Brit Held Over Threats To Kill 200 US Students

Detectives have arrested a British man in connection with alleged threats to shoot dead 200 children at a US school.

Sky Tyne and Wear reported Northumbria Police arrested Reece Elliott, 24, from South Shields, on suspicion of making threats to kill on Friday.

An anonymous post made on Wednesday on a Facebook memorial page set up for a deceased student threatened a mass killing spree, saying: "I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself."

Elliott was being held at South Shields police station and will be questioned by the force's major incident team.

Homeland Security in the US has been informed, and the threats led schools in Warren County, Tennessee, to tighten security.

Some reports said as many as 3,000 students did not attend classes the next day.

The post said: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting him in a dumpster. Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast.

"I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself."

On Friday, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Kristin Helm said its Cyber Crime agents are helping in the investigation and the source of the post had not been identified.

It is not yet known whether any potential prosecution will be brought in England or the US, or both.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said: "At 2.12pm on Friday February 8, police received notification that a man had posted threatening information on Facebook."

"A 24-year-old man from South Shields has been arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and is currently in custody.

"The message is believed to have been posted on Wednesday. There is nothing to suggest it posed any physical threat to any school either here or in America."

Bobby Cox, Director of Warren County Schools in Tennessee, said: "As most of you are aware we received notice of violent threats directed at Warren County High School late Wednesday evening, February 6.

"We put an action plan together with the local authorities to ensure the safety of our schools and our campuses across the system.

"We wanted to make sure that we had all the facts before we sent a mass message out via our calling system to you.

"Currently the Sheriff's Department is working with the TBI and Homeland Security to trace down the person who posted this message.

"We have increased the presence of Police and Sheriff's Deputies in our schools today and tomorrow and all schools will limit access into each building to ensure the safety of our staff and students."

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported police officers were posted to 11 schools in the area.

In December, gunman Adam Lanza killed 27 when he opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, 60 miles from New York.

He died at the scene and the body of his mother, Nancy Lanza, was found at his family home. She had been shot in the face.

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Aldi Frozen Ready Meals 100% Horsemeat

Who's In Charge Of Keeping Food Safe?

Updated: 1:38pm UK, Friday 08 February 2013

There are a number of different agencies responsible for food labelling and safety in the UK.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for food standards legislation in England that is principally non-safety, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitors standards that are safety based.

Food Standards Agency:

The FSA, a non-ministerial government department, is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food.

This includes food safety and hygiene, labelling for safety and allergies and food law enforcement.

It aims to:

1) make sure foods produced or sold in the UK are safe to eat

2) ensure imported food is safe to eat

3) make sure food producers and caterers give priority to consumer interests in relation to food

4) give consumers the information and understanding they need to make informed choices about where and what they eat

5) make sure regulation is effective, risk-based and proportionate, is clear about the responsibilities of food business operators, and protects consumers and their interests from fraud and other risks

6) ensure enforcement is effective, consistent, risk-based and proportionate and is focused on improving public health.

In the wake of the horsemeat scandal the FSA announced it is demanding a more comprehensive testing programme from food businesses.

Chief executive Catherine Brown said: 'Following our investigations into Findus products, the FSA is now requiring a more robust response from the food industry in order to demonstrate that the food it sells and serves is what it says it is on the label.

"We are demanding that food businesses conduct authenticity tests on all beef products, such as beef burgers, meatballs and lasagne, and provide the results to the FSA. The tests will be for the presence of significant levels of horsemeat."

There are separate FSAs for Scotland, Wales and the Irish Republic.

Defra:

In July 2010 food labelling was transferred from the FSA to Defra.

Food standards legislation sets out specific requirements for the labelling, composition and, in some cases, safety parameters for specific high value foodstuffs which are potentially at risk of being misleadingly substituted with lower quality alternatives.

The legislation makes sure consumers are not misled as to the nature of food products when it is sold to them.

It also makes the playing field level for food producers, so they have established standards they can work to when producing well known or traditional foodstuffs.

Most legislation on food standards is developed in Europe, with full involvement from UK Government officials.

Secondary legislation is then used to either implement the requirements or put in place enforcement powers, depending on the nature of the European legislation

Meat:

For a range of meat products there is legislation setting out specific compositional and labelling requirements.

