on guidance that includes ethnically diverse presentations in their curricula .
The organisation says it wants to be active `` in driving change that is real and effective in support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , doctors and patients in the UK . ''

When patients are short of breath, for example, students are often taught to look out for a constellation of signs -including a blue tinge to the lips or fingertips - to help judge how severely ill someone is, but these signs can look different on darker skin.


bbcuk--2020-08-16--'They haven't found anyone else out there like me'

Charlotte Evans was 12 when she experienced the first episode of an undiagnosed health condition that causes parts of her body to swell - sometimes for months at a time .
Now 19 , she has had 66 surgeries to relieve pressure caused by the swelling and came within an hour of having to have her leg amputated .
Charlotte , from Downderry , near Looe in Cornwall , has also faced abuse from strangers who assume the scars on her arms were self-inflicted .
She explains how her experiences have changed her . '
I was really into dance' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and really into dance .
I danced pretty much every day or did drama but then I got sick .
I had a pain in my hip and a lump .
Then I woke up in agony - the swelling had spread across my stomach , down my back and my leg .
It was just huge .
I spent three weeks in hospital but the doctors did n't know what caused it .
The told me they could n't find anything wrong and so it would never happen again .
Those were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months later I had the same thing in my hand .
I went to hospital because it was getting really painful .
When my fingers started to get cold the doctors said I was getting compartment syndrome .
That condition is known to doctors but normally people have it after an injury - they do n't know what causes it in me .
Each group of muscles in the arms and legs is contained in a space surrounded by tissue called fascia .
Acute compartment syndrome occurs when the pressure within a compartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using a surgical procedure called a fasciotomy , where a surgical incision is made to relieve the pressure .
That was when I had my first surgery .
They cut down to the muscle fascia and left the wound open before closing it a couple of days later .
After that things just snowballed . '
I had surgery 12 hours before my GCSEs' Once I did a seven-month stint in hospital without leaving .
My mum is amazing and slept in a chair that whole time .
It was hard in paediatrics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing anything and they started telling me there was nothing wrong even though these episodes were still happening .
I had to grow up quickly and struggled to relate to people my age but I was also quite immature because I had n't experienced a lot of what most normal teenagers would .
When I transferred to adult care it was quite daunting but it has been better , largely because they 're not afraid to try new things .
My attendance at secondary school was around 40 % and I even ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
I took my first exam 12 hours after having surgery while on a morphine pump .
I do wonder if that worked to my advantage though because I could n't have been more chilled about it all and I passed all of the ones I took with As and Bs .
In March 2019 I got a swelling in my leg .
I was in hospital for regular treatment and one of the doctors I know really well walked by .
They asked how I was and I said 'my leg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have a pulse in my foot .
The consultant said they thought it was too late .
The leg was black and they thought it had already died .
They said they would have to take it off .
I signed the consent form so I expected to wake up without my leg but I did wake up with my leg , which is great .
They said had it been an hour later it would have been a different story .
'People think my scars are from self-harm' The more surgery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scars are .
Quite often people think they are from self-harm .
Recently I was in a lift at hospital and a middle-aged man said he thought it was disgusting and selfish of me to be self-harming while people were suffering and dying of coronavirus .
This was extreme but it is not the first time I 've been called disgusting and hideous .
People in college avoided talking to me because they thought I 'd have emotional baggage .
It 's surprising how in this day and age where we all seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people - and a lot of us are - but there are a lot of people who also are n't .
If that 's what I get I ca n't imagine what some people who do self-harm get , so no wonder it 's so hard to talk about mental health .
I do n't hate any of my scars .
I got the butterfly tattoos on my right arm as a way of reclaiming it .
'This year has been really hard' I 've had eight episodes this year .
I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not healing as well as when I was younger .
I have a treatment now .
It works mostly .
I still have episodes but less than I was .
In terms of why it works , they do n't know .
I think they 've looked all over the world to see if they can find anyone like me and they have n't been able to yet .
They 're looking for other treatments but it is hard when you 've got no idea what is wrong .
I try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise I 'd always be in hospital but if it 's getting really bad I 'll go in , either because I need surgery , or if it 's in the hip I ca n't move very well , so I need more help than Mum can manage .
If it 's in a limb it has got nowhere to go once it is there .
It ca n't spread out so that 's when I need surgery .
In the back or hip it can spread as far as it wants so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can get out of control and last for months .
Even once they stop actively doing their thing , the blood in the swelling goes solid so then it takes a long time to break down .
I gradually realised there are a lot of people with conditions that have n't got a diagnosis .
It 's hard because you are hidden and sometimes doctors do n't believe you .
That 's the biggest issue .
I find you constantly have to prove yourself and not get upset or they start saying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that gets to me is missing dance .
That tortured me for a lot of years .
Musical theatre was my career plan from a young age .
I did dance , drama and I started singing to make sure I was set up for it .
I 'm starting to do some dance classes again , which makes me nervous because I worry my condition will affect how much I can do .
I quite often only have a small gap between episodes so I just use that gap to do as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in perhaps two weeks I wo n't be able to .
I hope my condition will calm down and they can get it more under control .
I 'd love to be able to go back to dance full time and get good at it again but I do n't want to get my hopes up .
I do n't know if I 'll be able to do musical theatre , you never know , but perhaps the best things are what you land on , not always what you planned .

