Morph: Fans' Support Leads To New Series

By Richard Suchet, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

Morph - the animated plasticine model made famous by the late Tony Hart - is making a comeback thanks to his fans.

Aardman Animations, the studio which also makes Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Gromit, asked Morph lovers to fund new episodes through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter.

Around £100,000 has been pledged so far, exceeding the original target of £75,000. The extra money means there will likely be 15 new episodes rather than the proposed 12.

Production will start in January and take about six months. All the episodes will be available to watch on YouTube.

Morph co-creator and Aardman founder Peter Lord told Sky News: "I wasn't confident about it as an idea. I was hesitant - is this smart, is this wise?

"But then we started to use social media, Facebook, to investigate whether it was a possibility, whether there was enthusiasm and there seemed to be enough enthusiasm that we gave it a go."

Morph co-creator Peter Lord said the crowd-funding drive was 'fascinating'

Morph made his debut in 1977 alongside the artist Tony Hart, who died in 2009, on programmes including Take Hart and Hartbeat.

At the time of publication, the crowd-funding campaign had been backed by 2,286 people.

Some 839 people had pledged £5 or more and 12 people had pledged over £2,000.

As well as receiving on-screen credits and merchandise, backers will also have the chance to suggest storylines.

"The whole crowd-funding thing is very interesting isn't it? Fascinating," says Mr Lord.

"At one level of input, people get a credit, which I guess is important to them - and the credit will live for all time, it'll be on the records. In the middle of the range they want T-shirts and DVDs and at the bottom of the range they just want a thank you I suppose.

"But I'm enjoying already the sense of interacting with that community because I think that's what it's all about."

Kickstarter has only been open to UK projects for a year but already over £18.6m has been pledged towards 1,676 successful ideas.

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Murder Arrest Over Middlesbrough Woman's Death

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman in her 70s was found dead.

Officers were called to a property in Fosdyke Green, Middlesbrough, at around 4.40pm on Saturday following the "sudden death" of the woman.

The man, who is in his 40s, is being held by police and officers are appealing to members of the public who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward.

The address was cordoned off by police and forensic officers are at the scene.

Detective Superintendent Rob Donaghy said: "Anyone with information should contact detectives as soon as possible.

"I want to reassure members of the community that there will be extra patrols in the area."

A post-mortem examination was due to take place on Sunday.

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Miliband Accuses PM Of 'Reaching A New Low'

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused the Prime Minister of resorting to a strategy of mud-slinging in an effort to win the 2015 election.

He hit out at David Cameron for using the Paul Flowers scandal to attack his party's links to the co-operative movement.

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron "hit a new low by trying to use the gross errors and misconduct of one man, Paul Flowers, to impugn the integrity of the entire Labour movement".

He said: "We all want proper answers as to what went on at the Co-operative Bank, and the public deserves better than the desperate attempts by the Tory party to score the cheapest political points, including ludicrous claims that Labour's historic links with the Co-op movement were the invention of Rev Flowers.

"Of course, the credibility of their smears was undermined when it emerged that the Chancellor himself was promoting the Co-op's bid to take over Lloyds Bank branches."

The Tories have attacked Labour's links with the Co-op Bank

The Tories have sought to highlight the close links between Labour and the Co-op, including "soft loans" at preferential rates and a £50,000 donation to Ed Balls' office from the Co-operative Group.

But Labour have used the row over the near collapse of the lender to put pressure on George Osborne over the Co-op's aborted bid for Lloyds branches.

Mr Miliband claimed the heated exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions over Labour and the Co-op, along with attacks over the trade unions and seeking to blame Andy Burnham for NHS failings, were part of a plan to fight the "dirtiest general election campaign" for 20 years, masterminded by Tory strategist Lynton Crosby.

"David Cameron cannot resist a low blow when the British public craves a politics on the high ground. His main political strategy is now to sling as much mud as possible in the hope that some of it sticks. When he does so, he demeans his office."

Mr Shapps accused Mr Miliband of 'evading serious issues'

Tory chairman Grant Shapps hit back at the Labour leader, highlighting the activities of Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride.

"This is a pathetic attempt to evade the serious issues. Labour have big questions to answer, and when they are asked, they simply try to avoid them by claiming they are smears," he said.

"It is an obvious tactic from the party that brought you the most disgraceful smear operation of modern times, fronted by Damian McBride, and known about, encouraged and tolerated by Ed Balls and Ed Miliband.

