PC confirmed as drowned in Cumbria floods

The sad news reaches us that the body found in Cumbria has now been positively identified as missing policeman Bill Barker, a 45-year-old father-of-four.

Pc Barker, 44, vanished after a bridge in Workington caved in as Cumbria was hit by record rainfall.

Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Graham said both the flooding and the incident involving Pc Barker had left him "devastated".

Freddie Mercury's memorial star unveiling

For those of us who grew up listening to Queen - I remember the first time I heard Bohemian Rhapsody on Annie Nightingale's show as I did my homework - it hardly seems possible that November 24 will be the 18th anniversary of the death of Freddie Mercury.

That day will also see a Hollywood walk of fame-style star being unveiled in the star's memory on Feltham High Street.

The charismatic singer lived in Feltham after arriving from Zanzibar with his family in 1964 when he was 17.

Freddie's 87-year-old mother, Jer Bulsara - now living in the Midlands - has spoken to the BBC Asian Network about her memories of her famous son.

Wootton Bassett shows its support

Residents of the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett have pride in the role they play when soldiers killed in Afghanistan are brought home.

It was in 2007 when nearby RAF Lyneham took over repatriation duties from RAF Brize Norton that the town changed forever.

Now people travel miles to line the streets and join the town in paying respects and to provide moral support to the family and friends of the fallen.

Today the two soldiers killed on Sunday - Andrew Fentiman and Loren Marlton-Thomas - will make that sombre journey. It will be the 100th repatriation.

The father of Rifleman Daniel Hume, repatriated in July along with seven other soldiers who died in Afghanistan within a 24-hour period, said the Wootton Bassett tribute helped his family cope with their loss.

Adrian Hume told Sky News: "I think they are fantastic. I have heard nothing but fantastic comments.

"They come out and give cups of tea to the guys standing in the street. They open their houses for them. I think they have done a lot to show that people support our troops."

Sergeant Robert Loughran-Dickson named as latest British army casualty in Afghanistan

Sergeant Loughran-Dickson died as a result of gunshot wounds sustained whilst taking part in a routine patrol in the vicinity of Patrol Base Wahid, in Nad-e-Ali District, Helmand Province on November 18, 2009.

Sergeant Robert Loughran-Dickson, known as Robert to his family, Rob or L-D to his friends and colleagues, was 33 at the time of his death.

Sergeant Loughran-Dickson was the proud father of a son, also named Robert, born in September 1992.

The Dickson family paid the following tribute: "Robert is a true hero in many ways of whom the whole family are extremely proud. He gave the ultimate sacrifice doing what he loved and was devoted to. A beloved father, son, brother and uncle. You lit up our lives and that light will stay bright forever. You will be greatly missed but always loved by all."

Phil's final 'appearance' on the farm

It will be an emotional Sunday evening for fans of the Archers as they listen this weekend to the last scenes recorded by actor Norman Painting - who played Phil Archer from the serial's first pilot episode in 1950.

Mr Painting recorded the scenes just two days before his death last month.

Editor of The Archers, Vanessa Whitburn, said: "It has been of great comfort to me and the rest of Norman's friends that he was able to carry on recording the programme he loved, right up until the end of his life."

The final scenes he recorded take place in the kitchen of Glebe Cottage, as Phil and Jill enjoy a traditional Stir-Up Sunday with two of their seven grandchildren.

The episode of the Archers will be broadcast at 7pm on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 22 November, and repeated at 2pm on Monday 23 November. It will also be repeated as part of the omnibus on Sunday 29 November, and will be available to listen again on BBC iPlayer.

Hundreds of people on Facebook are "attending an event" called Farewell to Phil - a mass listen-in to Mr Painting's last radio appearance.

100th repatriation at RAF Lyneham

A sombre milestone will be reached tomorrow when RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire, will see its 100th repatriation.

Sky News has put together a behind-the-scenes report about the military and civilian staff who make these occasions run smoothly for the fallen of Afghanistan and their families.

The feature reveals that the men who carry the coffins from the plane are not as many think - troops from RAF Lyneham. They are the friends and comrades of the fallen - young men often struggling with their own grief and facing the most arduous of tasks.

