Algeria Hostage Crisis: Military Operation 'Ends'

An unknown number of hostages are thought to have been killed after Algerian military stormed a gas plant where they were being held by Islamist gunmen.

The nationalities of those killed in the assault is unknown, but David Cameron said Britain should be "prepared for the possibility of further bad news".

The Prime Minister has postponed his speech on Europe on Friday in the Netherlands to stay in the UK to deal with the situation.

Algeria's military launched a raid at the In Amenas complex, near the border with Libya. The country's state news agency APS said the army had ended its operation, reported the Associated Press.

Sky sources said the main accommodation complex had been secured, while a search was ongoing in a gas storage area.

The attackers were wearing military uniforms when they first took over the complex on Wednesday, Sky sources added.

Algerian communications minister Mohammed Said Belaid said Thursday's operation by the army was "successful in neutralising a large number of terrorists and freeing a large number of hostages but unfortunately, we are sorry to say, there were some deaths and injuries".

He added: "We do not yet have a definitive figure. As soon as we have it, we will make it public".

One British citizen is known to have died in the crisis, while several others were caught up in the drama.

Mr Cameron said: "We face a very bad situation at this BP gas compound in Algeria. A number of British citizens have been taken hostage.

The In Amenas gas complex is in eastern Algeria

"Already we know of one who has died. The Algerian armed forces have now attacked the compound."

He added: "It's a fluid situation, it's ongoing, it's very uncertain. We should be prepared for the possibility of further bad news, very difficult news, in this extremely difficult situation."

Foreign Secretary William Hague is cutting short a visit to Australia to return to the UK to help deal with the crisis.

Earlier, news agencies said some people had been killed in the wake of the strike by the Algerian military, while a number of hostages had reportedly been freed.

Mauritania's ANI news agency reported the deaths citing one of the kidnappers who had earlier taken 41 people, including Britons, captive at the compound.

And French president Francois Hollande said the hostage crisis was unfolding in "terrible conditions".

The official Algerian APS news agency said a number of foreign hostages were freed. Among those who managed to get out was 36-year-old Irishman Stephen McFaul from west Belfast.

His father, Christopher McFaul, told Sky News he was "delighted" by the news but added he felt "sorry for the other hostages that are still there". He also described the last 48 hours as "hell".

Stephen McFaul's son, Dylan, said: "I can't even explain the excitement. I can't wait until he gets home again." He added he would tell him "he's never going back there and I'm not letting him".

Japanese engineering firm JGC Corp said it had been able to contact three of its workers at the plant, but was unable to reach another 14.

File picture of the energy plant

APS said as many as 600 Algerian workers at the site managed to flee the plant, and an American military official said at least one US unarmed drone was flying over the complex.

News agency Reuters spoke to a local resident who said many people were killed in the military operation, which the Algerian government confirmed it was carrying out.

There have been conflicting reports as to the number of casualties, with Reuters citing a local source as saying six foreign hostages and eight rebels were killed.

ANI said the attackers' spokesman had claimed that Algerian forces opened fire as the militants tried to leave the energy complex with hostages.

The Algerian government said it had to act "immediately" to intervene in the crisis, according to Downing Street.

Mr Cameron's spokesman said Britain was not given prior notice of the operation, adding it was ongoing and the situation was "very grave and serious".

Mr Cameron was informed the operation was under way when he telephoned the Algerian prime minister at 11am on Wednesday, the spokesman added.

And the British PM made clear he would have preferred to be informed in advance of the military action, the spokesman went on.

The facility is run jointly by BP, the Norwegian energy firm Statoil and the Algerian state oil company.

On Wednesday a Briton and an Algerian were killed when around 20 gunmen from an al Qaeda-backed group stormed the facility.

Among the UK nationals taken hostage by the group were Scottish nationals, Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond confirmed earlier.

Al Qaeda-linked militant group Katibat Moulathamine - The Masked Ones - said it was behind the attack.

