Nick Scholfield is lined up to ride Spring Heeled in the Grand National at Aintree on April 11.

Nick Scholfield has been lined up to ride Jim Culloty’s Spring Heeled in the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday week.

Scholfield had been expected to partner Paul Nicholls-trained Sam Winner, who was pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in the £1million race.

But the champion trainer  said on Wednesday it was unfair to tie Scholfield down to a gelding which is far from certain to run when the mount on another leading definite contender is being offered.

Scholfield, who has ridden in six Nationals and finished third in 2013 on Teaforthree, will travel to Ireland to sit on Spring Heeled at Culloty’s County Cork stable on Friday.

Nicholls said: ‘I have not made up my mind if I am going to run Sam Winner yet and Nick needed a decision.

‘I did not want to get into a situation next week when I had to say "sorry mate, he is not running" and did not want to stop him getting a good ride.

‘I have not pressed any buttons on any of the horses who ran at Cheltenham. That will happen over the weekend and early next week. I don’t want to run unless I am really happy.

‘I have plenty of other lads who could ride Sam Winner if he runs and would not be afraid to use Will Biddick or Harry Skelton.’

Spring Heeled (right) wins the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at Cheltenham last year.

Spring Heeled, winner of Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, has been given a National preparation.

The eight-year-old has run only once since finishing fourth to Road To Riches in the Galway Plate in July when he was fourth of five in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February.

Racemail revealed on Wednesday that Culloty would have two runners in the National.

Robbie McNamara will ride his 2014 Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere.

Scholfield rides Teaforthree (front) as the horse jumps the last fence at Aintree in the 2013 Grand National.

McNamara said: ‘It's a great ride to get and I'm looking forward to it. I've ridden him before in a Grade One in Leopardstown and I was supposed to ride him in the Hennessy there as well, but I broke my collarbone the day before. I'm delighted to get back on him.’

With Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Double Ross another confirmed non runner, David Pipe’s well supported Soll appears guaranteed a run at the bottom of the weights.

Luke Morris became the first jockey to ride 100 winners during an All Weather Flat racing season when a double at Chelmsford on Wednesday aboard Giantouch and Middle East Pearl carried him to 101 successes for the campaign.

Summary: Nick Schofield is riding Spring Heeled in the Crabbie's Grand National on Saturday. Schofield was expected to ride Sam Winner. Says Schofield, "I have plenty of other lads who could ride Sam Winner..." Spring Heeled has only run once since finishing fourth in the Galway Plate.


Summary: Preparation is taking place for a horse riding tournament, The Grand National. A jockey, Nick Scholfield, is deciding whether to ride one of two horses for this competition: Spring Heeled or Sam Winner.


Summary: Nick Scholfield will travel to Ireland and is lined up to ride Spring Heeled in the Grand National at Aintree. Scholfield was originally paired with Sam Winner, but trainer Paul Nicholls said that he did not want to tie up Scholfield with a gelding and stop him from getting a good ride.


Dr Mehmet Oz's fellow faculty members at Columbia have written an op-ed lashing out at how his 'unsubstantiated medicine... sullies the reputation' of the university - in just the latest attack on his talk show tactics.

But they also leap to the physician's defense in the piece, saying that his on-air 'Ozisms' should not cancel out his stellar work at the university, where he has an unblemished record as a doctor.

The eight staff wrote the op-ed for USA Today after 10 doctors urged Columbia to sever all ties with Oz, who serves as vice chairman and professor of surgery at the College of Physicians.

Those doctors accused him of being a 'charlatan' who promotes 'quack treatments' on his syndicated talk show - accusations Dr Oz has vehemently fought this week.

Scroll down for videos.

Under fire: Faculty at Columbia University have said some of Dr Mehmet Oz's tactics have 'sullied their reputation' - but also applauded him for the work he had carried out at the Ivy League school.

In the new op-ed, his fellow faculty also denounced his TV show methods.

They pointed out that in 2014, the BMJ medical journal said 'that less than half of the recommendations on his show are based on at least somewhat believable evidence'.

'Many of us are spending a significant amount of our clinical time debunking Ozisms regarding metabolism game changers,' the staff members wrote in the op-ed.

'Irrespective of the underlying motives, this unsubstantiated medicine sullies the reputation of Columbia University and undermines the trust that is essential to physician-patient relationships.'

That said, 'the weaknesses in [his] professional balance sheet' should not force him out of his job at Columbia University, where he has been employed since 2001, they wrote.

He was hired because of his strengths as a doctor and receives top reviews from his peers and patients, and therefore should not be forced to leave the job 'in which he excels', they wrote.

Support: The eight faculty members, including Drs Michael Rosenbaum, left, and Joan Bregstein. right, said they have spent a great deal of their time debunking 'Ozisms' their colleague had shared on air.

Instead, they suggested that his case raises questions of what responsibilities doctors in the media have to their patients.

'What happens when a doctor's job in media-medicine collides with office- or hospital-based medicine? Dr. Mehmet Oz is a case in-point.'

'Many of us are spending a significant amount of our clinical time debunking Ozisms regarding metabolism game changers. Irrespective of the underlying motives, this unsubstantiated medicine sullies the reputation of Columbia University and undermines the trust that is essential to physician-patient relationships.'

'We need to re-evaluate the roles of the health sciences and government in broadcast medicine and what are the responsibilities of media physicians to their patients?'

'Non-evidence based medical recommendations presented without the appropriate caveats are costly and potentially harmful. However, unless these foibles can be shown to render Dr. Oz inadequate or ineffective at Columbia, there is no justification for forcing him to resign from a well-earned position in academic medicine.

'Regulatory guidance addressing the tension between his two positions is potentially a far better solution that could result in improved health care both in the doctor's office and in the media.

'Dr. Oz might begin each program with a simple disclaimer: "The opinions expressed on this program may not be evidence-based or part of accepted medical practice and have no endorsement from Columbia University."'

The full op-ed can be read at USA Today.

'Non-evidence based medical recommendations presented without the appropriate caveats are costly and potentially harmful,' they wrote. 'However, unless these foibles can be shown to render Dr. Oz inadequate or ineffective at Columbia, there is no justification for forcing him to resign from a well-earned position in academic medicine.'

Rather, he should start each show with a disclaimer: 'The opinions expressed on this program may not be evidence-based or part of accepted medical practice and have no endorsement from Columbia University,' they said.

The op-ed was penned by Dr Michael Rosenbaum, Dr Joan Bregstein, Dr Elizabeth Oelsner, Dr Sumit Mohan and Dr Dana March of Columbia University Medical Center, Dr Michelle Odlum of the School of Nursing, Dr Katherine Shear of the College of Physicians & Surgeons, and Tal Gross of the Department of Health Policy and Management.

On Friday, Dr Oz, 54, said he was 'very proud to have that feedback' from his colleagues as he appeared on the Today show.

'The [Dr Oz] show has to be much broader than what might take place in a doctor's office,' he said.

'I completely respect why so many of my colleagues might have a difficulty with that, but I'm also appreciative that many of them do understand why that's important.'

While appearing on Today, he insisted that, despite the criticisms, his show will continue. He has been hosting the program since 2009.

'Without question, the show will survive it,' he said. 'I want to keep doing the show for as long as I can because I think we played an important role in making America a better place.'

Even though he often wears his scrubs on air, he added that his show is not about medicine, but about living 'the good life', such as looking at the power of prayer or techniques abroad.

Defense: On Friday, Dr Oz appeared on the Today show and said his show would survive the criticism.

Vehement: He told Matt Lauer that his show was more about living 'the good life' than medical information.

He said he continues to stand by his use of the word 'miracle' to some treatments - but wishes he had not used it for weight-loss supplements.

'This is a flawed area with lots of fraud, both in the research and in products,' he said. 'And we no longer talk about them. I haven't talked about them in a year.'

And talking about the letter from the 10 doctors last week, he said that those critics have agendas, particularly against genetically modified organisms, which he has supported.

'The 10 doctors who attacked me got what they wanted – sensational headlines and sound bites,' he previously said on his Thursday show, which was entitled The Truth About His Critics.

'It's ironic that I am being accused of a conflict of interest by these doctors, when, as you are about to see, some of them have their own conflict of interest issues - and some integrity ones also.'

Four who signed the letter, including leader author Henry Miller, have at some point been associated with the American Council on Science and Health.

Defiant: The celebrity doctor used Thursday's episode of The Dr. Oz Show to hit back and claim that the criticism he's received is part of a conspiracy because of his outspoken views on genetically modified food.

The organization has previously received grants from Monsanto, who manufactures GMO seeds.

During his show on Thursday, Oz denied attacking genetically modified foods.

'That is not true. I have never judged GMO foods,' he said. 'But just like 64 countries around the world, I support GMO labeling so you can decide on the foods for your family.'

Dr Miller had written of Oz: 'He's a quack and a fake and a charlatan. I think I know the motivation at Columbia. 'They're star-struck, and like having on their faculty the best-known doctor in the country.

'But the fact is that his advice endangers patients, and this doesn't seem to faze them.'

Columbia previously released a statement that it 'is committed to the principle of academic freedom and to upholding faculty members' freedom of expression for statements they make in public discussion.'

Summary: Faculty at Columbia University have written an op-ed to denounce the non-evidence-based medical recommendations given on the talk show hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz. Dr. Oz is employed at the Ivy League school where he serves as vice chairman and professor of surgery at the College of Physicians.


Summary: Celebrity doctor, Mehmet Oz, is being attacked and forced to resign in an op-ed written by fellow Columbia faculty members, stating that Dr. Oz sullies the university's reputation for his unorthodox methods. But despite these criticisms, Dr. Oz states that he will continue because his show goes beyond just medical information.


