bbcuk--2020-01-29--Coronavirus: Britons on Wuhan flights to be quarantined

Hundreds of British citizens being flown back to the UK from Wuhan on Thursday will be put in quarantine for two weeks .
It comes as British Airways suspends all direct flights to and from mainland China because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Australia , Japan , the US and EU nations are also repatriating citizens .
The virus has caused more than 130 deaths , spreading across China and to at least 16 other countries .
The UK government plans to fly 200 British citizens out from Wuhan , the centre of the new coronavirus outbreak , on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Health Secretary Matt Hancock has instructed officials to put them in quarantine for two weeks - possibly at a UK military facility .
Sources told the BBC the returning Britons will be given the best possible medical care and advice .
Those returning from other parts of China will not be affected , but have been advised to `` self-isolate '' for 14 days .
Australia plans to quarantine its 600 returning citizens for two weeks on Christmas Island - some 2,000km ( 1,200 miles ) from the mainland .
British Airways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Beijing from Heathrow , announced the suspension of flights to and from mainland China `` with immediate effect '' until 31 January while it assesses the situation .
A statement said : `` We apologise to customers for the inconvenience , but the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority . ''
Other airlines , including United Airlines , Air Canada and Cathay Pacific Airways , have already cancelled some flights to China .
Some Britons in Wuhan said they had not been told about the quarantine plan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the flight for fear of spreading the disease .
Kharn Lambert told the BBC 's Victoria Derbyshire programme that the embassy said it is their own responsibility to arrange transport home and isolate themselves .
`` I do n't want to put the health of regular , everyday British citizens at risk , '' he said .
British lecturer Yvonne Griffiths , who is currently in a hotel in Wuhan , said she was told in the early hours of Wednesday morning that there would be a flight from Wuhan airport to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be there six to seven hours before the flight leaves , and we would have a screening from some health people here in Wuhan , and if we are not showing any symptoms then we 'll be able to board that plane , '' she said .
`` If we were to be suffering temperature or any other symptoms , breathing problems , then there seems to be a possibility of quarantining at this end . ''
Another British man , Jeff Siddle , from Northumberland , said that he and his daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday - but not his wife , who 's a Chinese national .
China is not allowing its citizens to leave the country .
What 's the latest on the virus itself ?
The number of deaths from the virus has risen to 132 in China , the Chinese National Health Commission ( NHC ) said on Wednesday .
Four cases have been confirmed in Germany , making it the second European country to report cases , after France .
The United Arab Emirates has also confirmed its first cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the UAE from Wuhan .
An expert from the NHC said it could take 10 more days for the outbreak to peak .
Like the similar Sars and influenza viruses , the new coronavirus is a particular risk for elderly people and those with pre-existing illnesses .
The sharp rise in cases is in part attributed to increased awareness , monitoring and testing in recent days .
One theory is that the virus , which can cause severe acute respiratory infection , may have emerged from illegally traded wildlife at a seafood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hubei province .
There is no specific cure or vaccine .
A number of people , however , have recovered after treatment .
Which other airlines are suspending flights ?
United Airlines has cancelled 24 US flights to Beijing , Hong Kong and Shanghai between 1 and 8 February because of a sharp drop in demand .
Cathay Pacific said it would cut flights to China from 30 January to the end of March , while Air Canada has also reduced its number of flights .
Indonesia 's Lion Air said it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affecting dozens of flights on routes to 15 Chinese cities .
Russia 's Ural Airlines said it had suspended some services to Europe popular with Chinese tourists , including Paris and Rome , because of the outbreak .
Other airlines are introducing measures aimed at reducing the chances of spreading the virus .
Taiwan 's China Airlines said it was encouraging passengers to bring their own beverage bottles , while Singapore Airlines was among those allowing crew to wear masks on China flights .
Who else is being evacuated ?
New Zealand will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens home alongside the Australian evacuees .
Some 200 Japanese nationals have been flown from Wuhan and have landed at Tokyo 's Haneda airport .
Around 650 others said they wanted to be repatriated , and the Japanese government said new flights were being planned .
According to Japanese media , several of the returnees were suffering from fever or coughs .
All will be taken to hospital , regardless of whether they are showing symptoms .
Also on Wednesday , 240 Americans - including workers the local US consulate - left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuees might have to stay in isolation in an airport hangar for up to two weeks .
• Can wearing masks stop the spread of viruses ?
Separately , two aircraft to fly EU citizens home were scheduled , with 250 French nationals leaving on the first flight .
South Korea said some 700 of its citizens would leave on four flights this week .
Both Malaysia and the Philippines also said they would evacuate their citizens in and around Wuhan .
Meanwhile , Hong Kong announced plans to slash cross-border travel between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about the new virus • Your questions : You asked , we answered • The story explained : How worried should we be ?
• Wuhan profiled : The city now in lockdown • In detail : Follow all our coverage here Have you been affected by any of the issues raised ?
Are you in Wuhan or have you visited recently ?
You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
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"We have to be there six to seven hours before the flight leaves, and we would have a screening from some health people here in Wuhan, and if we are not showing any symptoms then we'll be able to board that plane," she said.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Coronavirus: My wife must stay in Wuhan, says British man

A British man and his daughter have been offered a flight to the UK from Wuhan , the centre of the coronavirus outbreak , but his Chinese wife has been told she must stay behind .
Up to 200 Britons will be flown out of China on Thursday , and put into quarantine for two weeks in the UK .
Jeff Siddle , from Northumberland , told Radio 4 's Today he had to decide whether to leave with his nine-year-old daughter or keep his family together .
`` My wife is distraught , '' he said .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents to leave . ''
It comes after the UK Foreign Office advised all but essential travel to China because of the virus outbreak , which has spread across the country and to at least 16 other countries , causing more than 130 deaths .
British Airways has suspended all direct flights to and from mainland China because of the virus .
Mr Siddle and his family travelled to Wuhan to spend Chinese New Year with relatives .
They were due to return to the UK on 1 February , but their flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are thought to be stranded in the Hubei area .
Mr Siddle said travel restrictions meant only he and his daughter would be allowed on board an airlift out of the city on Thursday .
Speaking to Radio 4 's Today , he said : `` My wife 's a Chinese citizen although she 's got a permanent residency visa for the UK as a spouse .
`` The Foreign Office are saying they 're going to be doing an airlift possibly tomorrow but it 's only British citizens . ''
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision where it 's either my nine-year-old daughter , who 's got a British passport , and myself to leave - and leave my wife here in China - or the three of us stay .
`` We 'd have to have a nine-year-old child separated from her mother .
Who knows how long that could be for ?
`` My daughter 's obviously been in floods of tears .
She 's absolutely devastated . ''
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has ordered that hundreds of British citizens flying in to the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday be put into quarantine .
They could be held at a military facility in the UK for two weeks , he said .
Earlier , British PE teacher Kharn Lambert , who lives in Wuhan , told the Victoria Derbyshire programme he gave up his place on the flight to the UK over the `` potential to infect other people on the way home '' .
He claimed passengers were told it was their responsibility to find transport back to their home-towns and to `` self-isolate '' , describing the plans as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ensured that his 81-year-old grandmother , Veronica Theobold , was still booked on the flight as it was better for her `` to be at home than at risk '' .
She has been stranded in Wuhan with a dwindling supply of medicine for her lung condition .
Speaking after the UK quarantine plans were announced , Mr Lambert was unsure whether he would still be allowed to evacuate with other Britons .
`` I think it will be too late for me , but that 's a consequence of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the time difference that we have between here and the UK , '' he said .
Meanwhile , British lecturer Yvonne Griffiths , who is currently in a hotel in Wuhan , said she was told in the early hours of Wednesday morning that there would be a flight from Wuhan airport to the UK .
She said they were told Stansted Airport in London was a possible destination , but that had not been confirmed - nor had timings - and they had been put on standby .
`` We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the flight leaves , and we would have a screening from some health people here in Wuhan , and if we are not showing any symptoms then we 'll be able to board that plane .
`` If we were to be suffering temperature or any other symptoms , breathing problems , then there seems to be a possibility of quarantining at this end . ''
Hundreds of foreign nationals have been evacuated from Wuhan since the outbreak .
Australia plans to quarantine its 600 returning citizens for two weeks on Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) from the mainland .
Japan , the US and other EU countries are also repatriating their citizens .
The number of deaths from the virus has risen to 132 in China , the Chinese National Health Commission ( NHC ) said on Wednesday .
Four cases have been confirmed in Germany , making it the second European country to report cases , after France .
The United Arab Emirates has also confirmed its first cases of the virus in a family who recently returned to the UAE from Wuhan .
Have you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised ?
Are you preparing to evacuate from the region ?
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"We have to be there six to seven hours before the flight leaves, and we would have a screening from some health people here in Wuhan, and if we are not showing any symptoms then we'll be able to board that plane.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Seriously ill wait more than hour for ambulance

