Madeleine police search scrubland

2 June 2014 Last updated at 09:32

Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have sealed off a large area of scrubland in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.

The British girl was three when she went missing in the resort in 2007.

On 22 May Scotland Yard said a "substantial phase of operational activity" would start in Portugal in the coming weeks.

The BBC understands that has started, with Portuguese police at the scene and UK officers expected to join them.

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Police are expected to use "ground-penetrating radar" to search the area, as Tom Burridge reports from Praia da Luz

Police are expected to use dogs and "ground penetrating radar" to search the area, looking for disturbed earth.

The scrubland is being searched after a request from the Metropolitan Police. Similar requests have been made for two other locations in Praia da Luz.

The area was surrounded by flats and villas, many of them holiday properties.

A 77-year-old man who has lived near the area of scrubland for 13 years told the BBC the latest search was "ridiculous".

"The police have been here before," said the man, who did not want to be named.

"We all helped search this area three or four days after it [Madeleine's disappearance] happened.

"I walk my dog every day and no one was digging holes."

At the scene By Lauren Turner

The first residents knew of anything happening on this scrubland was when they were disturbed by barking dogs in the early hours.

The private land - earmarked for a development that was never built - was accessible last night but is now completely sealed off by the yellow and white tape of the GNR, the national police.

Portuguese officers, wearing sunglasses in the fierce sunshine, are standing guard at the perimeter of the site, which stretches down towards the coast.

The police have been joined by a large contingent from the media, who have cameras trained on the ground as they await developments. The only words being exchanged between officers and journalists is the occasional "bom dia" - or "good morning".

The scene is being watched too by locals walking past, or on their morning jog, and those in holiday apartments with balconies overlooking the Atlantic.

The view would ordinarily be picturesque but has been transformed today as the eyes of the world turn to this small Algarve resort again.

Stewart Drummond, 68, from Eaglesham, near Glasgow, who has been coming to Praia da Luz with his wife Janice for 27 years, said: "It's a pity it's taken so long to get to this stage.

"Talking to locals especially, they feel that they want to move on.

"Every time anything happens, it puts the resort back in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.

"But obviously everyone wants to see closure for the McCann family and if they find something, it would give them that.

"As parents, we feel for the family - for it to happen in such a 'safe' place makes it all the more tragic."

Mrs Drummond said she thought holidaymakers would not be put off coming to the resort by the latest developments.

"I don't think people were really aware this would be happening this week though.

"For the first year or two some British families stayed away but now it's back to normal."

Scotland Yard launched a fresh investigation into Madeleine's disappearance last July, codenamed Operation Grange.

In March, British police said they were seeking an intruder who sexually abused five girls in Portugal between 2004 and 2006.

Detectives said the attacks happened in holiday villas occupied by UK families in the Algarve.

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New hope to solve Genette mystery

2 June 2014 Last updated at 02:31

Detectives are making another attempt to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Devon schoolgirl Genette Tate almost 36 years ago.

They have asked prosecutors to look at bringing charges against serial child killer Robert Black.

Genette, 13, vanished while delivering newspapers in Aylesbeare, east Devon, in 1978. Her body has never been found.

Black was convicted in 2011 of murdering nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy in Northern Ireland, in 1981.

Devon and Cornwall Police have asked the Crown Prosecution Service's Complex Casework Unit to examine whether Black, long considered the prime suspect, can be brought to trial for Genette's murder.

Continue reading the main story

Of all the historical cases in Devon and Cornwall, it is perhaps the Genette Tate disappearance which most haunts both the public and the police.

Generations of detectives have tried - and failed - to solve it.

But they keep on trying, not just because it's their duty, but also because the potential rewards are so very great; the chance, at last, of closure for the police, the local community, the country, and most of all for Genette's family.

Bad character evidence about his previous child killings was put before the jury during the Cardy trial, a decision which was upheld by the Court of Appeal last year.

Black had previously been found guilty of murdering three other young girls.