I try to stick the episodes out at home because otherwise I'd always be in hospital but if it's getting really bad I'll go in, either because I need surgery, or if it's in the hip I can't move very well, so I need more help than Mum can manage.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--The Papers: 'Pupil power', and PM told to end exams 'shambles'

The Daily Telegraph reports that board members of the exams regulator Ofqual want to ditch their algorithm for awarding A-level and GCSE grades - and allow pupils to be awarded their predicted results .
The paper says it has been told by sources that splits emerged in Ofqual 's board at the weekend - with some members warning the row had led to a haemorrhaging of public trust in qualifications .
The sources say that publishing GCSE grades using the algorithm would be `` suicide '' .
But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has defended the methodology and said there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another kick in the teeth for pupils , '' is the Daily Mirror 's take on the decision to press ahead with publishing GCSE results as planned this week .
The paper 's editorial supports predicted grades being used - pointing out that teachers know far more about individual children than a `` criticised , controversial , condemned computer model '' .
But , in the Daily Express , Leo McKinstry says there is a need for `` rigour '' rather than `` indulgence '' when awarding marks - adding that grade inflation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' but it `` debases the integrity of exams '' .
The Times and The Guardian highlight the growing pressure Prime Minister Boris Johnson is coming under from his own backbenchers to deal with the fall-out over exam results .
The MP for Poole , Sir Robert Syms , has told The Times `` there is real risk of Tory MPs going on the warpath '' - adding that `` people voted for Boris Johnson to run the country , not an algorithm '' .
The Guardian reports that Conservative MPs are already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustrated constituents '' - with more expected `` to flood in '' after the GCSE grades are released .
`` £50 airport test could be a game-changer '' is the headline in the Daily Mail , as it reports on calls from the travel industry to shorten the quarantine period .
Under a method that is already reportedly in use in Iceland , travellers pre-book a swab test on arrival and then take a second examination five days later .
If both tests are negative , a traveller is freed from needing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would open up international travel and boost confidence among holidaymakers .
The Financial Times reports that the government is `` seeking ways '' to offer loans to companies such as Pizza Express and Prezzo that are owned by private equity groups .
Ministers hope the cash would rescue a `` swath of the British high street '' .
But any such plans could fall foul of European Union laws .
The FT points out that firms backed by private equity usually carry high levels of debt to reduce their tax bill - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are making cash .
EU rules say companies whose losses exceed 50 % of their share capital are ineligible for government support .
`` Cut the mustard '' is The Sun 's headline as it says that dozens of British favourites including sausage rolls and mustard will be banned from daytime TV adverts as part No 10 's planned anti-obesity drive .
According to new research , the products will not be seen on screens before 21:00 because of their salt content .
The paper adds that `` posh snacks '' such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` will also suffer '' the same fate .
A spokesperson for the Department of Health has said the measures are `` proportionate '' and will help tackle obesity `` as quickly as possible '' .
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The FT points out that firms backed by private equity usually carry high levels of debt to reduce their tax bill - which results in statutory losses even when they are making cash. EU rules say companies whose losses exceed 50% of their share capital are ineligible for government support.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--No confidence in A-levels standardisation, six Welsh councils say