The rules set out minimum meat content requirements for certain meat products sold using reserved descriptions such as sausages, burgers, corned beef, meat pies, pasties, etc.

In addition, there are very specific labelling rules for certain meat products that look like a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcass of meat.

Where any added water over certain limits as well as any added ingredients of different animal species to the rest of the meat must be mentioned in the name of the food.

Department of Health:

The DoH takes the lead on nutrition labelling police in England.

In October 2012 it announced proposals for front-of-pack nutrition labelling that displays how much fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories foods contain.

This is colour-coded and shows a guideline daily amount.

The advertising of food is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority.

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Dale Cregan 'Shot Cops Until Gun Was Empty'

The Defendants And Charges

Updated: 1:23pm UK, Thursday 07 February 2013

This is the list of all ten defendants and the charges they face. All of the defendants deny the charges.

Dale Cregan, 29 - Accused of the murder of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, and Mark and David Short, the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time, the attempted murder of a woman called Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion

Leon Atkinson, 35, from Ashton-under-Lyne – Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Luke Livesey, 27, from Hattersley - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Damian Gorman, 38, from Glossop - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Ryan Hadfield, 28, from Droylsden - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Matthew James, 33, from Clayton - Accused of the murder of Mark Short and the attempted murders of three others in the pub at the time

Francis Dixon, 37, from Stalybridge – Accused of the murder of David Short, the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion

Anthony Wilkinson, 38, from Manchester – Accused of the murder of David Short, the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, a single charge of causing an explosion, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life

Jermaine Ward, 24 – Accused of the murder of David Short, the attempted murder of Sharon Hark on the same day, and a single charge of causing an explosion

Mohammed Ali, 32, from Chadderton, Greater Manchester, is accused of assisting an offender

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Cregan Trial: CCTV Shown Of Grenade Attack

A jury has heard that one of Dale Cregan's alleged victims was chased through his house and shot repeatedly, before a grenade was thrown at him causing "devastating" injuries.

The evidence emerged at Preston Crown Court, where Cregan is also facing charges that he murdered women police officers Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone in a gun and grenade attack.

The jury heard that three months after his son Mark was gunned down in a local pub over a perceived snub to a rival family, killers turned up at David Short's door.

"He was chased through the house and shot many times," said prosecutor Nicholas Clarke QC.

Mark Short was shot dead at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden

"He tried to run around the side of the house to escape. His injuries were already unsurvivable and then a grenade was thrown onto him.

"Its explosion had devastating consequences for his torso. It is the first time in this country that a military grenade has been deployed in this way."

The court was played CCTV footage showing the deadly attacks on both Mark and David Short, video that has now been released.

Earlier, Mr Clarke told the jury about the background to the murder of Mark Short at the Cotton Tree pub on May 25.

He said: "The Short family had been involved for a number of years in a long-standing feud with members of another local family, the Atkinsons.

"The families had reached a state of uneasy peace following their lengthy dispute."

But the court heard that on May 13, there was a row in the Gardeners Arms pub which carried on into the Cotton Tree.

Cregan denies the charges against him

The row was between Theresa Atkinson - dubbed "the matriarch of the Atkinson family" - and Raymond Young, a member of the Short family.

The jury was told she responded by shouting: "I'm going to get you done by my sons, I'm gonna get you done by my sons."

Mr Clarke told the court that after this incident Theresa Atkinson repeatedly tried to contact her son Leon's mobile phone and they spoke the next morning.

Mr Clarke said straight after that call Leon Atkinson contacted his two brothers and sent a text message to his "old friend" Dale Cregan, who then began making contact with the other defendants alleged to be involved with the Cotton Tree murder.

The jury heard on the night of May 25 the Short family and friends gathered at the Cotton Tree pub for drinks.

The prosecution claims Leon Atkinson, 35, from Ashton-under-Lyne, travelled to a caravan park in Prestatyn, North Wales, to give himself an "incontrovertible alibi".

Cregan, Luke Livesey, 27, from Hattersley, and Damian Gorman, 37, from Glossop, were to carry out the attack, it is claimed.

Ryan Hadfield, 28, from Droylsden, and Matthew James, 33, from Clayton, were to act as "spotters" to ensure the targets - the Short family - were in the pub.

A car pulled up at the pub at 11.49pm, which the prosecution say carried Cregan, Livesey and Gorman.

