Abuse claims 'too many for state'

1 January 2015 Last updated at 09:19

The number of victims claiming historical child abuse could reach the tens of thousands and is too many for the state to cope with, an MP says.

John Mann, who has given a dossier of allegations of historical abuse to Scotland Yard, told the Today programme victims wanted a national institute.

The Labour MP for Bassetlaw said the government needed victims' confidence.

It comes after Baroness Butler-Sloss cautioned against giving victims too much influence over who led the probe.

The retired judge, who stepped down as head of a planned public inquiry into historical child abuse, said there could be "real problems" if victims were to decide who is its eventual chair.

She also told BBC Radio 4's Today she has "enormous sympathy" for the victims.

The inquiry, sparked by claims of paedophiles operating in Westminster in the 1980s, is set to investigate whether "public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse in England and Wales".

The panel has started work but has no-one to lead it after its first two nominations resigned. Mrs May, who is still considering the format of the inquiry, has told the current panel it might be disbanded.

Dozens of survivors have called for the government to scrap the current inquiry and replace it with a more powerful body.

Mr Mann said: "It's not just about who chairs an inquiry, it's about what the remit of an inquiry should be, who else should be sat on that inquiry, who should be advising it."

He said there was far to much emphasis "on an individual".

"As an example, one of the things that survivors' groups are calling for in the discussions I've had with them is for government to set up a national institute to take forward this work on what you do with all these people coming forward.

"Probably, it's going to be many tens of thousands of people across the country.

"The state can't deal with the numbers of people coming forward.

"The police and social services cannot cope with the volume that's there, even now. And we're hardly at the beginning of people coming forward."

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Baroness Butler-Sloss said she was 'not unsuitable' for the job of chairwoman

"It's people in authority, for example in the police, for example at the top of local authorities, who failed to act over the years and have failed to act when some of these people came forward in the past.

"I'm getting vast numbers of people, including my constituents, coming forward making allegations. Many of those people came forward in the past and weren't listened to or weren't believed.

"And that's a key part of the problem. What do you do with people making allegations against people, and nothing was done in the past, when the people they're making allegations against in some cases are dead.

Lady Butler-Sloss stood down earlier this year amid claims she faced a conflict of interest because her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was attorney general at the time of some of the alleged abuse.

Speaking to the Today programme, of which she was guest editor on Wednesday, Lady Butler-Sloss said "there has to be a victim voice on the panel" but the survivors should not be able to chair it themselves or choose who fills the position.

She said: "You need someone who knows how to run things and if you get someone from an obscure background, with no background of establishment, they'll find it very difficult and may not be able actually to produce the goods."

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North Korean leader proposes summit

1 January 2015 Last updated at 11:50

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has offered to hold talks at the highest level with South Korea.

President Kim was giving his new year message broadcast on state television.

He said if Pyongyang's conditions were met, he would even be prepared to hold a summit meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

South Korea said the move was "meaningful", and talks should include "practical and frank discussions on all issues of mutual concern".

"Our government hopes for dialogue between the South and North Korean authorities in the near future without limits on format," said Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, quoted by the South's Yonhap news agency.

On Monday, Mr Ryoo had called for dialogue to resume on issues including reunions for families separated by the Korean War, adding that he hoped North Korea would respond positively.

He offered to meet in Seoul, Pyongyang or any other South or North Korean city agreed with North Korean officials.

'Tense mood'

In his address, Mr Kim said the "tragic" division of Korea could no longer be tolerable and acceptable.

"Depending on the mood and circumstances, there is no reason not to hold a high-level summit," he said.

But later in his speech, Mr Kim condemned joint US-South Korean defence drills for deepening tensions on the peninsula.

"In a tense mood of such war-preparatory exercises, trust-based dialogue can't be possible, and North-South relations can't move forward," he said.

The BBC's Kevin Kim in Seoul says it is unclear how likely a meeting between the two Korean presidents would be, given the tensions.

The North has previously seen the South's unification plans as an attempt to take it over.

The last formal high-level talks were in February 2014, leading to rare reunions for Korean families separated for over 60 years since the end of 1950-53 Korean War.

More talks planned in October were dropped after North Korea accused the South of not doing enough to stop activists sending anti-Northern leaflets across the border on balloons.