Detectives want to see if such evidence could be used to help bring a case against Black for Genette's disappearance.

Devon barrister Gavin Collett said: "Evidence like this can have a powerful impact upon a jury."

A senior Devon and Cornwall Police source said that if the attempt to use bad character evidence was unsuccessful, detectives could once again interview Black in prison.

But, the officer said, it was "a long shot" as Black had previously refused to co-operate.

Tim Swarbrick, a retired Devon and Cornwall Police superintendent, said, "Cases like this are never closed. It would mean a great deal to the police and the community to see the mystery of Genette's disappearance finally solved."

Black was arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2005 in connection with Genette's disappearance but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him. He is serving multiple life sentences for his crimes.

In a statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were "liaising with the Complex Case Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service to ascertain if the 2013 Court of Appeal judgement following the murder of Jennifer Cardy in Northern Ireland [in which Black's conviction and the use of bad character evidence was upheld], has any bearing on the Genette Tate case".

The force added: "This liaison is still at a very early stage and will take some time to complete."

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Mental health beds 'crisis' warning

2 June 2014 Last updated at 05:12 By Michael Buchanan Social Affairs Correspondent, BBC News

Pressure on mental health beds is so severe that some patients are having to be sectioned to secure necessary care, a survey of junior doctors suggests.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists questioned 576 trainees working in psychiatry across the UK.

The college said its findings suggested mental health services were approaching a "tipping point" and that the situation was "simply unacceptable".

Ministers said inpatient beds should be available for those who needed them.

The survey also suggests that critically unwell patients are being sent home because no bed can be found for them.

Children moved

Investigations in recent months by BBC News and the online journal Community Care have highlighted that more than 1,700 mental health beds have been cut and that patients are travelling huge distances to access care.

Sectioning someone under the Mental Health Act - denying them their liberty - should only be done when a person is a risk either to themselves or others.

But this survey of trainee doctors adds to concerns that mental health patients are being failed by the NHS.

The key findings include:

Continue reading the main story

Decisions about detention must always be taken in the best interests of patients at risk of harming themselves or others"

End Quote Norman Lamb Health minister

• Some 18% said their decision to detain a patient under the Mental Health Act (section someone) had been influenced by the fact that doing so might make the provision of a bed more likely; 37% said a colleague's decision had been similarly influenced
• One-in-four said a bed manager had told them that unless their patient had been sectioned they would not get a bed
• Almost 30% have sent a critically-ill patient home because no bed could be found
• A third had seen a patient admitted to a ward without a bed
• And 22% had been forced to send a child more than 200 miles from their families for treatment

Doctors also reported sending adult patients long distances to access care and admitting people into a bed belonging to another patient who had been sent home for a period of trial leave.

'Very alarming'

One young psychiatrist, who did not want to be named, told BBC News that a patient had died as a result of not being able to secure a bed locally.

"The patient presented to us, they needed to be admitted, we couldn't admit them locally, they were admitted to a hospital hundreds of miles away.

"The care they received was not what we'd have done and they died."

The findings have been condemned by the college.

Dr Howard Ryland, who oversees its psychiatric training described them as "very alarming".

"People are beginning to recognise that there is a real crisis in mental health," he added.

"This survey shows a picture of the very severe pressure that frontline staff are under in terms of securing the care that people need.

"The NHS doesn't have the resources to cope with the ever increasing demand. The system doesn't have the services to provide everyone with the care they need."

'Vulnerable'

His comments were supported by the Prof Bailey, president of the college, who said: "This survey provides further evidence that mental health services are approaching a tipping point.

"Continued cuts to services can only result in further distress and discomfort for patients, many of whom are young, vulnerable, some of whom are forced to receive care far from home. This situation is simply not acceptable."

In a statement, care minister Norman Lamb said: "It is not acceptable to detain someone under the Mental Health Act purely because they need an inpatient bed.

