Campaigners reveal radical plan for UK house rental prices to be based on local pay rates

Citizens UK wants political parties to back proposals which would deliver thousands of affordable properties to ease pressure on the housing property market

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An army of community campaigners could hold the key to tackling Britain’s affordable homes crisis under a radical plan to be unveiled today.

Citizens UK wants political parties to back proposals which would deliver thousands of properties to ease pressure on the housing property market.

Not-for-profit Community Land Trusts see activists build and manage homes rented out to tenants based on local pay rates.

Organisers will today visit towns across Britain to highlight their campaign in the run-up to polling day.

Citizens Chairman Paul Regan said: “Housing is a real issue for many of our members. They are increasingly finding that they are being squeezed out of the areas they call home, and as a result families are suffering the consequences - paying exorbitant rents, being overcrowded, or losing their wider support networks of friends and relatives as they are forced to leave their neighbourhood.

“We are calling on politicians to support the development of Community Land Trusts, which can contribute to the much-needed demand for more homes.”

The Mirror revealed in December how thousands of homeless families have been forced out of their local areas and placed in temporary accommodation away from their friends.

A total of 15,260 families living in hostels or bed and breakfasts have been moved from their home neighbourhoods - a rise of 29% in just 12 months.

Figures showed 60,470 homeless households were in temporary accommodation - the highest level for five years.

And this week it emerged nearly 1,000 more Britons are sleeping rough since David Cameron came to power, with 2,744 homeless people bedding down doorways and on the streets last autumn, compared with 1,768 four years earlier.

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Rise: The amount of homeless people in Britain has risen by over 40% since Cameron came into power

Supporters believe Community Land Trusts, where members own the organisation, build and run homes, can help.

There are 170 schemes already underway, with 3,000 homes expected to be built by 2020.

But leaders believe an election commitment to back the idea could see that number treble over the next five years.

They hope to develop disused council land and derelict buildings to spruce-up communities and boost the number of homes available.

And they hope that by taking on the major house builders, they can force down the cost of living for some of Britain’s most vulnerable people who struggle with soaring rent bills.

South London volunteer Nano McCaughan said: “All too often public land gets sold off and communities are promised affordable housing as a part of the development.

“But the reality of affordable housing in these schemes means that the majority of working families are still locked out of home ownership.

“The beauty of the Community Land Trust model is that the homes remain community assets in perpetuity.

“We think councils and developers have a responsibility to think more creatively about housing, particularly considering the increasing demand and anticipated population growth.”

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Thugs who bludgeoned badger to death convicted after DNA from animal is found on clothes

Three men in their 20s were caught and convicted at a Magistrates Court in Chesterfield after DNA from the badger was found on one of the men’s clothes

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Three heartless killers who brutally smashed an animal’s skull have become the first to be convicted using animal DNA - from a badger.

Antonio Miguel Alonso-Brown, 24, Liam Darren Swift, 20, and Nathan Swift, 24 - were caught by cops after DNA from a dead badger was found on one of the men’s bloodied clothes.

This ground-breaking move is the first time ever that badger DNA has been used to match a dead animal to its killers.

The badger slayers were stopped by police as they tried to flee the scene in the car where officers found locator collars - used to track dogs underground - as well as three shovels and six dogs.

Officers then found the dead animal close to an area of backfilled earth with its skull smashed in.

Alonso-Brown and Nathan Swift were stopped by police in a car as they tried to leave the scene, while Liam Swift was found hiding in a nearby field by cops using thermal imaging cameras on an overhead helicopter.

Blood and hair found on one of the shovels was DNA tested against a blood stained vest and found to be a match.

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Sentenced: The men had their verdicts read out at Chesterfield Magistrates Court

Jailing the men for 12-weeks at North East Derbyshire & Dales Magistrates’ Court, Chesterfield on Thursday, magistrates said the crime was serious enough to send the men to prison because they had set out to deliberately kill a badger.

All three were banned for keeping dogs for life and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £80 each.

Chief inspector Ian Briggs, from the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said: “This case demonstrates perfectly how modern forensic techniques can be applied to animal cruelty cases in order to catch those who might previously have evaded justice.

“By working closely with the Wildlife DNA Forensic unit at the Scottish Government’s Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) we have been able to not only catch these men, but connect them specifically to the badger they killed and use that evidence to prove the case in court.