"And McBride was simply the latest in a long line of bullying Labour spin doctors, including Alastair Campbell and Charlie Whelan. Incredibly, Labour's new campaign chief Michael Dugher used to be McBride's right-hand man - it's the same old Labour.

"We suggest they explain how the corruption at Falkirk happened, and how the Rev Flowers was allowed to become and remain an adviser, rather than dismiss legitimate questions as smears."

:: Mr Miliband has also been speaking about how his relationship with his brother David has not fully recovered, more than three years after they fought for leadership of Labour.

He told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs the relationship was "healing" and that David was still his best friend.

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Stabbing: Mother Died From Multiple Wounds

Police have confirmed that a woman found dead in her home in Manchester died of stab wounds.

Officers called to a house on Mayford Road, Levenshulme on Friday discovered the body of 49-year-old Aisha Alam following reports a woman had been killed.

A Home Office post-mortem examination established that Ms Alam, who reportedly had lived at the address for 25 years and had four children, died from multiple stab wounds.

Neighbour and friend Saima Baber said that Ms Alam was "a very, very nice person".

"She was quite quiet and kept herself to herself but was such a lovely lady," Ms Baber told the Manchester Evening News.

"I would always stop and say hello and chat and I would do the same with her daughters as well who are lovely.

"We are all very shocked and scared by what's happened. I saw her daughter at about 8am and everything seemed fine."

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "A woman has been killed and our thoughts are with her family and friends at what is obviously a totally devastating time for them.

"I want to reassure her loved ones as well as those in the local community that we have a team of highly skilled detectives already working on this case but if anyone has any information please call us."

A 52-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody for questioning.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4032 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Comparison Websites Investigated By Watchdog

Fourteen price comparison websites are to be investigated following concerns that some of them could be misleading customers.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is looking into potential conflicts of interest, examining whether any sites are promoting deals they want them to buy and focusing too much on price rather than customer service.

They will also look into cases where comparison sites are owned by insurers themselves.

FCA spokesman David Cross said: "If insurers happen to own a particular price comparison website there is a concern that could create a conflict of interest whereby their products are promoted over others.

"When someone searches for something; are they necessarily getting the best deal for them, or are they just getting the deal the website want to give them?"

The review will question company heads about whether the customer or profit is really at the heart of a business model and examine the "expectation gap" for customers who may  money on insurance premiums only to face problems when claiming on their policy.

The FCA is looking at whether customers are getting the best deal

Mr Cross said: "Price isn't necessarily the best marker of an insurance deal. When you come to claim, if you find out that you can't, then obviously that money's been spent for nothing."

The FCA stressed that comparison sites "perform a valuable service for millions of people" and said almost half of all internet users had used them to research motor insurance, with four in five going on to buy it through the same site.

MoneySupermarket said it was an independent company with no ties to insurance groups.

The company said: "MoneySupermarket gives customers the information they need to save money on the products that suit them. If a policy doesn't offer breakdown insurance, for example, we'll show the extra cost of that."

The company added it received no commissions for its services, simply receiving a flat fee every time a customer buys a policy, and that these fees are "completely independent" of policy price.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer group Which?, said: "We welcome the Financial Conduct Authority's review into price comparison sites.

"We found they claim to do all of the work for you but they don't always guarantee people the best deal or even the right one.

"We want comparison sites to treat customers fairly by being upfront that they don't cover the whole market and more transparent about what is and isn't included in the policies they're selling."

The customer watchdog Consumer Futures said PCWs vary in their transparency and quality of customer service and pushed for a voluntary accreditation scheme.

Insurance group Admiral owns Confused.com, while Esure has a 50% stake in GoCompare.com.

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Family's Facebook Appeal Over 1994 Taxi Murder

The family of a man shot dead as he sat in his taxi nearly 20 years ago have launched a Facebook page in a renewed bid to trace those responsible.

Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, known to his friends and family as Shami, was shot twice in his Ford Sierra while waiting in a car park in Gedling, Nottingham, at 4.30am on November 22, 1994.

Police branded the killing "cold-blooded, pre-meditated murder" but no-one has ever been charged over the 26-year-old's death.

Now, Mr Ghafoor's family have launched the Justice for Ethsham Shami Ghafoor page in the hope someone with key information will come forward.

In a statement on the website, Mr Ghafoor's 76-year-old mother Walayat Begum said her only remaining wish was "to see those responsible for my son's death brought to justice, in my lifetime".

She added: "I am a mother who has suffered greatly for her loss for which you cannot begin to imagine.

"I need to know ... why my son was so evilly ripped away from me.