"Decisions about detention must always be taken in the best interests of patients at risk of harming themselves or others.

"Inpatient beds must always be available for those who need them. We are scrutinising local NHS plans to make sure they put mental health on a par with physical health."

Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your comments by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Mental health".

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Savile abuse reports 'reach 500'

2 June 2014 Last updated at 08:02

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The former Top Of The Pops and Jim'll Fix It presenter died in October 2011

There have been at least 500 reports of abuse by ex-BBC presenter Jimmy Savile, NSPCC research for Panorama has found.

Most of the alleged victims were between the ages of 13 and 15, but the youngest was two.

Meanwhile, leaked memos reveal the extent of Savile's influence at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, where he was appointed to lead a task force to reform the hospital.

Panorama has been told about 16 reports of abuse at the hospital.

The Department of Health and the BBC are due to publish reports into Savile later this year.

Children's charity the NSPCC said its helpline had received 50 more reports of abuse by Savile since its joint report with the Metropolitan Police was published in January 2013.

These included reports from victims themselves, people who knew victims of abuse and people reporting information which was considered useful to the ongoing investigations.

The earliest incident dated back to the mid-1940s, with the most recent in 2007.

The report says most of the abuse took place on BBC premises, in hospitals and at children's homes.

Peter Watt, director of child protection at the NSPCC, told BBC Breakfast Savile saw himself as "immune".

He added: "Behind these statistics are individual children whose lives were ruined by a man who was an opportunistic sexual predator."

Broadmoor allegations

Meanwhile, a joint investigation by Panorama and Radio 4's the World at One has seen confidential memos which reveal how Jimmy Savile took control at Broadmoor in 1988. He was recommended by a senior civil servant to lead a task force to reform the hospital.

His appointment was approved by Edwina Currie, when she briefly had responsibility for Broadmoor as health minister in 1988.

Confidential government documents obtained by the BBC reveal that civil servants referred to Jimmy Savile as "Dr Savile" and said that he was going through Broadmoor "like a dose of salts".

Mrs Currie told the BBC: "Our efforts to try to improve matters at Broadmoor came up against a very severe brick wall. And it was the senior civil servant in charge of Broadmoor who thought he might be able to do something. Bear in mind Savile had been in and out for donkey's years. So why not ask if he could help to improve matters?"

Continue reading the main story

• Shelley Jofre presents Savile: The Power to Abuse
• BBC One, Monday 2 June at 2030 BST

At the time Savile was appointed, the Prison Officers' Association at Broadmoor had just voted to take industrial action, but the documents show Savile thought he could deal with the dispute.

He told Mrs Currie he had discovered some staff were sub-letting hospital housing and fiddling their overtime claims.

"He made it quite clear, he told me, that he would use that against the staff if they misbehaved and didn't call off the overtime ban," she said. "I made a note of it at the time because I was so surprised."

Mrs Currie said there were no complaints about Jimmy Savile at the time. The BBC has learned that there have now been at least 16 reports to the police of abuse by him at the hospital.

Dr Chandra Ghosh, who was a senior psychiatrist at Broadmoor, said she understood why more people had not made official complaints.

"These were people that nobody believed. So if they had in fact turned round and said he had abused them or raped them, nobody would have believed them. You know, this was Mr Savile, you know, Jim'll Fix It," she said.

The BBC has spoken to a woman who was invited to Broadmoor by Savile to sing for patients as a 14-year-old. She says Savile indecently assaulted her at the hospital.

The woman, who does not want to be identified, said: "He gave me a cuddle and so he was touching my breasts, and he kissed me and he tried to put his tongue in my mouth. It was the most scariest experience I think of my life. It was a very scary, horrible place."

"West London Mental Health NHS Trust - which now runs Broadmoor - expressed sympathy for any victims but said it can't comment while its joint investigation with the Department of Health is ongoing. It says any complaints involving Savile are part of that investigation."