“Using such advanced science as this in animal welfare prosecutions might have been unheard of just a few years ago but it is now a valuable tool in proving cruelty.

“This was the first time we’d worked with the Wildlife DNA Forensic unit at SASA in this way, but after it has proven such a huge success I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

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Watch Second World War deep sea bomb explode after it was discovered by shocked fishermen

The huge blast can be seen erupting from the ocean in this stunning footage         

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This is the moment Royal Navy divers detonated a 1000lb Second World War bomb off the Tyneside coast.

The device was discovered by fisherman on Wednesday just before 5.30pm, as they caught the object in their nets.

The crew of were fishing around three miles off Souter Point in South Shields when they brought up the suspected bomb.

The bomb was then transported to Whitley Bay so that it could be examined but on the advice of Royal Navy bomb disposal experts, the device was lowered back onto the sea bed.

It was later detonated one-and-a-half miles away from the Whitley Bay coast, reports the Chronicle.

A spokesman for the Royal Navy said members of their northern diving group examined the device and found it posed a threat.

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Payday loans: Wonga escapes prosecution for sending fake legal letters to its customers

The shamed company has agreed £2.6m compensation over its debt collection practice – but police say there is not enough evidence to take it to court

Shamed payday lender Wonga will not face ­prosecution over its fake law company scandal, police said yesterday.

The firm was slammed last year for chasing debtors with ­threatening letters from bogus legal outfits.

But City of London Police, which began looking at the firm’s practices last summer, says it has insufficient evidence to investigate.

The decision comes despite Wonga agreeing to £2.6million compensation for 45,000 customers sent letters from fictitious law firms between 2008 and 2010.

Wonga said its focus was on “putting things right” for customers affected.

But Labour MP Stella Creasy, a leading campaigner against payday lenders, said: “The Financial Conduct Authority seems to have enough evidence to make Wonga pay compensation. Why don’t the police?”

Talks between regulators and the police began in 2012 when problems with Wonga’s debt collection practices were uncovered by the Office of Fair Trading.

At that point it was decided the OFT would continue its work, rather than the case being referred, with “the interests of the consumer being at the fore”.

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Last October, Wonga announced it was writing off the debts of 330,000 borrowers after a clampdown from City watchdogs.

The firm admitted it was kissing goodbye to £220million from people who could not afford the repayments.

Wonga chairman Andy Haste said at the time: “The need for change is real and urgent.

“We are sorry for what happened.”

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Boxers drawn against each other for bout refuse to fight - because they are identical twins

The loving twins say their parents would never allow them to fight eachother

Richard Williams

Two boxers drawn against each other in a qualifying round have refused to fight - because they are identical twins.

Patrick and Paul Birkenhead, both aged 15, are following the example of the Klitschko brothers, and of twins George and Henry Cooper, by making a pact never to fight in the ring.

The Kirkdale siblings were drawn to face each other in the semi final of the local Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) national qualifying rounds.

Patrick - a southpaw because he is left-handed and fights from an unorthodox stance - is the younger sibling by a minute and a former ABA junior champion.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "We're the best of friends and get on great. And of course our mum [Alice] and dad would never have let the fight take place anyway."

It has been decided instead that Paul will automatically go through to the final.

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Training: Boxing twins Patrick and Paul Birkenhead with head coach Mick McCallister at the Rotunda boxing club

Patrick added: "If we had fought I think Paul would have won because he is a better fighter. It's only fair that he should go through to the final because it really is his weight category.

"I only ended up in this band because I couldn't make the weight in my usual class."

Brother Paul, who is right handed and fights from an orthodox stance, strongly disagrees with his sibling's assessment.

He said: "Patrick is only saying that because of our records. We have each had 20 fights. He's won 12 and I have one more victory, there's hardly any difference. I think any fight between us would be 50-50, but we'll never know."

Both teenagers began boxing when aged nine, and stepped beneath the ropes for their first bout when they were 11 years old.

They train at Kirkdale's Rotunda Club four nights a week, with another session reserved for running. The famous boxing centre also plays a huge part in the life of the Birkenhead family of six, as 16-year-old sister Daisy is a resident coach and younger sister Peggy, nine, is a promising fighter.