The cabinet members for education at six Welsh councils say they have `` no confidence '' in the system which has allocated this year 's A-level results .
It comes after 42 % of A-level grades predicted by teachers were lowered by the exams watchdog .
Education Minister Kirsty Williams has allowed appeals if `` there is evidence '' pupils should have had higher grades .
But a letter , signed by senior figures at north Wales ' councils , said the system was unfair .
Pressure grew on the Welsh Government on Monday as a senior Welsh Labour backbencher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to honour predicted grades .
The letter , from the education portfolio holders representing the six north Wales local authorities , their chief officers , the Regional School Improvement Consortium , GwE and secondary headteachers , calls on Ms Williams to undertake an `` urgent review '' of the situation .
`` We do not feel that the process has been fair and robust especially to vulnerable learners who have been Welsh Government priority during this term , '' the letter said .
`` It is quite clear that the A-level brand has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learners who have missed out on forecasted grades when national distribution has reached school level , '' it added .
• Should I go to university this year ?
It said in some schools nearly 70 % of grades had been downgraded - with the number of signatures on a petition started on the weekend now standing at 26,000 .
`` This has resulted in individual pupils being awarded grades by WJEC where schools ca n't explain the rationale behind the awarding , '' the letter says .
`` Too many pupils in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being disadvantaged and missing out on opportunities to the future employment pathways of their choice when compared to their peers in other countries in the UK , especially Scotland .
`` Schools report that they have no confidence in the present appeal process . ''
It also expresses concern the same will happen when GCSE results are revealed on Thursday .
On Monday the Welsh Conservatives joined calls , made by Plaid Cymru last week , for students to get their predicted grades .
Suzy Davies , Welsh Conservative spokeswoman , tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ add '' to the `` misery caused '' by A-level grading .
She described A-level results that have come out as `` unfair '' and said guarantees over the appeals process must be given in the next 24 to 48 hours or there should be no alternative than to use teachers ' predicted grades .
`` The process promised to bring fairness , '' she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers .
`` But it has n't .
If there is no prompt guarantee ( over appeals ) , confidence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour 's backbenchers in the Welsh Parliament will meet First Minister Mark Drakeford later to discuss their concerns about the process .
Vikki Howells , Welsh Labour Senedd group chair and member of the Senedd for Cynon Valley , called for `` centre-assessed grades '' - predicted grades - to be used .
She said the algorithm used had `` unjustly caused problems and considerable stress for students whose futures may depend on fair and accurate results '' .
Children 's Commissioner for Wales Sally Holland also said she could now see no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grades .
She called it an `` exceptional year '' , adding : `` Grade inflation is not the worst thing that could happen but these young people are having their dreams shattered and being left with a complete lack of faith in our system . ''
Plaid Cymru education spokeswoman Sian Gwenllian called for the grade standardisation process to be dropped ahead of GCSE results later this week , in line with Northern Ireland .
She said that would `` provide fairness and justice to its young people who have worked so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult and confusing time '' .
`` The Welsh Government should be doing all it can to alleviate stress for this cohort which is likely to face many more challenges from the fallout of the pandemic in the coming years , rather than putting further barriers in their path . ''
Ms Gwenllian added that the assessment grades given by schools and and colleges should `` replace the flawed system adopted by Welsh Government and an announcement to that effect needs to be made '' on Monday .
Emily Mundy , from Anglesey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Birmingham to train for her dream job as a doctor .
During lockdown the 18-year-old volunteered three times a week at Ysbyty Gwynedd on wards , handing out teas and coffees and chatting to patients .
But after getting a B in chemistry , despite being predicted an A , she was rejected from all the universities she put as her choices and may now have to wait a year before she can go to university .
`` I was pretty hopeful I would get in , I was pretty hopeful I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did pretty well in my GCSEs , '' she said .
`` They have told me that the best thing I can do is to appeal because the centre grade was an A .
If I get the appeal result by 7 September , then they will be able to get me in .
`` If I do n't then I will have to resit the exam , or I will even have to do it next year , or I will have to go to university next year . ''
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she was in the top 10 % in the UK .
The Welsh Parliament is on its summer break , but the Children , Young People and Education Committee has been recalled and will meet on Tuesday .
The exam board WJEC is set to outline further details on the process to submit appeals early in the week .
The Welsh Government said more than 4,000 students would benefit from the guarantee that no final grade would be lower than an AS grade .
`` This is around 15 % of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the overall impact of variations between final grades and centre assessed grades , '' said a spokesperson .
`` Even before the AS floor , 94 % of the grades are the same as or within one grade of the centre assessed grades . ''
A spokesperson said Qualification Wales and the WJEC would share the full details but appeals could now be made where there was evidence of internal assessments judged by the school or college to be at a higher grade than the grade awarded .