Heart attack , stroke and burns victims are among the seriously ill and injured patients waiting over an hour for an ambulance to arrive in England and Wales , a BBC investigation shows .
The delays for these 999 calls - meant to be reached in 18 minutes on average - put lives at risk , experts say .
The problems affect one in 16 `` emergency '' cases in England - with significant delays reported in Wales .
NHS bosses blamed rising demand and delays handing over patients at A & E .
Many ambulance services have increased staffing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely being swallowed up by the rise in delays faced by crews queuing outside hospitals .
This has meant they have had to prioritise the most serious `` immediately life-threatening '' cases , such as cardiac arrests .
But these represent just a small proportion of the high-priority 999 calls .
Some of the longest waits for the next most serious level of calls , including those having fits as well as heart attack , stroke and burns victims , exceeded five hours .
Derrin Cozart , 55 , was at home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he collapsed .
He came to and rang 999 .
That was the last time anyone spoke to him .
It was over an hour before an ambulance crew arrived .
By the time they did , he was dead .
He had suffered a gastrointestinal haemorrhage , which causes internal bleeding .
Thirty minutes after his call the ambulance service had rung back , but could not get hold of him .
It took another 48 minutes for paramedics to reach him - two crews had to be diverted while they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Mitchell , was out of the country on business at the time .
`` It was devastating .
I 've been left wondering if the ambulance had got there more quickly he may have survived .
`` We just do n't know - and that 's heartbreaking . ''
The North East Ambulance Service said a full investigation was being carried out into the case .
The BBC investigation , which used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain data , has also uncovered other worrying cases , including a 70-year-old man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffering a heart attack - he was taken to hospital and then faced even more delays before he could be admitted on to a ward Rachel Power , chief executive of the Patients Association , said patients were being `` let down badly at their moment of greatest need '' and getting a quick response could be `` a matter of life or death '' .
She said the delays were `` undoubtedly '' related to the sustained underfunding of the NHS .
Mark MacDonald , of the Stroke Association , described the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a quick assessment and transfer to hospital for brain scans was vital if a patient was going to make a good recovery .
`` When stroke strikes , part of your brain shuts down .
And so does a part of you .
Around two million neurons are lost every minute that a stroke is untreated . ''
How many long waits are there ?
The BBC asked for long waits for the two highest priority groups of 999 calls - the immediately life-threatening category ones and the emergency category two cases - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new system of measuring response times came in .
Two of England 's 10 ambulance services - the West Midlands and East of England - refused to provide the information .
Long waits for immediately life-threatening cases were unusual - just one in 270 cases took longer than 30 minutes to reach .
That works out at less than 40 a week .
But the records for category two call logs showed long waits for these emergencies were much more common .
The data showed there were 385,000 waits of over an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of just over six million incidents responded to .
That works out at more than 4,000 a week on average - or one in 16 calls .
East Midlands Ambulance Service had the greatest number of long delays - one in eight calls took over an hour .
Director of operations Ben Holdaway said crews were often facing long waits at A & E to hand over patients which means they `` have n't been able to get back on the road quickly '' .
`` Every part of the system wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear we need more staff and beds and well-functioning social care . ''
In Wales there were more than 1,000 cases a week on average - nearly a quarter of callouts - although their second-tier emergency calls category is a little broader than England 's and includes less urgent cases like diabetes complications which could account for some of the long waits .
Lee Brooks , from the Welsh Ambulance Service , accepted that some patients were waiting too long , describing it as as `` frustrating for staff as it is for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of setting up a taskforce to tackle the delays .
Comparable data was not available in Scotland or Northern Ireland .
NHS national ambulance adviser Anthony Marsh said : `` It is not easy to reach everyone as quickly as we would all like .
All our staff are working flat out . ''
The Department of Health and Social Care in England said the government was increasing funding for the health service and had set aside a dedicated pot to invest in ambulance services .
It also said it was investing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paramedics will be entitled to a £5,000-a-year grant to support them during their studies .

In Wales there were more than 1,000 cases a week on average - nearly a quarter of callouts - although their second-tier emergency calls category is a little broader than England's and includes less urgent cases like diabetes complications which could account for some of the long waits.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Errol Graham death: Nottingham man starved after benefits stopped

Relatives of a man who starved to death after his benefits were stopped have said the system is `` not fit for purpose '' .
Errol Graham , 57 , weighed four-and-a-half stone ( 28.5kg ) when his body was found by bailiffs who broke into his Nottingham council flat to evict him .
An inquest found his loss of income was likely to have `` caused huge distress '' .
His daughter-in-law Alison Turner said it was `` heartbreaking ... it 's horrific for someone to die like that . ''
The case was raised in the Commons by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an independent inquiry into cases where people had died after Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) reviews of their care .
The inquest into Mr Graham 's death in June 2018 heard he 'd had a history of depression .
His GP and the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust agreed to have him sectioned in 2015 , but he returned home to Pine View flats , Radford after a matter of days .
After this he was rarely seen , missing several GP appointments and refusing approaches from mental health teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the DWP and his employment and support allowance ( ESA ) was stopped in August 2017 .
This also affected his housing benefit , which ceased on 10 October .
'No food in the flat' The last official contact was with housing provider Nottingham City Homes , which heard him shouting and punching a door during a visit in February 2018 .
PC Emily Dunn told the inquest there were no signs Mr Graham had been injured but he `` looked very thin '' .
She added there was no food in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tins of fish in the cupboard which were five years out of date .
• Latest news and stories from the East Midlands The flat had no gas and probably no electricity , the inquest heard , with `` significant mail '' by the front door .
The medical cause of death was recorded as starvation .
Assistant coroner Dr Elizabeth Didcock said : `` The sudden loss of all income , and the threat of eviction that followed from it , will have caused huge distress and worry , and significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this loss of income , and housing , were the final and devastating stressors , that had a significant effect on his mental health .
`` The safety net that should surround vulnerable people like Errol in our society had holes within it . ''
Miss Turner told the BBC : `` It is heartbreaking , horrific , for someone to die like that .
The failure he suffered , he did n't deserve it .
`` It is shocking .
The system is not fit for purpose .
`` He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Errol could not physically bring himself to talk to strangers or ask for that level of help and if he had n't have lost it he would still be here today . ''
Sophie Corlett , from mental health charity Mind , said : `` It is the most vulnerable who we hear are slipping through the net .
`` This gentleman and many people have lifelong conditions that are unlikely to change and yet they are recalled again and again for face to face assessments which people find very challenging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishing a serious case panel to review its work .
A spokesman added : `` This is a tragic , complex case and our sympathies are with Mr Graham 's family . ''
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Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews @ bbc.co.uk .

"Errol could not physically bring himself to talk to strangers or ask for that level of help and if he hadn't have lost it he would still be here today."


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Grenfell Tower fire: Firms want immunity over evidence

Firms involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower have asked for immunity from prosecution before appearing at the new phase of the inquiry .
They want a guarantee from Attorney-General Geoffrey Cox that they will be protected when they give evidence .
The inquiry 's second phase , which began on Monday , is looking at how the building came to be covered in flammable cladding during its refurbishment between 2012 and 2016 .
Representatives from organisations including cladding company Harley Facades , building contractor Rydon and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation are due to appear on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick at the hearing in London .
• Seven key points from first phase of inquiry • Who were the victims ?
They were met with groans from survivors and families of the victims in the room , who are likely to strongly oppose the move .
Sir Martin told the inquiry : `` This development has caused me a little surprise because hitherto there has been the fullest cooperation within the inquiry . ''
Under the Inquiries Act 2005 , people giving evidence at an inquiry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might incriminate them .
An agreement not to prosecute would protect them if they did give incriminating evidence .
The first part of the Grenfell Inquiry examined events that took place on the night .
It found the cladding was the `` principal '' reason for the rapid and `` profoundly shocking '' spread of the fire at the 25-storey building .
It also concluded that `` many more lives '' could have been saved if the advice to residents to `` stay put '' had been abandoned earlier .

At the opening of the second phase on Monday, the inquiry heard that - with the "sole exception" of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), which accepted that the refurbishment should not have been signed off - all organisations involved in the work had denied responsibility for the fire in "carefully crafted statements".


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Sheffield school bus crashes into barbers shop

Two children have been taken to hospital after a school bus crashed into a barbers shop .
The bus , carrying 25 pupils , crashed in Handsworth Road , Sheffield , at about 07:45 GMT .
Yorkshire Ambulance Service said two children were taken to hospital , and 17 `` walking wounded '' had been assessed by paramedics .
The school bus is thought to have been taking pupils to Sheffield Girls ' High School and Birkdale School , Broomhill .
South Yorkshire Police said there were no serious injuries .
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter Simon Thake , at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six police cars were there .
Yorkshire Ambulance Service said three ambulances and three rapid response vehicles were called .
The uninjured children were taken to a fire service training centre on Beaver Hill Road where their parents could collect them .
The barbers - called Stay Fresh - was closed at the time of the crash .
Owner Stacey Swift said the shop had been opened less than a year and feared they had `` lost everything '' in the crash .
She added : `` I 've not seen all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let me in .
I ca n't believe it .
I 'm lost for words . ''
Co-owner Neville Clarke said it was lucky nobody had been inside at the time of the crash .
He said : `` I got a call from a customer saying , 'There 's a bus in the front of your shop ' . ''
Emergency services said they would stay at the scene for some time to secure the shop .
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She added: "I've not seen all of the damage yet as they won't let me in. I can't believe it. I'm lost for words."


bbcuk--2020-01-29--UK house price growth at 14-month high, says the Nationwide

UK house prices rose at their fastest annual rate for 14 months , according to the Nationwide , with an increase of 1.9 % in January .
Commentators suggest there has been some release of pent-up demand following the clear general election result .
However , the Nationwide , which bases its figures on its own mortgage data , said it expected property prices to be flat in 2020 .
It valued the average home at £215,897 .
House prices were up by 0.5 % in January compared with the previous month , the building society said .
`` Looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key driver of housing market trends and house prices , '' said Robert Gardner , Nationwide 's chief economist .
`` Much will continue to depend on how quickly uncertainty about the UK 's future trading relationships lifts , as well as the outlook for global growth .
Overall , we expect the economy to continue to expand at a modest pace in 2020 , with house prices remaining broadly flat over the next 12 months . ''
• Will house prices rise or fall this year ?
Analysts said that the Brexit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement of house prices .
`` January is usually a busy time for estate agents as would-be buyers begin their search in earnest .
But this year their numbers have been swelled by thousands of people who sat on their hands as Brexit uncertainty swirled , '' said Jonathan Hopper , managing director of Garrington Property Finders .
`` Sellers too are returning to the fold , meaning the market is seeing a simultaneous uplift in both demand and supply .
Only when the dust settles will we know for certain how that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate survey by property portal Zoopla showed that cities outside the south of England saw the biggest rises in prices in 2019 , partly as a result of their relative affordability .
Annual house price growth stood at 6.1 % in Edinburgh in December 2019 - the highest among UK cities , with Nottingham seeing the second biggest increase at 5.2 % .

