Dozens of flights from London City Airport cancelled as fog shrouds the capital

Pic:fog at Heathrow Airport /AFP
Staff reporter(wp/es):

London City Airport cancelled dozens of flights after the capital woke up shrouded in fog.

The airport in east London cancelled 15 arrivals and departures by 9am on Wednesday leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

Up to 26 flights were also delayed or diverted as the thick blanket of fog caused poor visibility.

Passengers also faced delays at Heathrow airport following the poor weather conditions but no flights were cancelled.

A London City Airport spokesman said: “Passengers please note due to current weather conditions there may be delays and cancellations. Please check with the airline for flight information.” 

 Shortly before 9am, the airport tweeted: “We’re still waiting for conditions to improve, for further info on your flight please get in touch with your airline.”

Heathrow Airport also warned passengers of possible problems, tweeting: “Foggy weather may affect scheduled flights today. Please kindly check your flight status with your airline.”

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for fog in London and the south east from midnight on Wednesday. 

Forecasters said flights could be affected and urged drivers to take care out on the roads.

A Met Office spokesman said: “Patches of fog are expected to form overnight and whilst not all areas will see them where fog patches do form visibility could be less than 100 metres. 

“The fog patches are expected to slowly thin during Wednesday, although some patches may persist throughout the day.”

Man fighting for life after being knifed next to children's Christmas fair

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A man was left fighting for life in hospital after he was stabbed next to a children’s Christmas fair in south London.

The victim was knifed near the fairground in Brixton on Tuesday evening.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene of the stabbing in Windrush Square at about 6.15pm.

Scotland Yard said the man was rushed to a hospital in south London where he remained in a critical condition on Wednesday morning.

Witnesses described seeing scores of emergency services vehicles and police descending on the area, as well as a cordon around the fair.

Journalist EJ Ward tweeted: “10 police cars and two ambulances outside the little fair thing in Brixton. Anyone know what’s happening?”

James Perrett posted on Twitter: “Eek, stabbing on our road. Police cordons and everything, half of Brixton is closed off and had to be escorted by an officer to front door.”

Anton Lavey tweeted: “What’s going on in Windrush Square?”

John Steel wrote: “Any idea what just happened in Windrush Square? #Brixton. #WindrushSquare.”

A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called at approximately 6.15pm on Tuesday, 27 December to reports of a man suffering a stab injury in Windrush Square in Lambeth.

“Officers attended and immediately provided first aid. The man was taken by the London Ambulance Service to a south London hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

“Detectives from Lambeth are investigating. Cordons remain in place.

“There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.” 

'Tens of thousands’ of people set for refunds from high street banks

Business correspondent(wp/es):

Thousands of people who took out personal loans with NatWest and sister bank RBS are receiving refunds on interest they were wrongly charged.

The banking giant is writing to tell those who are owed money about the mistake, which meant some customers falling behind with their payments should have been sent a "notice of sums in arrears", but this did not happen.

It should not have charged interest to these borrowers until the correct notice was given.

The error occurred between 2008 and 2015. It is thought tens of thousands of people are affected but RBS did not give an exact figure.

The average payout being made is in the low hundreds, but the Daily Mail's Money Mail said in one letter it has seen, someone was refunded £1,130.75.

A spokesman for RBS said: "When we discover an issue we do everything we can to set it right.

"We didn't issue notices of sums in arrears correctly to a number of customers before we charged interest on their loans that had gone more than two payments into arrears. We are refunding these customers the interest we charged them at the time."

Witnesses tell of horror after deadly 20-car pile-up in thick fog

Pic:Crash car
Staff reporter(wp/es):

Witnesses have told of their horror after a woman died and several other people were seriously injured in a 20-car pile-up.

A pregnant woman was among those to reveal how she narrowly missed the horror crash on the A40 in Oxfordshire on Wednesday morning. 

It killed one woman and left another person fighting for life in hospital. A third person was also seriously injured in the collision.

Expectant mother Ami Gaston was among those near the wreckage after the 20-car pile-up near Witney.

The 31-year-old was on her way to her 20-week pregnancy scan with her partner when the couple had to swerve to avoid a car which had crashed into the central reservation.

“We were driving on the A40, we were in the right hand lane,” Ms Gaston told the Standard.

“I said, there’s something in the road and before we knew it the car was right in front of us. He had crashed into the middle barrier, had his car door open and his face was against an airbag. 

“I’m guessing he skidded on ice, it was minus two this morning.

“He was horizontal across the right hand lane into the middle barrier.”

She said it was too dangerous to stop meaning she was forced to carry on driving as the pile-up happened behind her car. Ms Gaston then phoned for an ambulance.

“Thank god we didn’t witness the pile up,” she said. “We were on the way to the hospital for our 20 week scan so we just saw that car.”