"I plead to anyone with information to make my suffering lighter. My pain is never-ending. As long as we are here, we will demand justice."

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Heydon, of Nottinghamshire Police, said there may be people who know who is responsible for Mr Ghafoor's death but have never come forward.

He said: "Now is the time to put Shami's family first and help them find closure. Their Facebook group shows just how desperate for justice they are, and if you know anything, you could help them."

In 2005, officers and family members revisited the scene to launch a public appeal on what was the 11th anniversary of the killing.

The appeal page has had more than 350 likes since it was set up.

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London 'Slavery': Neighbours' Shock At Claims

People living near to a house where three women were allegedly held as slaves for more than three decades have spoken of their shock at the claims.

The women - a 69-year-old from Malaysia, a 57-year-old from Ireland and a 30-year-old Briton - were taken from the property in Brixton, south London, last month after calling a support charity asking for help.

Police said the women, two of whom lived in a "collective" with a 67-year-old man they met through a "shared political ideology", had suffered "emotional and physical abuse".

The man and a woman, also 67, who came to the UK in the 1960s and are of Indian and Tanzanian origin, were arrested and released on bail.

Commander Steve Rodhouse, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Somehow that collective came to an end and the women ended up continuing to live with the suspects.

"How this resulted in the women living in this way for over 30 years is what are seeking to establish, but we believe emotional and physical abuse has been a feature of all the victims' lives."

Kamal Francis described the women as having unkempt appearances

As police carried out door-to-door inquiries to establish more details about the alleged victims, neighbours described the area around the block in Peckford Place, where the women had been living, as a "quiet" area.

One woman, who gave her name only as Valerie, said: "Seeing all this going on is quite surprising to me. It's shocking really."

Abdul Rogers said many people did not speak to each other, adding: "I don't even know my next door neighbour. If I met them on the street now I would not be able to tell it was my next door neighbour, which is not good for community cohesion."

Kamal Francis is a regular visitor to the block of flats as his partner lives directly above where the women were held.

He told Sky News: "One would be wearing a long, baggy, cardigan and a long skirt touching the floor. They had messy hair. They were not neat people."

Investigators believe the youngest of the alleged victims may have spent her entire life as a domestic slave.

Cmdr Rodhouse said police had found her birth certificate but no further documentation.

The women lived in the Angell Town estate in Brixton

"We believe she has lived with the suspects and the other victims all her life, but of course at this early stage we are still seeking out evidence," she said.

The woman who called Freedom Charity asking for help said she had been held against her will for more than 30 years.

Aneeta Prem, who founded the organisation, said it had seen an "extraordinary" rise in calls to its helpline since the rescue of the three women came to light.

"These women have had traumatic and distributing experiences," she said.

"What needs to happen now is that the three victims, who have begun a long process of recovery, are able to go through their rehabilitation undisturbed, without being identified."

Officers said they were taking "every step" to protect the "emotionally fragile and highly vulnerable" victims.

Lambeth Council has told Sky News it is investigating whether it had ever come into contact with any of the women.

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Policing: 'More Bobbies On The Beat Needed'

Putting more police officers on the beat should be at the forefront of efforts to restore public confidence, according to a blueprint for reform by a former Scotland Yard commissioner.

Lord Stevens will unveil the Independent Police Commission report on Monday and set out a raft of recommendations to transform policing in England and Wales.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Lord Stevens, who introduced neighbourhood policing to the Metropolitan Police 10 years ago, said a community approach was needed.

Police are "sadly deteriorated" in the public's eye, he said, and fewer crimes are being solved.

The commission believes the Government should have a Local Policing Commitment, giving every neighbourhood a guaranteed level of policing.

It says there should be guaranteed response times and that every crime should be investigated - or an explanation given as to why not.

Lord Stevens said: "This is the level of service that the public has a right to expect but that has deteriorated in front of its eyes."

Police are returning to a "discredited" style of policing, reacting to incidents rather than responding to the root causes of crime, he said.

Among the 37 recommendations by Lord Stevens' commission are that the social purpose of the police should be enshrined in law, bringing "much-needed consensus" to what the public expect of the police.

Lord Stevens, who was commissioned to carry out the report by the Labour party, said the current programme for reform was "confused" and "fragmented".

He said: "With fewer crimes being solved, a return to merely reactive policing that the public do not favour, Plebgate, Hillsborough and the identity crisis of Police and Crime Commissioners, it is no secret that policing in England and Wales faces challenges."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the findings of the Stevens commission would be consulted on as Labour draws up its manifesto for 2015.