"The Welsh Government should be doing all it can to alleviate stress for this cohort which is likely to face many more challenges from the fallout of the pandemic in the coming years, rather than putting further barriers in their path."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Borrowdale's Stonethwaite Campsite shuts after 'Covid campers' litter

The owners of a scenic Lake District campsite are shutting it due to people flouting rules and leaving litter .
Kayley Kennedy at the Stonethwaite Campsite in Borrowdale said it had been inundated with `` Covid campers '' who treated it like a `` mini festival '' .
She said they were so fed up they were closing for `` three or four weeks '' from Thursday .
Elsewhere , two men were pictured sleeping on a car amid a weekend of complaints .
Ms Kennedy , who runs the site with her partner Nick Gill , said Stonethwaite had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was part of a farm and not manned full-time , many more had been crowding in , ignoring signs saying the site was full .
Some campers had arrived in groups that were too large , set up their tents too close to each other , ignored the 23:00 sound cut off and left mounds of rubbish including tents , gazebos , airbeds and chairs , she said .
`` Because the equipment is quite cheap to buy they seem to treat it as disposable , '' Ms Kennedy said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulars , some of whom have been coming for more than 50 years , who treat the place with great respect .
`` But this year we have had what one person called 'Covid campers ' who are not just respecting the site or other campers .
`` We did expect it to be busy but it 's just been like a bank holiday every weekend and , because there are no festivals this summer , somebody said it seemed like these people are having their own mini-festivals here . ''
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keswick , took a picture of two men sleeping on top of a car in a layby .
She said there were also two people in the car .
`` I think it just typifies what 's going on at the moment in that people are coming to the Lakes , presumably without accommodation arranged and are then finding themselves in situations where they have n't anywhere to stay , '' the woman said .
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"We did expect it to be busy but it's just been like a bank holiday every weekend and, because there are no festivals this summer, somebody said it seemed like these people are having their own mini-festivals here."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--A-levels and GCSEs: U-turn as teacher estimates to be used for exam results