Photos of Floyd's Barrett up for auction

Three photographs of Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett taken by celebrated photographer Mick Rock go on sale at the weekend.

They were taken during the 1969 shoot for his debut solo album The Madcap Laughs.

A founder member of legendary rock group, Syd, who died on 7 July, 2006 aged 60, was only on the music scene for seven years before a drug-induced breakdown forced him into a reclusive retirement.

The photos go under the hammer for charity at the The Phillips de Pury Gallery in London on Saturday.

Offering a voice to those affected by war

Mac MacDonald served for 22 years with the British Army, rising to the rank of Sergeant Major.

So he saw at first hand the impact of war and conflict not only on our troops but also on their families and loved ones.

As the fighting in Afghanistan continues to take its toll, it's a good time to highlight the work Mr MacDonald does as co-founder of The Forces Literary Organisation Worldwide.

He believes that there is a great therapeutic benefit to be gained from writing poetry and prose. His website FLOW for All is a place where service personnel and others can find an outlet for their emotions. Some serving soldiers write under 'pen names' but the site also welcomes contributions from family and friends and others who may be affected just by following the news of ongoing conflicts, deaths and injuries.

Dame Vera Lynn is patron of FLOW, a not-for-profit organisation currently applying for charitable status.

A total of three books have now been produced from the writings left on the FLOW for All website. The first poetry anthology, Voices of the Poppies, was released just before the 2008 Remembrance Day commemorations with Dame Vera (pictured below with Mr MacDonald: Photo by Henry Bruce) at the launch.

Now, two more books have been released - Poems of the Poppies and Stories of the Poppies, which as their titles suggest contain poems and prose respectively.

Among the contributors are Ruth Rayment, younger sister of Private Christopher Rayment who died in Iraq in 2004.

Ruth has some of her poetry in the books and has also written a moving foreword to Poems of the Poppies.

Ruth says: "When I'm writing poetry, even to this day five years on from Christopher's death, I feel like I'm in a whole new world and everything in my mind pours out...When I'm writing I think about the pain, the loss, the anger and the torment my mind went through, and then I return back to reality."

For more information on how to obtain copies of the books, visit the website for publishers SilverWood Books.

After death did us part...posthumous weddings

I was surprised to learn today that under French law it is possible to marry someone who is already dead.

Newspapers including the Guardian, are today covering the story of a 26-year-old woman who has 'married' her fiance a year after he died in a road accident.

On November 25, 2008, the young couple - who had lived together for five years and had two young daughters - had registered to be married at the town hall the following January. Two days later, Jonathan George was killed in a car crash.

Afterwards, grieving Magali Jaskiewicz discovered that permission can be granted to marry in such circumstances if there is clear evidence of the intention to marry before one of the partners' deaths. The ceremony means that Magali is now officially a widow.

Government figures show that although they are unusual, about 20 posthumous weddings are said to take place in France each year.

Surtees keeps a stiff upper lip

Yesterday, motor sport great John Surtees became the first person to drive a sports car through the Channel Tunnel as part of a charity event.

But he also spoke about his 18-year-old son Henry Surtees (pictured right with his father) who died in July after being struck on the head by a wheel during a race at Brands Hatch, the day after claiming his first F2 podium finish.

Mr Surtees said he had been "keeping a stiff upper lip" since the tragic accident.

He said of Henry: "He was a bubbly young man with a tremendous smile.

"He was a lad who cared about people and was very determined in what he did, and someone who to us was very special."

Corporal spoke of his dangerous job before his death

It has emerged today that army bomb disposal expert Corporal Loren Marlton-Thomas - killed by an improvsed explosive device in Afghanistan on Sunday - had spoken just days earlier about the dangers of his work.

In a BBC interview recorded just a week earlier, he told how his unit had found and destroyed 18 IEDs since arriving in the country in September.

He said: "For the lads who are doing the searching, the colour has drained from their faces quite a few times.

"For myself, I'm a little further back but still I'm worrying about the guys on the ground, so for me it is nerve-wracking as well."

Row over airman's memorial statue

A row has broken out over a campaign to honour one of the Second World War's forgotten heroes.

