Stephen Sutton's Teen Cancer Appeal Tops £2.4m

A terminally-ill teenager has smashed all records on fundraising website JustGiving, as donations to his charity appeal surged past £2.4m.

Stephen Sutton originally set out to raise £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust but soon upped his target to £1m, as celebrities including Jason Manford, Stephen Fry and Russell Brand gave their support.

By Friday evening the 19-year-old had raised £2.4m, with nearly 100,000 people pledging their support.

Writing on his Facebook page, on which he published a bucket list of things he wants to do before he dies, Stephen said: "I've always been a firm believer that people are 'good' and to see people come together in the way they have is incredibly touching and heart-warming.

Donations to Stephen's JustGiving page have soared past £2.4m

"Thank you from me and thank you from every young cancer patient who will benefit invaluably from the money raised."

Stephen, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, said he was "feeling well" and was in a "stable" condition after his health worsened last weekend.

"The tumours in my body are still rife and dangerous, but I feel so lucky to just still be here," he added.

"In fact, I feel completely privileged to be in a position where I can help make such a difference to other people's lives."

Stephen, who was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer at the age of 15, has also released a 10-minute YouTube video called When Life Gives You Cancer, featuring interviews with his mum, his school teachers and his best friend.

Stephen (C) with friends and celebrities at a Teenage Cancer Trust event

His head teacher, Stewart Jones, said: "Stephen is the most amazing person I've ever met, let alone the most amazing student."

Tim Dowling, who runs the sixth form college at Stephen's school, added: "He's very special because he refuses to let his illness beat him or govern the rest of his life."

As donations continued to flood in, JustGiving itself donated £50,000 to Stephen's appeal.

The website stands to make more than £62,000 from the 5% fee it charges charities for online donations.

In a message posted alongside its donation, it wrote: "Stephen, we think you're amazing. It's been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You've now broken all records on JustGiving, so here's a special donation from us."

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Anti-Depressants Use Rising At Record Rate

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The use of anti-depressants is rising at a record rate as struggling patients seek help from their doctors.

In the past three years, the number of prescriptions has risen by close to 25%.

But there is growing concern that drugs are being handed over too readily to those who would be better helped with counselling.

Writer Julia Llewellyn Smith found life tough after the birth of her first child but was shocked to be instantly offered medication by a doctor.

"I said to her: 'I am not depressed, I'm just exhausted and having a bad time with a new baby'.

"She said: 'No you are depressed, I want to give you Prozac ... you will feel very better very soon,' and it really was a struggle to convince her that I didn't want, or in my opinion, need, anti-depressants."

Prescriptions have risen by nearly 25% in the last three years

Instead she went to group counselling and once the nights improved so did her mood.

But the former chair of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Clare Gerada, does not believe that everyday sadness is being unnecessarily medicalised.

Dr Gerada said: "I don't think my profession are giving out anti-depressants when they are not needed.

"But I think if there is a long waiting list for talking therapies, and there certainly is in the areas that I work, it may be that rather than see the patient get worse depression and risk their life, it may be the GP appropriately gives anti-depressants as a bridge."

Statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal that 53 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were handed out in England last year.

Julia Llewellyn Smith was offered anti-depressants by her doctor

And twice as many people take the drugs than a decade ago.

Caroline Ashrafi first sought help for depression when she was in her late teens.

For 30 years she has taken different tablets and has now been told she will need to take them for the rest of her life to stabilise her mood.

She said: "There is a stigma but I think when anti-depressants are prescribed in the right situation and with proper medical care, for me they have literally been a lifesaver."

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Paedophile Abused Up To 60 Pupils at School

Child Predator: Husband And 'Popular Teacher'

Updated: 11:44am UK, Thursday 24 April 2014

The serial child predator at the centre of an FBI investigation had a wife and two adult children and was a popular teacher among his students, officials have said.

William James Vahey travelled the world for four decades before his suicide in a Minnesota motel last March.

While teaching, he also served as coach on various school sports teams.

The FBI said he was a "popular and highly respected teacher".

"He had access to children because of his position of trust," said FBI special agent Patrick Fransen.

"He created a system that gave him the opportunity and the means to molest children."

The FBI says he may have carried out child molestation on an unprecedented scale, often drugging his victims.

Vahey told investigators he suffered molestation as a child and went on to prey on boys.

The New York native graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, according to a resume cited by the FBI.

He received a master's degree in curriculum development from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.

At the time of his death, he was 64, approximately 6ft (182cm) tall, and weighed about 190 pounds (86kg).