What does affordable mean?
You have a big enough deposit and your monthly payments are high enough. The prices are based on the local market. If there are 100 properties of the right size in an area and they are placed in price order with the cheapest first, the “low-end” of the market will be the 25th property, "mid-priced" is the 50th and "high-end” will be the 75th.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Boy's 'heart stops' during Penlan u12 football training

A young boy has had a suspected cardiac arrest during a football training session and had to be resuscitated by parents , his club has said .
The boy was training with Penlan Football Club at the Phoenix Centre in Townhill , Swansea , on Tuesday evening .
The Welsh Ambulance Service said they were called just after 18:40 GMT to reports a person needed `` urgent medical attention '' .
The boy was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff .
The club 's first team manager , posting as Crabby on Twitter , said the boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The young lad was given CPR by parents who brought his breath back and then was transferred to Cardiff Heath , thoughts are with all the family , '' he tweeted .
Former world boxing champion Enzo Maccarinelli said he saw the incident happen .
He tweeted : `` Just seen an u12 footballer collapse on the pitch , stopped breathing . ''
He said parents gave him CPR and brought his breathing back .
He added : `` Without doubt the most frightened I 've ever been , he will be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFC said on their Facebook page : `` Unfortunately we have to report that a young lad from our U12 's has collapsed during a training session this evening .
`` Paramedics were called and he is now receiving treatment at a hospital in Cardiff .
`` Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and we 're praying he makes a full recovery .
Also to the coaches , parents and players who were incredible throughout . ''
Swansea City FC tweeted : `` Our thoughts and prayers are with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest during a training session last night . ''
Local councillor June Burtonshaw said : `` It 's a very close-knit community in Penlan , especially with the sports clubs which are so popular with youngsters .
We all hope he recovers quickly . ''

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bbcuk--2020-01-29--Costa Book of the Year: Auschwitz resistance biography wins £30,000 prize

The Volunteer , a biography of a Polish resistance fighter who infiltrated the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz , has won the Costa Book of the Year award .
The book , by former war reporter Jack Fairweather , beat four other titles to the prize on the day after the 75th anniversary of the camp 's liberation .
It is the second year running that a biography exploring this period of history has won the £30,000 prize .
Fairweather said he had been inspired to write `` a story lost to history '' .
The Welsh author 's book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be imprisoned in Auschwitz in 1940 .
There he sabotaged facilities , gathered evidence of the mass murder of the Jews and spread news of the Holocaust to the Allies .
Pilecki escaped in 1943 and later fought in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 .
Executed in 1948 by Poland 's communist regime , his story did not come to light until the 1990s .
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 's Front Row after winning the award , Fairweather .
from Abermule , near Newtown in Powys , said his subject was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War Two '' .
The author said : `` He was there at the apex of mankind 's worst acts and found in himself the courage to resist .
`` Anyone who reads the book will feel as inspired as I was , '' he continued , saying Pilecki 's story contained `` a strong message for us today '' .
The Costa judging panel concurred , describing his book as an `` extraordinary , chilling and masterful work of historical biography '' .
The Volunteer follows last year 's book of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which told of a young Jewish girl sheltered in The Netherlands during World War Two .
Fairweather 's book was named best biography of 2019 earlier this month alongside four other Costa category winners : • First novel - The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins Tuesday 's ceremony in central London also saw US-born writer Anna Dempsey receive the 2019 Costa Short Story Award .
Dempsey , a teacher in south-east London , won the £3,500 prize for her story The Dedicated Dancers of the Greater Oaks Retirement Community .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitbread Book Awards , were established in 1971 to encourage , promote and celebrate the best contemporary British writing .
Seamus Heaney , Ted Hughes and Sebastian Barry are among the authors to have won the book of the year award more than once .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Front Row after winning the award, Fairweather. from Abermule, near Newtown in Powys, said his subject was "one of the great heroes of World War Two".


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Walsall gunman 'held PC's head under water' in getaway bid

A gunman who attacked a police officer and held his head under water during a struggle has been jailed .
Calvert Batchelor , from Birmingham , was pulled over by police in Walsall on 17 July 2019 when officers noticed his car was missing a number plate .
Police said the 37-year-old `` bolted '' from the car , where police found a loaded handgun , and then attacked an officer when he was cornered .
He was jailed for nine years and four months at Wolverhampton Crown Court .
Batchelor was found guilty of possessing an illegal firearm and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before he was sentenced on Tuesday .
He received a six-year sentence for the firearm and a three-year and four months sentence for causing GBH .
West Midlands Police described how PC Paul Newman had pursued Batchelor , of Alma Street in Newtown , Birmingham , after he fled the Bescot Retail Centre car-park , where he had been stopped .
He ran down a brook , the force said , and `` lunged '' at the officer , `` gouging at his eyes and grabbing inside his mouth with such force that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
PC Newman said he had feared for his life when both men fell into the brook during the struggle and Batchelor held his head under water .
He has not returned to policing since the attack , West Midlands Police said , and is still recovering .
`` PC Newman suffered nasty facial injuries and is still managing the long term psychological impact of being involved in such a traumatic incident , '' Ch Insp Rachel Joyce said .
`` This was a grotesque , violent attack on a brave police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook , on Twitter , and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone .

He ran down a brook, the force said, and "lunged" at the officer, "gouging at his eyes and grabbing inside his mouth with such force that he punctured a hole under his tongue".


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Ovo Energy to pay £8.9m for overcharging customers

Ovo , which may become the UK 's second-largest energy company , has been forced to pay £8.9m by regulators after it overcharged customers .
The firm , which bought SSE 's retail business last year , sent inaccurate statements to more than half a million customers .
Meanwhile , some of its customers did not receive a bill at all , the energy watchdog Ofgem said .
The firm agreed a settlement package with Ofgem to dodge a fine .
The money will be paid to vulnerable customers rather than the Treasury .
Despite knowing about the issues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ovo Energy billed a number of its customers incorrectly and issued them with inaccurate information , '' said Anthony Pygram , head of enforcement at Ofgem .
`` The supplier did not prioritise putting these issues right whilst its business was expanding . ''
In a statement , the energy company said `` Ovo Energy holds itself to high standards , but we have not always got it right . ''
• Have you been overcharged ?
Email haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk Ovo - which was created 10 years ago - is already the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 1.5 million customers and about 2,000 employees .
But after buying SSE it has taken on another 3.5 million customers and 8,000 staff , making it second only to British Gas .
Although another deal between E.On and Npower could push it into third place when Ofgem data is next published .
Ofgem launched an investigation into Ovo after a series of failures dating back to July 2015 .
The regulator said thousands of customers were charged the wrong amount after Ovo underestimated fuel usage over winter 2017 .
At least one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although Ovo said it had issued a refund .
But Ovo decided not to refund customers who were overcharged by less than £10 , Ofgem said .
In its report , the watchdog said : `` Ovo explained that it did not believe it was an efficient use of resources to process 120,000 small value refunds . ''
`` These monies did not belong to Ovo but to the customers impacted by Ovo 's mistake . ''
However , the firm did later refund some customers and it also wrote off some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ovo also gave inaccurate pricing information to around 160,000 customers .
`` Ovo 's failure to issue accurate documents may have resulted in some customers making decisions to switch or remain with Ovo based on inaccurate information , '' Ofgem said .
`` These customers may have suffered detriment in missed savings opportunities . ''
Ovo was not the only energy firm in Ofgem 's sights on Wednesday .
Utility Warehouse was forced to pay out £650,000 after it overcharged customers due to a systems error .
The regulator said the energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who paid too much - an average of £131.20 each .
It was also made to pay £200,000 into the redress fund for vulnerable customers .