A-level and GCSE students in England will be given grades estimated by their teachers , rather than by an algorithm , after a government U-turn .
It follows uproar after about 40 % of A-level results were downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual , which used a formula based on schools ' prior grades .
GCSE results in England , Wales and Northern Ireland come out on Thursday .
Ofqual chair Roger Taylor and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson apologised for the `` distress '' caused .
Teachers ' estimates will be awarded to students unless the computer algorithm gave a higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mock exams - which critics said can be inconsistent across different schools - will now not be a key part of the appeals process .
He said students and parents had been affected by `` significant inconsistencies '' with the grading process .
In a statement , he acknowledged the `` extraordinarily difficult '' year for students , after exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
He said the Department for Education had worked with Ofqual to design `` the fairest possible model '' but it had become clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in `` more significant inconsistencies than can be resolved through an appeals process '' .
`` I am sorry for the distress this has caused young people and their parents but hope this announcement will now provide the certainty and reassurance they deserve , '' said Mr Williamson .
• Can I accept a degree place and sit the exam ?
And other questions • How did the A-level algorithm work ?
• A-level results U-turn is 'too late ' for students The education secretary told reporters No 10 does not get `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do '' but when it saw these `` quite concerning outliers '' they asked questions .
Mr Williamson said he hoped BTecs would be subject to teacher-assessed grades , and that the government was working with the `` awarding authorities '' to ensure this happened .
He also revealed the temporary cap on the number of places that universities can offer to students would be lifted .
In a tweet , Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the government had been `` forced into a screeching U-turn after days of confusion '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ students ' results as `` a complete fiasco '' and said its about-face was a `` victory for the thousands of young people who have powerfully made their voices heard this past week '' .
A-level students held protests across the UK in response to grades they said were unfairly awarded .
For the past decade , Ofqual has held the line against exam grade inflation like a knight of the realm - often using some quite controversial statistical techniques .
But in the case of the class of Covid-19 , it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain standards came at too high a price .
In commissioning the exams regulator to take out an insurance policy in the form of its ill-fated algorithm , that policy arguably went too far , despite ministers ' best intentions .
When First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reinstated estimated grades for students in Scotland , it was only a matter of time before the other nations followed suit .
These students are all competing for the same university places , and in the same jobs market after all .
It was only when Education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gibb saw how inconsistent the results were that they were forced to relent .
However , the crisis is far from resolved , with tens of thousands of students who thought they had lost their university places likely to get the grades they need after all .
Universities say they will do their best to accommodate them , but it is going to be a tough ask .
• After the algorithm - what happens next ?
Ofqual chair Mr Taylor apologised for the `` difficulty '' caused to students over its grading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I would like to say sorry .
We have recognised the difficulty that young people have faced coping with the receipt of grades that they were unable to understand the basis on which they had been awarded . ''
He added the regulator realised it had taken `` the wrong road '' and decided to `` change course '' after seeing the `` anxiety '' it had caused to young people and the added `` administrative burden on teachers at a time when they need to be preparing for the new school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who stood to lose out on a £16,000 scholarship , said she was `` thankful '' and `` excited '' about the change to results .
The 18-year-old needed an A in English to earn a place at St Andrews , along with a £4,000-a-year scholarship , but she was downgraded from her predicted A to a B and was initially told she had been rejected .
That downgrading is now set to be reversed .
Ms Johnson , who studied at Ashton Sixth Form College in Greater Manchester , said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfair if ( Northern ) Ireland , Scotland and Wales made the change and we did n't , so I 'm very glad . ''
However , she questioned why it had taken so long to make the change , after A-level results came out on Thursday , saying `` a lot of stress and anxiety '' had been caused as a result of the wait .
Alaa Muhammad faced missing out on her dream of studying medicine after her A-level results were downgraded .
On hearing the news of the U-turn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I am so so happy .
I was so hopeless a couple of days ago and now I feel like I can finally breathe again . ''
Ms Muhammad , from south-east England , had seen her grades fall from a predicted AAB to EED .
She said she had paid more than £2,000 to take re-sits at a private college after her studies in year 12 and 13 were disrupted .
She now hopes she will be able to study medicine at a top university in Pakistan .
• Estimated results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geoff Barton , general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders ( ASCL ) , welcomed the decision `` to put an end to the grading fiasco '' .
He added the move would mean there was grade inflation , but he said this was a `` small price to pay for remedying the manifest injustices '' caused by the algorithm .
Alistair Jarvis , chief executive of Universities UK , said universities were being `` as flexible as possible with applicants '' but that the `` late policy change '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called on the government to `` step up and support universities '' , adding that Universities UK was seeking `` urgent clarification '' on a number of issues .
In a statement , the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service ( Ucas ) said about 69 % of 18-year old applicants across the UK were currently placed with their first-choice university , which it said was `` higher than at the same point last year '' .
It said students who did not have places at their first or insurance choice of university did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ucas said it would be issuing new advice for students and schools , which would be sent directly to students , as soon as they were able to take a decision .
The government 's handling of exam results has also been criticised by opposition parties and Conservative MPs .
Robert Halfon , the Tory chairman of the commons education select committee , said the government had `` serious questions '' to answer .
Speaking to the BBC 's PM programme , he said he 'd hoped No 10 would have developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand [ and ] fair '' system which allowed every pupil to appeal via their head teacher if they believed their grade was unfair .
He said he also hoped that Ofqual would explain its standardisation process to schools ; but `` none of this had happened '' and there were now `` serious questions about what on earth has gone on '' .
Layla Moran , the Liberal Democrats ' education spokesperson , said that No 10 had been `` dragged , kicking and screaming to this position '' and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @

He added the regulator realised it had taken "the wrong road" and decided to "change course" after seeing the "anxiety" it had caused to young people and the added "administrative burden on teachers at a time when they need to be preparing for the new school term".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--A-level results U-turn: Students relieved and annoyed

A-level students in England will be given grades estimated by their teachers , rather than by an algorithm , after a government U-turn .
Here are some reactions from those who , amid the confusion , still do n't know if they have lost their university places .
'This should have happened last week' Emily King does n't feel much better about the government 's decision , because `` not that much has changed '' .
The 18-year-old from Whittlesey , Cambridgeshire , says being downgraded from a C to a U in A-level biology last week `` really knocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was rejected from the University of Lincoln , where she had an offer to study midwifery .
Emily has emailed the university since the government announcement , but still does n't know if she 's in or not .
She 's got no other offers so will face a year out and will apply again next year if Lincoln say no .
`` I 'd have to re-do that whole interview process again , which takes up a lot of time and a lot of money , '' she says .
Emily says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idea of being awarded her predicted grades .
`` I 'll always know that I was given a U .
And I know that I did n't deserve that grade , '' she says .
`` I 'm pretty happy [ about the U-turn ] but also a bit annoyed .
This should have happened last week .
Or even a month ago . ''
Like Emily , Josh Reid is also repeatedly refreshing his inbox for email confirmation - but he has been told there will be a place for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regent 's Park College - in line with his initial offer - once he 's sent over his teacher assessed grades .
`` I 'm just completely over the moon .
It 's been just an utterly horrific few days in terms of stress and anxiety , just trying to get this all sorted .
Just to finally have confirmation that our grades will be changed - it 's such a relief , '' he says .
The 19-year-old , from Woking , says it was `` frustrating '' and `` heart-breaking '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was so furious that I was getting these grades that in no way shape or form represented any of the work I had done over the past two years . ''
Although his place is more or less secure , Josh 's anger has n't abated .
He says the government has had months to come up with an alternative way of grading students whose exams were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` They 've had five or six months to do it , and to get it so wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on students .
And [ the confusion ] really just showed that , for whatever reason , the students were n't the priority . ''
' I still feel a bit let down' '' I 'm relieved but quite frustrated at the same time .
It 's too late , '' says Zainab Ali , 18 , from London , minutes after hearing about the U-turn .
Zainab 's predicted grades were an A* in history , an A in psychology , and a C in chemistry .
But after she was given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on results day last week , she lost her place to study psychology at Queen Mary University of London - and was told the course had filled up .
`` I 'm facing the consequences for the indecisiveness of people who are in charge , '' Zainab says .
She 'd come to terms with the fact that she 's going to her second choice , the University of Westminster , instead - but still feels frustrated because she had `` always wanted '' to go to Queen Mary 's since being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very vibrant environment and I really had admired that .
I just automatically fell in love , '' she says .
After first speaking to the BBC , Zainab says Queen Mary decided to offer her a place .
The university said on Monday evening that it was `` deeply sympathetic '' to all students affected by the U-turn , and that applicants with revised grades will be guaranteed a place if they meet the terms of their original offer .
Although she is now likely to get her first choice of university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week has been an `` awful '' and `` confusing '' experience .
`` I felt like I 've been really let down .
Now [ after the U-turn ] it 's a bit different , but I still feel a bit let down after all of that .
It was really , really stressful . ''
' I can keep my head up now' Connor Bragger , 18 , from Redditch , was given BCD last Thursday , and needed a BBB to get into a journalism course at Sheffield .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , be allowed to go now .
But tonight , he 's disappointed to find the phone lines for the University of Sheffield 's admissions office are closed - so despite the announcement , he does n't know if he 'll be heading there in September .
`` Results day is [ supposed to be ] when you get answers - not more questions , '' Connor says .
His second choice is the University of Gloucestershire , where he has an unconditional offer .
But now he 's got the grades for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
Connor is trying to stay positive , and says he 's pleased with the U-turn .
`` There were two boxes that I was annoyed about not meeting , which was getting into my first choice , and getting grades I felt like I had earned .
So even if I 'm unable to get into my first choice , I feel as though I 've now got results that I earned from my hard work all year .
So if it does n't all go to plan , I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit higher . ''
Making the best of an 'awful ' situation Kath Burbidge 's son Sam Thier is working a shift at B & Q near his home in Willsbridge , Bristol .
At the same time , the 18-year-old is on the phone waiting his turn to speak to Cardiff University .
He wants to see if they 'll make space for him on the dentistry course he initially had an offer for , but was rejected last week as his predicted grades of A*AA were downgraded to BBB .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't sleep after Thursday .
I just feel so sorry for him , '' Kath says .
`` He 's worked so hard on everything . ''
Sam 's A* in chemistry meant Cardiff offered him a place on their chemistry Masters course .
He 'd just decided to accept it - and therefore handed in his notice at B & Q - when the news came through that his grades would be bumped up .
As she receives updates by text from Sam ( he 's now 20th in the queue ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chemistry offer instead .
`` He 's trying to just make the best of an awful , awful job that just never should have happened .
Will he think ' I 'll go and do chemistry now ' , just because he 's fed up with the whole thing ? ''