The group said it was retaliating for French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in neighbouring Mali, where France now has 1,400 troops on the ground.

BP said it was evacuating a group of workers from Algeria in light of the hostage situation at the In Amenas complex.

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Algeria: Irish Hostage Had Explosives Around Neck

An Irishman who escaped from the Algerian hostage crisis had explosives tied around his neck, his brother has revealed.

Father-of-two Stephen McFaul, from west Belfast, fled after the vehicle he had been travelling in crashed after coming under attack from Algerian forces, Brian McFaul said.

The 36-year-old was able to run off and made it to safety. He later was able to contact members of his family.

Mr McFaul said: "He had explosives tied around his neck.

"He was being transported in a convoy of five vehicles when they came under attack. His vehicle crashed."

Stephen McFaul made contact with his wife Angela at around 3pm on Thursday to say he was safe and well.

His 13-year-old son Dylan declared he would give him a "big hug" as soon as he sees him.

The electrician supervisor, who also has a four-year-old son Jake, is being looked after by Algerian authorities while arrangements are made for his return.

His father, Christopher, said he was worried about the ordeal he went through at the gasfield complex at In Amenas.

He said: "I never doubted it but it is hard to say in those situations."

Earlier, he told Sky News: "We feel sorry for the other hostages who are still there, we don't know what has happened to them, those who have been killed.

"The last 48 hours has been hell, that's all I can really say about it."

Donna McBride, Mr McFaul's sister, added: "I feel so sorry for the rest of the families who have lost loved ones and others who are missing."

Mr McFaul, who was last at home on Boxing Day, works as a supervising electrician at the gas field.

His wife said she expected him home on Friday.

Algeria is one of a number of African countries he has worked in during an extensive career in the industry.

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness expressed relief at the release of Mr McFaul and hoped he can return to his family in the near future.

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Helicopter Crash In Vauxhall: Fatalities Named

The second person killed when a helicopter crashed in London has been named as Matthew Wood.

The 39-year-old from Sutton and helicopter pilot Peter Barnes died after the aircraft hit a crane on St George Wharf Tower, in Vauxhall, amid heavy fog.

It cartwheeled out of the sky, smashed into two cars as it hit the ground and exploded into flames.

Mr Barnes, aged 50, was the only person aboard the helicopter, while Mr Wood is understood to have been on the ground.

The pilot from the Reading area had worked for the RotorMotion helicopter charter business for 15 years and had flown aircraft during the production of films such as Die Another Day and Saving Private Ryan.

Matthew Wood, 39, was killed in the crash. Pic: Sutton Christian Centre

"He was a very highly skilled pilot, one of the most experienced in the UK, with over 12,000 flying hours," the company said in a statement.

It added it was "devastated by the loss of a highly valued colleague and very dear friend".

The helicopter was on a long lease to RotorMotion from Castle Air Charters, whose managing director Ross Bunyard said: "We are not in a position to make any further comment, beyond expressing our sympathies and condolences to all those affected by the accident."

A number of celebrities had flown with Pete Barnes

Twelve people were injured. Five are in hospital, including one with a broken leg, and seven were treated at the scene.

One man was rescued from a burning car.

Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road, as cars caught fire and people screamed and ran seeking shelter from the flying debris, witnesses have said.

Two office buildings, five cars and two motorbikes were damaged.

Pete Barnes has been described as an experienced pilot

Flames raged and a huge column of black smoke billowed from the crash site just off Wandsworth Road, near South Lambeth Road.

Firefighters said the crane was in a "precarious" position but ruled out any "imminent risk" of a collapse.

They urged people to stay away from the area while specialists assess the damage sustained by the crane.

Rescue crews searched the River Thames following reports that somebody had been seen in the water after the crash.

Emergency services say the Agusta 109 helicopter was on a scheduled commercial flight from Surrey to Elstree, but was diverted to Battersea due to bad weather.