"It's all about taking an opportunity in a crisis," says the outgoing Conservative leader of Melton Borough Council.

Byron Rhodes is taking me around the modern council headquarters. It's full of light. It's busy.

The building has regenerated the area around Melton Mowbray's railway station, once a muddy pot-holed piece of wasteland where those in the know parked for free.

Now the council offices link the station to a park and the town centre.

It was partly paid for with insurance money after a fire destroyed the old offices on the other side of town.

A supermarket moved in to replace it and helped with the money too, putting the council on a firm financial footing.

But that was four years ago and the crisis is a different one today. It's being experienced by all local authorities - cuts in central government funding which threaten the services they provide.

Mr Rhodes is also deputy leader of Leicestershire County Council, with responsibility for finance.

Leicestershire is historically the poorest funded council in the country because of a quirk of Whitehall recalculations, going back a quarter of a century since the poll tax, or community charge, was scrapped.

At the moment councils get income from council tax, a share of the business rates, any income they generate themselves from services plus a grant from central government.

It's the grant cut which is causing them grief.

What's called the "core funding" is worked out by the number of homes multiplied by a set amount. And each authority has a different value set per dwelling.

If we look at Surrey, which is top of the table, the amount will be £1,686 by 2019/20.

Nottinghamshire is mid-table at £1,482, Derbyshire is in the lower reaches with £1,422 per dwelling and then comes Leicestershire at £1,354.

"The funding system is chaotic," says Byron Rhodes.

"It doesn't reflect real need. Look at Oxfordshire which is an interesting example," he says with a glint in his eye.

Could he possibly be referring to the prime ministerial plea to the county council about cutbacks to services there?

"If we had the same funding as Oxfordshire, we'd have £50m a year extra. If we had the same as Surrey, we'd have £100m more. We'd be partying everyday if we had that kind of money."

Leicestershire have been helped with a small share of what's been called transitional funding - about £300m to help councils following pressure from Conservative MPs.

Think back to the vote on Sunday trading. With a majority of only  17 in the Commons, the Conservatives lost the vote when 20 odd rebelled.

Last month there would've been another rebellion, including some of our own Tory MPs in the East Midlands, if something wasn't done to improve the local government finance settlement over the next four years.

The money has gone largely to shire counties. Leicestershire got £6.6m spread over two years, enough to save some services from closure.

But it's a drop in the ocean for an authority with a £19m black hole in the budget every year after the latest cutbacks.

Labour have protested that 83% of the councils getting transition funding are Conservative-run. Many Labour-run authorities such as Derby, Leicester and Nottingham, got nothing.

The leader of Derby City Council, Ranjit Banwait, has launched a "fair funding for Derby" campaign. He says the allocation of government funding is unfair and political and the cuts they're having to impose on leisure services and culture are devastating.

"Now they are threatening our ability to protect the vulnerable and our ability to function is under threat," said Mr Banwait.

Back in Melton Mowbray, Byron Rhodes has some sympathy for the Labour council in Derby.

"Derby probably have some greater needs," he says.

But once more he is talking about seizing an opportunity in a crisis.

Leicestershire's finance team are working on a submission to put to the government with good arguments on how to restructure the way funds are allocated.

"We're going to do it. We're going to work up a system which is fairer."

He has the backing of local MPs and is talking to neighbouring authorities.

And with a hand out to Derby, he says: "If they want to talk to us about how to improve things I'm happy to speak to them."

It's a crucial time to get things right. The government is moving to a system where, by 2020, the grant will go.

Councils will instead get an allocation of funds from the business rates instead.

How they come up a formula for doing that in a fair way, which helps those authorities with most need, is the next challenge.

Summary: Four years after finally building a modern Council Headquarters in Melton, the council is facing financial difficulties due to unfair funding allocation. With the threat of being forced to end their services, officials are determined to develop and present a fair funding plan to the authorities.


Summary: Leicestershire is the lowest-funded county in the country. Council members are working to create a new way to allocate funds that is fairer for citizens.


Summary: Local governments in the UK are coming together in order to figure out a way to allocate Government funds more readily. This comes before a restructuring of public money occurs. Under the current allocation system, counties like Leicestershire get more in public funding than counties like Derby.


Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says his first season in the Premier League has not been good enough but promised "in the future I will be better".

City are fourth in the league following defeat at Chelsea on Wednesday, all but ending hopes of a league title in the Catalan's debut campaign in England.

"In future I will be better - definitely," said the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach.

"This season has been a massive lesson for me."

He added: "We have a lot of beautiful things to fight for and to qualify for the Champions League will be a huge success. But we have to be honest with ourselves. We were not good enough to compete for the Premier League [title]."

Defeat at Stamford Bridge left City just four points ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United, both of whom have a game in hand.

With the FA Cup being City's only realistic chance of winning a trophy this term, it is likely to be the worst season of Guardiola's managerial career.

The 46-year-old has never gone a single season without winning a trophy - he has won the title in six out of seven attempts and his sides have always reached the last four of the Champions League.

Guardiola has also responded to questions about a row between City and Chelsea coaching staff at Stamford Bridge following the defeat on Wednesday night.

There have been conflicting claims about the precise nature of the row, but stewards were needed to calm the situation down after Chelsea's 2-1 win.

The incident centred around a disagreement between Chelsea fitness coach Paolo Bertelli and Manchester City masseur Mark Sertori, both of whom speak Italian, as the Premier League leaders celebrated their victory.

Guardiola said: "We are so polite in our defeats and we are so polite when we win. When we win, normally we celebrate a little bit, then we go to the locker room.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was not involved and has played the incident down.

He said: "Respect is the most important thing in football."

Summary: Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has had his worst season ever in his premier league debut. His side currently sits in fourth with the FA cup the only potential trophy left to win. In addition to a poor showing, Guardiola's team started a fight after losing to Chelsea 2-1.


Summary: Pep Guardiola, boss of the Manchester City football team, has stated that he wasn't good enough to compete for the Premier League title. Other team members echo the sentiment by saying they will be better in the future.


Summary: Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's boss, is ending his first season in defeat. Facing his first season without a trophy win, he says this season has been a learning experience and vows to do better in the future.


Sweet life: The Duchess of Cornwall.

The Duchess of Cornwall has created a buzz with the launch of her own honey, produced in late spring by the bees in her Wiltshire garden.

Just 250 jars are being produced, at £20 each, with all proceeds going to charity.

But Camilla’s venture reflects a rocketing demand for gourmet honey. Sales of high-end versions are up by 45 per cent at Selfridges since last year.

Does luxury honey really taste different enough from ordinary varieties to justify its price tag, though?

And how does Camilla’s honey fare against some of its exclusive rivals — including her husband’s Duchy brand? We tested the best-selling gourmet honeys to find out...

Duchess of Cornwall Honey.

£20 for 227g, Fortnum & Mason.

PROMISE: The Duchess’s late-spring honey is made from ‘delicately perfumed nectar with subtle hints of chamomile’ and billed as ‘the ideal accompaniment to ice cream on hot summer days, or for sweetening tea’. All proceeds go to the Medical Detection Dogs charity, of which the Duchess is patron.

VERDICT: This tastefully packaged little jar, decorated with a pretty drawing of a pink flower and bee, has a handwritten number on the back. It contains a clear, golden, liquid honey, and when I open the jar a delicate smell of flowers greets my nostrils. When you ooze it over buttered bread, it’s impossible to stop eating. Delicate, delicious and the perfect gift for any honey-lover. A royal winner. 5/5.

Royal winner: Camilla’s honey is made from ‘delicately perfumed nectar with subtle hints of chamomile'

Duchy Originals Scottish Heather Honey.

£5.10 for 227g, Waitrose.

PROMISE: Heathers growing on the Crown Estate in Balmoral produce the nectar for this honey. Beekeepers prize heather honey for its unique taste, and this is a combination of two types of heather, Bell and Ling.

VERDICT: Open the jar and just smell the heather aroma before you taste this golden delight. Camilla may have set the bar high but Prince Charles’s answer is also rather beautiful and rare. It has a thick, velvety, sugary texture and a strong but fabulous taste. 3/5.

Duchy Originals Scottish Heather Honey has a thick, velvety, sugary texture and a strong but fabulous taste.

Wedderspoon Gold Organic Rata Honey.

£14.95 for 325g, wedderspoon.co.uk.

PROMISE: Wild Rata trees grow on high land in New Zealand. They flower sporadically, so the nectar is extremely rare. The honey is kept at a low temperature — the same as that of a beehive — to preserve natural enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

VERDICT: Did you ever think honey could taste like a Christmas tree? Take one gulp of this delicious amber nectar and, seconds later, a subtle taste of pines will dance on your tongue. This creamy, firm-set honey scooped a place in the top 50 products (out of 10,000) in the ‘food Oscars’, the Great Taste Awards. Now I’ve tried it, that comes as no surprise. 4/5.

Wedderspoon Gold Organic Rata Honey scooped a place in the top 50 products in the ‘food Oscars’

Tregothnan Cornish Floral Manuka.

£29.95 for 113g, tregothnan.co.uk.

PROMISE: Although manuka is generally expensive, this is a more normal-tasting version and Britain’s costliest home-grown honey. Most manuka plants grow in New Zealand but bushes have been growing, hidden behind a garden wall, on the Tregothnan estate in Cornwall since 1880.

Bees on the estate feast on these plants as well as on flowers in the deer park and gardens and produce honey in state-of-the-art, six-foot hives, which cost £5,000 each. There is only a limited supply made, hence the hefty price tag.

VERDICT: This honey is so rare it is sold in very small jars, so every teaspoon is expensive. Yet it sells out fast each year and has a cult following among honey fans.