But after buying SSE it has taken on another 3.5 million customers and 8,000 staff, making it second only to British Gas. Although another deal between E.On and Npower could push it into third place when Ofgem data is next published.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Sex Education: 'I wish I knew sex could be fun growing up'

You might remember a condom on a banana , or just a general sense that if you have sex , you 'll either get A ) pregnant or B ) a disease .
We 're talking about sex education at school .
The messy corners of growing-up were tiptoed around by teachers who could n't even bring themselves to say `` penis '' .
So when the TV show Sex Education - which centres around two students who set up a sex clinic in their school - first debuted on Netflix last year , it was a breath of fresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ topics including slut-shaming , abortion , virginity and masturbation - which Aimee Lou Wood , who plays Aimee Gibbs , told Radio 1 Newsbeat she `` thought was only a boy thing '' .
Growing up , Aimee thought she was a `` weirdo '' for wanting to masturbate .
And when filming the series the 24-year-old found that other people felt the same .
`` When I filmed a masturbation scene , extras were asking me , 'What do you mean you had a scene like that ?
That 's only for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the show 's cast at the season two premiere it became obvious that lots of them feel they did n't learn enough about the realities of sex growing up .
`` Food , jobs , sex ... it 's a very key part of life and we do n't know enough about it , '' Aimee said .
`` I wish I knew it was normal to want sex for pleasure , and not just to make babies . ''
The character Aimee plays has one of the most talked about storylines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assaulted and the series sees her coming to terms with what happened .
Aimee says her storyline had a `` huge impact '' on her .
`` I had to go back to when I was that age and how trusting I was .
A lot of girls will relate to it . ''
'Everyone can learn something' Emma Mackey , who plays the show 's female lead Maeve , agrees that the programme is important in challenging taboos .
`` The show makes you feel less lonely ; I wish it existed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me feel more normal , '' she told us .
When asked what they 'd learnt during filming , the word `` vaginismus '' was quick to leave almost all cast members ' mouths .
The NHS says : `` Vaginismus is when the vagina suddenly tightens up just as you try to insert something into it . ''
Tanya Reynolds , whose character Lily has vaginismus , said : `` I did n't even know it had a name .
So many women will watch this and realised there 's not something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : When your body just says no to sex What are schools teaching about sex ?
As of spring 2020 , it will be compulsory for all primary schools in England to teach `` relationships education '' , which looks at friendship and emotions .
Sex education in primary schools is not compulsory .
Parents can specifically request for their children not to be involved in sex education lessons , but not relationship lessons .
The government 's new requirements for secondary sex education include STIs , pregnancy , contraception and miscarriages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year , to include things like sexual harassment and consent .
Wales will be introducing a new compulsory RSE curriculum in 2022 .
Northern Irish schools must teach RSE lessons , but individual schools can decide the content .
• Beyond Today : What ’ s left out of Sex Education ?
The programme has been commended for showing sex in a more realistic way than most .
It replaces your average lowly-lit romantic sex scenes with clumsy , awkward ones where the teenage characters mostly have no idea what they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be comfortable during the filming process .
Patricia Allison , who plays Otis 's new girlfriend Ola , said : `` There was a sex director on set .
They sent us a list before we had even read the script to ask how we felt about certain things .
`` Even if you said you were OK with something , you can change your mind and say I 'm not comfortable with it today .
And that 's OK. '' She says filming the series taught her the `` importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sex Education was one of two programmes that Netflix released viewing figures for .
It was reportedly watched by more than 40 million households in its initial weeks .
( That 's people who watched 70 % or more of an episode ) .
The series has been highly praised for its diversity and representation in its casting and plot , which Emma says `` should n't be a big deal '' .
`` We 're setting the bar high in that regard , but it 's about time .
It should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best friend , Eric , struggles with homophobia and the relationship between sexuality and religion .
Ncuti Gatwa , who plays Eric , said : `` I love that this gay , black kid is not apologising for being who he is . ''
The teaching of `` LGBT content '' in schools has n't always been accepted .
Last year there were ongoing protests outside a primary school in Birmingham which taught pupils about same-sex relationships as part of a teaching scheme called No Outsiders .
Some parents said it contradicted their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate '' .
The school compromised , with a new equality programme after consulting with parents .
The government says it encourages secondary schools to include LGBT issues in sex education .
Ncuti said : `` Representation matters , to educate kids about all the different types of people in the world so that when they encounter them they 're not afraid . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Will the Bank of England cut interest rates?

The Bank of England is set to announce whether or not it will change or hold interest rates on Thursday .
The Bank 's `` base rate '' is used by High Street banks and other lenders who set borrowing costs .
Some investors think the first cut to the rate since 2016 could be on the cards , although others say it is too close to call .
The rate , which is currently 0.75 % , affects everything from mortgages to business loans and has a big impact on people 's and companies ' finances .
So why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And how could that affect consumers ' bank balances ?
Why a cut could take place Inflation , the rate at which prices for goods and services increase , is one key factor the Bank of England considers when setting the base rate .
Inflation dropped to 1.3 % in December , down from 1.5 % in November , partly due to a fall in the price of women 's clothing and hotel rooms .
If the Bank thinks inflation is likely to stay below its target of 2 % , it may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of borrowing and therefore encourage spending .
Other recent sets of data might suggest that the UK economy could do with a boost from its central bank .
Retail sales fell in December as Christmas shoppers bought less food and goods in the run-up to the festive period .
In the three months to December , the quantity bought in retail sales fell by 1 % when compared with the previous three months .
Overall , the UK economy grew by just 0.1 % in the three months to November .
Initial estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % that month .
That was largely down to a decline in both services and production .
Economists at Bank of America expect the Bank of England 's Monetary Policy Committee ( MPC ) to cut the base rate to 0.5 % on Thursday .
`` We had thought that the MPC might wait until a few months after the general election , or the chancellor 's first Budget , to make a decision on interest rates , '' said Robert Wood , chief UK economist at Bank of America .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to offer a helping hand to the economy a bit sooner than expected . ''
Earlier in January , markets put the likelihood of a rate cut as high as 70 % - although this is now back down at about 50 % .
And even Mr Wood believes Thursday 's decision is `` finely balanced '' .
As other figures have noted , there are brighter spots in the UK economy .
For example , the UK employment rate stands at a record high of 76.3 % , according to the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some surveys have also shown a more positive outlook for business after voters went to the polls in December .
UK manufacturing and services saw their best month for more than a year in January , according to the composite purchasing managers ' index ( PMI ) .
IHS Markit , which compiled the survey , said demand was growing after the election .
James Smith , an economist at ING , said the Bank 's decision would be a `` close call '' and questioned whether businesses would remain optimistic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not this [ optimism ] will last . ''
He added that the MPC committee , headed up by the outgoing governor Mark Carney , could wait to see `` how better survey data translates into real economic activity , before deciding whether to act at future meetings '' .
`` We are n't expecting a rate cut this week , '' he said .
What would a cut mean for consumers ?
Whether the base rate is held or falls , High Street banks often pass on the costs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rates offered on loans or savings accounts .
So a cut to the base rate could make it less rewarding to save .
After the Bank of England last cut interest rates in 2016 , the average savings rate for an `` easy access '' bank account fell by 0.14 % in the three months after , according to financial information service Moneyfacts .
Savings accounts rates have been cut by some banks more recently .
Santander announced a cut to the interest paid on balances up to £20,000 in its 123 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
However , a rate cut could be good news for borrowers , as the rate of interest they repay is likely to be lower .
Those on a variable-rate mortgage , or a `` tracker '' mortgage , could see changes in their bills .
But if you 're on a fixed-rate mortgage and the Bank of England 's base rate is cut , you wo n't benefit from reduced repayments .

Some investors think the first cut to the rate since 2016 could be on the cards, although others say it is too close to call.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--Mrs Brown's Boys: The long life of a critic-proof comedy

It has been called `` the worst comedy ever made , '' but after eight years , Mrs Brown 's Boys remains a huge hit with viewers .
This was evidenced once again on Tuesday night after it won a fifth comedy prize at the National Television Awards .
When the sitcom , created by and starring Brendan O'Carroll as a foul-mouthed Irish matriarch , arrived on screens in 2011 , it was generally met with critical disgust .
`` Jaw-droppingly past its sell-by date , '' wrote the Metro at the time .
`` Old-fashioned , '' said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , with the Observer calling it `` shameless excrescence '' in 2017 .
Strong words .
But at the same time , the show has grown to become one of the most-watched TV sitcoms in decades .
In 2016 , it was named the greatest British sitcom in a Radio Times audience poll .
It has won Baftas as well as a viewer-voted National Television Award .
Its Christmas special in 2018 brought in 6.8 million viewers , making it the most-watched programme of the day .
And a film spinoff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spent two weeks at the top of the UK and Irish box office .
A new stage show , Mrs Brown 's Boys D'Musical , will tour in 2019 .
How has a slapstick comedy , hinging on a middle-aged man pretending to be a troublesome 'mammy ' , thrived in the gulf between critics and audiences ?
`` I think it 's because there 's a certain section of the audience that feels disenfranchised by modern comedy ; an audience that enjoyed the broad , double entendre comedy of On The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Dick Fiddy , archive TV programmer at the BFI .
`` I think Mrs Brown 's Boys , as well as shows like Miranda , represents a style of comedy that is n't elsewhere . ''
• Big name stars lined up for BBC Les Miserables TV series O'Carroll himself has said the success of the show has been , at least in part , down to an `` Are You Being Served ?
audience '' that has felt `` left behind '' ; forgotten as TV comedy in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1980s , evolving around tricksy , post-modern styles in the 1990s and 2000s .
`` Mrs Brown represents a style of TV programming that had gone out of fashion , '' says Fiddy .
`` It 's not trying to be too clever .
It 's just trying to make you laugh .
It 's raison d'être is to make you laugh . ''
Before it was a TV series , Mrs Brown had a life in a radio series for RTE in Ireland , then a series of books , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then a stage show .
Crucially , it was this that BBC producer Stephen McCrum saw at the Glasgow Pavilion .
`` I do n't believe in God , but I nearly did that night , '' he told The Guardian in 2013 .
`` The audience was full of 200 old women laughing , alongside ushers who were about 16 or 17 and also [ laughing hysterically ] .
It was immediately clear : there 's something happening here . ''
This theatricality is a key part of the TV show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filming is woven into each episode , with clear shots of a studio audience , frequent corpsing and ad-libbing from the cast , misplaced props , knowing addresses to camera and stagey bowing .
'We 're not changing the show' It is decidedly vaudevillian , dealing in pratfalls , toilet humour and amped-up stereotypes .
This has a lot in common , notes Fiddy , with an act called Old Mother Riley ; an Irish washerwoman , also played by a man , who performed in theatres and music halls from the 1930s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life character who 's noisy , over the top , always getting into scrapes . ''
It 's this lineage of comedy that Mrs Brown 's Boys taps into , one that survives in Christmas pantomimes , with its end-of-the-pier bawdiness , underpinned by a pervading whiff of sentimentality .
At a time of complex geopolitical struggles and 24-hour news cycles , perhaps it 's no wonder that this style , visceral and uncomplicated , holds such a large audience .
Last week , at the press launch for this year 's Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a request from BBC management to alter the programme .
At the time , Danny Cohen had taken over as the controller of BBC One .
Cohen was a fan of the show and keen to keep it on air , but wanted the language toned down so it could be shown in a more family-friendly timeslot .
O'Carroll recalled : `` He spent the first 10 minutes telling me how lucky the BBC felt to have found me and the family , how wonderful Mrs Brown 's Boys was and how he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hopefully a message at the end - that families fall in and fall out but at the end of the day there 's always something that keeps them together . ''
`` I said 'Danny , can we cut to the chase ?
You want me to stop [ swearing ] so you can put the show on at eight o'clock . '
`` And he said : 'Exactly . '
I said : 'The show is the show .
Put it at eight o'clock , or put it on at half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 , the people who want to see it will find it .
But the show is the show .
I do n't care when you put it on , we are not changing the show ' . ''
Writing in 2017 , the Observer 's TV critic commented , perhaps not entirely seriously , that the popularity of Mrs Brown 's Boys `` should have given a huge clue to the Brexit vote '' .
Are there parallels to wider national schisms in the gulf between the show 's ( supposedly metropolitan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left behind '' ) audience ?
`` It does n't help that so many of our mainstream critics have the kind of class and educational backgrounds which have historically taught them that art forms such as opera or ballet or classical music are somehow more worthwhile than TV or comedy , '' says Megan Vaughn , a theatre criticism researcher at Royal Holloway , University of London .
`` Everyone 's sense of humour is different , but our sense of humour develops via our experiences and social interactions ; perhaps if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV reviewers , we would get criticism that was less wedded to old-fashioned cultural hierarchies , and more representative of viewers ' tastes . ''
Whether or not the critical tide will turn on Mrs Brown 's Boys , its success goes to show just how persistent its breed of humour can be .
Comedy evolves , but not always in the same direction .