The Agusta 109 helicopter that crashed in central London

Flights in and out of London City Airport, in Docklands, had been delayed earlier in the day due to poor visibility.

Shortly after the crash at around 8am, firefighters, police and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Michael Krumstets, who lives in the area, said he had seen the helicopter hit the crane and the aircraft fall "directly towards us".

"We ran from the side of the road and it hit the road just besides us … and then it exploded," he said.

Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the scene.

She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that.

"When I heard the explosion, it was like a little earthquake. It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower."

The tower is a 185-metre (200-yard) high cylindrical block overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament.

Bruce Grain, a station manager for London Fire Brigade and among the first to arrive at the scene, said the driver of one of the cars that had been hit managed to get out, while the driver of the other vehicle could not be immediately located.

Some cars caught fire and one man was rescued from a burning vehicle

"Large parts of the helicopter are in the road," Mr Grain told Sky News.

"There is debris over surrounding buildings … three buildings."

He said firefighters had extinguished the fire.

David Cameron said rules for helicopter flights over central London would need to be carefully looked at following the accident.

The Prime Minister was "very saddened to learn of the fatalities and injuries" in the crash, his spokesman said.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the lighting of cranes and tall buildings would be reviewed, but that it would be "premature" to second guess the investigation into the collision.

St George Wharf Tower this morning

Aviation expert Chris Yates told Sky News that any tall structure must have a warning light on top to alert pilots.

The question is, he said, whether there was a warning light on the crane and whether the pilot would have been able to see it in the foggy conditions.

RotorMotion says on its website that its helicopters "are fully instrument qualified to fly in poor weather conditions".

The company, whose website features pictures of famous passengers including the Dalai Lama, offered its "full support and assistance" to authorities investigating the crash.

The crash, which happened close to a railway line during rush hour, disrupted transport across central London.

Roads were cordoned off and train services were briefly suspended but are now running in and out of Waterloo station, while Vauxhall tube station was closed but has now reopened.

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Algeria: 'Several Brits Held Hostage, One Killed'

Several Britons have been taken hostage - and one UK national killed - in a terrorist attack at a gas field in Algeria, according to Sky sources.

An Islamist militant group has claimed to have kidnapped up to 41 foreign nationals - including seven Americans and an Irishman - in a dawn raid on the gas facility part-operated by BP, Algerian state oil company Sonatrach, and Norway's Statoil in Algeria.

It claims to have repelled an attempt by Algerian soldiers to enter the facility, forcing them to retreat after an exchange of gunfire.

The group is said to be demanding French President Francois Hollande halts the operation against Islamist rebels in Mali.

It has also been reported that the captors want the release of 100 Islamists held in Algeria, in exchange for those being held at the gas field.

Three people have reportedly been killed in the attack at the plant situated in the east of the country near the Libyan border.

Foreign Secretary William Hague described the ongoing situation as "extremely dangerous", and said the Government would be working round the clock to resolve it and secure the release of the hostages.

The In Amenas field (courtesy BP.com)

He told Sky News: "We are liaising very closely at all levels with the Algerian government. I've just spoken to our ambassador in Algeria and sent a rapid deployment team from the Foreign Office in order to reinforce our embassy and consular staff there."

The attack follows a failed attempt earlier in the day when three vehicles carrying heavily armed men tried to ambush a bus carrying employees from the plant to a nearby airport.

The Algerian Interior Ministry said: "After their failed attempt, the terrorist group headed to the complex's living quarters and took a number of workers with foreign nationalities hostage.

"The forces of the People's National Army and security services arrived at the scene and immediately took all necessary measures to make the area secure and seek a rapid resolution of the situation, which is being very closely followed by the national authorities."

Algeria said it was not negotiating with the hostages.

Prime Minister David Cameron chaired a 45-minute meeting of the Government's crisis committee Cobra on the attack, attended by ministers from the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence, as well as officials from other agencies.