The Department of Health is investigating 33 hospitals' links with Savile. Reports are expected to be published shortly. The BBC's inquiry is due to be published in September.

Panorama - Savile: The Power to Abuse is on BBC One on 2 June at 20:30 BST.

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Tories to back Scots income tax

2 June 2014 Last updated at 09:24

Plans for Scotland to be able to set its own income tax in the event of a vote against independence are being put forward by the Scottish Conservatives.

Party leader Ruth Davidson said changes were needed to reform Scotland's "pocket-money parliament".

The plans, thought to have the backing of PM David Cameron, would be offered at the 2015 UK election, after a "No" vote in the independence referendum.

The SNP said the Tories "cannot be trusted to deliver anything".

Ms Davidson, who is announcing the results of a devolution commission chaired by chaired by Lord Strathclyde, said Holyrood - which is currently funded by a Treasury block grant - must be accountable for raising the money it spends.

The commission is expected to outline plans to devolve income tax entirely to Scotland - off-set by a cut in the grant - meaning the Scottish Parliament would be responsible for 40% of the money it spends.

Continue reading the main story

"Ruth Davidson has been on something of a devolution journey of late.

"Launching her successful Tory leadership campaign back in 2011, she described proposals for new Holyrood financial powers beyond the recent Scotland Act as 'a line in the sand', and strongly opposed calls for full fiscal autonomy.

"But in March last year - no doubt spurred on by the approaching independence referendum - she gave her backing to more financial powers for the Scottish Parliament.

"Given the Conservatives weren't exactly crazy over the idea of Scottish devolution in the first place, the move was a significant shift in Tory thinking over increased devolved powers.

"That thinking will be laid out in the conclusions of the Strathclyde Commission, providing a chance for the party to - as Ms Davidson has put it - turn over a new page."

Other taxes like VAT would stay in Westminster hands, the commission is expected to say.

Ms Davidson said: "Every year billions of pounds of taxpayers' money is allocated by MSPs to spend in Scotland.

"Yet MSPs are responsible for raising only a fraction of that money. Holyrood is, in effect, a giant spending machine."

She added: "My belief is that this system must end. Central to our plans is a commitment to give Holyrood more responsibility.

"We cannot continue with a pocket-money parliament which gets its allowance from Westminster and then spends it as it pleases. We must move to a new system that brings real accountability to Scotland's politics.

"In short, the buck must end at Holyrood."

The Conservative plans would go further than those set out by Labour, and would allow the Tories to argue for Holyrood to cut spending and tax.

The Liberal Democrats want to devolve taxes on income, capital gains and inheritance - but, ahead of the 18 September referendum, the SNP said the only credible and workable option was independence.

'Fairer society'

SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing, said: "The only way to get the powers Scotland needs to build a fairer society and stronger economy is to vote 'Yes' in September.

"There isn't a 'more devolved powers' option on the ballot paper - the Tories point-blank refused to include one - which is why Scotland needs to vote 'Yes' to move forward."

Labour published its plans for enhancing devolution in March, which included devolution of three quarters of the 20p tax rate and control over housing benefit and more powers for Scotland's islands.

The Liberal Democrats have proposed that Holyrood should raise 50% of the money it spends and have control over income, capital gains and inheritance tax.

Scotland is due to get some limited powers over income tax in 2016 as a result of the Scotland Act.

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Devastating Froch knocks out Groves

By Ben Dirs BBC Sport at Wembley Stadium

Froch v Groves re-run 5 live sports extra

• Date: Sunday 1 June
• Time: 08:00, 09:00, 10:00

Carl Froch knocked George Groves out with a huge right hand in the eighth round of their rematch, in front of a British-record 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.

In doing so, Nottingham's Froch retained his IBF and WBA super-middleweight titles and erased the controversy of their first encounter.

Froch, 36, won in Manchester last November via a controversial ninth-round stoppage - but there was no room for debate this time.

Having built a lead in an often cagey fight, Froch floored the challenger towards the end of the eighth, rendering Groves unconscious.