He was teaching ninth-grade world history and geography at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua.

Vahey maintained two residences, one in London, where he had taught at an elite school, and another on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the FBI said.

In 1969, Vahey was arrested in California on six counts of child molestation.

He pled guilty to one count of child molestation and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years' probation.

The conviction required Vahey to register with California's sex offender registry for the rest of his life.

However, Vahey eluded that requirement.

Officials said he had not renewed his registration as a sex offender since 1970. He went on to pursue his teaching career in Nicaragua, the UK, Venezuela, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Iran, Spain, and Lebanon.

His victims are believed to be multinational as many of those schools were attended by the children of American diplomats or military personnel stationed overseas.

Vahey coached boys on middle school, varsity boys' basketball, softball, flag football, and soccer, among other things.

He also served as activities director, student council adviser, cooking club adviser and forensics adviser. 

He often accompanied students on cultural studies or sports trips, the FBI said.

Vahey killed himself two days after agents in Houston sought a warrant to search a computer thumb drive belonging to him.

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Health Atlas Reveals Patterns Of Illness

By Thomas Moore, Science and Health Correspondent

A new health "atlas" has for the first time revealed extraordinary patterns in disease across the country.

The series of high resolution maps covering England and Wales show striking variations in the risk of cancer and other diseases in different areas.

Lung cancer is far more common in the North West and North East of England than in mid-Wales and the South-West.

And Leukaemia rates are higher in rural areas, with pockets of cases across South Wales, Somerset and Dorset.

The online tool (www.envhealthatlas.co.uk), published by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College London, also maps air quality, levels of sunshine and pesticides, and chlorine by-products in the water supply.

Users can enter their postcode to assess the disease and environmental risks in their neighbourhood.

But researchers will also be able to investigate whether there are links between pollutants and health.

Dr Anna Hansell, lead author of the atlas, told Sky News: "Ideally if we could measure things on every single person in the country we would do that, but we can't.

"By getting to something closer to where people live and work then we hope to understand a bit more about their exposures and how that might relate to health."

The atlas also reveals that skin cancer is most common in the South West of England.

Yet it's the southeast that gets the most sunshine and researchers will now study whether other lifestyle factors may account for the higher risk in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

Most striking of all is liver cancer, with a dense cluster of cases across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Dr Martin Lambord, a consultant liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said it could be put down to higher alcohol intake, the prevalence of hepatitis or obesity, or a combination of all these things.

He said the maps could be useful for people to make them aware of the issues they face.

"For the current generation it's about 'could I be at risk of liver disease?'" he said. "Have I put myself at risk of liver disease? Should I see my doctor and have a test? 

"I think increasing awareness is important. Once patients are identified as having liver disease or diagnosed to have cirrhosis, it's very important to offer them early diagnosis for cancers.

"The other problem we find is it presents really late and only 5% of those cancers are curable."

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Revealed: The 50 Streets With Slowest Broadband

Britain's Best And Worst Broadband Speeds

Updated: 11:21pm UK, Wednesday 23 April 2014

Research by a price comparison website has found huge differences in broadband speeds across the country. These are the streets with the slowest and fastest internet connections, according to uSwitch.com's broadband speed tracker:

:: Slowest broadband speeds

Erw Fawr, Henryd, Conwy, Wales (0.60 Mbps)
Wheatley Road, Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex (0.60 Mbps)
Station Road, Swineshead, Boston, Lincolnshire (0.65 Mbps)
Kelvin Grove, North Shields, Tyne and Wear (0.74 Mbps)
Maple Crescent, Alveley, Bridgnorth, Shropshire (0.91 Mbps)
Evesham Road, nr Church Lane, Norton, Evesham, Worcestershire (0.92 Mbps)
Meadow View, nr Rectory Road, Castle Carrock, Brampton, Cumbria (0.94 Mbps)
Canal Street, Oakthorpe, Swadlincote, Leicestershire (0.96 Mbps)
Pickleys Lane, Doveridge, Ashbourne, Derbyshire (0.99 Mbps)
Dereham Road, nr Chancel Lane, Garvestone, Norwich, Norfolk (1.03 Mbps)

:: Fastest broadband speeds

Loundes Road, Unstone, Dronfield, Derbyshire (57.58 Mbps)
Spencer Close, Swindon, Wiltshire (50.60 Mbps)
Northam Drive, Ripley, Derbyshire (44.67 Mbps)
Byfletts, Basildon, Essex (41.47 Mbps)
Mill Lane, nr Malvern Close, North Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire (38.88 Mbps)
Lymington Road, nr Barton Court Road, New Milton, Hampshire (35.70 Mbps)
Littlewood Lane, Walsall, Staffordshire (35.64 Mbps)
Camel Road, E16, London (34.62 Mbps)
Pen-Y-Graig Road, Brymbo, Wrexham (31.91 Mbps)
Giffins Close, Braintree, Essex (30.33 Mbps)

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Camilla 'Utterly Devastated' At Death Of Brother

The Duchess of Cornwall's brother Mark Shand has died after suffering a serious head injury during a fall in New York.