The jar opens to reveal a light, cream-coloured honey with an almost-white crust. Dip your spoon in to discover solid, set honey which tastes like crystallised sugar. I used a small teaspoon on each dessert for a dinner party and my guests raved about it. A treat for anyone with a sweet tooth. 4/5.

Tregothnan Cornish Floral Manuka honey is so rare it is sold in very small jars, so every spoonful is pricey.

Vasilissa Greek Honey with Edible Gold Leaf.

£39.99 for 250g, selfridges.co.uk.

PROMISE: Produced by hand on a small family farm on the island of Evia, this honey is trickled with 24-carat edible gold to make it the ultimate in food bling.

The small gold flakes are added to honey made from thyme blossom, infusing it with the flavour of the herb. Greek honey is said to be among the best in the world, thanks to the aroma of mountain herbs and flowers, long sunny days and ancient, organic production methods.

VERDICT: The shimmering flecks make this an indulgent gift for any honey-lover. It looks so good, I don’t know whether to open the jar or use it as a paperweight.

The beautiful white packaging makes it feel extra-special, and when I unscrew the lid the deep aroma is like a glorious perfume.

Inside is a smooth, dark-gold honey that tastes like treacle. The experts who hand-make it say the flavour changes subtly each year; they can recognise each one like wine experts identifying a vintage. Tasting this, I can see why they call honey the food of the gods. 5/5.

Vasilissa Greek Honey  is trickled with 24-carat edible gold to make it the ultimate in food bling.

Alemany Rosemary Honey.

£7.95 for 500g, souschef.co.uk.

PROMISE: This is made by a small producer in northern Spain, still using the same traditional methods after five generations.

The nectar comes from rosemary bushes that grow at the foot of the Montsec mountains, and the resulting herb-infused honey has a high iron content. It is said to be particularly good for the digestion, and as an aid to relaxation.

VERDICT: This is the honey equivalent of a soft-boiled egg. Dip your spoon in for oozing, runny honey in the middle, but enjoy the crunch of the pale, crystallised honey at the sides. It’s very mild — there is no strong aroma and the rosemary flavour is so delicate that you notice it only after several mouthfuls.

It does gives a rather surprising aftertaste, though. This is my daughter Ruby’s favourite honey — she describes it as the best of both worlds, for its double consistency. 4/5.

Alemany Rosemary Honey uses nectar from rosemary bushes that grow at the foot of the Montsec mountains.

Welsh Chunk Honeycomb Amphora.

£21 for 908g, Fortnum & Mason.

PROMISE: Clear Welsh honey with a gentle fruity flavour. The delicate honeycomb adds a crumbly texture. Gathered by bees from the wildflowers of meadows and hedgerows in mid-Wales.

VERDICT: This looks impressive — a huge glass jar with golden, syrupy honey and a huge, striking honeycomb in the middle, sparkling like a jewel.

The Fortnum & Mason label adds to the impression of real quality. What a disappointment, then, to bite into the honeycomb and find that it tastes of earwax.

The chewy mass is like old gum. I spit it out — as does my honey-loving son Charlie, who says it tastes no different from the supermarket own-brand honey we usually buy. Proof that paying more doesn’t always guarantee a pot of gold. 1/5.

Heather Honeycomb Starflower Honey.

£19.99 for 227g, selfridges.co.uk.

PROMISE: The starflower is another name for the borage plant (which sounds much less exotic). But this herbal flower is rich in calcium, vitamin C and potassium. It is used to strengthen adrenal functions, and its oils are prescribed to treat skin diseases. This light and delicate honey comes from Hampshire, and includes heather honeycomb with a hint of herb flavour.

VERDICT: You can’t see the chunky honeycomb until you open the lid, because the pale honey that surrounds it isn’t transparent.

I’ve never liked the texture of honeycomb myself, but bite into this and breakfast will never be the same again.

It crumbles delightfully in the mouth, while the light honey (not quite runny but not totally set) unleashes a real taste of the countryside. The jar, with its bright yellow ribbon and artisan label, gives this a real sense of occasion. 4/5.

Heather Honeycomb Starflower Honey crumbles delightfully in the mouth, while the light honey unleashes a real taste of the countryside.

Chestnut Honey.

£6.95 for 500g, souschef.co.uk.

PROMISE: A dark, runny honey with a rich, nutty taste and smoky aromas. This is formed from the flowers of the chestnut tree, so it has a slightly bitter, savoury aftertaste. A favourite among chefs, who claim that it adds instant depth to dishes.

VERDICT: After tasting so many sweet honeys, this one came as a total shock. A dark brown, treacle-tasting honey, it has a wonderful, unmistakable chestnut aroma. My children didn’t like it at all, but I teamed it with cheese and biscuits to serve after a dinner party and the combination was a winner. Perfect if you want something completely different. 3/5.

Chestnut Honey is a dark, runny honey with a rich, nutty taste and smoky aromas.

Summary: The Duchess of Cornwall Honey is a little bit more expensive than most honey products, which is why a test was conducted to compare and justify its price. As promised, the Duchess of Cornwall Honey has higher quality than most of the cheaper brands. In addition, all proceeds will go to charity.


Summary: The gourmet honey industry is small but growing, and it seems there is room for new producers. The Duchess of Cornwall has produced a small, limited batch to raise funds for charity, and gets raving reviews even when compared to other gourmet specialty honeys.


Controversial plans for 10 marine conservation zones have been withdrawn by a Welsh government minister.

Alun Davies told AMs they had received 7,000 responses to a consultation containing "strongly held" views.

He said he would now look at the 125 existing marine protected areas to see if further improvements could be made.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) described it as an "embarrassing U-turn" for the Welsh government, and has called for better protection of seas.

Creating the zones would mean a ban on fishing and anchoring in some areas and had brought opposition.

The Welsh Fishermen's Association said previously that existing conservation networks for Welsh waters are adequate.

The Welsh government proposed the zones last year with the backing of the Countryside Council of Wales and the Marine Conservation Society.

The minister for natural resources said the decision had been made after the thousands of responses to the consultation brought "divergent and strongly held views".

Mr Davies said to "avoid any continuing uncertainty over the options presented in the 2012 consultation, I am also withdrawing all the proposed sites".

His comments come after the findings were published of a task and finish team which reviewed the feedback.

Now, he will concentrate on the existing 125 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that cover 36% of Welsh seas to see if any changes can be made rather than creating additional zones.

"We are now in a stronger position to assess our current contribution to the network's ecological coherence," he said.

"I have, therefore, commissioned an assessment of our current MPAs to identify if there are any gaps and what the options might be to fill those gaps.

"If any measures are required, I believe they should be simple, proportionate and fit for purpose."

Dr Peter Richardson, biodiversity programme manager for MCS, said the Welsh government "spent an awful lot of time and money and encouraged other people to put effort into this consultation response".

He said: "70% of the consultation responses were in favour of designating these sites and yet today the minister has announced he's scrapping the whole thing... bit of an embarrassing U-turn for the government I think."

He added: "I think there are plenty of people in the fishing industry... that understand that in order to get the best yields from the marine habitats on which they depend, they have to be managed properly."

Summary: A Welsh government minister “Mr. Davies” has withdrawn controversial plans for ten marine conservation zones. The Marine Conservation Society describes it as an embarrassing U-turn and has called for better protection of the sea. Creating the zones would mean banning fishing and anchoring in some areas.


Summary: The Welsh government is trying to balance marine conservation efforts with the demands of the fisherman and public responses. They had previously begun work on many new conservation areas but have cancelled all of them after strong public responses and are now focusing on improving existing conservation areas.


Summary: The welsh government has scrapped plans to create 10 conservation zones in the seas despite 70% of poll respondents being in favor of creating the zones. An "embarrassing U-turn". The Welsh government will concentrate now on the already established conservation zones.


Summary: Welsh's government minister has withdrawn plans to add 10 new marine conservation zones to Welsh seas. The abrupt change of plan comes after a clash of "divergent and strongly held views." Now, the plan is to look at improving the 125 zones already in existence.


Aubrey de Grey (pictured) says ageing is a 'disease that can and should be cured'

With his Rasputin beard and lines etched deep into his forehead, Aubrey de Grey looks like a man a lot older than his 51 years. A penchant for beer, fried food and an aversion to exercise could fool you into believing the lanky ex-public schoolboy cares little about ageing.

But you would be wrong.

For de Grey, a charismatic Harrow School and Cambridge-educated biomedical theorist, firmly believes there is no reason, with the right 'therapies', why any of us shouldn't reach 500, 1,000 or even 5,000 years of age.

It sounds bonkers but de Grey's theories have gained him some high-profile supporters in Silicon Valley, the super-rich tech enclave in northern California that is home to more middle-aged billionaires than anywhere else on the planet.

PayPal boss Peter Thiel (worth £1.5 billion) donated £2.4 million to de Grey's anti-ageing institute Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS). Senescence is scientific jargon for ageing.

While many academics mock him, in age-obsessed California de Grey now regularly breaks bread and funds his research with donations from some of the sharpest minds in the world, including Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin (who has talked of 'curing death') and Larry Ellison, of Oracle, who are all showing an interest in gerontology, or the study of ageing.

Google's Bill Maris, who heads the computer giant's investment arm, said: 'We have tools in the life sciences to achieve anything you have the audacity to envision. I hope to live long enough not to die.'

One source at a leading software company told The Mail on Sunday: 'De Grey has tapped a rich vein in Silicon Valley. He's become something of a controversial cheerleader for a generation of tech billionaires who have made their fortunes and now, of course, want to live for ever.'

De Grey was raised in Chelsea by his artist mother Cordelia, who left him £11 million when she died in 2011 – £9 million of which he has invested in his company. He spent the remainder on a 'very nice house'. He never knew his father and became fascinated by seeking a cure for ageing while still at Harrow.