"There were two boxes that I was annoyed about not meeting, which was getting into my first choice, and getting grades I felt like I had earned. So even if I'm unable to get into my first choice, I feel as though I've now got results that I earned from my hard work all year. So if it doesn't all go to plan, I can still keep my head up a little bit higher."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Dido Harding to be temporary head of new health agency

Baroness Dido Harding , who runs NHS Test and Trace in England , is to be the interim chief of the government 's new Health Protection Institute .
The agency - set to launch on Tuesday - will merge some of Public Health England 's ( PHE ) pandemic response work with the coronavirus test and trace system .
Lady Harding will run the new institute until a permanent appointment is made .
PHE has come under intense scrutiny of its response to the coronavirus crisis .
It has been criticised for the controversial decision in March to halt community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its defenders say it is being made a scapegoat for failures elsewhere in the government .
For now , PHE will continue its role in combating obesity and running other measures to prevent ill health .
A leaked memo seen by the BBC , written by the head of PHE Duncan Selbie to staff , said the aim of the new National Institute for Health Protection was to boost expertise with `` much needed new investment '' .
The new institute will begin work with immediate effect .
• Test , trace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Royal Society for Public Health ( RSPH ) said the move to merge PHE 's pandemic functions with those of NHS Test and Trace raised more questions than answers , including the timing of an announcement on the scrapping of a national public health agency in the midst of a global pandemic .
RSPH chief executive Christina Marriott said : `` We recognise that there have been some serious challenges in terms of our response to Covid-19 , including the timing of the lockdown , the ongoing ineffectiveness of Tier 2 Track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being available to directors of public health . ''
She said `` multiple lessons '' needed to be learned `` before solutions can be in place in advance of the winter '' , adding : `` to do otherwise risks avoidable mistakes in subsequent waves of the pandemic which will only harm the public 's health further . ''
Prof Richard Tedder , visiting professor in medical virology at Imperial College London , defended PHE as an `` assembly of some of the wisest and most committed microbiologists and epidemiologists you could hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he called the `` persistent meddling from on-high '' , which he said had `` disenfranchised and fractured '' staff `` to the great detriment of the UK as a whole '' .
Prof Tedder warned the plans to merge existing laboratory staff with NHS Test and Trace were `` misplaced '' and would `` further dismantle '' the `` irreplaceable '' expertise that exists within PHE .
Munira Wilson , the Liberal Democrat 's health , wellbeing and social care spokesperson criticised the decision to promote a `` Tory insider who 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trace system '' .
She said in a tweet that `` total transparency '' was needed when it came to such appointments .
Labour 's shadow health minister Justin Madders said in a tweet that there had been `` no transparency or accountability '' in Baroness Harding 's appointment .

Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Munira Wilson told the BBC News Channel it was "quite clear" that ministers were trying to deflect responsibility from some of the "terrible decisions" taken, "from the provision of protective equipment, test and trace and the tracing app being botched and a whole series of other blunders through this crisis" then trying to scapegoat PHE as a result.