Mr Clarke said Raymond Young was in the bar and saw the door open. He saw the gunman enter wearing a black balaclava.

"In his outstretched hand was a gun. The gun was fired. Mark Short was nearest to the door when the gunman came in," Mr Clarke said.

Mark Short fell to the ground as the firing continued, focused on the people stood around a pool table.

Three more men, John Collins, Michael Belcher and Ryan Pridding, were also hit and fell to the floor, before the gunman jumped into the front seat of the waiting car.

Mr Clarke added: "At the time that his son Mark was shot, David Short, the head of the Short family, was using the toilet. Otherwise he himself would have been a target. His son died in his arms."

All of the men deny the charges. The trial continues.

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Mother Of Two Who Died In Shooting Is Named

Police have identified a mother who died in a shooting incident at the weekend.

Hayley Pointon, 30, died from a single gunshot wound at an address in Hinckley, Leicestershire on Sunday night.

Police leading the investigation have appealed for witnesses who may have seen two hooded men nearby at the time of the shooting.

Detective Superintendent Tom Davies said: "Hayley's death has left two young children without a mother and it is vital that those involved are dealt with.

"We are still keen to speak to anyone who saw two men in the area at the time of the incident.

"The men both had their hoods up and were said to have left the scene in a dark car that was parked in the street.

"If you were in the area or you have any information about the incident or the events leading up to it, please come forward."

Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident, including a 26-year-old man who has been released without charge.

The other two, who are aged 29 and 36, have been released on bail pending further inquiries. Ms Pointon was from the Coventry area and had two children.

:: Anyone with information can call Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Michael Gove In U-Turn On Plan To Scrap GCSEs

Education Secretary Michael Gove has been forced to abandon his flagship plan to scrap GCSEs and replace them with a new English Baccalaureate.

The move was said to follow pressure from within the coalition from the Liberal Democrats and criticism from MPs across the political spectrum.

Last week the cross-party Commons Education Committee said the Government had "not proved its case" that GCSEs should be abolished in key academic subjects.

Labour said that it was a "humiliating climbdown" for Mr Gove, one of the most high-profile members of the Cabinet.

He will go before the Commons later to set out alternative GCSE reforms - reducing the role played by course work.

He had originally wanted to introduce the new EBacc certificate in England in the five core academic areas of English, maths, science, languages and humanities - history or geography.

Each of the core subjects would have been handed to a single examination board - a move he argued was essential to prevent boards "dumbing down" standards to attract more schools.

However, according to reports in The Independent and The Daily Telegraph, officials warned the plan could fall foul of EU procurement rules.

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Mr Gove should have listened to warnings that the scheme would not work.

"This is a humiliating climbdown from Michael Gove," he said.

"It shows why he should have listened to business leaders, headteachers and experts in the first place and not come up with a plan on the back of an envelope.

"Pupils and parents need certainty now. Michael Gove must now make clear whether he will abandon his narrow, out of date plans altogether or merely try to delay them.

"He needs to go back to the drawing board and develop a curriculum and exam system that meets our future challenges as a country.

"Labour wants to work with the Government to forge a long term consensus on exam and curriculum reform. We would welcome cross party talks."

A Department for Education source said: "We do not comment on leaks. Mr Gove will make a statement to the House tomorrow."

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Alan Greaves: Funeral For Attacked Organist

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

The widow of a man killed on his way to midnight mass has told Sky News they had a "truly wonderful marriage".

Church organist Alan Greaves, 68, was attacked on Christmas Eve as he made the short walk from his home to his church in Sheffield.

Speaking ahead of his funeral, Maureen Greaves said: "His death was a very great shock and I wasn't prepared for it.

"I wasn't expecting him to die, the fact that the community have responded so well has been a comfort.

"He truly was a gentleman and he was someone whose love and compassion came over very clearly to people."

The couple both worked for Church Army and gave up huge amounts of time helping and supporting others.

Just weeks before his death, Mr Greaves had helped establish a new food bank project for those in need in South Yorkshire.

His widow said: "Obviously the house is full of memories one of the saddest memories is that the piano has fallen silent.

"It is not something I'm going to get rid of, I will keep it and Alan's two daughters can play the piano and one day one of them might inherit it."

The couple got married in Sheffield in 1972 and had four children together.