Law enforcement sources have told Sky News the 62-year-old travel writer fell at around 3am on Wednesday outside the Rose Bar on Lexington Avenue.

It has also been reported that Mr Shand was lighting a cigarette at the time.

A statement from Clarence House said: "The Duchess, The Prince of Wales and all her family members are utterly devastated by this sudden and tragic loss.

Prince Charles and Camilla are "utterly devastated" at Mr Shand's death

"Mark Shand was a man of extraordinary vitality, a tireless campaigner and conservationist whose incredible work through The Elephant Family and beyond remained his focus right up until his death."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also released a statement.

Mr Shand fell outside the Rose Bar on New York's Lexington Avenue

"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were saddened to learn this morning of the tragic death of Mark Shand. Their thoughts are with The Duchess of Cornwall and her family at this time."

Mr Shand, Camilla's only brother, was in the city for an auction at Sotheby's in aid of a charity for underprivileged children and the Elephant Family.

Camilla with her brother Mark Shand in 2010

A statement from the charity said: "Today we have lost the head of our family.

"Mark Shand was a true force for conservation. He was both a legend and inspiration and above all our great friend. We will miss him always."

The charity, which Mr Shand was the chairman of, aims to save the endangered Asian elephant from extinction in the wild.

The auction was the finale for the month-long Big Egg Hunt NYC by Faberge, in which egg sculptures were sold to the highest bidder.

Prince Charles and Mark Shand during a visit to India

It raised £950,000 ($1.6m).

Mr Shand wrote a number of books and appeared in documentaries, with elephants and India common themes.

He won the 1996 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award and the Prix Litteraire d'Amis for his book Queen Of The Elephants, which was later made into a BBC documentary.

When Mr Shand was younger he was known for partying.

He was expelled from Milton Abbey School in Dorset for smoking cannabis and spent time as a rally driver and bobsleigh star.

Major Bruce Shand, his father, opted to send him to Australia when he was expelled and Mr Shand stopped off in India, where his fondness for elephants developed.

He was romantically linked to the likes of Bianca Jagger, Jackie Onassis' sister Lee Radziwill and Jackie's daughter, Caroline Kennedy.

Mr Shand married the French actress Clio Goldsmith in 1990 and they had a daughter together called Ayesha.

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Aberdeen Boy Burned In 'Petrol Game' Dies

A seven-year-old boy who was badly burned in an Aberdeen street last week has died in hospital.

Preston Flores is believed to have suffered 80% burns after he was set on fire while playing a game with friends in Bedford Avenue around 2pm on Good Friday.

In a statement released through police, his mother, Luisza, said: "Preston's family want to inform the public that their precious little boy has passed away and is at rest.

"He meant the world to his family and will always be deeply missed and loved.

"Preston was a special little boy and his loss has ripped our family apart."

The statement added: "On behalf of our family I would like to thank everyone for their support but would ask that we are now allowed to grieve in peace for Preston."

Preston and other children are believed to have taken a petrol can from the back of a van shortly before the fire started, according to local newspaper The Press and Journal.

One relative told the Daily Record that Preston had been "mucking about" with mates before his clothes caught fire.

A police spokesman confirmed petrol was involved but said there was no evidence to suggest the "tragic incident" was a deliberate act.

Preston and his friends were playing on Bedford Avenue

Witnesses described hearing screams and said the youngster's clothes stuck to his body as neighbours tried to douse the flames.

Preston was initially taken to the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital but was moved to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, where he died.

Preston attended Sunnybank School. Its acting headteacher Michelle McKay said: "Preston was a lively and competitive little boy who loved football, PE and all sorts of outdoor activities, as well as board games, baking and building with Lego.

"He was a fun-loving boy with a great sense of humour and lots of friends.

"He loved his family too, and was always sharing with us the latest news about his new baby brother.