A project to erect a temporary statue to Battle of Britain hero Sir Keith Park has won praise from military professionals across the world.

The scheme – whose campaign director is Lincoln's Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Karl McCartney – led to a 15-foot statue being placed on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

But a sculptor hired to produce a model of the statue has said the finished product looks like "an old lady".

Memorial service for visionary tourism chief

A memorial service is planned for November 24 at St Michaels Church, Beccles, for James Hoseason, OBE, the visionary business entrepreneur who transformed his late father's small boat hire company into arguably the UK's no 1 company for self-catering holidays.

In half a century as Chairman of the Hoseasons holiday company he introduced innovations into the booking and marketing of holidays and became a key figure in the larger UK tourism industry. He also saw his company win just about every tourism award going.

Outside of work he was a keen flyer and co-founded the Waveney Flying Group in 1960 at Seething Airfield. One of the group's directors Mike Page said he would be greatly missed at the club's 50th anniversary celebrations next year, the EDP24 website reports.

Mr Hoseason was involved in establishing the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library at Norwich's Forum to commemorate the American airmen who were stationed in the region during the Second World War, and wrote a book, 'The 1000 Day Battle' on the subject. He was also a patron of Waveney Stardust, a charity which offers motorcruiser trips to elderly and disabled people.

Pictured above: Mr Hoseason helps celebrates the clean-up of Evesham Marina

Monkhouse material goes up for sale

A hoard of Bob Monkhouse scripts, programmes, drawings, and personal correspondence, was due to go under the hammer in Derbyshire today.

Bob died on 29 December, 2003, at the age of 75, and was one of Britain’s most recognisable television personalities.

The lots will be sold by Bamfords Auctioneers at its Matlock showroom during filming for Dickinson's Real Deal, which will be broadcast on ITV.

The items date back to 1948 when the performer was completing his National Service.

They were preserved by Mr Monkhouse's life-long best friend, Maurice D'Arton, with whom he served in the Central Medical Establishment.

Corporal Marlton-Thomas killed by explosion

Corporal Loren Marlton-Thomas - known as 'Loz' - has been named tonight as the second soldier killed in Afghanistan on Sunday.

Corporal Marlton-Thomas, a 28-year-old married man, was killed in an explosion as he searched for improvised explosive devices - one of the most dangerous jobs in Afghanistan at the moment.

He was serving with 33 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers.

Also killed on Sunday in a separate incident was Territorial Army reservist, Rifleman Andrew Fentiman.

Fire ravages Steve Irwin memorial nature reserve

Fire has ravaged a nature reserve dedicated to the memory of 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin, who died just over three years ago at the age of 44.

The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve covers 330,000 acres of land in Queensland and was given to Mrs Irwin by the Australian government following Steve's death.

News of the fire came just the day after Steve's widow Terri, and their children Bindi and Robert Irwin celebrated Steve Irwin Day at Australia Zoo, north of Brisbane, where Mrs Irwin - formerly an American - became an Australian citizen.

At the celebration on Sunday, Steve Irwin was commemorated with his face on the $1 coin.

Dedicate a virtual star for Christmas

When you wish upon a Star is a hard–working charity which grants the wishes of children suffering from life–threatening or terminal illness.

Since June 2008, Lasting Tribute has supported their work through our virtual night sky where anyone can dedicate a star to the memory of a lost loved one.

This Christmas we have decided to make them our Christmas charity and we are encouraging visitors to our site to consider dedicating a star to help When you wish upon a star bring joy to hundreds of children aged between from 2 to 16, and their families.

We have also created a special tribute called "Children Everywhere" which you can use to dedicate a star to anyone, or groups of people, not yet featured on the site.

Just go to the Children Everywhere tribute page and click on the link to dedicate a star which appears just above the featured poem.

You can then write your own dedication which will appear in the memories section of the Children Everywhere tribute and you will shortly see your star twinkling in the virtual night sky.

When You Wish Upon A Star has said it is proud to work alongside Lasting Tribute to continue to create special wishes for sick children.

Manager of 70s band Paper Lace dies at 73

Back in 1974 a band called Paper Lace put their home city of Nottingham on the pop music map with three UK hits - one of which also topped the charts in America.