The two Koreas have technically been at war since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

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Huge UK crowds welcome in new year

1 January 2015 Last updated at 08:39

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Some 100,000 people are thought to have watched the fireworks along London's River Thames

Thousands of people have gathered across the UK to watch New Year's Eve fireworks to herald the start of 2015.

Some 100,000 revellers lined the River Thames in London for the first ticketed new year's display.

Huge crowds also took to the streets in Edinburgh and across Scotland for Hogmanay celebrations.

Celebrations were held across the world with fireworks displays in a host of major cities.

Shortly after midnight, Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Happy New Year."

In London, a crew of more than 300 set off 12,000 fireworks as part of the annual display.

The display was counted in by a 10-minute digital countdown on the western facade of The Shard - the central London skyscraper - followed by lighting comprised of searchlights, strobes and a 2015 numeric graphic.

It was the first time the display has been ticketed, with revellers paying £10 to cover the costs of running the display.

It comes after an estimated 500,000 people tried to see the 2013-14 new year display, resulting in many being turned away for safety reasons.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson tweeted: "London's dazzling fireworks were a wonderful way to welcome in the New Year. Thanks to all who made it such a safe & fun event."

The Metropolitan Police said that by 06:00 GMT 90 people had been arrested in London, including 27 for being drunk and disorderly, 22 for assault, seven for sexual offences, six for drugs offences and two for possession of an offensive weapon.

The force said 4,000 officers had been part of the policing operation, while London Ambulance Service operations director Jason Killens said paramedics had also had a busy night.

"We're taking an emergency call every 10 seconds and we are expecting it to get even busier," he tweeted.

Warm-up party

Elsewhere, West Midlands Ambulance Service said it had received more than 100 calls within the first 30 minutes of 2015, adding that "quite a few are alcohol related".

A spokesman said that between 20:00 GMT on New Year's Eve and 04:00 GMT on New Year's Day, handlers responded to 1,436,999 calls.

East Midlands Ambulance Service tweeted: "We've had over 340 calls in 1st two hrs. That's a new call every 21 secs!"

Edinburgh hosted an estimated 75,000 people at its Hogmanay street party and fireworks display.

Events were also held in Aberdeen, Inverness, Stirling and Stonehaven, while a warm-up party was held in Glasgow.

However, Hogmanay celebrations on Stirling Castle's esplanade had to be cancelled owing to high winds.

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New energy rules for domestic devices

1 January 2015 Last updated at 00:47 By Roger Harrabin BBC environment analyst

European Union rules will oblige new networked devices such as modems and internet-connected televisions to switch themselves off when not in use.

Many gadgets are connected to the internet 24/7, using 25-100 watts while their owners sleep.

But new devices sold from Thursday will fall to sleep, using a trickle of power when they are not in use.

The European Commission said the move would save an average household about £32 a year.

The change is part of the EU's Ecodesign initiative, which aims to cut costs, improve competitiveness and reduce carbon emissions.

Energy labels on online products will also be improved, while gas ovens will have to display energy ratings.

The Commission said the best gas oven would typically save £143 over its lifetime compared with the worst.

Critics argue that such regulations - which recently included banning the sale of popular high-wattage vacuum cleaners - are denying consumer choice.

Energy experts have told the BBC that manufacturers deliberately increased the wattage of some vacuums to make them appear more attractive to consumers - even though the machines produced more heat and noise, rather than more suction.

Coffee machines

The UK technology guru James Dyson backed the efficiency regulations in principle and said many vacuum cleaners could use less power without compromising their ability to clean.

But he said some manufacturers had conspired to skew EU efficiency tests to their own advantage.

The new EU rules even extend to the coffee machine. Drip filter machines with non-insulated jugs must power down 40 minutes after the end of the last brewing cycle.

Domestic drip-filter coffee machines with insulated jugs - which keep the coffee warm and preserve its taste without further heating - must switch off after five minutes.

Coffee drinkers may be alarmed by the changes, but the Commission claims consumers will not even notice, as coffee in drip-filter machines without an insulated jug is undrinkable after 40 minutes anyway.

The Commission says its measures on stand-by devices will reduce energy consumption by almost 75 terawatt-hours (TWh) without affecting product performance.

This will reduce CO2 emissions by 28 million tons, equivalent to the annual emissions of 1.5 million households.