O'Carroll recalled: "He spent the first 10 minutes telling me how lucky the BBC felt to have found me and the family, how wonderful Mrs Brown's Boys was and how he liked that there was also pathos there and hopefully a message at the end - that families fall in and fall out but at the end of the day there's always something that keeps them together."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Northern rail franchise: 'The actual service is atrocious'

Northern rail passengers have faced chaos since May 2018 when new timetables were introduced .
A decision is expected later from the government on whether the firm will lose its franchise over `` unacceptable delays '' .
BBC Radio 5 Live has been speaking to people in Buckshaw Village , near Chorley in Lancashire .
It 's a place that did n't exist 20 years ago , but which relies on Northern .
Buckshaw was built on land which was formerly one of Britain 's largest munitions sites , Chorley 's Royal Ordnance Factory .
More than 4,000 people now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents commute into Preston and Manchester during the day .
The village was designed to be sustainable , and cycle lanes and public transport were integrated into the building plans .
A new train station , Buckshaw Parkway , opened in 2011 .
Ian Smith , 47 , is a civil servant who lives in Buckshaw Village .
He takes the early train every morning to Manchester Victoria .
Ian says he loves Buckshaw and its `` fantastic facilities '' , but says the train service into Manchester is `` lacking '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says , `` and for the money that you pay for a ticket to go to Manchester , I think the actual service is atrocious . ''
For Ian , the main issue is the late running of trains , which delays him arriving at work .
He says the information on platforms and apps is incorrect .
`` It puts you in a negative mood before you start your day , '' he says .
Stacey Worthington lives in nearby Chorley , but commutes out of Buckshaw Village to Manchester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes the early train to avoid the rush hour and allow herself to get back in time to pick her children up from school .
`` The past two years have not been great , '' she says , `` I get a half six train and you just turn up and it 's cancelled .
Next one 's 10 past seven so immediately then I 'm 40 minutes late for work . ''
`` It 's been better recently with newer trains and more carriages . ''
Stacey has a young family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time at work is tricky : `` If the train 's late or it 's cancelled , I 'm knackered .
So I 've got to then start trying to get after-school care , which instantly costs me £20 . ''
`` I 'm paying £1,900 a year for a season ticket from Buckshaw to Manchester .
You might get a seat , you might not .
You might get a train , you might not . ''
Alexandra Evans , 38 , lives in Buckshaw and is the regional manager for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot with work and her husband works locally - primarily for childcare reasons as Alexandra never knows if her train will get her back in time .
She estimates about 90 % of journeys she takes are delayed .
`` You have the anxiety of getting to the train station , finding a car parking space , finding a seat… and then walking into the station .
`` I 'll be honest the first thing I do in the morning is walk to the board to see if my train is actually on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact on somebody 's work day and the stress that 's caused before you even start work . ''
Paula Murray , 34 , is the manager of the village nursery .
She lives nearby but has to be on hand to stay late if any parents are delayed getting home .
The nursery opens early to allow people to get to work but it 's pick-up that 's a problem , because people often do n't have family living nearby .
She said : `` Last night when someone was late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we needed to really ... it can have a massive effect .
`` We 've had [ staff ] in the years before who 've missed driving lessons , meals with family . ''
Paula is a mum herself and nearly missed a parents ' evening because another parent was late picking up their child : `` It can have a massive , massive knock-on effect . ''
For Sam Holt , 44 , there 's a `` feeling of dread '' about his commute from Buckshaw Village .
He runs a music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Manchester three times a week .
`` It 's a nightmare , '' he says , `` You ca n't rely on the information . ''
Sam says when a train arrives on time `` there 's almost a collective clapping on the platform because it 's like , hey , it got here ! ''
He says he now sometimes allows an hour extra to get home , `` that 's a decent chunk of your day if you add that up across a working year .
That 's a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a knock-on effect for business owners .
John Quinton-Barber , 49 , owns a PR agency in Manchester city centre with about 30 staff .
He 's put everyone on flexitime , allowing his workers to start from home or clock on later in the day , because he could n't rely on people arriving on time due to the late running trains .
He says the policy 's been a huge success .
`` I do n't want my colleagues being worried that their train is delayed and they have to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every day a message from one of my colleagues ' I 'm going to be 10/15 minutes late , because Northern have n't arrived or because there 's issues with the trains . '
`` As an employer , we are taking the heat because of our dysfunctional railway . ''
He feels frustrated having `` to pick up the pieces of a broken Network Rail network in the north '' .
A Northern spokesperson said : `` Our customers deserve the best possible rail service and we are working hard , alongside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have delivered on our commitment to increase the number of train services… and yet there has been no real increase in track capacity since 2016 , which has led to more congested railways across the North .
Infrastructure issues and the additional congestion have taken their toll on punctuality .
`` Arriva and Northern remain fully committed to delivering the transformation of the North 's railways and improving customers ' experience .
`` We are delivering the biggest transformation of local rail for a generation , with 62 of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is part of a £600m investment in improving customers ' experience ; we are also continuing to invest in better stations , better offers for customers and more recruitment . ''
If you have a question about Northern rail , the service or the franchise let us know by completing the form below .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

"I don't want my colleagues being worried that their train is delayed and they have to get in a certain time. I see every day a message from one of my colleagues 'I'm going to be 10/15 minutes late, because Northern haven't arrived or because there's issues with the trains.'