"This is a tragic time for his family, for the school and for everyone connected to it. We are all so saddened by what has happened.

"This is a strong and close-knit community, however, and so we are all supporting each other and I am sure that, together, we will find ways of coming to terms with our loss."

Detective Inspector Lorna Ferguson, of Police Scotland, said: "Our thoughts are with Preston's family, friends and the Bedford community at this sad time."

A report into the tragedy will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal in due course as is usual procedure.

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Blocking Breast Cancer Drug A 'Major Blow'

Moves to block a new breast cancer drug which extends women's lives by almost six months have been described as a "major blow".

Clinical trial results have shown that women on Kadcyla survived 30.9 months compared with 25.1 months on similar treatments.

However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said in its draft guidance the drug is not effective enough to justify the price the NHS is being asked to pay.

It is estimated that Kadcyla, manufactured by Roche, will cost around £90,000 per patient.

Sir Andrew Dillon, Nice chief executive, said: "We had hoped that Roche would have recognised the challenge the NHS faces in managing the adoption of expensive new treatments by reducing the cost of

Kadcyla to the NHS.

"We apply as much flexibility as we can in approving new treatments, but the reality is that given its price and what it offers to patients, it will displace more health benefit which the NHS could achieve in other ways, than it will offer to patients with breast cancer."

Professor Paul Ellis, consultant oncologist, at King's College, London and lead triallist for the drug in the UK, said: "Kadcyla represents a significant advance in HER2-positive breast cancer, so for Nice to issue negative preliminary guidance is a huge blow.

Jayson Dallas, general manager, Roche Products Limited, said: "Roche is extremely disappointed that Nice has failed to safeguard the interests of patients with this advanced stage of aggressive disease."

Kadcyla, which is only suitable for patients with the defective Her2 gene, is designed to penetrate cancer cells and destroy them from within and, because its action is so precise, a normally toxic form of chemotherapy can be used.

It is currently given to breast cancer patients who have failed on conventional treatment with Herceptin and chemotherapy.

The decision by Nice is now up for public consultation and during this time patients will be able to apply to their local NHS and to the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for the drug.

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Thousands Of Hospital Kidney Deaths 'Avoidable'

At least 1,000 hospital patient deaths in England each month from a "silent killer" kidney condition are "avoidable", it is claimed.

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) can go unnoticed by medical staff but "good basic care" would save those lives, according to a study commissioned by the NHS.

Researchers found AKI leads to more than 30 excess deaths a day, or between 15,000 and 40,000 a year, and is five times more prevalent in English hospitals than previously thought.

Medical staff need to make sure patients are hydrated and those having surgery should not go without water for longer than two hours, say experts.

Severe dehydration is one of the main causes of the condition, which involves a loss of kidney function and can cause the heart, lungs and brain to stop working properly.

It can lead to rapid deterioration. Many patients die and those who do recover are at increased risk of long-term kidney disease.

AKI can affect people with no history of kidney disease and can occur in people who are already ill with conditions such as heart failure or diabetes, and those admitted to hospital with infections.

AKI can also develop after major surgery, such as some kinds of heart surgery, because the kidneys can be deprived of normal blood flow during the procedure.

It costs the health service over £1bn every year and is responsible for nearly eight times as many deaths as superbug MRSA at its peak, the study found.

Maura Murray had serious problems with her kidneys

Report co-author Professor Donal O'Donoghue, consultant renal physician at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, said: "These deaths are avoidable.

"This is completely unacceptable and we can't allow it to continue. Good basic care would save these lives and save millions of pounds for the NHS.

"Doctors and nurses need to make elementary checks to prevent AKI. In general, people who are having surgery shouldn't be asked to go without water for longer than two hours.

"Sometimes that is unavoidable but then medical staff need to check their patients are not becoming dehydrated."

Two years ago, Maura Murray's kidneys all but failed. She fell ill at home having had surgery on a broken leg. The sickness led to severe dehydration and renal failure, or AKI.

Ms Murray says six GPs failed to see the signs and in the end it was her husband who called an ambulance.

She told Sky News: "Why didn't somebody listen to me in the first place? Why did I suffer from dehydration? I'm sure some of the doctors should have known what was wrong."

More mistakes were then made in hospital. A lack of trained staff meant a routine replacement of her drip was delayed by two days.

Ms Murray added: "So I was left without fluids or antibiotics until the Monday morning until another nurse could put a cannula in my arm. So even though they knew I was dehydrated I was very ill and I was without fluids."