An analysis for BBC last month estimated that the efficiency rules have reduced the average individual's electricity consumption by 10% over five years.

Manufacturers who do not comply with the new rules will be judged by member states.

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Shanghai new year crush kills 36

1 January 2015 Last updated at 07:46

A crush at New Year's Eve celebrations in Shanghai has killed 36 people and injured some 47 others, Chinese officials say.

The crush happened in Chenyi Square in Shanghai's historic Bund district overlooking the Huangpu river.

Thousands of people had gathered to see in 2015.

Social media reports suggest the stampede was triggered by people stopping to pick up fake money thrown from the balcony of a nightclub.

The Shanghai City government said the situation began to deteriorate at 23:35 local time (15:35 GMT) and that a "working group" had been set up to handle the incident.

Photos posted on social media showed people receiving first aid on the road and large numbers of police securing the area.

Many of the dead are believed to be students, with 25 of them women, state media report.

President Xi Jinping has told the Shanghai government to find the causes of the crush as soon as possible, according to state TV.

A traditional new year fireworks display on the Bund had already been cancelled due to official fears of overcrowding, the Shanghai Daily reports.

The BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai says the investigation may focus on why so many people turned out despite the cancellation and whether there were enough police resources in place to look after them.

'Too many people'

English tourist Rebecca Thomas from Manchester told the BBC she had seen dead bodies on the ground.

"CPR was being given to 10-15 people in the street by loved ones whilst police stood by and watched.

"I asked a police officer if I could help and was told to move along. I saw a man giving his wife or girlfriend mouth-to-mouth on the floor whilst police watched," she said.

"There were really too many people!" wrote one user of Sina Weibo - a Chinese equivalent of Twitter. "Squeezed inside, you could not budge, and could only move with the crowd."

The user, called iiisay, added that traffic police had linked hands to form a human wall after the crush, but the wall was still breached several times.

US photographer Gaby Gabriel told the BBC: "Nobody seemed to be in control and people were crying. It was one of those times when you see the worst in people."

Another Sino Weibo user, Small Metal Makes Steel, said: "At the time there were lots of people, police at the scene maintained order and wouldn't let people near [the scene of the injuries]."

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China's President has promised an investigation into the cause of the stampede, as John Sudworth reports

"Lots of people spontaneously linked hands to block the crowds, so the injured had space to settle down, and to allow a clear passage for ambulances," he added.

In a statement, the Shanghai City government said that those hurt had been transferred to hospitals across the city, and that the Shanghai party secretary had visited some of the injured.

Earlier, Shanghai's police department wrote on its verified social media account that some "tourists" had "fallen over" at the Bund, and urged people to leave the area in an orderly fashion.

According to the Shanghai Daily, close to 300,000 people turned up for New Year's Eve celebrations last year, leading to traffic problems.

Were you at Chenyi Square in Shanghai for the New Year celebrations? Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.

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Egypt retrial for al-Jazeera three

1 January 2015 Last updated at 11:04

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Sally Nabil in Cairo: Presidential pardon not expected pending the retrial

Egypt's top court has ordered a retrial of three al-Jazeera journalists jailed on charges of spreading false news.

The decision was made after the hearing in Cairo of an appeal by the three, Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, against their conviction.

Prosecutors acknowledged major problems with the verdict, defence lawyers said. A new trial will occur within a month but the trio must stay in custody.

Al-Jazeera called on the authorities to release its journalists quickly.

The journalists deny the charges, which included collaborating with the banned Muslim Brotherhood after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the military in 2013.

They say they were simply reporting the news.

Two of them are foreign nationals - Peter Greste, a former BBC correspondent, is Australian, and his producer colleague Mohammed Fahmy holds Egyptian and Canadian citizenship.

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The fiancee of Mohamed Fahmy says she is concerned for his health

The three journalists have now spent a year in jail since they were first arrested in December 2013.

They were convicted in June - with Fahmy and Greste jailed for seven years and Mohamed for 10 years.

Judges have ruled that they should remain in custody until the new trial.

At the scene: Orla Guerin, BBC News, Cairo

The fate of the journalists, who have spent more than a year in a high security prison complex, was decided in a matter of minutes.