His official spokesman said afterwards:  "The ongoing incident has involved various nationalities, including several British nationals.

"We are working with BP to support the families of staff and provide consular assistance."

Mr Cameron has also spoken to Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, with both agreeing to keep in touch as the situation progresses.

The plant is situated in In Almenas, in eastern Algeria

Downing Street said that it was "too early to speculate" on the motive.

BP is yet to comment on reports that Islamist militants, said to be connected to al Qaeda, had carried out the attack in revenge for the French military action in Mali.

The company said in a statement that the site was "attacked and occupied by a group of unidentified armed people," at around 5am UK time and that some personnel were believed to be "held by the occupiers".

It said it was seeking information as to whether any staff or contractors had been injured - and the identities and intentions of the people occupying the site -  adding that it was contacting relatives of workers on the site.

A Japanese company, JGC Corp, provides services for the facility as well.

In addition, French company CIS catering has said that 150 of its Algerian employees are also being held at the site.

The White House said it was "closely monitoring" the situation, while French President Francois Hollande said he was in "permanent contact" with the Algerian authorities.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs (DPA) confirmed a 36-year-old married man from Northern Ireland, travelling on an Irish passport, was among those taken.

It is understood that Japanese, Norwegian and French nationals, and a Canadian, are also part of the group.

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore called for the Irishman's immediate release.

He said: "The Government stands ready to use all the resources available to us to ensure that our citizen is released as soon as possible."

The country's Department of Foreign Affairs added it was providing consular assistance to the family and was in close contact with its international partners and a wide range of other contacts in order to establish the facts of the situation.

Militant group Katibat Moulathamine - "The Masked Ones -  led by one-eyed Algerian national and former al Qaeda leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar, has reportedly claimed that one of its affiliates is responsible for the attack, and that five foreign nationals are being held in a factory on site, and 36 others in their living quarters.

The spokesman is said to have claimed the attack was carried out in retaliation for Algeria allowing France to use its airspace to carry out raids on northern Mali.

The development comes as EU foreign ministers are preparing to meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss plans to send a 400-strong military training mission to Mali.

Europe Minister David Lidington said that Britain could make a "small contribution" to the mission but stressed that it would not be involved in combat operations.

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Horsemeat In Burgers: Tesco Removes Product

Tesco, along with a number of other supermarkets, has removed certain brands of frozen beef burgers from its shelves after they were found to contain horsemeat.

A study examining the authenticity of a number of beef burger, beef meal and salami products available from retail outlets in Ireland found that horsemeat accounted for approximately 29% of the content in one sample of Tesco Everyday Value Beef Burgers.

Tim Smith, group technical director at Tesco, said: "We immediately withdrew from sale all products from the supplier in question.

We are working with the authorities in Ireland and the UK, and with the supplier concerned, to urgently understand how this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again.

"We will not take any products from this site until the conclusion and satisfactory resolution of an investigation.

"We understand that many of our customers will be concerned by this news, and we apologise sincerely for any distress."

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) tested for the presence of horse and pig DNA.

A total of 27 beef burger products were analysed, with 10 (37%) testing positive for horse DNA and 23 (85%) testing positive for pig DNA.

Some 31 beef meal products including cottage pie, beef curry pie and lasagne were also analysed. Twenty-one were found to have pig DNA while all were negative for horse DNA.

Tesco was among the supermarkets found to have sold the affected burgers

All 19 salami products analysed tested negative for horse DNA, but traces were detected in batches of raw ingredients including some imported from The Netherlands and Spain.

The beef burger products which tested positive for horse DNA were produced by two processing plants in Ireland, Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods, and one in the UK, Dalepak Hambleton.

They were on sale in Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Lidl, Aldi and Iceland. In nine of the 10 beef burger samples from these retailers, horse DNA was found at very low levels.

The FSAI said it was working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the processing plants and retailers involved.