bbcuk--2020-01-29--The gay men risking their health for the perfect body

`` You 're too ugly to be gay , '' a man in a Huddersfield gay bar told Jakeb Arturio Bradea .
It was the latest in a series of comments from men that Jakeb says made him feel worthless .
Last summer , following the comments , he tried to kill himself .
Manchester-based charity the LGBT Foundation has warned that body image issues are becoming more widespread in gay communities .
It says gay and bisexual men are `` much more likely '' than heterosexual men to struggle with them .
A number of gay men have told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lengths to change their bodies - including using steroids and having plastic surgery - just to become `` accepted '' by others in the LGBT community .
Several said pressure from social media platforms and dating apps was exacerbating their body issues .
`` Guys with stunning bodies get the comments and the attention , '' says Jakeb .
`` I 've not gone on dates because I 'm scared of people seeing me in real life .
I would honestly have plastic surgery if I could afford it . ''
Instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned to anabolic steroids - class C drugs that can be misused to increase muscle mass .
• How being a gay man can make your body issues worse • How Queer as Folk broke the mould for gay people on TV '' I got to a certain weight from just working out and going to the gym , but I could n't get any bigger , and I got into my head that I needed to be bigger , '' he says .
`` My friend said he knew a steroid dealer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just do a low dose to see what happens . ''
But anabolic steroids can be addictive .
Jakeb soon found himself unable to stop .
`` I got to the size I wanted to be , but it did n't feel good enough , '' he says .
`` I kept wanting more .
It was like there was a harsh voice telling me I 'm skinny . ''
Jakeb had his second near-death experience in November last year when - after several years of heavy steroid use - he suffered heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I could n't sleep , I was days away from dying , '' he says .
`` The cardiologist said if I had done one more injection or gone to the gym a few more times I would have dropped dead . ''
Months later , Jakeb has stopped taking steroids and has lost the extra muscle he gained , but he continues to have health problems for which he is receiving hospital support .
`` It just has n't been worth it at all , '' he says .
And Jakeb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to appeal to men .
James Brumpton - a software engineer from Lincoln - found himself `` catapulted into this world of self-consciousness '' , after he hooked up with a man at a local gay bar .
When James went back to the man 's house and took off his T-shirt , his date looked at him and made a disgusted noise .
`` Nice arms though , '' the man added .
Eventually , the experience led to James deciding to have an abdominoplasty - otherwise known as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man to influence me to a point where I literally had part of me removed , '' he says .
According to the most recent figures released by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons ( Baaps ) , 179 abdominoplasties were performed on men in 2018 - up 18 % on the previous year .
Prof Afshin Mosahebi , of Baaps , says gay men are currently having more cosmetic procedures done than straight men , although he notes that women have more procedures than men overall .
The surgeon believes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go under the knife .
`` Some patients do n't need surgery , they need psychological help , and even the patients that do need surgery need to be appropriately informed of all the potential risks , '' he says .
After James 's tummy tuck went wrong , he was left with permanent scarring , which made him even more conscious of his body .
`` I 've been shamed many times since then , '' says James .
`` A guy I was dating once said that I needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ section because I have wide hips . ''
Dating apps have fuelled body image concerns , he says .
`` People having in their profiles 'no fats ' , or that they 're only into masculine and muscular guys , so they do n't want anyone that 's super skinny , '' he says .
Images on social media and in leading gay magazines have also led James to feel he is an `` invader in the space '' .
`` The idea in your head is that to be a gay man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klein model , '' he says .
Photos of `` sexy bodies '' drive sales of gay magazines , according to Matthew Todd , a former editor of one such publication , Attitude .
`` It was a tension the whole time and I continually tried to put people on the cover that were n't like that : the first trans man , the first trans woman , the first lesbian , '' says Matthew .
`` I kept doing those kinds of things , but they did n't sell well . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fry on the front of the magazine in 2010 , `` it was one of the worst selling editions ever '' , he says .
`` That 's not a reflection on Stephen Fry , because he 's incredibly popular , '' he says .
`` I think it says more about what readers are coming to gay publications for . ''
Matthew , the author of Straight Jacket : How to be gay and happy , says homophobia has fuelled gay men 's body issues .
`` It 's really important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody to present themselves in a visual way , '' he says .
`` But I think you ca n't take out of this discussion the fact that LGBT people grow up , shamed , not able to be themselves .
`` And I think for lots of people , that 's a massive trauma that manifests as low self-esteem .
If you do n't like yourself , that manifests as not being happy with the way you look . ''
The result has been that gay men are under more pressure than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Matthew says .
`` If you go on to some gay dating apps , you would think that the vast majority of gay men are supermodels , '' he continues .
`` If you 're a gay man , the act of finding another man attractive is also making a judgement of yourself .
Many gay men confuse 'Do I want to be with him ? '
with 'Do I want to be him ? '
'' Jeff Ingold , from LGBT charity Stonewall says it is `` crucial '' that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bisexual men with different body types in the media .
`` Not only would this help gay and bi men see themselves reflected in what they watch , it would also help break down harmful stereotypes that affect gay and bi men 's body image and self-esteem . ''
But as it is , Jakeb says he still gets people online telling him they `` would n't leave the house if they looked like me '' .
`` I did n't go on pride marches and have bricks thrown at me to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
`` We have equality , but we 're horrible to each other . ''
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised , support and advice is available via BBC Action Line .
This summer , the BBC will be looking into `` body pride '' and the relationship between LGBT people and their bodies .
If you would like to share your experiences , please email haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

"I got to a certain weight from just working out and going to the gym, but I couldn't get any bigger, and I got into my head that I needed to be bigger," he says.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--What should you do if you break down on a smart motorway?

The revelation that 38 people have been killed on smart motorways in the last five years has renewed concerns about their safety - particularly when the hard shoulder is in use as an extra driving lane .
So what should you do if you break down on a smart motorway and need to pull over in an emergency ?
If your vehicle has a problem , get off the motorway immediately - that 's the advice from Highways England .
Motorists are urged to make their way to one of the regularly spaced emergency areas at the side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marked with blue signs and an orange SOS telephone symbol .
If drivers are moving at 60mph ( 97km/h ) , they should be able to reach a refuge every 75 seconds on average , according to the agency .
Once they reach it safely , there is a phone to ring them .
If you ca n't get to an emergency area but your vehicle can be driven , the advice is to pull up as close as possible to the nearside ( left hand ) verge or other nearside boundary or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rear fog or side lights , especially if visibility is low .
The driver and any passengers should get out of the vehicle if it feels safe to and wait at the other side of the safety barrier if there is one , so they are clear of their vehicle .
If it does not feel safe enough to get out - or if the breakdown occurs in the middle or inside lanes - motorists should keep seatbelts on , turn on hazard warning lights and call 999 immediately .
In this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly with lane closures , as regional control centres use CCTV cameras to monitor and manage these stretches .
`` Once they 're aware of your situation , they can set overhead signs and close the lane to help keep traffic away from you , '' Highways England said .
`` If you break down or are in an emergency , you must call for help as soon as possible . ''
Smart motorways now cover more than 400 miles ( 640km ) of England , with the above map the most up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are three types of smart motorway , namely : • Controlled - people can not drive in the hard shoulder • Dynamic hard shoulder - the hard shoulder can be opened • All lanes running ( ALR ) - the hard shoulder has permanently become a lane England currently has more than 100 miles ( 161km ) of ALR smart motorways .
• M1 : J16 to 19 , J23a to 25 , J28 to 31 , J32 to 35a , J39 to 42 Smart motorways can change to suit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be opened or speed limits changed .
Highways England said they were an effective way of improving flow and journey times as well as alerting drivers to hazards further ahead .
They are controlled from centres with computers monitoring the traffic and , when necessary , adjust the speed limits to a minimum of 40mph .
The decision to open and close lanes is done by people working in the control centres who rely on CCTV and reports from police and the public .
Signs direct drivers on speed limits and which lanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signifying a lane is closed , as well as warnings of upcoming hazards .
Highways England said smart motorways have reduced accidents causing injuries by more than a half .
You might also be interested in Why do n't some people like them ?
Both the RAC and AA have expressed serious reservations about the loss of the hard shoulder .
Nicolas Lyes , head of roads policy at the RAC , said more than two thirds of drivers surveyed felt the removal of the hard shoulder `` compromises safety '' , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` much higher risk '' than on a hard shoulder or in an emergency area .
`` It is abundantly clear things need to change , '' he said .
`` We have consistently called for the roll-out of stopped vehicle detection radar technology to quickly identify stranded vehicles , and additional SOS areas to give drivers a greater chance of reaching one in the event of an emergency , thereby reducing the collision risk . ''
The AA also wants emergency areas to be installed every three quarters of a mile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mile and a half apart .
Its president Edmund King said : `` Drivers do n't trust smart motorways and with 38 % of breakdowns occurring in live lanes that is not surprising .
There is much confusion and fear out there .
`` The current system is not fit for purpose and too many tragic and avoidable deaths are occurring . ''
Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has also called for the end of smart motorways saying it is `` totally unacceptable to risk lives in the name of saving costs '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Panorama he wants to fix smart motorways because they are too confusing for drivers .

The revelation that 38 people have been killed on smart motorways in the last five years has renewed concerns about their safety - particularly when the hard shoulder is in use as an extra driving lane. So what should you do if you break down on a smart motorway and need to pull over in an emergency?


bbcuk--2020-01-29--The oak tree in Kew Gardens that taught the world a lesson

Fifteen million trees were felled by the Great Storm which hit the south of England in 1987 .
But the @ @ @ @ @ Kew Gardens in London not only survived the storm , but also changed the way @ @ @ @ @ around the world .
Tony Kirkham , head of the Arboretum at Kew Gardens has @ @ @ @ @ what he learned from the ancient oak .
Witness History : The stories of our @ @ @ @ @ who were there .

Fifteen million trees were felled by the Great Storm which hit the south of England in 1987.
But the remarkable Turner's Oak in Kew Gardens in London not only survived the storm, but also changed the way that trees are cared for around the world.
Tony Kirkham, head of the Arboretum at Kew Gardens has been telling Witness History about what he learned from the ancient oak.
Witness History: The stories of our times told by the people who were there.