The media never made it inside the courtroom for the brief hearing. By the time the police let reporters into the courthouse the judge had concluded the hearing.

Defence lawyers and relatives waited for the verdict in a packed corridor. When it came Peter Greste's elderly parents, Lois and Yuris, looked stunned. Just minutes earlier Mohammed Fahmy's lawyer, Negad Al Borai, had been confidently predicting that all three defendants would be released on bail.

Outside court relatives warned that trio could face another lengthy battle, with a retrial lasting as long as a year.

Marwa Omara, fiancee of Mohamed Fahmy, said he would continue his fight for justice and for freedom of the press. Wiping away a tear, she said she and Mohammed would go ahead with their plans to marry - if necessary behind bars.

'Hoped for more'

Thursday's court session began at 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) and lasted just 30 minutes. None of the defendants were present.

An Al-Jazeera spokesman said in a statement after the decision: "Baher, Peter and Mohammed have been unjustly in jail for over a year now.

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Defence lawyer explains a retrial will require the journalists to remain in Egypt

"The Egyptian authorities have a simple choice - free these men quickly, or continue to string this out, all the while continuing this injustice and harming the image of their own country in the eyes of the world. They should choose the former."

Reacting to the hearing, Greste's mother Lois said: "We need some time to process. It's not as positive as we had hoped."

Fahmy's brother Adel said he had "hoped for more" - that his brother would be freed, at least on bail.

But Greste's lawyer Chris Flynn described the decision as being "a positive result".

"It's not the complete vindication that we were hoping for of course," he told the BBC.

"It does, however, recognise... that the original trial processes contain some flaws... and we think overall provides an opportunity for the president to consider perhaps some other measures such as deportation without any further judicial action in Egypt.

"We trust and hope that that will be the approach that's taken."

Key dates

• 29 December 2013: Peter Greste, Bader Mohamed and Mohammed Fadel Fahmy arrested
• February 2014: Put on trial in Cairo on terrorism-related offences
• 23 June: Convicted and jailed for seven to 10 years
• 23 December: Al-Jazeera suspends its Egyptian channel
• 1 January 2015: Retrial ordered after "major problems" found in verdict

The BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo says that the case has been hugely damaging for Egypt, and there have been indications that the authorities want to bring it to a close.

A recent thaw in relations between Egypt and Qatar - which owns the Al Jazeera channel - heightened expectations that the case would be resolved, our correspondent says.

But today's verdict means the journalists will remain behind bars at least until the first hearing of their new trial - which is expected to take place within a month. Lawyers say they will then apply for bail.

In December al-Jazeera decided to suspend its Egyptian channel, Mubasher Misr (Live Egypt), whose coverage had become a major source of tension between the two countries.

Analysts speculated that the channel's suspension might ease the way for Egypt to free the two foreign journalists in line with a recently-approved law that allows foreign citizens to be deported rather than jailed.

President Sisi has said in the past he wished the journalists had been deported rather than being put on trial.

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More bodies from AirAsia crash found

1 January 2015 Last updated at 11:59

Two more bodies have been recovered from the Java Sea as search operations continue for the remains of AirAsia Flight QZ8501, officials say.

The bodies, flown to an airbase in Borneo, bring to nine the total recovered. The funeral of one victim, a flight attendant, has been held.

However, bad weather has continued to hamper the search for wreckage.

The plane came down four days ago en route from Indonesia to Singapore with 162 people on board.

No survivors have been found.

Skies brightened over the search area on Thursday but rough seas, which slowed salvage efforts, returned within hours.

Ships and planes are scouring the Java Sea off Borneo. Malaysia, Australia and Thailand are helping Indonesia with the search, while the US destroyer USS Sampson has been sent to the zone.

Divers are hoping to investigate a large object sighted by a rescue pilot which it is thought could be part of the airliner.

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A candlelit vigil was held for the 162 people on board flight QZ8501, as Rupert Wingfield Hayes reports

Naval officer Siahala Alamsyah said that bad weather and high seas on Wednesday night prevented a team of about 50 Indonesian navy divers from flying out to warships at the scene of the disaster.

Search teams are hoping to locate the fuselage of the plane on the seabed and find the plane's "black box" recorders, which could provide clues about the cause of the crash.