It said the retailers had pledged to remove all implicated batches from their shelves immediately. In addition, Silvercrest Foods was withdrawing all products from sale and replacing them with new ones.

Aldi said they were conducting their own investigation.

"We have sought information from one supplier, Silvercrest, which is dealing directly with the FSAI on the issue that has been raised," itsaid.

Lidl said it has taken the decision to remove all implicated products from sale pending a full investigation.

"A refund will be provided to customers who wish to return affected products," a spokesman said.

Professor Alan Reilly, chief executive of the FSAI, said although consumers need not worry, the findings did raise a number of concerns.

He said: "The products we have identified as containing horse DNA and/or pig DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried. Consumers who have purchased any of the implicated products can return them to their retailer.

"Whilst, there is a plausible explanation for the presence of pig DNA in these products due to the fact that meat from different animals is processed in the same meat plants, there is no clear explanation at this time for the presence of horse DNA in products emanating from meat plants that do not use horse meat in their production process.

"In Ireland, it is not in our culture to eat horse meat and therefore, we do not expect to find it in a burger. Likewise, for some religious groups or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable."

:: The FSAI operates an advice line on 1890 33 66 77 from 9am-5pm.

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Boeing Dreamliners Grounded By Japan Airlines

Boeing 787 Dreamliner Timeline

Updated: 4:05am UK, Wednesday 16 January 2013

The turbulent history of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner:

Jan 16, 2013: Japan Air Lines Co Ltd (JAL) follows suit and suspends Dreamliner flights from Japan over safety concerns

Jan 16, 2013: ANA grounds all 17 of its 787s after four of its aircraft suffer problems

Jan 16, 2013: ANA 787 Dreamliner makes emergency landing in Takamatsu, Japan, after smoke appears in cabin

Jan 11, 2013: The Federal Aviation Authority announces a review of the 787 design and systems

Jan 11, 2013: All Nippon Airways (ANA) discovers engine oil leak after a domestic flight lands at Miyazaki

Jan 11, 2013: A separate ANA flight to Matsuyama reported a crack appearing in the pilot's window

Jan 9, 2013: ANA cancels a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight due to a brake problem

Jan 8, 2013: Japan Air Lines (JAL) grounds a jet at Boston Logan International Airport after a 787 leaks 150 litres of fuel

Jan 7, 2013: A fire erupts in a battery pack in another JAL Dreamliner at Boston

Dec 13, 2012: Qatar Airways grounds one of its Dreamliners because of a faulty generator

Dec 5, 2012: The Federal Aviation Administration orders inspections of all 787 Dreamliners in service in the US

Dec 4, 2012: A United Airlines 787 is forced to make an emergency landing in New Orleans after a generator fails

July 23, 2012: ANA grounds five Dreamliners due to an engine component issue

February 22, 2012: Boeing says around 55 Dreamliners may be affected by a flaw in the fuselage

October 26, 2011: The Dreamliner makes its maiden flight with paying passengers on board an ANA jet

September 26, 2011: Boeing delivers its first 787 Dreamliner to Japan's ANA, three years late

June 23, 2010: Boeing postpones the first flight of the Dreamliner because of a structural flaw

December 15, 2009: The passenger jet 787 Dreamliner takes off on its maiden test flight

April 9, 2008: Boeing says there will be a revised plan for the first 787 flight and initial deliveries

December 11, 2008: Boeing announces further delays due to strike action by machinists Sept-Nov

October 19, 2007: Boeing says there will be a six-month delay to deliveries due to assembly issues

July 8, 2007: The first assembled 787 goes on display to media, employees and customers

July 18, 2006: Boeing says it is making "solid progress" on the 787 Dreamliner programme

January 28, 2005: Boeing gives its new commercial airplane an official model designation number - 787

January 29, 2003: Boeing announces the launch of a new aircraft called the 7E7

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Struggling HMV Calls In Administrators

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

HMV has thrown in the towel after years of struggling to fend off nimbler rivals by calling in administrators in a move which puts more than 4,000 jobs in jeopardy.