Referee Charlie Fitch started his count but soon called it off. And while Groves initially protested, there were no further complaints. Two judges had Froch ahead at the time of the stoppage, one Groves.

Froch, taking part in his 12th straight world title fight, could now face former Olympic champion James DeGale in another huge domestic dust-up.

DeGale put in a fine performance on the undercard, demolishing American Brandon Gonzales in four rounds in a final IBF eliminator.

Groves entered the stadium atop a double-decker London bus and appeared totally unfazed by the heaving throng that greeted him. The champion, looking the tenser of the two, arrived by more conventional means.

Analysis

"It was one of the great knockout punches of all time."

The first round was a cagey affair, with both men reluctant to engage, but the challenger probably nicked it courtesy of some sharp jabs.

Froch promised to box more correctly than he did in the first fight, and there was evidence of that in the early rounds, the champion employing his jab to keep Groves at range.

Londoner Groves, 26, was shoved to the floor midway through the second but he did throw Froch off balance with a snappy left-right combination. However, it was already clear that the return bout was destined to be far more cautious than the first, as is often the case with rematches.

Frustrated by the lack of action, the crowd started to boo a minute into the third, which spurred both men into action. In one meaty exchange, Groves landed with a big right hand, only for Froch to hit back with a big left.

Groves had more success with his right early in the fourth and Froch was stunned by a concussive combination midway through the round. But with Groves wanting to remain sharp down the stretch, he was reluctant to overload his attacks.

The fight, which had burned slowly for the first third, opened up in the fifth, Groves peppering Froch with more right hands and Froch getting the better of some muscular inside exchanges, opening up a cut under his rival's left eye.

Round six was more measured but Froch won it, taking advantage of an unusually small ring, hunting Groves down and drilling him into the ropes, although he did have to take some more chopping rights up close.

Before the fight, Groves vowed to knock Froch out with a left hook, and he landed with a beauty early in the seventh, although Froch probably stole the round again with some rugged work late on, including a clunking right.

Analysis

"Groves did not move for two or three seconds when he went down and the referee called it off. Carl was looking for a single punch finish. I tipped Carl but I did not think there was any chance of a knock down like that. Under no circumstances."

And it was all over two minutes and 34 seconds into the eighth, Froch flooring Groves with an enormous right cross as the challenger looked to get a shot off.

Froch has now won 33 of his 35 professional fights, with two defeats, while Groves slips to 19 wins and two defeats in the paid ranks.

Another option for Froch is American Andre Ward, who beat the Englishman in 2011. But DeGale is likely to be first, followed by a rematch against Ward in Las Vegas next year, which would probably be his last fight.

Saturday's bill was the first at the new Wembley Stadium since it opened in 2007, and the attendance set a new post-World War II record for a boxing event in Britain.

The last fight at the old Wembley Stadium took place in 1995, when Frank Bruno beat Oliver McCall to win the WBC heavyweight title.

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UK in 'EU quit threat' on presidency

1 June 2014 Last updated at 01:48

German magazine Der Spiegel says British PM David Cameron warned that the UK could leave the EU if Luxembourg ex-PM Jean-Claude Juncker became president of the European Commission.

It reported Mr Cameron as saying that the appointment could destabilise his government, which may bring forward referendum plans on EU membership.

Downing Street has not yet commented.

Mr Juncker's European People's Party won the largest number of seats in the European parliament in the May polls.

The centre-right party, which also includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, won 213 out of 751 seats in the Parliament and chose Mr Juncker as its candidate for the presidency, succeeding Portugal's Jose Manuel Barroso.

But David Cameron and several other European leaders have voiced opposition to his appointment, which has received the backing of Chancellor Merkel.

Brussels warning

Correspondents say Mr Cameron had made his views clear, at an informal EU summit earlier this week, that he wanted a reformer to take charge of the EU executive.