"It's possible the bodies are in the fuselage," said search and rescue co-ordinator Sunarbowo Sand from his base in Pangkalan Bun on Borneo island - the closest town to the targeted area.

"It's a race now against time and weather."

Flight QZ8501, from Surabaya in Java to Singapore, disappeared on Sunday. Debris from the plane, an Airbus A320-200, was located in the sea on Tuesday.

There were 137 adult passengers, 17 children and one infant, along with two pilots and five crew, on the plane.

The majority of those on board were Indonesians.

Bodies are being flown on from Borneo to Surabaya where relatives, providing DNA samples, are waiting for them to be identified.

The only body identified so far is that of AirAsia flight attendant Hayati Lutfia Hamid. Her funeral has taken place in Surabaya.

Aerodynamic stall?

Some investigators are reported to believe that the plane may have gone into an aerodynamic stall as the pilot climbed steeply to avoid a storm.

Officials quoted by the Reuters news agency say that the plane was travelling at 32,000ft (9,750m) when it requested to climb to 38,000ft to avoid bad weather.

When air traffic controllers consented to allow it to climb to 34,000ft a few minutes later, they got no reply.

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Sribudi Siswardani's 31-year-old son was on board AirAsia flight QZ8501 - on his first trip overseas

A source quoted by Reuters said that radar data appeared to show that the aircraft's "unbelievably" steep climb may have been beyond the Airbus A320's limits.

"So far, the numbers taken by the radar are unbelievably high. This rate of climb is very high, too high. It appears to be beyond the performance envelope of the aircraft," the source said, while emphasising that more information was needed before a definitive conclusion could be reached.

Hundreds of people, including young children, turned out to a candlelit vigil in Surabaya on Wednesday evening.

All New Year's Eve celebrations in East Java province were cancelled.

In Jakarta, the capital, residents began new year festivities with a prayer for the victims. A number of other cities cancelled or scaled down their new year celebrations.

AirAsia previously had an excellent safety record and there were no fatal accidents involving its aircraft.

Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the AirAsia flight? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.

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Christmas Day robbery victim dies

31 December 2014 Last updated at 11:58

A 61-year-old man assaulted during a robbery at his home on Christmas Day has died in hospital.

The man was at home in Reney Crescent, Lowedges, Sheffield, when the attack took place at about 10:30 GMT.

South Yorkshire Police said a man entered the house and attacked the victim before stealing a games console and cash.

A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident.

The suspect is being held in police custody.

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AirAsia bodies returned to airport

31 December 2014 Last updated at 10:57

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Clive Myrie reports from Surabaya as two of the bodies are returned in coffins

The first two bodies from the AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash have arrived back in the Indonesian city of Surabaya, where relatives are waiting.

Next of kin have been asked for DNA samples to help identify the victims.

The Airbus A320-200, carrying 162 people from Surabaya to Singapore, disappeared on Sunday and remains were located in the sea on Tuesday.

The authorities say seven bodies have been retrieved, but bad weather is hampering further salvage efforts.

A public memorial will be held in Surabaya on Wednesday evening local time, and the governor of East Java province has told the BBC that all New Year's Eve celebrations have been cancelled.

On board the plane were 137 adult passengers, 17 children and one infant, along with two pilots and five crew.

It is not yet clear what happened to the plane but its last communication was a request from air traffic control to climb to avoid bad weather. The pilot did not respond when given permission.

A three-day search culminated on Tuesday with the discovery of remains including aircraft parts, luggage and the bodies in the Karimata Strait, south-west of the town of Pangkalan Bun in the Indonesian part of Borneo.

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said it had now been narrowed, with all assets involved in the search being moved to two areas where the aircraft could be.

Wind and rain

The bodies were flown to Surabaya's Juanda airport on Wednesday afternoon from a hospital in Pangkalan Bun, where they had been sent from the crash site.

Another five bodies are reported to be on board a ship on their way to a harbour near Pangkalan Bun.

Four of the seven bodies are male and three female, one of them a flight attendant.

One search and rescue agency official, Tatang Zaenudin, said one of the bodies was wearing a life jacket but this has not been confirmed.

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Pilot's friend: "He was very professional and experienced and a humble man"

But strong winds and 2m waves have slowed down the recovery of bodies and debris, with helicopters mostly grounded and divers prevented from searching the waters.