Tom Russell was also driving along the road and witnessed the pile-up but said it was too foggy to make out exactly what happened.

“People we're driving too fast and not really aware of conditions,” he told the Standard. 

“I'd seen people coming towards me on the other side of the dual carriageway flashing their lights. 

“So I slowed right down and then saw hazards ahead so I pulled into left hand lane and stopped. People still drove past us and hit pile up ahead.

“The emergency services were there really quickly. But it was not a nice thing to be caught up in especially as after I'd stopped and you could hear people crashing behind.

“I was lucky as were others around me. Unfortunately some others were not so lucky and my thoughts are with them and their families.”

The heavy fog is expected to return on Thursday. It has caused delays to dozens of flights at London City Airport as well as poor visibility on the roads.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said they were called at 8.25am this morning following reports of a crash involving multiple cars.

He said: “Officers are at the scene along with the fire and rescue services. A number of people are believed to have been injured.

"Road closures are currently in place and drivers are advised to avoid the area."

Paramedics in three ambulances, three rapid response cars, and the air ambulance car raced to the scene. The weather was too foggy for the air ambulance to be scrambled.

Motorcyclist fighting for life after horror smash in north London

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A motorcyclist is fighting for his life in hospital after a horror crash on a busy north London road.

The male rider’s injuries have been described as life-threatening after he collided with a car near Holloway Road Tube station shortly before 1pm on Saturday.

Dramatic pictures taken from the roadside show clothes strewn across the carriageway and a mangled motorbike as witnesses told of “horrible” scenes.

Emergency services including police, ambulance and London's Air Ambulance were scrambled to the crash site.

The car stopped at the scene and no arrests have been made.

A Met spokeswoman said: “Police were called by the London Ambulance Service on Saturday shortly before 12:45pm hours to a report of a collision between a car and motorcycle at Holloway Road.

“Officers attended and found the motorcyclist, a male injured at the location.

“He has been taken to an east London hospital and his injuries are being treated as life threatening.

“Officers remain on scene and there are currently road closures in place.” 

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said the man was treated for a head injury and taken to hospital by land.

Transport for London said the road had been shut both ways between the A103 Hornsey Road and Loraine Road.

Two arrested after man killed in Christmas Eve 'hit and run' in Dartford

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A man and woman have been arrested after a pedestrian was knocked down and killed while crossing the road on Christmas Eve.

The car was driven away from the collision at Crossways Boulevard in Dartford shortly after 6pm but later located in Bexleyheath where the pair were arrested.

The victim, a man in his 20s from Tyne and Wear, died at the scene.

The 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman from Dartford were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of a collision and perverting the course of justice.

Pc Jamie Woodhams said: "I would like anyone who saw the vehicle and have not yet spoken to police to come forward.

"The vehicle suffered windscreen and headlight damage and was driven away from the scene toward the M25."

Queen misses out with illness as Royal Family attend Sandringham Christmas service

Pic:The royal family arrive at the Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk 
Royal correspondent(wp/es):

The Queen has missed the annual Christmas Day church service at Sandringham for the first time due to a heavy cold - but was still up and about enjoying the festivities.

Members of the Royal Family attended the ceremony without the Queen who is resting at her private home after becoming ill some days ago.

The Queen has enjoyed her annual Christmas break at her Norfolk residence since 1988, when she moved festive arrangements from Windsor Castle, and every year attended the service at Sandringham's St Mary Magdalene Church.

But the heavy cold, which delayed the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh's journey from Buckingham Palace to Norfolk a few days ago, has persisted and she remains at Sandringham House.

Yet the monarch has not stayed in bed with her cold but is up and about and would be having Christmas lunch with her family.

Ahead of the service this morning a Buckingham Palace spokesman said the Queen would not be attending.

He added: "The Queen continues to recover from a heavy cold and will stay indoors to assist with her recovery. Her Majesty will participate in the Royal Family Christmas celebrations during the day.''

Philip also came down with a heavy cold a few days ago but the hundreds of well-wishers who turned out see the royals make their way to and from church, were treated to the sight of the Queen's consort.

He was joined on the short walk between Sandringham House and the church by the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and other members of the family.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, broke with tradition and spent Christmas Day with Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton and her siblings.

They all attended a church service close to the Middletons' home in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury.

William and Kate were photographed walking through the grounds of St Mark's Church in Englefield, where the Duchess' sister Pippa is expected to marry her financier fiance James Matthews in May.

Hundreds of local residents traditionally turn out to see the Queen and her family attend the annual Christmas Day service.

It is thought the Queen has not missed a Christmas Day service at either Sandringham or Windsor Castle, the previous location for the monarch's festive break, in living memory.