The couple were married for 40 years

Mrs Greaves added: "I can look back on 40 years that have been really truly wonderful, even with all its disappointments and things that happen in any marriage.

"It wasn't a perfect marriage but it was a marriage that was perfect in the fact that we stayed in love with each other."

Since the murder, the family has been touched by the groundswell of support from people affected by his death.

Mrs Greaves said: "It has been very overwhelming and humbling.

"Whenever I have walked on the streets people have come to me to give me a hug to say how sorry they are and especially to ask if they can do anything for me.

"Some people that have done that I know well - others have been complete strangers."

She has written the eulogy to her husband and plans to read it at his funeral at St Saviours Church in the High Green area of Sheffield.

Two men have been charged with murder.

Jonathon Bowling, 22, and 21-year-old Ashley Foster have both been remanded in custody as the case goes through the courts.

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Poverty Blamed For Increase In Child Neglect

Nine out of 10 teachers, police officers and social workers come into contact with children they suspect are being neglected - but 40% feel powerless to intervene, according to new research.

The report by Action for Children also reveals that members of the public who would like to see more support when reporting such concerns has almost doubled in three years to 44%.

The study found that a third of the public who had concerns about a child did not tell anyone - mainly because they did not think they had enough evidence - while 15% were worried of repercussions.

Some 14% of professionals have reported a rise in suspected child neglect over the past year and of these, nearly three-quarters believed a deterioration in parenting skills was a contributing factor to the increase.

Lisa Nandy: 'These figures may be the tip of the iceberg'

Two-thirds believed greater poverty was to blame and more than half blamed family breakdowns.

The report is one of the most comprehensive reviews into child neglect; the second in an annual series by the University of Stirling. Six thousand members of the public, a range of professionals and 27 local authorities took part in the research.

Dame Clare Tickell, the charity's chief executive, said: "It is of grave concern that one in every 10 children could be suffering neglect.

"We know that early help has the potential to transform the lives of children and families, yet today's report tells us that the public aren't being given the know-how they need and professionals' best efforts are being hindered by stretched budgets and a lack of resources.

"With more and more families struggling, vulnerable children are falling through the cracks of a child protection system that is failing some of those who need it most - sometimes with tragic consequences."

Action for Children is calling on the Government to introduce a web-site with a post code function to enable the public to seek the most appropriate help at the earliest opportunity for children they are worried about.

The charity is also asking the Government to meet its commitment to putting measures in place to support professionals to make decisions whether and when to intervene.

Shadow minister for children and young people, Lisa Nandy said: "It's shocking that so many more children are facing neglect and ill-treatment than this time last year.

"Over the last 12 months we've seen a sharp rise in factors that put stress on families, like poverty and homelessness.

"At the same time the Government is cutting funding to local councils, piling more pressure on social workers who are already struggling with record numbers of children being taken into care.

"These figures may just be the tip of the iceberg. This report should act as a wake-up call."

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Pimlico Teenager Murder: Man, 19, Charged

A man has been charged with the murder of teenager Hani Abou El Kheir in central London.

Ahmed Mikhaimar, 19, of Pimlico, has been remanded in custody to appear at Redbridge Magistrates on Tuesday.

He is accused of killing 16-year-old Hani, who was stabbed to death in Pimlico - one of London's most affluent areas - on January 27.

The teenager, who lived on the nearby Churchill Gardens estate, was taken to King's College Hospital after the attack but died later.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds.

Two other teenagers arrested on suspicion of Hani's murder have been released on bail, while four other people were bailed on Sunday night.

A man aged 48, a woman of 47 and two girls aged 16 and 17, who were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of assisting an offender were bailed to a date in March, Scotland Yard said.

Two boys aged 16 and 17 arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday have been bailed to dates still to be fixed, while an 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday remains in custody.

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Stem Cell Advance In Britain: 3D Printing

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Scientists have taken a step closer to creating artificial human organs and using them for transplants after 3D printing produced clusters of stem cells.

In the short term, the technique could be used to generate tissue for drug-testing currently carried out on animals.

The 3D printing technology relies on an adjustable "microvalve", which builds up layers of human embryonic stem cells.

Such cells, which originate from early stage embryos, are blank slates with the potential to become any type of tissue in the body.