Ships already in place are continuing the search. Mr Fernandes said they were expecting to operate round the clock.

The weather is forecast to deteriorate further, with heavy rains until Friday.

Next of kin of passengers and crew have been asked for DNA samples to help identify the bodies when they come in.

The BBC's Alice Budisatrijo in Surabaya says concerns are growing that the remains will be too difficult to identify after more than three days in the water.

Officials in Surabaya said a public announcement would be made as soon as any remains were identified.

On Tuesday Indonesian President Joko Widodo promised a "massive search by the ships and helicopters" with the focus on recovering the bodies.

The call came hours after the first debris was spotted in the sea, along with a shadow under the water.

However, Mr Fernandes described reports that a large object had been detected by sonar as speculation.

"[The searchers] feel more comfortable that they are beginning to know where it is, but there is no confirmation... no sonar... some visual identification, but nothing confirmed," he said.

The Associated Press news agency quoted one official as saying the bodies of victims could end up being washed up on beaches.

"It seems all the wreckage found has drifted more than 50km from yesterday's location," Vice Air Marshal Sunarbowo Sandi said.

Pictures of debris and bodies were shown on Indonesian TV to distraught relatives waiting at Surabaya's Juanda international airport.

Those watching the pictures were visibly shocked, with some collapsing.

The search is being led by Indonesia but is a multinational effort. Singapore has sent ships equipped with sensors to detect pings that may be emitted from the plane's black boxes.

Malaysia, Australia and Thailand are also involved, while the US destroyer USS Sampson has been sent to the zone.

AirAsia previously had an excellent safety record and there were no fatal accidents involving its aircraft.

Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the AirAsia flight? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.

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Poppy duo and acting stars honoured

31 December 2014 Last updated at 01:59

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Joan Collins: "Dame Joan, wow"

The creators of the World War One ceramic poppy display at the Tower of London have joined acting grandees Joan Collins and John Hurt on the New Year Honours list.

Ceramic artist Paul Cummins and theatre designer Tom Piper are both made MBEs in recognition of the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation which attracted five million visitors.

The acting profession is strongly represented on the list, with Collins and Kristin Scott Thomas becoming dames and Hurt knighted. There is an OBE for Emily Watson, as well as James Corden and Sheridan Smith, who appeared together in TV sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

A total of 1,164 people are honoured by the Queen on the New Year list, three-quarters of whom have been recognised for work in their communities. The awards are split equally between men and women. And a further 87 recipients are named on the Foreign Office list which recognises service overseas.

Dame Joan, who was made an OBE for her contribution to the arts in 1997, is recognised this time for services to charity. She said she was "thrilled and truly grateful". Dame Kristin, who is shortly to play the Queen on stage in The Audience, said she was "thrilled, astonished and worried that I might suddenly wake up".

Among the other new dames are fashion designer Mary Quant; broadcaster Esther Rantzen, founder of the Childline and Silver Line charities, and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Trevor Hicks and Margaret Aspinall, who campaigned for a quarter of a century for the families of the 96 football fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster, are made CBEs. A new inquest into the deaths is still going on.

Women's Rugby World Cup winners Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark are among the sports stars recognised with MBEs.

Athlete Steve Cram, a former 1500m world champion, becomes a CBE in recognition of his recent work as chair of the English Institute of Sport.

The same honour goes to novelist Ali Smith.

Meanwhile, an inquiry is to be carried out into the apparent leaking of a string of names from the list before they were officially announced. Sir Bob Kerslake, the outgoing head of the Civil Service, said he was "concerned", describing the situation as "highly regrettable".

Continue reading the main story

The poppy installation saw 888,246 ceramic flowers gradually fill the moat of the Tower of London, each one representing a British and Commonwealth military death in World War One. The Queen referred to the artwork in her Christmas message.

Mr Cummins said he felt "taken aback and extremely happy to receive this unexpected honour".

He said everyone who had worked on the project "should feel a part of this MBE, without them this installation wouldn't have been created".

Mr Piper added: "I am extremely proud of the part I have played in this unique collaboration. It has been a real privilege to co-create an artwork which has meant so much to so many people."

Dame Esther said: "I am thrilled that this honour recognises the contribution made by Childline and the Silver Line in transforming lives, and I am delighted that the talented teams at both charities have also been recognised for their inspirational work and devotion to the most vulnerable children and older people in our society."