Memories of those days came back with the news of the death of the manager who steered them to that success.

Brian Hart's Midland Management Agency also represented comedy duo Little and Large and when Nottingham Forest hit the big time Mr Hart also became the manager of the great Brian Clough.

Mr Hart has died in Thailand at the age of 73.

Billy Don't Be A Hero is the UK number one hit for which Paper Lace are probably best-remembered - but I thought I'd share with you their follow-up (another song with a story to tell) which got to number three in Britain but number one in America.

Minute's silence will honour Ray Charnley

A minute's silence will be held before Blackpool play Preston North End on Monday 30 November in honour of a striker who played for both clubs.

Ray Charnley was signed by Blackpool in 1957 and spent most of his career there.

He was Blackpool's top goalscorer in seven seasons and after 75 seconds of his 156th League game against Nottingham Forest on 3 February 1962, he scored his 100th League goal.

In 1961-62 he scored his highest number of goals in one season at the club finding the net on 36 occasions.

He won a cap playing for England against France and was transferred to Preston North End for a fee of £12,500 in 1967.

Former Blackpool team mate and close friend Jimmy Armfield told BBC Radio Lancashire: "He was the old-fashioned centre- forward really.

"He was good in the air and he was no slouch on the ground with the ball either.

"He was a goal scorer, but his temperament was excellent too. Just a really super guy, who's been my friend for half a century."

Ray died on Sunday at the age of 74.

Reservist soldier from Cambridge killed in Afghanistan

The first of two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan on 15 November has been named as Andrew Fentiman of 7th Battalion The Rifles.

Rifleman Fentiman was a reservist who came from Cambridge and was 23-years-old.

He died after being shot on foot patrol near Sangin in central Helmand province.

Last night the Ministry of Defence announced that on the same day a soldier from from 33 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, also died as a result of an explosion near Gereshk, in Helmand province. He has not yet been named although his family has been informed.

Remembering Rumpole creator John Mortimer

Family, friends and admirers were attending the memorial service for Sir John Mortimer at Southwark cathedral today.

Sir John, who began his working life as a barrister, was one of the country's most prolific writers of books and screenplays.

He drew on his early legal training to invent his most famous character, barrister Horace Rumpole, for Rumpole of the Bailey.

He died on 16 January, 2009, aged 85.

Pub won't be named after teetotal Dame

The company controlling the estate of the late, great novelist Agatha Christie has called "time" on plans to name a pub in Devon after her.

Last week, the Wetherspoon pub chain announced plans to use the author's name for its new pub on Fleet Street, Torquay.

But after talks with Agatha Christie Limited, who raised objections, the idea has been dropped and it will be called the Green Ginger instead.

The turnabout comes days after Dame Agatha's grandson Mathew Prichard and company representatives were in the resort to discuss how they could work with the tourist industry to develop South Devon's Christie links, including promoting the yearly festival and realising the long-held ambition of having an official Agatha Christie Centre in the resort.

Torbay's tourism project manager Carolyn Custerson told the local Herald Express newspaper that she was relieved at the change of plan because Dame Agatha was teetotal.

The 'Equalizer' dies aged 79

Actor Edward Woodward has died in hospital today after suffering from a number of illnesses in recent years.

In a long and ullustrious career he mastered stage, TV and film parts in both the UK and America.

To many he is best-known as the star in the 1980s American series The Equalizer, but others will remember him for the UK TV series Callan or for his role in the 1973 series The Wicker Man.

He is said to cited that film's final scene as "one of the greatest visual shots in cinema history".

Soldiers' bodies due home

The bodies of two soldiers killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan are due to return home to the UK today.

Riflemen Philip Allen, from 2nd Battalion and Rifleman Samuel Bassett, from 4th Battalion, are expected at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire before the cortege parades through nearby Wootton Bassett.

Memorial service for Enke attracts 45,000

More than 45,000 people attended an emotional memorial service for Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke at Hannover's Niedersachsen Stadion.

Their footballing hero took his life last week.

Hannover's president Martin Kind paid a moving tribute to a man who "only had friends".

He said: "Enke will never come into this stadium again, in this place where he stole our hearts as a sportsman, as a lead figure and captain of our team."