Der Spiegel says the British prime minister issued the warning to Angela Merkel during the meeting in Brussels.

Quoting "sources close to the participants" of the summit, the influential magazine said Mr Cameron told Chancellor Merkel that selecting Mr Juncker could destabilise his government to such an extent that an in-out referendum on Britain's EU membership would have to be brought forward.

The magazine quotes Mr Cameron as telling the German chancellor that "a face from the 1980s cannot solve the problems of the next five years".

A senior government source told the BBC it did not recognise the language about destabilisation and that it is not something the prime minister would have said.

But the BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels says it is no secret that Mr Cameron opposes Mr Juncker and that the UK view is that the need for change is well established.

The report comes a day after Angela Merkel made her clearest statement yet of support for Mr Juncker and leaves her in a difficult position, our correspondent says.

He adds that much of the German political establishment believes Mr Juncker should get the job because his party will be the largest political grouping.

EU leaders traditionally choose the Commission head on their own, but under new rules have to "take into account" the results of the European elections.

Downing Street has emphasised that it will be national governments - not the European parliament - which will have to agree on the president.

Mr Juncker's main rival is the Socialist candidate Martin Schulz.

Mr Juncker is known for his role in chairing the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers that had to make tough decisions about struggling debt-laden countries.

Mr Juncker is not thought to be amenable to a wide-ranging renegotiation of Britain's relationship with Brussels.

Other leaders opposing the appointment include Sweden's Fredrik Reinfeldt and Hungary's Viktor Orban.

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Group pensions 'in Queen's Speech'

1 June 2014 Last updated at 05:42

Plans to allow workers to contribute to Dutch-style collective pensions are to be unveiled by the government.

The move is expected to feature in a Pensions Bill to be announced in the Queen's Speech on Wednesday.

Supporters argue the shared funds are a good investment as they are less vulnerable to stock market variations than individual workplace pensions.

Ministers say the move will give people "better value", but critics argue the returns are not certain.

Under the changes, which could be introduced by 2016, workers would be able to pay into funds shared with potentially thousands of other members.

BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said there was "a growing political consensus behind the idea".

The Netherlands

Pensions minister Steve Webb told The Sunday Telegraph that the key advantage was "pooling risk" of investments performing worse than expected across large numbers of people of different ages.

"It gives people greater certainty and probably better value," he said.

"There are some quite strong claims made for how much better it is. People say you will get a 30% bigger pension.

"You might, you might not, but clearly it is pretty unambiguous that you will get a more certain outcome and potentially a better one."

Continue reading the main story

Not everyone needs to buy an annuity, but those who do so only have one shot"

End Quote

But critics of the model have warned that, unlike a fixed annuity, pensioners only have a target for what they will receive in retirement - rather than a guarantee.

If the collective fund's investments fail to generate the predicted profits, pensioners could see their incomes fall in some cases.

The plan is based on schemes which are already operating in the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

However, Dutch politicians have recently called for collective pensions to be scrapped in favour of British-style individual pensions.

The Queen's Speech will set out the government's final legislative programme before the 2015 general election.

The government has already revealed plans to overhaul the pensions system, with Chancellor George Osborne pledging in his March Budget to give people more control over the way they use their pensions.

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Three killed at Scottish car rally

1 June 2014 Last updated at 08:25

Three people have been killed and several are seriously injured after cars collided with spectators in two incidents at the Jim Clark Rally in the Scottish Borders, police have said.

The most serious incident took place at about 16:00 BST on Saturday when a car taking part in the motor racing event came off the road near Coldstream.

Two men and a woman died. Another man is in hospital in a critical condition.

A collision two hours earlier left five people injured, one of them seriously.

Organisers of the event - the only closed road rally on mainland UK - said they were "devastated" and were working with police to "establish the facts".

Police Scotland said the rally was cancelled with immediate effect after the second incident, and that investigations into both collisions were "ongoing".

'Absolutely terrible'

One eyewitness of the second incident, Tony Cowan, told the BBC how the car "lost control".