As Sky News revealed exclusively earlier on Monday evening, the board of HMV has served notice of its intention to appoint Deloitte to oversee last-ditch efforts to rescue the high street entertainment retailer.

Following a board meeting that lasted several hours, HMV directors, led by the chairman, Philip Rowley, and chief executive Trevor Moore, decided the business could no longer trade without insolvency protection.

HMV had been in talks with its lenders until last week about a new financing package, the terms of which could not be agreed, according to insiders.

The company said on Monday:

"On 13 December 2012, the Company announced that as a result of current market trading conditions, the Company faced material uncertainties and that it was probable that the Group would not comply with its banking covenants at the end of January 2013. The Company also stated that it was in discussions with its banks.

"Since that date, the Company has continued the discussions with its banks and other key stakeholders to remedy the imminent covenant breach. However, the Board regrets to announce that it has been unable to reach a position where it feels able to continue to trade outside of insolvency protection, and in the circumstances therefore intends to file notice to appoint administrators to the Company and certain of its subsidiaries with immediate effect.  The Directors of the Company understand that it is the intention of the administrators, once appointed, to continue to trade whilst they seek a purchaser for the business."

Trading in HMV's shares, which are now expected to be worthless, will be suspended on Tuesday morning.

The appointment of Deloitte follows the accountancy firm's work on the collapse of Woolworths in 2008.

HMV has been caught between the encroachment onto its turf of supermarket chains such as Tesco and Asda, and the explosive growth of digital specialists like Amazon which are unencumbered by hefty real estate costs.

Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, said the news of HMV's potential demise was "deeply worrying":

"HMV is a national institution that has been a feature of our high streets for over 90 years, so this news is deeply worrying.  For the sake of HMV's employees, we hope a way can be found to keep the business going – the demise of this national institution would be a sad loss to British retail."

HMV traces its roots back to 1921, when Sir Edward Elgar, the renowned composer and conductor, opened its first store on London's Oxford Street.

Retail insiders said Deloitte is likely to be "inundated" with offers for parts of HMV's business, including its brand, but said it was unlikely that any buyer would emerge for the whole business.

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Breast Cancer: NHS Drugs For Women At Risk

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Women with a high risk of breast cancer could be prescribed drugs to prevent the disease.

New guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommend that post-menopausal women with a strong family history of breast cancer are given the option of taking medication to reduce their risk.

The move was hailed as "historic" by a leading breast cancer charity.

Between 3% and 5% of the 48,000 breast cancers each year are caused by genes that are passed down families. They raise the risk of the disease to around 80% - compared to 12% for the average woman.

Sharon Osbourne chose to have her breasts removed as a precaution

Currently women with one of the genes have regular mammograms to spot tumours early.

Some, including Sharon Osbourne, choose to have their breasts removed even though they are perfectly healthy, to reduce their risk to low levels.

But recent studies have shown that taking the drugs tamoxifen or raloxifene for five years can halve the risk of cancer. Nice says the evidence is strong enough to recommend so-called "chemoprevention".

The US Food and Drug Administration has already approved the drugs for preventing cancer.

Chris Askew, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "This draft guideline represents a historic step for the prevention of breast cancer.

"It is the first time drugs have ever been recommended for reducing breast cancer risk in the UK.

"This is exciting as, even though most women do not have a significant family history of the disease, it's crucial that those who do have an array of options to help them control their risk."

Neither of the drugs is currently licensed for preventing cancer and Nice warns that any doctor prescribing them would have to take "full responsibility for the decision".

The recommendation is part of new draft guidelines on familial breast cancer.

They also extend genetic testing to more women with relatives affected by the disease, as well as recommend regular MRI scans for younger women who carry high risk genes.