A spokesman for NHS England said: "We have taken steps to ensure the NHS puts in place coherent long-term plans to reduce avoidable deaths in our hospitals, and to improve the way data is used in decision making.

"Health research based on real life evidence like this is vitally important for NHS commissioners in choosing where to target their resources, and we thank Insight Health Economics and NHS Improving Quality for carrying it out."

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'Muslim School Plot': Governor Slams Ofsted

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

A governor of a Birmingham school under investigation over allegations of an Islamist takeover plot is questioning the fairness of recent Ofsted inspections.

Up to 18 schools are being looked at by the education watchdog amid allegations that hard-line Muslims are trying to seize control of schools in the city.

The man, who wants to remain anonymous, told Sky News he believed inspectors had come into the school with preconceptions about education there.

"The questioning was very inappropriate compared to a normal Ofsted. They asked us, on both occasions, 'If a child is gay, what would you do?' and questions like that were pushed to a long duration.

"One other question was about who leads the prayers. 'Why do you have prayers?' ... They were more focused on specific religious aspects within the school, not with the day-to-day running, safeguarding and the performance of the school."

Around 25 schools in Birmingham are also being investigated by the city council and the Department for Education.

Their inquiries come after an unsigned, undated letter was published claiming to outline "Operation Trojan Horse", a blueprint to help conservative Muslims take control of schools.

The allegations include gender segregation in schools, discrimination against non-Muslim staff and pupils, and the introduction of Islamic ideologies into the curriculum.

The governor, from an unnamed school, also said that if education in schools had been tweaked, it may have been because they had the freedom to do so when becoming academies.

He said: "The whole purpose of academies is to give more flexibility to schools, so if schools choose to, depending on their demographic, to be more Christian, Islam, Sikh, or have more Arabic classes ... the flexibility is there because of the model.

"You can't really condemn the schools for what they're allowed to do."

The head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, is expected to visit Birmingham to take personal charge and finalise reports of the inspections before their publication.

Chris Keates, from the teaching union the NASUWT, says there should not be three separate investigations and that bringing Sir Michael Wilshaw in was the wrong approach

She said: "What you actually need is not an approach that is starting from the point of view of trying to find fault with schools. Ofsted's reputation with schools is one of creating a climate of fear and it's a punitive reputation.

"People need to go in with an open mind ... We need a clear investigation that actually is going to get to the bottom of what are the facts of the situation. All we have had so far is a lot of speculation and now numerous investigations."

The Ofsted reports are due at the beginning of May while the outcome of the investigations being carried out by Birmingham City Council and the Department of Education are expected before the end of July.

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Skin Cancer Rise Linked To Package Holidays

The rise of package holidays and sunbed use have been blamed for a five-fold increase in rates of the deadliest form of skin cancer since the 1970s.

Experts say the quest for a "healthy" tan has contributed to an increase in cases of malignant melanoma.

More than 13,000 people are now developing the disease each year compared about 1,800 in 1975, according to Cancer Research UK.

And the incidence rate has shot up from just over three per 100,000 of the population 40 years ago to around 17 per 100,000.

Malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and more than 2,000 people die from the disease each year.

Sunburn is known to increase the risk of skin cancer, especially in people with pale skin or large numbers of moles or freckles.

Amanda Crosland had a cancer scare in 2001, despite covering up in the sun

Nick Ormiston-Smith, head of statistics at Cancer Research UK, said: "Since the mid-1970s, malignant melanoma incidence rates in the UK have increased more rapidly than any of today's 10 most common cancers.

"Holidays in hot climates have become more affordable and sunbeds are more widely available since the 1970s.

"But we know over-exposure to UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer.

"This means, in many cases, the disease can be prevented, and is why it's essential to get into good sun safety habits, whether at home or abroad.

Ms Crosland still bears a scar from her successful treatment

"The good news for those that are diagnosed, is that survival for the disease is amongst the highest for any cancer. More than eight in 10 people will now survive it."

Besides avoiding sunburn, other advice includes spending time in the shade, covering up and using a minimum factor 15 sunscreen.

Fair-skinned redhead Amanda Crosland, 43, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2001, despite covering up in the sun.

The mother-of-two from Leeds said: "When I noticed a new mole on my left calf, I knew it was safest to get it checked out by the doctor.

"Spotting it early meant I had a successful operation to remove the cancer before it spread.

"I've always been careful to look after my skin, but I do remember getting sunburnt as a girl.

"I still enjoy getting out in the sun, but now make sure the kids and I are properly protected with hats, T-shirts, and sunscreen, so we can enjoy the sun safely in the garden or at the beach."