In the long term, the new printing technique could pave the way for those cells to be incorporated into transplant-ready laboratory-made organs and tissues, said researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh

The technique's breakthrough is in its gentle handling of the delicate cells which gives them a greater chance to thrive, they said.

Lead scientist Dr Will Shu told Sky News: "We found that the valve-based printing is gentle enough to maintain high stem cell viability".

Lead scientist Dr Will Shu

He also said it was "accurate enough to produce spheroids of uniform size and, most importantly, the printed human embryo stem cells maintained their pluripotency - the ability to differentiate into any other cell type".

Taking a cell from a patient and using it in the 3D printing process should enable scientists to implant the generated tissue back into the patient without triggering an immune response.

Jason King, of the stem cell biotech company Roslin Cellab, which participated in the research said: "Normally, laboratories grow cells in 2D but some cell types have been printed in 3D.

"However, up to now, human stem cell cultures have been too sensitive to manipulate in this way.

"This is a scientific development which we hope and believe will have immensely valuable long-term implications for reliable, animal-free drug-testing and, in the longer term, to provide organs for transplant on demand, without the need for donation and without the problems of immune suppression and potential organ rejection."

The scientists behind the breakthrough estimate that the 3D printing technology could lead to a 'production line' of artificial organs in 10 years' time, at the earliest.

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Undercover Police 'Stole' Dead Children's IDs

Undercover police officers working for the Metropolitan Police assumed the identities of dead children and were issued fake passports in their names, it has been claimed.

Britain's largest police force allegedly carried out the practice for three decades without consulting or informing the children's parents.

According to a report in The Guardian, officers would scan national birth and death records to find the identities to use for undercover work infiltrating protest groups.

The newspaper claimed the technique was adopted to lend credibility to officers working undercover and provide them with a back story while spying. It said some officers had used the identities for 10 years.

It is claimed as many as 80 officers used such identities between 1968 and 1994.

Scotland Yard said a formal complaint had been made but that the Metropolitan police would not "currently" authorise such a system.

One officer told the newspaper that he felt like he was "stomping on the grave" of the four-year-old boy whose identity he adopted.

He said: "A part of me was thinking about how I would feel if someone was taking the names and details of my dead son for something like this."

Keith Vaz said the practice would "distress" families of the dead children

Another told how he had adopted the identity of an eight-year-old boy who died from leukaemia in 1968.

Another third officer, who used the identity of a child car crash victim, said he was conscious the parents would "still be grief-stricken" but argued his actions could be justified because they were for the "greater good".

The officers worked for the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), which was apparently disbanded in 2008.

Keith Vaz, the chairman of parliament's home affairs select committee, which will hear evidence about undercover policing on Tuesday, said he was shocked at the "gruesome" practice.

He told the Guardian: "It will only cause enormous distress to families who will discover what has happened concerning the identities of their dead children."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "A formal complaint has been received which is being investigated by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) and we appreciate the concerns that have been raised.

"The DPS inquiry is taking place in conjunction with Operation Herne's investigation into the wider issue of past arrangements for undercover identities used by Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) officers.

"We can confirm that the practice referred to in the complaint is not something that would currently be authorised in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)."

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Most-Wanted Foreign Criminals Hiding In UK

A most-wanted list of high-risk foreign criminals believed to be hiding in Britain - including three suspected murderers and an accused rapist - has been released.

The list of 17 criminals wanted by authorities in other European countries who are thought to be in the UK has been unveiled by Scotland Yard and Crimestoppers.

It is the third Operation Sunfire campaign and includes the search for 32-year-old Dritan Rexhepi, who is wanted over a double murder in Albania and has links to London, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

Edvinas Judinskas, 19, is accused of murder in his native Lithuania over an attack where a gang forced their way in to a flat and beat the occupant to death with a metal rod and wooden chair leg.

He has links to Woolwich in south-east London, Reading and Greater Manchester - specifically Bury and Bolton.

The list also includes Evaldas Rabikauskas, 29, who is wanted in Lithuania for the rape of a teenager in 2007 and has links to Hackney in north London and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire.

Director of operations for Crimestoppers Roger Critchell said: "The purpose of Operation Sunfire is to track down and arrest murderers, violent robbers, drug traffickers and other criminals hiding in the UK.

"Crimestoppers is supporting this Metropolitan Police operation so that these individuals can be put before the extradition courts to face justice abroad and no longer be a threat to this country.