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'Ageing is a disease that can and should be cured,' he says. 'I've been ridiculed but finally people are starting to come round to my way of thinking. Anyone who has ever wanted to change the world has been attacked. Gandhi said first they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you and then they say, "We were with you all along".'

De Grey's radical thesis is that ageing can be halted and even reversed by treating the human body like a vintage car – 'replace the parts, clean it up, keep it running smoothly way past its expected expiration date'.

His argument is that cellular decay causes ageing, illness and, ultimately, death, and that technologies being developed now and inventions in the future will allow us to repair and replace damaged body parts at a cellular level – leading to virtual immortality.

People will still die in accidents and from suicide, 'but there is no reason that someone living today shouldn't live to 500, 1,000 years. As the technologies improve, lifespans will increase', says de Grey.

He believes the first person who will live to be 1,000 has already been born, and cites research that has dramatically extended the lives of mice, worms and fruit flies as proof science is 'catching up' with his theories that therapies which will genetically alter, replace and repair the cells in our bodies will be the key to eternal life.

He accuses the majority of us of being in a 'pro-ageing trance', content to accept ageing and death as inevitable, while the reality is that technology will, within two decades, he says, have advanced far enough that we can replace and repair faulty genes, 'clear out the gunk around cells' and rejuvenate our bodies.

It sounds fanciful but as he talks, it is clear that de Grey is empowered by the support of the Silicon Valley billionaires. 'It is a good feeling to finally be getting validation,' he admits.

Many academics have dismissed his theories as pie in the sky. It should be noted that much of what he says is theoretical and, critics point out, de Grey has never actually done any practical lab work.

De Grey and his biologist wife Adelaide (pictured) have an unconventional marriage and he admits to having 'two younger girlfriends'

Nir Barsilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said: 'Based on the biology that we know today, somewhere between 100 and 120 there is a roof in play and I challenge if we can get beyond it.' The oldest human to date was Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who died in August 1997 at the age of 122 years 164 days.

De Grey has been mockingly compared to a 'Messiah' figure because of his flowing facial hair, and heads turn in the airport bar as he bangs his glass on the table and loudly pronounces that '150,000 people die every day worldwide and of those people, two-thirds die of ageing one way or another. That's 30 World Trade Centers every day. If I bring forward the cure for ageing by one day I've saved 100,000 lives'.

De Grey is notoriously eccentric. He refuses to carry a mobile phone ('anti-social, nasty things') and has never learned to drive due to a 'mental block'. 'Cars can kill people without it being the driver's fault,' he says. He gives interviews to 'spread the word' and has written several anti-ageing books.

Last year he featured in a critically acclaimed independent movie, The Immortalists.

De Grey and his biologist wife Adelaide, 19 years his senior, have an unconventional marriage and he cheerfully admits to having 'two younger girlfriends', aged 45 and 24.

Isn't juggling the needs of three women enough to age any man prematurely? He laughs: 'It keeps me busy.'

Critics argue that if he is right and we all live longer, the world's resources will be stretched by overpopulation, but he hits back by saying: 'Society will adapt. People will have fewer children.'

What about the cost of keeping so many people alive? 'People will continue to contribute to society because they will be healthier and more productive.

'When people think about longevity they forget about the health and then they start to think this whole thing is morally questionable. It might be technologically fanciful but all we do is medical research. I work on stopping people from getting sicker as they get older. The by-product of that is longevity.

'I have no idea if I will live to 100. I do know I'd like to have the chance to live to 100 when I am 99 rather than having that choice removed from me by declining health.'

Summary: Aubrey de Grey is a biomedical theorist who believes that within two decades, new medical therapies will be developed that have the ability to slow down the aging process significantly. His theories have become popular among Silicon Valley tech billionaires who are eager to invest in the potential to live hundreds or even thousands of years longer.


Summary: Aubrey de Gray believes that humans can live to be thousands of years old in the near future.  He has secured funding from tech billionaires to conduct research. His basic premise is humans will be able to change out their organs and clean up their cells in order to increase their longevity.


Summary: Rich and eccentric Aubrey de Grey believes that aging can be reversed or even stopped by technologies and discoveries that are currently being developed. Despite critics and many experts dismissing his theory, he has gained some support from the ultra-rich in his quest to keep people alive forever.


A breakthrough has been made in the development of clean hydrogen power, scientists claim.

At the moment, while hydrogen fuel is appealing, the production of hydrogen is incredible difficult - requiring huge amounts of energy.

But the researchers say they have made a new material that can generate hydrogen from water, meaning it is less reliant on fossil fuels.

Hydrogen-fuel is appealing for use in cars like the Vauxhall Zafira minivan pictured, but producing hydrogen requires huge amounts of energy. With the new breakthrough, it could be possible to make it more easily.

Researchers at the University of Bath and Yale University created the invention.

It uses a newly designed molecular catalyst to split water in an electrolyser and create clean and storable hydrogen fuel.

Lead research Dr Ulrich Hintermair told MailOnline that the main problem with the production of hydrogen through a process known as water electrolysis was the waste oxygen it produces.

Water splitting is an electro-chemical process in which two electrodes generate oxygen and hydrogen from water, respectively.

The energy required to drive this process gets locked up in the hydrogen as the fuel with oxygen as a by-product. A fuel cell can then harness the energy again elsewhere by recombining the two.

The new patented catalyst is more efficient at performing the crucial oxidation half of the reaction than any other existing material, minimising energy losses in the electricity-to-hydrogen conversion process.

It can be directly applied to various electrode surfaces in a straightforward and highly economical manner.

The process splits water into hydrogen and oxygen but, while the first part can be done quite efficiently, the latter was more difficult and lots of energy is lost.

With this in mind the team designed a catalyst - a substance that alters the speed of the chemical reaction - to improve the efficiency.

‘Oxygen is the most difficult bit,’ Dr Hintermair explained.

Their catalyst, placed on an electrode used in the production of hydrogen, is much more efficient - and although Dr Hintermair didn’t have an exact figure, he said the energy loss using it is ‘almost non-existent’.

The major benefit from this breakthrough is that hydrogen could now be used more easily as a way to store energy from renewable sources like wind and solar.

‘We can make electricity out of sunlight and wind, low carbon renewable sources, but we can’t store it very well,’ Dr Hintermair continued.

‘We can put it in a battery but you can’t, for example, fly an airplane on a battery yet.

‘So we need to convert it into a chemical fuel, and for that water electrolysis is a key technology because we can take any renewable technology, connect it to an electrolyster and store it in hydrogen, which is a fantastic fuel.’

This, for example, would make hydrogen fuel cells for cars much more economical.

On this right in this image is the catalyst being used in the water electrolysis process. The large bubbles are oxygen, while the smaller bubbles on the left are hydrogen.

The team are in discussions with a number of energy companies about utilising this technology on a large scale and hope the breakthrough marks the start of contributing to providing the world with more sustainable fuels.

‘In theory it could be used on all systems, but it depends on cost and scale,’ said Dr Hintermair.

As regulations tighten on the use of fossil fuels and their emissions, there is a growing focus on the need for cost effective and efficient ways of creating energy carriers from renewable sources.

Solar power is thought to be able to provide up to four per cent of the UK's electricity by the end of the decade.

However, while the price of photovoltaic technology has dramatically decreased in recent years as demand has risen, solar energy is problematic as it is intermittent, meaning electricity is only created when it is light.

One use of the newly developed catalyst could be to store the energy produced by solar power by using the electricity to produce hydrogen which can then be used on demand, regardless of the time of day.

Solar power is thought to be able to provide up to four per cent of the UK's electricity by the end of the decade (Wymeswold Solar Farm in Leicestershire, UK shown), but storing it is difficult. This new technology could store energy as hydrogen, which can then be used on demand.

Dr Hintermair is a Whorrod research fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies at the University of Bath.

'Hydrogen is a fantastically versatile and environmentally friendly fuel, however, hydrogen-powered applications are only as "green" as the hydrogen on which they run,' he said.

'Currently, over 90 per cent is derived from fossil fuels. If we want to bring about a clean hydrogen economy we must first generate clean hydrogen.

'This new molecular catalyst will hopefully play a large role in helping create hydrogen from renewable energy sources such as solar power.

'We are also interested in applying this technology to other forms of renewable energy such as tidal, wind and wave power.'

Professor Matthew Davidson, head of the department of chemistry, added: 'Splitting water into its constituent parts is deceptively simple chemistry, but doing it in a sustainable way is one of the holy grails of chemistry because it is the key step in the goal of artificial photosynthesis.

'[Dr Hintermair's] results are extremely exciting because of their potential for practical application.'

Summary: The University of Bath and Yale University have developed a new way to create hydrogen from water that leaves very little waste, which they claim has huge potential to provide green energy. This method would allow eco-friendly energy sources like wind to be stored and used as a chemical energy source.


Summary: Researchers at Bath and Yale created a new material that can generate and store clean hydrogen power from water. One of the major benefits of this breakthrough is that hydrogen can be used as an easier way to store energy from renewable sources, meaning it is less reliant on fossil fuels when powering vehicles.


Foreign observers of the UK's debate on its forthcoming referendum on whether to stay in the European Union may have noticed an awful lot of fuss about the views of a man called Boris Johnson - yes, that man on the zip wire.

Mr Johnson, the Mayor of London, announced on Sunday that he would be backing the campaign for Britain to leave the EU.

His intervention in the debate - made, as he termed it, with "deafening eclat" - was even said to have helped cause the pound to slide on the international money markets as traders thought it made the possibility of a so-called Brexit more likely.

He has arguably the highest profile of any of the governing Conservative Party except the Prime Minister David Cameron, but those outside the UK may be wondering: who is he, and is that actually his hair? Read on.