Professor Mark Baker, director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at Nice, said: "It's wise for any person with a family history of cancer to receive appropriate investigations and screening that would otherwise be unnecessary if a family history did not exist."

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Imani Green: British Schoolgirl, 8, Shot Dead

A woman has told of the moment her young sister was gunned down and killed in a cafe in Jamaica.

Imani Green, eight, was visiting relatives on the island with her mother when she was shot in the northwestern village of Duncans, in Trelawny.

The youngster, from Balham, south London, is reported to have been shot twice, first in the head and then the shoulder. She was taken to hospital but later died. Three others were injured in the shooting.

The girl's sister, Janella Parmer, said: "We heard gunshots. We ran outside and shouted 'Imani, Imani, Imani'.

The shooting happened in Duncans in Trelawny

"I picked her up off the ground and realised she was still breathing. I flagged down a car and they drove us to hospital. The rest is history."

Imani's brother Dean Palmer, who is in his 20s, told Sky News he was completely devastated by the death of his sister, who he described as "an extremely brave girl".

Speaking before he left the UK for Jamaica, he said Imani suffered from sickle-cell anaemia and visits relatives there twice a year to get away from cold weather that worsens her condition.

He said the family had been in two minds about whether to take her this time but the trip went ahead.

Pinky's Bar in Duncans, where eight-year-old Imani Green was shot dead

Imani's cousin, Marco Dane, 17, who also lives in London, told Sky News: "She was a sweet, innocent girl. She always had a smile on her face."

Neighbours have described their sorrow following the girl's death.

One friend of the family, who asked not to be named, said: "This is a close-knit community, so this is going to hurt us."

Another added: "Nobody wants to speak, she was just a little girl. This is all so sad. We're distraught."

"We do not know the motive. What we can confirm is that Imani was not the target of this shooting," he said.

Imani's head teacher at Fircroft Primary School, in Tooting, said: "Imani was a happy, playful child who was popular with staff and pupils alike.

"She dealt with her illness very bravely and coped well with the special arrangements we had to have in place to support her.

"We are now in the process of contacting all the families of children in the same year group to break this terrible news to them and we will be taking steps to offer support and counselling."

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, said: "(I am) devastated to hear the news of eight-year-old schoolgirl Imani Green, a pupil at a Tooting primary school. This is terrible news."

Imani's killer is understood to have entered the premises - owned by a family member - on Friday evening and argued with another man shortly before the shooting.

Jamaica's security minister, Peter Bunting, condemned the killing.

He told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper: "The senseless killing of a young, innocent child must outrage all well-thinking  Jamaicans, and cause us to join our security forces in an intensified effort to rid our communities of criminals."

Mr Bunting said he thought the little girl might have been caught up in a lottery scam reprisal attack.

He told Channel 4 News: "The initial report that I received from the police seems to suggest that this was a reprisal attack for a shooting late last year that was related to a lottery scam."

The minister said more than 500 murders over the past five years were connected to lottery scams.

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Snow Falls Across Parts Of Britain Overnight

Snow fell over parts of Britain overnight but the wintry weather has not caused any significant disruption yet.

Snow was reported across the Midlands, South East England and parts of Scotland, but did not accumulate.

The Highways Agency reported no major problems overnight, but are still braced for potential adverse weather conditions to come.

Staff at Heathrow Airport monitored the weather closely but no flights were cancelled due to the weather.

The Met Office still has three amber snow warnings in place in the East Midlands, North East England and Yorkshire.

That is due to a band of sleet and snow which is expected to move eastwards across the country this morning, bringing up to 10cm of snow on higher ground.

Rain and sleet will continue to spread east in the afternoon, turning to snow across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

However snow will turn to wintry showers by Monday night.

Most of the country is covered by a Met Office warning of dangerous icy conditions on roads, as snow and rainfall freezes on surfaces.

:: Send us your photos or videos of the snow where you are.

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