"Non-national fugitives hiding overseas in countries such as this are a threat to local communities as they most often remain involved in criminal activity and are a danger to those around them. We want these criminals off British soil and back to the countries where they have committed these heinous crimes so that justice may be served."

Detective Sergeant Peter Rance, who is leading the operation, warned the public not to approach the fugitives.

He said: "Today I'm asking the public, do you recognise these faces? Maybe you know where these people live, work or socialise?

"They are wanted to face justice for a multitude of crimes in other countries and it is in the UK's interests to help find them.

"If you have any information about these people, please call Crimestoppers so we can arrest them. If you see them call 999 and do not approach them."

Anyone with information about where the criminals are can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Pimlico Murder: Eight More Arrests

Detectives investigating the murder of teenager Hani Abou El Kheir in central London, have arrested a further eight people.

Scotland Yard said four men are being held on suspicion of murder and one man and three women on suspicion of assisting an offender. They are in custody at various police stations.

Hani, 16, was found stabbed to death in Pimlico after an attack by a group of people believed to have been wielding knives and swords.

Last Sunday at 6.50pm, officers were called to reports of a youth stabbed near Lupus Street.

When they arrived, they found Hani who was taken to King's College Hospital but later died.

A post-mortem found he died from multiple stab wounds.

The latest arrests bring the total number arrested to nine.

On Thursday a 20-year-old man was arrested in north London on suspicion of murder and bailed until late March.

Police believe that at least 10 youths were involved in the incident and are keeping an open mind on the motive.

Later today, detectives will return to the scene of Hani's murder to appeal to people living in the area for help with their inquiries.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information should contact the incident room on 0208 345 3715. if you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

More follows...

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Stafford Hospital Inquiry Will Demand Changes

By David Crabtree, Sky News Correspondent

A report into the quality of care provided by one NHS Trust will call for sweeping changes to how the nation's hospitals are run and regulated.

Hospitals could face fines or be closed down for falling foul of new standards, while patient organisations could be given stronger powers to make sure their voices are heard.

The recommendations will be made by Robert Francis QC, who chaired an independent public inquiry into patient care at Stafford Hospital and will publish his findings this week.

Up to 1,200 people may have died needlessly between 2005 and 2009, and the organisations and individuals who were in charge at the time will face severe criticism.

A previous report by Mr Francis condemned the hospital, saying the most basic elements of care were neglected.

Patients were left lying in soiled sheets and some remained unwashed for up to a month, while pain relief was provided late or not at all.

He said some patients were discharged before it was appropriate, only to be readmitted shortly afterwards, while food and drinks were left out of reach of patients, who were forced to rely on family members for their care.

The inquiry into what went wrong at Stafford Hospital has cost £11m

The previous report found the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was obsessed with targets, cost cutting and processes.

After its publication in 2010, patients and families called for a full independent public inquiry, the results of which are now imminent.

Julie Bailey, who led the fight for the inquiry after her mother died at the hospital, said: "This is about making sure that this is never allowed to happen again.

"This is to make sure that each hospital is safe and that each person who puts their loved ones into a hospital can be sure they are getting proper care and not being neglected or in a place which is dangerously out of control.

"It has been a long and tough road to get this public inquiry. I hope those involved are duly criticised and that in the future, proper regulations are put into place to make sure that patients come before targets and costs."

Complaints continue to be made at Stafford Hospital. Only last week it emerged that a baby had been found with a dummy taped to his mouth in an intensive care unit.

Doreen Duff died in Stafford Hospital five years ago

James Duff lost his wife Doreen at the hospital in 2008. She suffered a stroke and lost the use of her left side before she was admitted.

"When she came out, she was paralysed from the neck down," Mr Duff said. "She couldn't speak and everything had gone. That was all down to lack of care at Stafford Hospital.

"After all that has gone on and what the relatives have been through, it is still going on. Complaints are still being made about Stafford Hospital."

The NHS Trust has defended itself against allegations of recent bad practice.

Dr Charles Spencer, the trust's medical director, apologised for past events which he said were unacceptable.

However, he added: "We have made huge changes to treatments at Stafford and Cannock Hospitals in the last four years.

"That is recognised by the fact that we are among the 20 safest hospitals in the country for patient mortality. Our infections are down our patient satisfaction is up."

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