Profile: Boris Johnson

How could 'zip wire prat' become prime minister?

Read more about the UK's referendum on the EU

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, to give him his full name, was born in New York and is descended from Turkish, French and German stock. He describes himself as a "one-man melting pot".

He first made a name for himself in journalism, including a stint as Brussels correspondent for the right-wing Daily Telegraph newspaper and editor of The Spectator magazine. His humorous persona led him to become a fixture on various television programmes, including the satirical BBC panel show Have I Got News For You.

He still has a lucrative and entertaining column in the Daily Telegraph, in which august forum he explained the reasons for his decision on the EU.

As a politician, he has been a Conservative member of parliament for two constituencies, Henley from 2001 to 2008 and then Uxbridge and South Ruislip from 2015.

Lest you think he was putting his feet up between parliamentary mandates, he is also currently serving the second of two terms as mayor of London, no mean feat in a city where the centre-left Labour Party has dominated in recent decades.

That's indicative of the position Mr Johnson has carved out for himself as one of the most charismatic politicians in the UK who has wide appeal beyond Conservative heartlands - polling has suggested that his stance on the EU referendum may sway some undecided voters.

Just look what happens when you type his name into Google.co.uk.

Not quite. He has previously courted controversy for his remarks about (among others) the populations of Liverpool, Portsmouth and Papua New Guinea, not to mention run-ins with his own party leadership and TV chef Jamie Oliver.

Last October he accidentally flattened a 10-year-old schoolboy at what was meant to be a friendly game of photo-op rugby in Japan.

But none of this seems to have affected his standing among the party faithful or the public at large. Even getting stuck on a zip-wire during the London Olympics in 2012, a sure-fire route to derision for any other politician, only enhanced his eccentric image.

Mr Johnson finally ended months of speculation about which side of the EU debate he would back in an immaculately impromptu media scrum outside his home in North London, having reportedly informed the prime minister of his decision earlier the same day.

He said that he had come to his decision as a result of deeply held convictions and "after a huge amount of heartache". His father Stanley, a former Conservative member of the European parliament, said that his son had performed a noble and potentially "career-ending move", ruining any chance of serving in Mr Cameron's cabinet.

But Mr Cameron has already said he won't run for another mandate when his current one ends in 2020. Some observers of British politics point out that even if the UK votes to remain in the EU, positioning himself in the "Out" camp won't do Mr Johnson any harm with grassroots Conservatives, many of who are Eurosceptic and will have the final say in choosing a new leader.

In this, some suggest, he is implementing his long-standing policy on cake: "My policy on cake is pro having it and pro eating it."

No, that's Donald Trump. Also a pioneer of unorthodox political hair, but they don't get on.

When Mr Trump commented that parts of London are "so radicalised the police are afraid for their lives", Mr Johnson retorted: "The only reason I wouldn't go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump."

No, I've confused you now by mentioning Donald Trump. Same hair though.

No, that's Julian Assange.

Summary: Boris Johnson, the two-term mayor of London, has officially announced his intention to back the campaign leading to Britain leaving the European Union. While Johnson's views and personal history are causing a media fuss, it's clear that the eccentric leader plans to continue his support of Brexit.


Summary: Boris Johnson announces his support for Brexit causing a stir in English politics. The mayor of London and a member of Parliament has made his career from unorthodox actions. Actions such as ziplining during the London Olympics. Despite his antics, Johnson remains a popular figure in the Conservative party.


Summary: Boris Johnson previously announced that he will not run for reelection, and is ending his eccentric career spanning from journalism to satirical tv personality, to serving in parliament and as London's Mayor. He was met with mixed responses as announced he would be supporting Britian's move to exit EU.


Three people were injured when a broken-down bus was hit by a lorry on the A34 in Oxfordshire.

Fifty people were on the First Great Western rail replacement service from Oxford to Didcot when it was hit at Drayton, at 00:30 GMT.

One of the three people taken to hospital sustained serious but non life-threatening injuries, police said.

The southbound carriageway has been reopened but investigations are continuing.

The remaining passengers, who did not require hospital treatment, were taken to Abingdon police station.

Passenger Rebecca Crow posted a picture of her injuries on Twitter and wrote: "I was on the bus, it was insane. Very thankful for no fatalities; just a bust up face!"

The bus was a replacement for the 00:05 First Great Western service from Oxford to Didcot.

Bus passenger Adam Graves said on Twitter: "One moment the bus power failed, a minute or 2 later the lorry hit us. Bus ended up part down the embankment. #a34"

He later told BBC News: "It sort of jumped forward. There were people screaming inside.

"Then you suddenly noticed you're falling out of your seat - everyone was flying everywhere.

"Once that initial shock had passed people were quite calm.

"A lot of people on the bus had been coming back from a gig in Oxford, that's where I'd been, that kept people calm as a few recognised each other."

In a statement, a First Great Western spokesman said the firm was "keen" to offer support to all of the bus passengers and their families.

He said initial reports from its own contractor "suggest the driver followed correct safety procedures", but added police were investigating.

"We are offering them any assistance we can to understand the full details of the incident," he said.

The A34 was shut between the Botley and Milton interchanges.

It had been due to reopen at 11:00 but was delayed due to difficulties in recovering the vehicles, police said.

Officers on site were having problems earlier with drivers ignoring the closure and driving through, according to BBC Radio Oxford travel reporter Sara Dumbell.

She said diversions had also led to lengthy traffic delays in the area.

Summary: A carriageway accident involving a lorry hitting a broken down bus took place in Oxfordshire. Three people were injured in the crash but none sustained life-threatening injuries. Initial reports of the accident stated the lorry driver followed the correct safety procedures, but police are still investigating.


Summary: Three people were injured in Oxfordshire when a lorry hit a broken-down bus.  One of the injured reportedly sustained severe but non-life-threatening injuries and had to be transported to the hospital.  The southbound carriageway has been reopened, but an investigation into the incident is still underway.


Summary: Three people were injured when a broken-down bus was hit by a truck. Witnesses in the bus reported minor injuries to police and Twitter. One person suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The bus's power failed shortly before it was hit by the truck.


Children of the 1970s and 1980s will likely remember the chunky, plastic Fisher-Price magnets that adorned fridges in family homes.

The popular toys were designed to help teach children to read and spell.

But for some people, they had another unintended consequence; the magnets forever changed the colours that people would associate with letters.

The child with the hood in this photo was born in 1988 and is an adult synesthete. His colour-letter pairings matched 25 of the 26 letters in the Fisher-Price magnet set, which is in the foreground.

At least that's the conclusion of a study on synaesthesia - a neurological condition in which two or more senses experienced separately are involuntarily joined together.

For instance, some synaesthetes experience colour when they hear sounds or read words. Others experience tastes, smells or shapes.

It is believe that around one in 10,000 of people have synaesthesia, and scientists are still unsure exactly what causes some people to perceive two senses at the same time.

A large amount of research, according to Discover magazine, has previously suggested the condition can be learned, rather than being the result of genetic factors.

This graphic shows the results for 400 synesthetes with 10 or more letters matching the toy. The rows correspond to participants and columns to letters. The colours along the bottom represent the most frequently chosen colour label for each letter.

The latest study adds to that body of work by suggesting the toy caused a generation to foreever link A with red, F with purple and P with green.

Researchers from the Department of Psychology at Stanford University used data from 6,588 registered users to determine which colours are most commonly associated with which letters.

They then compared these colour-letter matches to fridge magnets sold by Fisher-Price between 1971 and 1990.

The results revealed that at least six per cent (400 out of the 6588 participants) learnt 'many of their matches' from the Fisher-Price set.

Among those born in the decade after the toy began to be manufactured, the proportion of synesthetes with learned letter-colour pairings was closer to 15 per cent.

The colours in the toy (upper row), the average colour choice for each letter from the 6188 synesthetes (middle row), and the most commonly assigned colour for each letter for the 400 synesthetes are shown here. Fig C shows when the choice does not match the toy (bottom row)

Red bars show proportion of participants with 10 or more matches to the magnet set. Grey bars show participants with seven or more matches. For participants born between 1970 and 1985, the prevalence of synesthesia apparently learned from the Fisher-Price set can exceed 15 per cent.

Synaesthesia is a neurological condition in which two or more senses experienced separately are involuntarily joined together.

For instance, some synaesthetes experience colour when they hear sounds or read words. Others experience tastes, smells or shapes.

Some people are born with synaesthesia, while others experience it after a stroke, or while using psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Famous synaesthetes include singers Pharrell Williams and Lady Gaga.

There have also been studies in which researchers claimed to have taught people to be synaesthetic - and as a result it is a widely contested condition.

Reports claim it can affect as many as one in 23 people and has been linked with high-levels of creativity and intelligence.

But among those born five years or more before it was manufactured, none of the colour-letter matches were aligned with the colours used in the set.

'Analysis of the letter-colour matching data suggests the only difference between synesthetes with matches to the toy and those without is exposure to the stimulus,' explained the paper.

'This indicates learning of letter-colour pairings from external [sources] can occur in a substantial fraction of synesthetic, and are consistent with the hypothesis that synesthesia is a kind of conditioned mental imagery.'

The authors did point out, however, that there may have been other cues – such as cultural influences, or other popular toys or magnet sets that played a role.

They also said their findings don't suggest that colourful toys cause synaesthesia.

Instead the associations of people already predisposed to the condition can be influenced by external factors.

The authors did point out that there may have been other cues – such as cultural influences, or other popular toys or magnet sets that played a role.

Summary: The Department of Psychology at Stanford recently released a significant finding- Fisher Price magnet toys from the 1970s and 1980s may be responsible for creating synesthetic connections between letters and colors.  In their test sample of 6588 people, six percent of synesthetes were found to have learned their cross-sense matches from the toys.