bbcuk--2020-01-29--How Ella Eyre fought her way out of the pop wilderness

If you 've ever dragged yourself into work with a cold and acted like it 's the greatest sacrifice since Bruce Willis stayed behind to blow up that asteroid , consider this : Ella Eyre shot one of her latest videos with an agonising kidney infection .
The 25-year-old woke up one day last September with a pain so bad that she thought her appendix had burst .
`` I was like , 'Am I in labour ?
Is there something I do n't know ? '
'' she recalls .
But instead of crawling under the duvet and bursting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearest A & E , got some pain medication and boarded a flight to Ukraine .
`` I 'd have been in more pain at home doing nothing than being in Kiev shooting the video , '' she argues .
While her actions are n't medically advisable , they help explain why Ella Eyre is still making music after what can generously be described as a `` choppy period '' in her career .
It 's been five years since her debut album , Feline , went Top 10 .
A follow-up was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Upheaval at her record label , Virgin EMI , meant the people who 'd signed Ella as a teenager had left .
Their replacements were n't sure what to do with her , a symptom of the UK music industry 's mystifying inability to understand or sustain the careers of female artists beyond an initial flush of fame .
Essentially , Ella says , she 'd ceased to be anyone 's `` passion project '' and her music kept slipping off the release schedule .
`` I 've had that so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written great songs and they want to save them , but we 've never got to the point we were saving them for .
`` It was just frustrating because the delay sets doubt in your mind .
I think if you do n't have any doubts about the music , you should release it straight away .
`` Do n't sit on it because then someone will turn around and say , 'Oh , that would have been good a year ago , but not so much now . '
'' Ella @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` made sure the ball kept rolling '' , appearing on Celebrity Bake Off ( her pineapple meringue tower was a sight to behold ) and , more importantly , lending her gravelly vocals to top 10 hits like Sigala 's Just Got Paid , and Banx & Ranx 's Answerphone .
When the latter became a radio smash , there was suddenly `` no shortage of people that wanted to be her record label , '' Ella 's manager told Music Week last year .
They eventually signed to Island Records which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Robyn and Sigrid , has a history of championing female pop artists with a distinct point of view .
Fittingly , Ella is rebooting her career with a song - New Me - that sees her shrugging off the past and striking out on her own .
`` Ella ai n't here , it 's a new me , '' declares the singer over an infectious , dancehall-inspired beat .
And while the lyrics are ostensibly about a toxic relationship , they could easily refer to her professional rejuvenation .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she agrees .
`` I feel like a new artist because I 'm coming at it from a very different understanding of the industry . ''
`` When I first started , I was 16 and I was so doe-eyed .
When one of the record labels says to you , 'We do n't just sign everything and see what works , ' you 're like , 'Wow , I believe you . '
`` This time round , I was like , 'Rubbish !
Lies ! '
I just have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to manage my campaigns and how I want [ my ] music to be received and delivered .
Ella 's independent streak was fostered by her mother , who raised her in Hanwell , a small town in west London that , due to its proximity to Ealing Studios , is frequently used as a location for films like Bridget Jones 's Diary and Billy Elliot .
`` From a young age , I was pretty used to being left to do what I wanted to do , '' recalls the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus by myself when I was eight .
I do n't know if I 'd let my kids do that now . ''
Aged 11 , Ella was sent to a private boarding school , Millfield , in Somerset , on a swimming scholarship ( although her mum had to remortgage the house to pay the remaining fees ) .
`` It was wild .
I loved it , '' she says .
`` Because I 'm an independent person , I 'm able to thrive in that environment . ''
Her training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pool every day and competitions every weekend .
But after two years , she developed a series of ear infections that ended her chances of a professional career .
`` My times were getting slower because I was n't swimming as often and eventually I just lost the love for it , '' she recalls .
No longer able to compete , she lost her bursary - but a teacher helped her switch to a drama scholarship and , after playing Tallulah in a school production of Bugsy Malone ( `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! ''
) she left to study musical theatre at the Brit School .
`` I learned a lot about discipline , teamwork and vocal techniques but it was all very musical theatre , '' she says , making the obligatory jazz hands gesture .
She was also pressured into singing a certain way to meet the needs of West End casting agents .
`` A lot of my singing teachers were trying to iron the husk out .
They saw it as a defect , '' she says .
`` And actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and started writing , I realised I had my own way of singing , and I could be as emotive and as emotional as possible . ''
The first people to tease a `` perfect '' vocal out of the singer were Rudimental , who enlisted her for their hit single Waiting All Night before she 'd even released any music of her own .
`` I was still working out how I wanted to sing but they had a really clear idea about what they wanted to achieve with that record , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical Nazis ! ''
Waiting All Night launched Ella 's career , going to number one and winning a Brit Award for best single - but it also triggered unwanted interference from her record label .
They began to insist she should incorporate Rudimental 's skittish drum & bass rhythms into her debut album , at the expense of the bluesy , soulful sound she 'd been working on .
As a result , the record was both delayed and `` a bit confused '' , the singer admits .
This time around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
New Me , written and recorded in a four-hour burst of creativity ( the finished version carries her original demo vocal ) , is the first in a cache of singles she 's been stockpiling in her pop armoury .
`` I know what the second single is , I know what the third single is , I know what the fourth single is .
And we also know what could come after that , '' she says matter-of-factly .
Several of these future smashes were written on retreat in Jamaica last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honour her father , a chef , who died in 2017 and had lived on the island `` pretty much his whole life '' .
`` I did n't know what kind of emotions or how I 'd be feeling when I landed , '' she confessed in an Instagram post , but the trip reconnected her to her roots .
Songs and lyrics poured out of her , including an unreleased ballad , Rain In Heaven , that she 's particularly proud of .
`` Jamaica is beautiful and idyllic , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with rain , and I was like , 'Ah , it still rains in heaven , ' '' she explains .
`` It became a metaphor for a relationship that 's breaking down .
You thought it was all beautiful and harmonious , then the storm comes and it 's absolutely chucking it down .
`` It feels like the song my dad let me write , '' she adds .
`` I listen to it and I just love it so much .
So we 're saving that one . ''
Ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been given a fresh start .
`` Everybody has their up and down moments but I 've realised that nobody wins a game on their first move , '' she says .
`` I remember somebody putting it to me like this : 'As much as you want to release music , you have to have ammo ' .
And I feel so prepared for battle . ''
Pop competitors beware ... She 'll turn up for the fight even if her kidneys burst .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"A lot of my singing teachers were trying to iron the husk out. They saw it as a defect," she says. "And actually, when I got into the studio and started writing, I realised I had my own way of singing, and I could be as emotive and as emotional as possible."


bbcuk--2020-01-28--Super Bowl 2020: The NFL Academy & its first students on new path to US game

It 's 5am and an alarm clock goes off in Milton Keynes .
Fraser Holden has to get up and out in time to catch the 05:53 to London Euston .
From there he takes the tube to Southgate , north London , and is down to work by 7.30am .
He might not leave until five in the afternoon .
Unlike the other commuters , Fraser travels kitted out in sportswear .
He 's 16 and is going to college to learn how to play American football .
Today .
the aspiring linebacker will meet Jerry Rice , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet this is not a one-off , it 's a regular day at the NFL Academy .
Backed by the NFL , Nike and some superstar mentors , the programme is the first of its kind in Britain .
The aim ?
To transform the perception of American football in the UK and Europe .
The NFL said nothing until a surprise social media campaign announced the details last May .
Within two weeks , over 1,500 had applied for the 90 places on offer .
In September , the first intake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here , 16-to-18-year-olds study for regular qualifications alongside elite American football training .
Fraser was one of those who applied .
He grew up playing rugby but had started playing small-sided American football games too .
He was lured by the 'We Can , We Do ' campaign , aimed at British youngsters dreaming of following Efe Obada and Jay Ajayi into the NFL .
The first try-outs were held in June .
Cleveland Browns ' wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr was there - as well as BBC pundits Osi Umenyiora and Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message was clear .
Academy hopefuls would be judged on their attitude and character as much as their athletic ability .
And the programme would be very demanding .
`` It 's dedication , it 's commitment , '' says Will Bryce , NFL UK 's head of player development .
`` It 's prioritising studying , managing your time , getting to bed early , getting off social media when you do n't need to be on it .
It gives the kids structure , they 're part of a team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too . ''
Selfies with OBJ was just the start .
After the try-outs , 150 hopefuls were called back to a stadium showcase in the first NFL event at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July .
There they met Obada himself and did drills with Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Juju Smith-Schuster .
Fraser was among the 90 eventually accepted .
He admits the first few weeks of the programme were `` a big shake-up - especially after going to school five minutes away '' .
Now he is proud to wear his NFL-branded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who stands out on campus .
In pride of place is the academy gym , which was converted from the college 's theatre and now features NFL branding inside and out .
Jerry Rice came for the official opening .
The 57-year-old , who won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers , tells students that at their age he was a `` diamond in the rough '' , that he never thought he would play professional football , that he was n't the greatest athlete and did n't have the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out-work him '' .
The legendary receiver speaks with the 'inspiration wall ' as backdrop .
It features quotes from NFL players , each one almost always featuring the same word - work .
Three more are prominent too : Responsibility , integrity , respect .
The students are often here lifting weights at 7.30am .
For linebacker Fraser and defensive end Tyrese Peters-Tovey , 19 , the strength and conditioning work has been the toughest part .
But the shared experience quickly saw the group bond .
`` You kind of have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together and running into each other for three hours a day ! ''
Fraser says .
Each week they have three field sessions , four classroom sessions and four weightlifting sessions .
On Wednesdays , the focus is on character development .
Staff and external speakers talk about life skills , wellbeing , and issues such as social media safety and domestic violence .
They have 10 hours of classes in their chosen subjects - the same as all the college 's students - plus 15 hours of training on top .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review in their own time - an essential part of life in the NFL - staff are happy to oblige .
`` If they 're willing to put the work in , we 'll match it and then some , '' says Bryce .
`` It 's going to produce a type of American football player which this country has not produced before .
They 're going to be much better prepared to compete in the NFL , mentally and physically . ''
Head coach is Tony Allen - the long-serving London Warriors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to tailor sessions to accommodate a range of skillsets .
Some signed up having already broken into Great Britain 's Under-19s , some had never played a snap .
Many have come across from rugby , others have switched from sports like athletics , tennis , judo and swimming .
In total , 32 of the 90 students are considered 'crossover athletes ' .
While American youngsters grow up with the game , British players like Umenyiora and Obada have proved you can pick it up late and still succeed .
Umenyiora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even heard of American football until he moved to Alabama at the age of 14 .
He went on to win two Super Bowls .
Obada did n't play until he was 22 and , five years on , has just signed for a third year with the Carolina Panthers .
`` We always said that if we 're going to help develop European talent we need to get them earlier and here we are working with 16-year-olds , '' says Allen .
Students come from very different backgrounds , too .
Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which seeks to help `` young people at risk of social exclusion and youth violence '' .
Another is a former pupil at Charterhouse boarding school in Surrey .
Thirty-five have left home to be here - 30 from further afield in the UK , five from Europe .
Because they 're under 18 they are n't permitted to live on their own , so the college has partnered with a homestay programme to place them with local families , with extra pastoral and welfare staff on hand to support them .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholarship and join the American collegiate system , from which NFL players are drafted .
The academy has therefore had to find centres in London where they can sit the SAT test , for college admissions in the US .
That 's true of George Reynolds .
He wants to be the NFL 's first British quarterback and has just been out in Florida .
He was one of eight from the academy , selected by fellow students , to take part in a High School skills showdown before Sunday 's Pro Bowl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently joined George in the British U19 squad , and although he also hopes to play in the US too , he feels his academic choices could help him pursue an alternative career in politics .
Tyrese chose to put off university for a year , moving from Hackney to his dad 's in Enfield so he could be closer to campus .
While his parents backed the decision , he initially faced opposition from his grandparents , who are lawyers and dentists in Trinidad .
`` They made it sound like I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
`` But I 'm not just getting better at football , I have a chance to get a qualification and get something in life .
`` Whatever happens after this , I 'll be a better player and a better person .
I think I made the right choice . ''
With the NFL 's regular season already over , British players Christian Scotland-Williamson and Jamie Gillan recently dropped by .
Obada is also set to pay another visit .
He and Scotland-Williamson are products of the International Player Pathway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ success of that programme , for over-20s , gave Alistair Kirkwood the inspiration to revisit an idea he first presented early in his 20-year tenure as NFL UK 's managing director .
Back then , things were focused solely on producing more elite , international players .
But after helping bring regular season games to London , Kirkwood realised an academy could do much more .
`` We wanted something from a community perspective in north London that was more year-round and impactful than just playing the London Games , '' he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the academy as the athletic side , if not more so .
An elite few will go to the States but success for us is 100 % of kids having some form of defined success , be it going on to further education , becoming more employable or being role models who can influence younger kids .
`` We 've had lots of little landmarks where we 've confounded ourselves and gone on to greater things but of all of these , I 'd say the academy has the potential to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we look back on and say it changed the shape of the sport . ''
As the students watch Super Bowl 54 this Sunday , it will be with a clear path of how one day they could get there too .
Realistically , few will make it .
Only 1.6 % of US college players were drafted in 2018 .
But even if they do n't , the experience will last a lifetime , wherever their future lies .