"It went sideways one way and then to the other side of the road and ploughed into four people.

"It was terrible, absolutely terrible. I ran to help but there was little I could do. The air ambulance arrived after about three quarters of an hour. There were police cars and ambulances. It was chaos, just chaos," he said.

Another eyewitness wrote on Facebook: "Huge accident at rally. Not far from us. About 15 emergency vehicles here now and about 40 people stood working on the injured. Not good."

Race marshal Anne Reay said it was the "worst outcome you could have asked for".

Laura Bicker, BBC Scotland correspondent, said several witnesses had since contacted the BBC to say they were concerned about spectators standing in dangerous areas along the rally route.

"Clearly that is something the organisers will be looking at and something the police will be investigating as part of their inquiries," she said.

Supt Phil O'Kane, from Police Scotland, said four men and one woman were injured in the first crash - which happened at 14:05 BST - after a vehicle came off the road near Eccles.

He said one man remained in intensive care at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, while two men suffered fractures and were being treated at Borders General Hospital.

The two other patients have been discharged.

Supt O'Kane said the second crash happened at 16:07 BST.

Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another man was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in a critical condition.

Supt O'Kane said the force was co-ordinating a "multi-agency" investigation into both incidents.

'Dreadful news'

A statement on the Jim Clark Rally website extended organisers' "heartfelt condolences and sympathy" to all those affected by the "tragic events".

A statement added: "Berwick and District Motor Club, Border Ecosse Car Club and the governing body, the Motor Sports Association (MSA), are co-operating fully with the police investigation,"

"As with any serious incident on a motor sport event, the MSA will conduct its own thorough inquiry once the police investigation is concluded."

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The BBC's Laura Bicker: "The car is said to have lost control"

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond called the tragedy "desperately sad and difficult news".

He added: "The Jim Clark Rally is a long-standing event of over 40 years. It is much loved in the Borders and by the rally driving community who I know will share in our sadness at what is a black day for the Borders and for Scotland."

Local MSP John Lamont said his "thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families".

"I know the rally organisers place considerable emphasis on the safety of the spectators and drivers but, with any event of this nature, there will always be an element of risk," he said.

Mr Lamont said it was "appropriate that questions are asked and investigations are carried out to ensure that in the future nothing like this happens again".

The annual rally takes place over three days on closed roads in the Duns and Kelso areas of the Borders, attracting thousands of people from across the UK.

It is held in honour of Scottish former Formula 1 champion Jim Clark, who died in a 1968 motor racing accident in Germany.

Are you affected by this? Please email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject 'Rally'.

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UK seeks jungle search assurances

1 June 2014 Last updated at 09:29

The Malaysian government has assured the UK it is using all available resources in the search for missing Briton Gareth Huntley.

Mr Huntley, of Cricklewood, north London, has not been seen since going trekking on Tioman Island on Tuesday.

Mr Huntley's mother, who has criticised the search efforts, had urged Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who is in Malaysia, raised the matter with his counterpart on Sunday.

Open letter

Mr Hammond "was assured that the Malaysian authorities would do all they could to locate him and had already deployed significant assets", the Foreign Office said in a statement.

"The government will continue to work with the Malaysian authorities to ensure there is a comprehensive search," it added.

Mr Huntley had gone to Malaysia as a charity volunteer for the Juara Turtle Project.

His mother Janet Southwell, from Bradford, had written an open letter to Mr Cameron asking him to contact the Malaysian leader about the case.

The family have been critical of the search efforts, with Mr Huntley's brother Mark claiming police did not initially join the search and for days it was only his friends and local people who were looking for him.

However, Malaysian police have rejected suggestions they did not take the search seriously.

A spokesman said the number of people looking for Mr Huntley had been increased to 47, including officers, rescue teams, a canine unit and a forestry guide.

It said the search had been limited by rain showers and was restricted to the hours of daylight.

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