Summary: One study concludes that children in the 1970s and 1980s developed synesthesia because of the Fisher-Price Alphabet Magnets. On the contrary, recent studies state that their findings suggest that colorful toys don’t directly cause synesthesia. The authors also pointed out that synesthesia is caused by other cues, such as pop influences and psychedelic drugs.


Summary: Researchers are studying synaesthesia, a neurological condition where two or more sense become connected and experienced together. Studies indicate that a person can be born with it, learn it through repeated cultural exposure, or even develop it after a stroke or after taking hallucinogenic drugs.


A Texas mom who has already spent seven years in prison for the murder of her four-year-old adopted son, and was released shortly before Christmas, will not face new murder charges.

Hannah Overton, 37, wiped back tears as she, along with her husband Larry and five children, celebrated news that after having her conviction overturned for poisoning her son, Andrew Burd, with an overdose of salt, prosecutors have dropped all charges against her and will no longer be looking into her case.

Throughout her incarceration, her family  stood by her and protested her innocence, but Nueces County district attorney Mark Skurka had said shortly after she was released that he would push again for capital murder charges.

He could do this as her conviction was overturned because of ineffective counsel, meaning this would not be a case of double jeopardy.

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Hannah Overton (above wiping away tears with her daughter and son) will not be tried on murder charges again in the death of her adopted son.

Overton's five children and husband Larry (above) were there to  celebrate the news.

In a news release however, Skura said that he would not be trying the case again due to 'a myriad of factors which came about after a careful review of the previous trial, re-interviewing some of the key witnesses, consulting with some of the medical experts involved in the case, reviewing evidence adduced at recent hearings and staffing the case with the current prosecutors assigned to the case.'

A judge then granted Skura's motion to dismiss.

'Wow, we don't even know where to begin,' Overton said after hearing this news.

'We are so excited about all God has done in and through all of this. He has carried us through.'

An appellate court's majority opinion to overturn Overton's conviction last year wrote that her trial was 'problematic from the beginning,' according to ABC News.

Original prosecutor Sandra Eastwood was terminated for reasons unrelated to the original case years after Overton was convicted, and Overton has accused her of unprofessional conduct several times since.

On a fateful day in October 2006, Burd, whose biological teenage mother was a Meth addict, started acting up and then vomited, telling Overton that he didn't feel well.

When he said he felt cold, he took a warm bath but as his symptoms worsened, the Overtons took him to the Corpus Christi hospital for treatment. He died a day later from salt poisoning.

A week after his death, murder charges were brought against the mother. The lead prosecutor in the case, Eastwood, portrayed Overton as a frazzled care giver that had force fed Andrew cajun seasoning as a form of punishment, which caused the sodium poisoning.

But during the trial, the defense said the boy's death was accidental and was likely due to a medical condition, pica, that can cause a person to crave non-edible salty items like clay, sand or dirt.

The mother has been behind bars for seven years, separated from her husband and five children who are being cared for by their father and home schooled by a supportive church community that still believes in Overton's innocence.

Late last year her conviction was overturned because of ineffective counsel, but Nueces County district attorney Mark Skurka was set to try her again.

Overturned: In September, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Overton's capital murder conviction in the 2006 salt poisoning death of her 4-year-old foster son, citing ineffective counsel at her 2007 trial for the death of Andrew Burd (right)

New details have emerged that allege the prosecutor in the case withheld evidence, like providing details on the boy's stomach content at the time of his death.

The defense said that the prosecution claimed that samples from the boy's vomit were unavailable but Overton's lawyers claimed Eastwood withheld evidence so the sample could not be tested.

The pediatrician that had treated Andrew before he was placed in Overton's care has also said that the child's medical state was not properly explained at the trial.

Dr Edgar Cortes said the boy had development issues that contributed to his eating disorder.

'I think that if we're going to be fair, if we're going to be just, we have to take all of the circumstances into consideration,' he testified at a February hearing, part of Overton's appeal.

Teachers and friends who knew the boy have agreed that he had unusual eating habits and even tried to eat trash on one occasion.

Andrew died a day after the Overtons took him to the hospital. Prosecutors claimed he died after Overton punished him by making him swallow spicy seasoning. Her defense was that Andrew had very odd eating habits or even an eating disorder called pica.

The boy's Sunday School teacher had actually tried to persuade the Overtons not to take Andrew into their care because of his development issues, saying that the parents should think of the welfare of their other children.

But the Overtons have said that even knowing what they do now, they would still have welcomed Andrew into their hearts and their home.

'He had brothers and sisters and a mommy and daddy, what he called his forever family, because we had to go through a lot of pain since then,' Hannah Overton told 20/20 in 2008.

Eastwood's professional abilities have also been called into question. After the trial she was fired by the district attorney's office in Nueces County in 2010.

In 2011, she admitted she struggled with alcohol dependency issues and was also taking diet pills during her tenure as a prosecutor, though she has denied those issues tainted her ability during the Overton trial.

Summary: The capital murder conviction of a Texas mother has been overturned after the prosecution dropped all charges. Hannah Overton, 37, has spent seven years in prison for the 2006 death of her 4-year-old foster son who died from salt poisoning. The defense argued that the deceased may have had an eating disorder called pica, in which the sufferer craved consuming non-edible salty items like clay, sand, and dirt.


Summary: After reviewing previous trials, analyzing evidence, and talking to key witnesses and medical experts involved in a Nueces County murder trial in 2010, suspect Hannah Overton's charges were dropped. Although Hannah was accused of poisoning her adopted son, there was not enough evidence to prove it-- which led to the trial being dismissed.


In a sport beset by tiresome braggadocio, Ricky Burns seems like an impostor.

With three defeats in his previous six bouts, the Scottish boxer's career seemed to be on the wane.

But his power, timing and focus returned in a supremely confident display at Glasgow's Hydro on Saturday night as he clinched the vacant WBA World Super-Lightweight title - and entered the record books as the first Scot to win world titles at three weights.

Italy's Michele Di Rocco, at 34 a year older than Burns, hadn't lost a fight since September 2007.

He arrived with a record of 40 wins and a draw from 42 bouts. He left a lesser figure.

The referee deemed the man from Assisi to be in no state to continue in the eighth round, the result of a welter of blows to his head and body and made all the more unbearable by the hostile acoustic energy generated by 8,000 Scottish fans.

Surely, for Burns, this was time to shout about his record, the ideal moment to counter all those who had written him off and questioned the wisdom of him leaving trainer Billy Nelson two years ago to work with Tony Sim in Essex?

No.

Instead, the champion spoke of his disbelief at the ease of his victory, his gratitude that he was safe, of his thanks to promoter Eddie Hearn, manager Alex Morrison and coach Sim for believing in him, and of his desire to celebrate with a fast-food burger and 20 chicken nuggets.

"When I got in the ring after the fight, I said, 'You've done it! You've done it!'," reported a beaming Hearn at the post-fight media conference.

"And you know what Ricky said? 'Can you get a picture with me and Michael Buffer [the legendary American boxing ring announcer]?'"

When he has time to reflect during a well-earned holiday, Burns will take immense satisfaction at being only the third British-born fighter, after Bob Fitzsimmons and Duke McKenzie, to be a three-weight world champion.

In Scottish terms, his achievements must mean that he is in the very top tier of boxing greats, comfortably mentioned in the same breath as former world champions Benny Lynch, Walter McGowan, Jackie Paterson, Ken Buchanan and Jim Watt, for example.

Burns' record stands at 40 wins from 46 bouts. Remarkably, 11 of those have been world title fights.

Buchanan's exploits in the United States add lustre to his legacy, but while Burns may never have fought someone like Roberto Duran, should Hearn manage to set up a bout against Cincinnati's Adrien Broner, the four-time world champion stripped of the WBA title because he could not make the weight, then Burns could achieve little more in the sport.

"There are some big fights out there for me," said Burns.

"I want to fight the top names. I will fight anybody. I do super-lightweight comfortably and lightweight is still an option. I would fight Terence Crawford again if it came down to it.

"That's nearly two years I have been with Tony and things have just started clicking.

"I had a bit of a bad run in the last year with stuff. Who'd have thought I'd be sitting here world champion again?"

Hearn said suitors could "make all the offers they want, we'll listen".

"If they want to come with a sack-load of money for Ricky to defend his title against Broner in Vegas, I'm sure there are a few Scots who would like a trip there as well."

At that point Burns quipped: "I'd be one of them."

The lovely thing is, you suspect Burns was speaking in the guise of a fan rather than that of a three-weight world champion who could enjoy a profitable title defence.

Summary: Scottish Ricky Burns entered Glasgow's Hydra fights as the underdog, but emerged victorious after 8 rounds, earning the title of WBA World Super-Lightweight Champion. Despite his win, he remains notably humble, and looks forward to future fight opportunities.


Summary: This past Saturday, Ricky Burns became the first Scot to win a world title in the WBA at three separate weight classes. Despite Burn's recent losses, his skill during his bout against Italy's Michele De Rocco at Glasgow's Hydro proved to be a display of skill worthy of a champion.


Summary: Rick Burns won the Super-Lightweight title becoming the first Scot to win titles at three different weights. The fight was stopped in the eighth round after Burns' opponent was deemed unfit to continue by medical staff. Burns has little left to achieve in the sport.


A wartime scientist has revisited the secret underground factory where she helped build aircraft engines 70 years since the end of the Second World War.

Mary Cartwright was 20 when she was called up to work in the laboratory at Drakelow Shadow Factory in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, in 1943.

She spent two years testing metal for Bristol aircraft engines in the site's underground laboratory, working as the only woman in her department.

Now,  70 years after leaving her position, the 91-year-old great-grandmother has revisited the now defunct factory.