The first intake of students started at the academy in September
It's 5am and an alarm clock goes off in Milton Keynes. Fraser Holden has to get up and out in time to catch the 05:53 to London Euston.
From there he takes the tube to Southgate, north London, and is down to work by 7.30am. He might not leave until five in the afternoon.
Unlike the other commuters, Fraser travels kitted out in sportswear. He's 16 and is going to college to learn how to play American football. Today. the aspiring linebacker will meet Jerry Rice, one of the greatest players of all time.
Yet this is not a one-off, it's a regular day at the NFL Academy. Backed by the NFL, Nike and some superstar mentors, the programme is the first of its kind in Britain.
The aim? To transform the perception of American football in the UK and Europe.
The NFL said nothing until a surprise social media campaign announced the details last May. Within two weeks, over 1,500 had applied for the 90 places on offer.
In September, the first intake started at Barnet & Southgate College. Here, 16-to-18-year-olds study for regular qualifications alongside elite American football training.
Fraser was one of those who applied. He grew up playing rugby but had started playing small-sided American football games too. He was lured by the 'We Can, We Do' campaign, aimed at British youngsters dreaming of following Efe Obada and Jay Ajayi into the NFL.
The first try-outs were held in June. Cleveland Browns' wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr was there - as well as BBC pundits Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell.
From the outset, the message was clear. Academy hopefuls would be judged on their attitude and character as much as their athletic ability. And the programme would be very demanding.
Fraser Holden grew up playing rugby but switched over to American Football
"It's dedication, it's commitment," says Will Bryce, NFL UK's head of player development. "It's prioritising studying, managing your time, getting to bed early, getting off social media when you don't need to be on it. It gives the kids structure, they're part of a team, plus there are some pretty cool opportunities too."
Selfies with OBJ was just the start. After the try-outs, 150 hopefuls were called back to a stadium showcase in the first NFL event at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July. There they met Obada himself and did drills with Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.
Fraser was among the 90 eventually accepted. He admits the first few weeks of the programme were "a big shake-up - especially after going to school five minutes away". Now he is proud to wear his NFL-branded kit, to be one of those who stands out on campus.
In pride of place is the academy gym, which was converted from the college's theatre and now features NFL branding inside and out. Jerry Rice came for the official opening.
The 57-year-old, who won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, tells students that at their age he was a "diamond in the rough", that he never thought he would play professional football, that he wasn't the greatest athlete and didn't have the best skills but refused to let anybody "out-work him".
The legendary receiver speaks with the 'inspiration wall' as backdrop. It features quotes from NFL players, each one almost always featuring the same word - work. Three more are prominent too: Responsibility, integrity, respect.
The students are often here lifting weights at 7.30am. For linebacker Fraser and defensive end Tyrese Peters-Tovey, 19, the strength and conditioning work has been the toughest part. But the shared experience quickly saw the group bond.
"You kind of have to when you're running 110-yard sprints together and running into each other for three hours a day!" Fraser says.
Each week they have three field sessions, four classroom sessions and four weightlifting sessions. On Wednesdays, the focus is on character development. Staff and external speakers talk about life skills, wellbeing, and issues such as social media safety and domestic violence.
They have 10 hours of classes in their chosen subjects - the same as all the college's students - plus 15 hours of training on top. And if anybody wants extra video footage to review in their own time - an essential part of life in the NFL - staff are happy to oblige.
"If they're willing to put the work in, we'll match it and then some," says Bryce. "It's going to produce a type of American football player which this country has not produced before. They're going to be much better prepared to compete in the NFL, mentally and physically."
Only 90 could be accepted for the academy's first intake in September
Head coach is Tony Allen - the long-serving London Warriors coach. He and his staff have had to tailor sessions to accommodate a range of skillsets.
Some signed up having already broken into Great Britain's Under-19s, some had never played a snap. Many have come across from rugby, others have switched from sports like athletics, tennis, judo and swimming. In total, 32 of the 90 students are considered 'crossover athletes'.
While American youngsters grow up with the game, British players like Umenyiora and Obada have proved you can pick it up late and still succeed.
Umenyiora was born in London and hadn't even heard of American football until he moved to Alabama at the age of 14. He went on to win two Super Bowls. Obada didn't play until he was 22 and, five years on, has just signed for a third year with the Carolina Panthers.
"We always said that if we're going to help develop European talent we need to get them earlier and here we are working with 16-year-olds," says Allen.
Students come from very different backgrounds, too. Three are involved with the Big Kid Foundation external-link which seeks to help "young people at risk of social exclusion and youth violence". Another is a former pupil at Charterhouse boarding school in Surrey.
Thirty-five have left home to be here - 30 from further afield in the UK, five from Europe. Because they're under 18 they aren't permitted to live on their own, so the college has partnered with a homestay programme to place them with local families, with extra pastoral and welfare staff on hand to support them.
The dream for many is to earn a scholarship and join the American collegiate system, from which NFL players are drafted. The academy has therefore had to find centres in London where they can sit the SAT test, for college admissions in the US.
That's true of George Reynolds. He wants to be the NFL's first British quarterback and has just been out in Florida. He was one of eight from the academy, selected by fellow students, to take part in a High School skills showdown external-link before Sunday's Pro Bowl all-star game in Orlando.
Fraser has recently joined George in the British U19 squad, and although he also hopes to play in the US too, he feels his academic choices could help him pursue an alternative career in politics.
Tyrese chose to put off university for a year, moving from Hackney to his dad's in Enfield so he could be closer to campus. While his parents backed the decision, he initially faced opposition from his grandparents, who are lawyers and dentists in Trinidad.
"They made it sound like I wasn't being productive," Tyrese says. "But I'm not just getting better at football, I have a chance to get a qualification and get something in life.
"Whatever happens after this, I'll be a better player and a better person. I think I made the right choice."
Jerry Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history
With the NFL's regular season already over, British players Christian Scotland-Williamson and Jamie Gillan recently dropped by. Obada is also set to pay another visit.
He and Scotland-Williamson are products of the International Player Pathway, which started in 2017. And the success of that programme, for over-20s, gave Alistair Kirkwood the inspiration to revisit an idea he first presented early in his 20-year tenure as NFL UK's managing director.
Back then, things were focused solely on producing more elite, international players. But after helping bring regular season games to London, Kirkwood realised an academy could do much more.
"We wanted something from a community perspective in north London that was more year-round and impactful than just playing the London Games," he says.
"Now education is as important in the academy as the athletic side, if not more so. An elite few will go to the States but success for us is 100% of kids having some form of defined success, be it going on to further education, becoming more employable or being role models who can influence younger kids.
"We've had lots of little landmarks where we've confounded ourselves and gone on to greater things but of all of these, I'd say the academy has the potential to be truly transformational. It could be something we look back on and say it changed the shape of the sport."
As the students watch Super Bowl 54 this Sunday, it will be with a clear path of how one day they could get there too. Realistically, few will make it. Only 1.6% of US college players were drafted in 2018.
But even if they don't, the experience will last a lifetime, wherever their future lies.