Paul and Patrick attend Alsop High School where they are in the top sets in most subjects and are due to take 10/ 11 GCSE exams.

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Brothers: Boxing twins Patrick and Paul Birkenhead at the Rotunda boxing club

Patrick said: "If it's possible I would like to be a professional boxer.

Although if this doesn't happen I am revising hard in order that I may study medicine and become a doctor.

"The professional boxer I most admire is Manny Pacquiao. I can't wait to see the fight between him and Floyd Mayweather, it's really interesting."

While his brother Paul is also looking forward to the Pacquiao/ Mayweather confrontation, his preference is elsewhere and for more personal reasons.

He said: "The professional fighter I like is the light middleweight Saul Alvarez, who they call Canelo. This is because he is an exciting fighter, but mostly because he is a ginger like me!"

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Parents write moving tributes to their inspirational daughters living with rare diseases

Rare Disease Day: raising awareness with testimonies from carers and patients

Two parents have spoken movingly about how being diagnosed with rare diseases changed their young daughters' lives.

Mum Michaela, from Czech Republic, talked about how her two-year-old daughter, Tereza, was only the nineteenth child in the country to be diagnosed with CDG type 1A.

The condition affects her growth and development causing problems with bones and muscles.

Michaela, and other parents, talked about their children's diseases as part of Rare Disease Day, which takes place on Saturday, February 28.

As part of the campaign to raise awareness about people living with such diseases, charity EURORDIS released the video above.

Michaela, mother of Tereza, who has CDG 1A

CDG type 1A (congenital disorder of glycosylation) is an inherited condition which affects growth and development and causes problems with bones and muscles.

Tereza, who suffers from a condition which causes problems with her bones

"Since the diagnosis, we have learned more about the disease, and how to help our little princess in her development.

"We do what we can as parents as best we can. Tereza doesn't walk yet but she makes progress every day. She is a very happy girl who understands everything that we tell her. She can't speak much yet, so sometimes she gets very angry when we don't understand her.

"We know she would like to walk and that also makes her unhappy sometimes: she can't get to where she wants to go. Even at two years old, she has a strong will and she tries to cope with everything.

"She is an incredibly friendly and empathetic little person. She loves people and is extremely curious. She is interested in everything and she likes to try new things whenever she can.

"There isn't much information in the Czech Republic on my daughter's disease. We are a bit lost and don't know what will happen or what we can expect."

Learn more about CDG and meet other people living with it here .

Parents of Raya, a toddler who suffers from Lipoprotien Lipase Deficiency

Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency affects 1 in 1,000,000 people causing high fat levels in the blood.

As Raya gets older she could put on 20g of fat per day

"We are the parents of two children. At two months Raya got really sick. She had a high fever which would not break, was vomiting a lot and she was grunting with every breath she took.

"We took Raya to accident and emergency where the doctors examined her. When a blood test was carried out, the doctors were shocked to see that her blood was not red like normal, but appeared to be a strawberry milkshake pink in colour.

"Doctors say that as Raya gets older and gains more weight she will put on 20g of fat per day.

"All in all, Raya is a very happy child with such a kind heart and a big smile. We would change that for the world! And as she grows, we will always remind her of just how special and amazing she is. And that, no matter what, she is just as important and loved as anyone else."

Learn more about Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency and meet other people living with it here .

As well as parents writing about their children's experiences, other adults shared what they suffer living with a rare disease.

Timo, a CEO, suddenly diagnosed with Aortic Dissection Type A

Aortic Dissection Type A is a rare and painful heart condition where there is a tear in the wall of the artery responsible for carrying blood out of the heart.

Timo had to have part of his aorta replaces

"Two years ago I got ill with Aortic Dissection Type A. My whole world changed that day. After open heart surgery and the replacement of part of my aorta, I gradually returned to life.

"I do not work any more. I spend my time partly in hospital on rehab training and follow-ups, and partly by trying to build a non-profit public patient association with other AD friends for people living with Aortic Dissection

"Having worked as a CEO in companies in need of a financial turnaround and as a manager in projects concerning change management, my life has included a high level of blood pressure.

"Now I can only regret that I did not visit the doctor sooner, and that I did not prioritise my health until I got ill."

Learn more about Aortic Dissection and meet other people living with it here

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