Mary Cartwright revisited Drakelow Underground Factory in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, where more than 700 people worked during the war (right)  to produce aircraft engines. Now 91, the great grandmother tested metal for aircraft engines.

Revisiting the site with her son, David, Mrs Cartwright said it was 'strange' to see it so quiet. She worked as the only woman in its laboratory between 1943 and 1945.

Built in 1943, the factory became known as Drakelow Tunnels for its vast network of underground paths spread over three-and-a-half miles.

It was one of 26 'shadow' sites set-up to mass produce engines and parts for military aircraft and tanks that were built underground or into hillside so that production could continue if bombed.

Designed by Rover at the behest of the Air Ministry, Drakelow employed 700 people when Mrs Cartwright began working there.

Arriving every day at 8.30am, she used scientific formulas to analyse the ratio of metals in shavings given to her by 'the men'.

Spanning more than three miles, the site became known as the Drakelow Tunnels for its vast network of secret passageways.

The entrance to one of the tunnels which are built into hillside beneath Kingsford Country Park, Kidderminster.

Another of the tunnels' entrances in Kingsford Country Park. While built at road level it is 300ft from the top of the hill.

Set up by Rover under the instruction of the Air Ministry, Drakelow was one of 26 'underground' factories established to allow production lines to continue if the country came under fire.

With more than 700 people working at the site at a time it was one of the largest underground factories during the war.

Mrs Cartwright was sent to work there in 1943 after being called up at the age of 20. She had wanted to join the Civil Service beforehand.

A stretch of offices in the underground factory. Their windows were high up so that staff would not be distracted by co-workers walking by.

The kitchen where staff would have eaten during one of the long, underground shifts. Mrs Cartwright had no previous experience when she was called up, but said she 'just got on with the job'

Mrs Cartwright said while the tunnels were built to protect production lines from bombing, by the time she began working at Drakelow the worst of the raids had already hit the country. Right, a newspaper cutting from 1941 detailing the deaths of three men killed when one of the tunnels collapsed during 'excavating operations'

'I'd had no experience at the time, someone, I think my sister-in-law, just gave me a book which told me how to do it and I just got on with it,' Mrs Cartwright told MailOnline.

'The metal could come in and it would be one of the men who would drill it into shavings. I'd dissolve it in acid and then put something on it that would allow me to analyse it so I could find how much nickle, chrome etc was in each part.'

The only woman in the laboratory, Mrs Cartwright had wanted to serve in the army before being called up.

'In a way it was luck of the draw an din a way it wasn't. I wanted to go into the forces but parents in those days told you what to do and mine said: "no, you'll go into industry."'

Earning £3 a week, she was also tasked with taking photographs of the metal for developing in a dark room next door.

While the factory's design was so carried out to avoid raids, the worst of the bombing across Britain had already occurred by the time Mrs Cartwright took up work, she said.

'They started building the tunnels in 1941, quite late in the war. Around that time we were being badly bombed but never when I was there.'

The site was restored in the 1980s by the Ministry of Defence which installed two KW generators.

Tunnel 4, one of the main passageways used during the Second World War to shuttle workers to their stations.

After the war ended, Mrs Cartwright trained as a teacher and spent years teaching P.E. in Worcester.

She met her late husband, Cecil Cartwright, after the war had ended and the pair married in 1953.

Revisiting the Drakelow Tunnels with one of her sons, John, the great-grandmother said it was 'strange' to see it so quiet.

In 1936, the Air Ministry approached the car manufacturer Rover, asking them to help with wartime production.

By 1939, all motoring production had ceased and the company had begun working solely on aircraft parts and engines.

But when its Coventry factory was blitzed, bosses cited the need for a more secure setting to allow production to continue.

Shadow Factories were then created. Built underground, safe from the shelling of Hitler's army, workers were free to work on engines for military aircraft and tanks.

A canteen that was reused  during the Cold War when Drakelow Factory became a Government bunker.

The Drakelow site was one of the largest, spanning more than three miles. Built into Kingsford Country Park, the factory is 300ft from the top of the hill but is in fact at road level.

It was used to produce aircraft engines specifically for four models of Bristol aircraft; the Pegasus, Hercules, Centaur and Mercury.

When demand wavered at the end of the war some staff were kept on to continue working on tanks.

Production of the Meteor Tank Engine continued until 1952 when parts became surplus to requirements. All production stopped indefinitely thee years later when the site was handed over to the Ministry of Works.

In 1961 the Government converted half of the tunnels to become a nuclear-safe bunker known as Regional Seat of Government.

By the 1980s it had been modernised again with new blast doors fitted to meet updated requirements.

It was decommissioned and sold to a private company in the early 1990s and remains in their ownership.

'All my memories are of a bustling hive of activity. I did enjoy my time there, it was certainly an experience. I just got on with it.'

The Drakelow Tunnels or Shadow Factory was one of 26 of the same kind across the UK, built into the ground or landscape.

During the war it was used to produce engine parts for four Bristol aircraft - Hercules, Pegasus, Centaur and Mercury.

For a short while afterward the war production continued but to create parts for army tanks.

The site is owned by a private Swiss company, though historians are eager to turn it into a permanent museum.

Summary: 70 years after the Second World War, scientist Mary Cartwright returned to the laboratory where she contributed to building aircraft engines. Cartwright began working at the Drakelow Shadow Factory in Kidderminster, Worcestershire when she was 20 years old. Now 91, Cartwright can still recall the details of her work as a metal tester and photographer.


Summary: Mary Cartwright, at 91 years old, visited the underground factory where she worked as a metal tester during world war II. The factory designed engines and tank parts for the English Army during the war. Ms. Cartwright marveled at the quietness of the place during her visit.


Summary: 70 years after working there, Mary Cartwright revisits the laboratory at Drakelow Shadow Factory in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. At 20 years old, she was called to work there from 1943 through 1945 to test and photograph metal. The site became known as the Drakelow tunnels for its vast network of secret passageways that spanned more than 3 miles.


Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor may have taken the spotlight over the past two weeks when it comes to the UFC's featherweight division, but this weekend it's time for two other top ranked 145ers to take centre stage, as No 1 ranked Chad Mendes and No 4 ranked Ricardo Lamas meet in Fairfax, in a bout which could potentially determine the next challenger to the title.

Mendes' only two professional losses have come at the hands of the Brazilian king and Lamas also dropped a decision to Aldo when the two met in February last year.

But it is Aldo's upcoming opponent, Irishman McGregor, who has dominated conversation in the lead up to this weekend's fight.

Opponents Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas face off during the UFC weigh-in at the Patriot Center.

Lamas holds an open training session for fans and media at the UFC Gym on in Fairfax, Virginia.

'I thought Aldo handled it well' said Team Alpha Male's Mendes, when asked about Aldo's reaction to McGregor snatching the championship belt on stage in Dublin. 'But that's Conor, he is crazy, you know,' Mendes continued.

'Aldo has been the champion for a long time. Conor is the type of guy who is always going to run his mouth, but I highly doubt Aldo is going to let that get to him. I feel like whoever wins, I'm good. I think Aldo is a better mixed martial artist so I think he is going to win. He knows what he is doing - I just see him winning the fight.'

A stark contrast to the championship pairing, Mendes and Lamas have shown nothing but respect for one another in the lead up to Saturday night's main event.

Mendes flexes his guns at the weight-in before his clash with rival Lamas at the Patriot Centre.

Mendes is put though his paces in front of the fans ahead of the fight against Lamas in Fairfield.

Anticipating a war when they meet, 'Money' Mendes is confident that he is stronger than 'The Bully' in every department and that, should he win convincingly, he believes the fans will want to see him get a third crack at Aldo.

'I think Ricardo is a tough guy - he is good everywhere, you know. But the thing is, I feel like everything that he is good at, I'm just that little bit better,' he added.

'I'm hoping that if I win this fight, then enough people will want to watch a third fight between me and Aldo and that the UFC will give it to us, but we'll see what happens.

'If I can get out there and totally dominate, then hopefully that will be enough to get me another shot. I'm expecting a war out there - like I said, Lamas is a tough, tough fighter.'

Mendes holds an open training session for fans and media at the UFC Gym in Fairfax, Virginia.

And Mendes is not the only one eyeing up a second shot at the featherweight title. Chicago-born Lamas claims he is under no illusions that he will be in for an easy night with Mendes.

'If I keep performing well then the title shot will come,' he said. 'Mendes is a cool guy. He is a good sport and he is a respectful fighter. But this is going to be a tough fight and when it comes to the night, you're going to see us both try to go in there and take each other out.

'I feel like I am strong for my weight but Mendes is a powerhouse too, so we will see what happens. I feel like Chad is a great fighter so we're going to bring the best out of each other, for sure.'

Lamas stretches his legs with a kick as he prepares to take on Mendes with an open training session.

Meanwhile arguably two of the lightweight division's most exciting fighters, Jorge Masvidal and Al Iaquinta, meet in the co-main event - a bout which should showcase some of the finest striking in the division.

Watch UFC Fight Night: Mendes vs. Lamas live on BT Sport 1 on Saturday, April 4. Catch the prelims from 4pm BST and the main card from 6pm BST.

Summary: Featherweight contestants Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas prepare for their UFC fight night, and both are expecting it to be a tough match. Both fighters speak respectfully of their competition and have high hopes that this fight will lead to additional matches and career growth.


Summary: Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas face off during the UFC weigh-in at the Patriot Center. They will face each other on Saturday,  April 4, and whoever wins will get a chance to take the UFC Featherweight Title. Although there's a stark contrast between both fighters, they showed nothing but respect for one another.


Hong Kong (CNN)Six people were hurt after an explosion at a controversial chemical plant in China's southeastern Fujian province sparked a huge fire, provincial authorities told state media.