Games success

Among the political honours, former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Paddy Ashdown is appointed a member of the elite Companions of Honour. Stirling MP Anne McGuire becomes a dame and Southend West MP David Amess is knighted. Baroness Ashton, the former EU foreign policy chief, has been made a member of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Dame Mary Peters, who won a gold medal in the women's pentathlon at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, also joins the Companion of Honour.

The honours for sport also acknowledge the work of ex-West Bromwich Albion footballer and racial equality campaigner Brendon Batson, who becomes an OBE.

Great Britain hockey captain Kathrin Richardson-Walsh, as well as Northern Ireland boxer Patrick Barnes and Scotland judo player Euan Burton, who both won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, all get MBEs.

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Dame Esther Rantzen: "I am used to very grand people being Dames and I can't really adjust"

The success of the Games itself is recognised, with a CBE for Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson and an OBE for Commonwealth Games Scotland chief executive Jon Doig.

Others from the world of entertainment on the list include comedian and author Meera Syal and Grammy-winning producer and one half of 1960s pop duo Peter and Gordon, Peter Asher. Both become CBEs.

Aldeburgh Music chief executive and former BBC Proms director Roger Wright, who receives a CBE, said he was "thrilled to be honoured for my work in the service of music".

Oscar-nominated screenwriter William Nicholson, whose work includes Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, Les Miserables and Gladiator, collects an OBE.

In the world of business, wind-up radio inventor Trevor Baylis is appointed CBE, as are entrepreneur James Caan, who appeared on TV show Dragons' Den, and Brent Hoberman who co-founded travel website lastminute.com with Martha Lane Fox in 1998. There is an OBE for Julie Deane, co-owner and founder of The Cambridge Satchel Company.

Youth channel

There is a knighthood for Dr Simon Campbell who played a key role in the development of Viagra while he was senior vice-president at pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer.

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Jamal Edwards, one of youngest people to be awarded an MBE

Jamal Edwards, who founded influential youth broadcasting channel SBTV, becomes an MBE. The 24-year-old entrepreneur from west London, who helped launch the career of Ed Sheeran among others, said: "I'm overwhelmed. My gran doesn't know yet. My mum and dad know but that's it."

Former Lord Mayor of London, Fiona Woolf is named a dame for services to the legal profession, diversity and the City of London. She stood down as the head of the inquiry into how public bodies dealt with historical child abuse allegations earlier this year.

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Trevor Hicks: "I'm a bloke who's done a job of work to the best of his ability"

Kate Lampard, who oversaw the NHS investigation into Jimmy Savile, and Britain's most senior female police officer, Cressida Dick, who is to leave the Metropolitan Police after 31 years, both become CBEs.

There are knighthoods for HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor and former Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Matt Baggott.

David Verey, chairman of the Art Fund, which provided funding for the the Verey Galley at Eton College, now opened to the public, is also knighted.

Two Network Rail executives are also on the list. Patrick Hallgate, a route managing director involved in the repair of the flood-hit line at Dawlish in Devon, becomes an MBE for services to the economy in the South West. David Ward, route managing director for the South East, is given an OBE, for services to the rail industry.

Marathon runner

In a rare occurrence, two members of the same family are recognised for separate activities on the same list.

Mairi O'Keefe receives an MBE for services to people with disabilities through her work as chief executive of Leuchie House in East Lothian.

Her mother Catriona MacKinnon receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the Gaelic language and culture.

Fauja Singh, who at 103 years old is widely recognised as the oldest marathon runner in the world, is also given a BEM.

Among the less heralded recipients, there is a BEM for Joanne Copsey, a town pastor in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, who co-ordinates a team of 50 volunteers working with the police to ensure people are safe on the streets at night.

Hazel Geach, who has given more than four decades of dedicated service to the Scouting movement in Romford, Essex, is made an MBE.

There is also an MBE for Gbolahan Bright, founder of Bright Futerz which provides counselling and mentoring to young people with behavioural problems.

The honours system

Commonly awarded ranks:

• Companion of honour - Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name
• Knight or Dame
• CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire
• OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire
• MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire
• BEM - British Empire Medal

Guide to the honours

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