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Scottish Independence Date In 'Blueprint'

Scotland could become an independent country on March 24, 2016 if voters back leaving the UK in next year's independence referendum, the Deputy First Minister has announced.

The date is included in the Scottish Government's white paper, described as a "blueprint" for independence, which will be published on Tuesday.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it is a "landmark document" which has economic growth, jobs and fairness at its heart.

She said the 670-page document will drive the independence debate, providing the positive case for a vote in favour of independence.

She said: "This guide to an independent Scotland will be the most comprehensive and detailed blueprint of its kind ever published, not just for Scotland but for any prospective independent country.

"It demonstrates Scotland's financial strengths and details how we will become independent - the negotiations, preparations and agreements that will be required in the transition period from a vote for independence in September next year to our proposed Independence Day of 24th March 2016 and in time for the first elections to an independent Scottish Parliament in May of that year."

Ms Sturgeon said the document is designed above all for the public and urged people to read it, compare it with any alternative future for Scotland and make up their own minds.

Ms Sturgoen has urged everyone in Scotland to read the document

"The white paper has economic growth, jobs and fairness at its heart. The route to a successful Scotland is greater economic growth that benefits all and which supports greater participation - particularly amongst women - in the workplace and the economy as a whole," she said.

"Ensuring that work pays, for example through a decent minimum wage, is central to our economic and social approach.

"We won't succeed and reach our full potential as long as we are locked into an unbalanced Westminster-controlled economy that disproportionately benefits one region and one section of society."

Ex-Chancellor Alistair Darling, who is leading the charge to retain the union, has told Sky News that Scotland would be left vulnerable if it broke away from the UK. Negotiations that would follow an in-out vote could be "totally destructive", he told Sky's Murnaghan show.

A Scotland Office spokesman said naming the date of independence ahead of the referendum result "would only weaken the Scottish Government's negotiating position" if Scotland voted to leave the UK.

"People in Scotland still don't know the full terms the Scottish Government would try to negotiate but the 28 members of the EU, Nato and the rest of the UK would all know that for the Scottish Government the date is more important than the deal," he said.

"We agree people should read the White Paper and the UK Government's evidence and make up their own mind on the referendum issue.

"We are confident the case for staying in the UK is far stronger than the untested, uncosted and unconvincing claims the Scottish Government have made to date."

An initial print run of 20,000 copies of the Scottish Government's white paper has been produced but it will be made available to everyone who requests a copy.

The independence referendum will take place on September 18 next year.

The proposed Independence Day of Thursday, March 24, 2016 follows the dissolution of the current Scottish Parliament, which is set to be scheduled to take place at midnight on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

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'Comet Of The Century Has Much Margin For Error'

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Reporter

A comet which is hurtling towards the Sun may not live up to its expectations of becoming one of the "brightest for a century", say experts.

Comet Ison is due to graze the surface of the Sun at the end of the month and astronomers were hoping it would put on a dazzling display.

Earlier this week, Nasa said the sungrazer "will likely become one of the finest comets in many years" and could be the "brightest for a century".

But some scientists say that it could break up and evaporate before it completes its trip.

Josh Barker, from the National Space Centre in Leicester, said the Sun threatens to destroy Ison with its gravitational pull and solar energy.

A Nasa image of Ison's approach, taken from a space-based observatory

He said: "It could be the comet of the century, if all goes to plan.

"If all the little pieces line up just properly, we could have one of the brightest comets that we've seen certainly in current human life and one of the brightest in history.

"It could potentially be very exciting although there's a lot of margin for error."

Experts say a break-up of the comet would pose no threat to Earth because the fragments would continue to follow the same trajectory the comet was heading in.

On November 28, it will pass within 724,000 miles of the sun's surface when it reaches perihelion, the point when it is at its closest to the Sun.

Ison is thought to be a few miles in diameter and will be travelling at 845,000mph.

The Sun's rays will heat the ball of ice, metal and rock to 2,760C (5,000F), meaning it should be able to be seen with the naked eye anywhere from late November until the middle of January.

Astronomy enthusiasts are trying to track the comet's progress.

Among them is Dr Jo Jarvis, from Rugby, who said: "When you get things like comets coming through the solar system, they're something new and interesting to look at, something you don't get to see very often.

"With comets like this everyone is kind of on the edge of their seat because you kind of bond to it a little bit. You really want it to survive that trip round the Sun."

Ison was discovered on September 21, 2012, by Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok, two Russian astronomers of the International Scientific Optical Network (Ison).

The best time to view it will be in the morning before sunrise on the eastern horizon.

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