The plant, located in Zhangzhou city, produces paraxylene (PX), a reportedly carcinogenic chemical used in the production of polyester films and fabrics.

The blast occurred at an oil storage facility Monday night after an oil leak, though local media has not reported any toxic chemical spill.

Five out of six people were injured by broken glass and have been sent to the hospital for treatment, Xinhua news agency reported.

More than 600 firefighters were sent to battle the blaze and the fire is now under control, the Zhangzhou fire department wrote on their official microblogging account Tuesday morning.

Residents living close to the plant had heard the explosion and took to Weibo to post photos of the fire.

One user wrote that he heard a loud blast and felt slight tremors.

The plant was hit by another explosion in July 2013, although there were no reports of casualties or toxic leaks at the time.

Though demonstrations are illegal in China, the construction of PX plants has sparked protests, which have occasionally turned violent, in several cities in recent years.

The Zhangzhou plant was slated for Xiamen -- a densely populated city in the southeast of the country. However, it provoked an angry backlash in 2007 due to pollution concerns and prompted the local government to relocate the factory to its current, more remote location.

Summary: Six people were injured in an explosion at a controversial chemical plant in the city of Zhangzhou. Five out of the six injured were hurt from broken glass shards. The plant manufactures carcinogenic chemicals used in polyester films and fabrics.


Summary: A chemical plant exploded in Zhangzhou, China, after the storage facility had an oil leak. Six people were injured by the blast, and 600 firefighters were sent to extinguish the flames, which are now under control. The plant was originally planned to be built in the densely populated city of Xiamen, but was relocated due to protests over pollution concerns.


Summary: Six people were hurt by an explosion at a chemical plant in Fujian China sparked a huge fire, and five of them were also injured by broken glass. The blast occurred after an oil leak. To make matters worse, the plant produces PX, a substance illegal in China, sparking protests in several cities.


The president of the MGM Grand is making a solemn promise to the hundreds of thousands of party-goers already flocking to Las Vegas for Saturday's Fight of the Century.

'They have my guarantee we will not run out of beer this weekend,' says Scott Sibella.

That is a reference to how Ricky Hatton's trans-Atlantic army of 30,000 fans drank the Strip dry when he fought Floyd Mayweather eight years ago.

With 10 times that number expected to descend on this oasis in the Nevada desert – just so they can say 'I was there' on the night Mayweather finally fights Manny Pacquiao – the MGM food and beverage department are taking no chances.

The MGM Grand is getting ready to host Floyd Mayweather's showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

The hotel resort on the Las Vegas strip will host the biggest boxing contest ever on Saturday night.

Advertisements for the fight on Saturday night are all over the MGM Grand hotel ahead of the contest.

The MGM Grand expect 50,000 people each day to pass through for Friday's weigh-in and Saturday's fight.

1993 - Year opened.

280ft - height of the four 30-storey towers.

2,500 - slot machines and video poker.

7,000 - Rooms and suites.

9,000 - employees work at the hotel.

16,000 - Garden Arena capacity.

100,000 - people expected for the event.

170,000 - Square feet of gaming.

A convoy of trucks is already delivering the first consignments of half a million bottles of Budweiser, Miller Lite, Corona and Tecate, who are paying more than $5million (£3.3m) to be one of the fight's sponsors.

Many early arrivals are busy now stock-piling cases of their preferred foaming nectar in their rooms at the hotel, which will cost them $1,600 (£1,057) a night come Friday and Saturday.

Even at those prices, they are the lucky ones. The majority of rooms on the Strip are reserved for proven high-rollers with track records of seven-figure gambling. Sibella says: 'We are taking care of major clients from all over the world.'

Many late-comers are being reduced to renting out not only rooms in private houses but the caravans parked in those gardens.

Sibella expects 50,000 people to set foot in the MGM each day for Friday's weigh-in and Saturday's main event itself, in addition to the near 14,000 occupants of the 7,000 rooms and suites.

Merchandise for the fight on sale at the MGM Grand with just days to go before the blockbuster event.

A hotel guest looks at a display of title belts belonging to the unbeaten American Mayweather.

The hotel is putting the finishing touches on it's preparations for the biggest event in Las Vegas history.

Who do you think WILL win the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao?

Who do you think WILL win the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao?

Now share your opinion.

A hundred thousand hot dogs will be sizzling in readiness in and around the Grand Garden Arena.

All this is only the surface of the liquid lake and the tip of the food mountain which will be drunk and devoured at the MGM Grand and the group's 13 other hotel-casinos on the Strip.

In its comparatively new incarnation as a holiday resort destination rather than just a gambling mecca, Vegas now generates even more revenue from such sources as accommodation, restaurants, bars and shows than it does from betting.

Sibella says: 'At an event like this we want to maximise all our non-gaming revenue.'

Nevertheless, the casino drop is expected to at least double the record take at the tables which has been set on New Year's Eve and equalled for Mike Tyson's biggest fights.

Projections for the economic impact on the Vegas economy have been revised upwards from an initial $400m (£265m) to well over a billion dollars.

This is the fun part of a military scale operation for putting on the mega-rich fight for which the world of boxing and beyond has been waiting for five years.

The MGM has an army of 9,000 employees, almost two to every three hotel guests. Many are engaged in security and this is where it gets serious.

Mayweather's fight against Pacquiao will take place at the MGM Grand's 16,000-capacity Garden Arena.

Fewer than a thousand tickets went on sale to the public with the rest to be distributed privately.

As well as being a hotel, the MGM Grand is a world-famous resort with casinos and entertainment.

It is a complex task playing host to what will be the biggest single event in Las Vegas history but ask Sibella for his greatest concern and he says: 'The safety of all these people.'

Fights this big bring special risks. There will be a melting pot of thousands of Mayweather's fellow American rappers and almost as many Filipino immigrants supporting Pacquiao.

But it is not the cultural mix which worries the hosts.

A number of fight nights at the Grand Garden have ended in pushing, shoving and near-crushing among the crowds as they tried to leave.

Fortunately there have been no fatalities but after Mayweather's most recent fight here, against Marcos Maidana, a number of injured had to be stretchered away for hospital treatment.

After 'the last stampede,' as Sibella describes it, he called summit meetings to devise a new strategy for crowd control.

A Grand King Room, which on Monday was being sold on the website for over $1,800 for the night of the fight.

The MGM resort has a golf course along with restaurants and casinos as part of it's entertainment experience.

Gambling is a huge source of revenue for most Las Vegas hotels, including the MGM Grand.

The two roots of the problem were the single exit route from the arena and the thousands without tickets still waiting outside, lining those hallways in hope of glimpsing the rich and famous.

Resorts here like to steer the foot traffic through the casino floors but Sibella is putting safety first.

Although the gaming areas are required by law to be open for free entrance, movement beyond the tables to the concourses leading to the arena will be restricted to fight ticket-holders and those with restaurant or bar reservations.

'The problem has not so much been the spectators leaving as the people-watchers blocking their movement,' says Sibella. 'We are now working on opening up more exit routes.'

Furthermore, this Saturday, the rubber-neckers will be kept at a distance. They will be further discouraged by the celebrities – sports stars and Hollywood royalty among them - using a private, guarded entrance out of eyesight of the throng.

Metal detectors have been obligatory since Tyson's infamous ear-biting fight against Evander Holyfield spilled out into a riot on the main casino floor, with reports of gunfire and sightings of at least one cop drawing his weapon.

Mayweather's last 10 fights have all taken place at the MGM Grand, including two against Marcos Maidana.

The unbeaten American beat Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in December 2007.

Hatton was also on the end of another devastating defeat by Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in May 2009.

Sibella says: 'Like Floyd and Manny, we need a perfect game plan.'

More than 50,000 of the out-of-towners will be syphoned away from the arena hot-spot to watch closed-circuit TV transmission on giant screens located in all the MGM properties.

Even that facility for viewing the richest fight ever will cost $150 (£99) a ticket. For the first time in ring history there will be a charge for admission to the weigh-in – at the arena on Friday – to facilitate crowd control for that event. Proceeds – at $10 a head – will go to charities nominated by Mayweather and Pacquiao.

Come Saturday, MGM corporate security, the Las Vegas police and Nevada State Troopers will make a co-ordinated effort not only to deter crime but to keep the flow of people and traffic moving through the hotel and casino and out along the Strip.

Mayweather beat Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in 2007 in a fight that set pay-per-view records.

Those travelling by limousines and taxis will be urged to disembark and embark quickly at extra drop-off and pick-up points.

Tyson's fights often degenerated into crowd chaos but Sibella expects Mayweather and Pacquiao to play their part in ensuring a peaceful as well as atmospheric occasion.

He says: 'The styles of Floyd and Manny should combine to produce a fight which lives up to all the hype.

If it's the great fight I expect, it will help create the happy night we all want.'

Just for the record, most of we lucky 1,500 journalists out of 18,000 applicants for media accreditation are working this week in a marquee erected on a car park adjacent to the arena. No beer or any other alcohol allowed.

Summary: The MGM Grand is getting ready for the fight of the century, as Floyd Mayweather faces off with Manny Pacquiao on Saturday. Scott Sibella, President of the MGM Grand promises that they will not run out of beer this weekend, as a reference to the Hatton-Mayweather fight where the entire strip ran out of beer.


Summary: The MGM Grand resort in Las Vegas is preparing for the fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, which is expected to be the biggest boxing contest ever. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected, and the event planners are focusing on safety, security, and ensuring there is enough food and alcohol.


Summary: The MGM Grand is hosting what's being called the most prominent event ever in Las Vegas. Floyd Mayweather is finally fighting Manny Pacquiao. To prepare for the event, the Grand is taking a significant number of precautions, most of which are to keep the select few guests safe from the throngs of people present outside.