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British Tourist Killed In Ravine Bus Crash

A British tourist has died after a double-decker bus skidded and rolled down a ravine in Malaysia, say reports.

The victim was identified by the Foreign Office as Harry Christopher Woolhouse, 32, from Peterborough.

The bus was taking foreign tourists to Singapore when it plunged down a 45ft slope next to an oil palm plantation in Pekan, the New Straits Times said.

Mr Woolhouse had recently moved to Singapore where he worked for engineering company Atkins.

Dr Martin Grant, chief executive of Atkins's energy division, paid tribute to the "extremely capable young engineer".

He said: "We are deeply upset to hear about the sad death of Harry Woolhouse in an accident in Malaysia today.

"Harry worked in our oil and gas division in Singapore and was a long standing member of the Atkins family.

"He joined us as a graduate chemical engineer and had worked for us in the UK and more recently in Singapore.

"He was a highly popular colleague who was an extremely capable young engineer who had a very promising career ahead of him.

"He will be very much missed by us all.

"We offer our heart-felt condolences to his family and friends at this very sad time."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing consular assistance to his family at this sad time."

Photos showed emergency services removing people on stretchers from the wreckage.

It is not known how many of the 39 people on board were injured.

The tourists were from the UK, US, France, China, India and Singapore, according to the New Straits Times.

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Teen Thrown Around Ride Like A 'Rag Doll'

A teenager is recovering in hospital after falling 15ft from a fairground ride in Worthing, Sussex.

Beth Thorpe, 18, suffered bruises, head and neck injuries after slipping from the Rocker ride on Marine Parade on Thursday night.

A witness to the incident said Miss Thorpe was flung around like a "rag doll" during the ride before coming out of her seat.

Friend Faith Paine, 18, told The Argus newspaper: "Seconds after the ride started she was flung about like a rag doll and started foaming at the mouth, immediately I knew something was wrong.

"She then started to come out of her seat as her body turned to jelly and just slipped out. I was trying to scream stop and help, but it was too late.

"It was without a doubt the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life."

Miss Thorpe suffered cuts, grazes and bruising in the accident

The A Level student was later taken to the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton.

Her father, Robert Thorpe, said: "It was traumatic for her and it's traumatic for us, we are just happy she is recovering, I could have lost my child.

"She has got bruising, cuts and grazes all over her body.

"We do not know exactly what happened, we weren't there, we just got a phone call and all we know is that she was flung out of the ride and she blacked out."

A spokesperson from Worthing Borough Council said: "Following an accident on a fairground ride at Worthing seafront our thoughts are with the woman injured in the accident and her family.

"We wish her a full and speedy recovery. We are grateful to the emergency services who attended the scene promptly.

"The fairground ride operators and Worthing Borough Council will fully co-operate with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and relevant authorities into the investigation that will take place.

"In the meantime, the ride will remain closed until HSE clearance is received to reopen the ride. At the current time we are unable to confirm when the investigation will be completed."

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Teachers Warn Of 'Constant' CCTV Surveillance

Teachers say they are being subjected to constant surveillance by CCTV schools supposed to keep pupils safe.

A poll conducted by the NASUWT union has revealed 8% of 7,500 members questioned said classroom cameras record their lessons and their performance is being monitored by school leaders.

The survey comes as delegates attending the union's annual conference in Birmingham discuss a motion suggesting there is too much surveillance of teachers.

Teachers have complained the cameras are being used to judge performance

It says the monitoring is unreasonable, without justification, and adds little value to pupils' progress.

The motion adds: "Its impact is to stifle creativity in education, disempower teachers, put procedure before purpose and increase the workload of teachers."

One teacher said of their school: "CCTV has been used against staff to imply they are handling a situation incorrectly even though the CCTV has no sound."

Another said: "In my school it has been used specifically with newly qualified teachers that the senior leadership team think are not performing well."

Nearly 90% of teachers who have CCTV in their classroom say they cannot switch the cameras off and 40% claim the recordings are monitored by school leaders and the footage used to make judgments about staff performance.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Teachers are already wrestling with excessive monitoring, masquerading as classroom observation, carried out by senior management and a host of other people regularly visiting their classrooms.

"The stories teachers recounted to us in the survey are a shocking catalogue of professional disrespect and unacceptable intrusion.

"No other professionals are subjected to such appalling treatment; no one should be subjected to the stress and pressure of being watched constantly. Lab rats have more professional privacy."

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