this is bbc news. the headlines at six. thousands of homes are without power in parts of wales and england as the uk struggles with the bitter winter conditions. that's my car there, so that's not going anywhere and then all the local trains and buses are cancelled, people are just going around on sledges on the main road yesterday. several flood warnings have been issued for parts of england due to high tides and strong winds. further travel disruption is expected. the prime minister has helped bring together remain and leave supporters — according to the health secretary, jeremy hunt. video assistant referees are set to be used at this year's world cup in russia after football's lawmakers voted to approve the technology. and liverpool can go second in the premier league — if they beat newcastle at anfield tonight. we'll have that, and the rest of the day's sport in sportsday at half past six. good evening and

welcome to bbc news. hundreds of people in the north of england and in north and mid—wales, are without power — as the uk struggles with the continued effects of the week's bitter weather. motorists and rail passengers have been told to expect continued disruption, with scotland receiving the heaviest snowfall, and some of the lowest temperatures, in the uk. elsewhere it's expected to get milder. as the snow begins to melt, the environment agency has 11 flood warnings in place for parts of northeast and southwest england. our correspondent dan johnson reports. another day of britain taking a battering. after the snow come the high tides and the flood warnings.

the sea has taken over the railway line. on the outskirts of cardiff, the snow is still hanging around. 400 homes across wales are without power, some people have now seen enough. very pretty and all that, but i must admit it is getting on my nerves now. it has affected me in not being able to get into work. i did not expect it to be as bad as it's been but we are getting cabin fever now. the motorway across the pennines was deserted for more than a day because of heavy snow and high winds. leeds and manchester were finally reconnected earlier this morning. the traffic may be flowing here, but most of the roads across these hills are still blocked with snow and there are strong winds in places too, potentially causing more snow drifts. further north, the a1 has reopened, the a66 is still blocked. over the border, just look what the trains are having to plough through in scotland. with even more snow

expected to fall. rail travel is difficult across the uk. as well as snow and ice, services on northern and merseyrail are affected by strike action. thousands of flights have also been cancelled. teams are battling to keep runways open. in manchester, officers searching for a man who had gone missing after leaving a nightclub pulled a body from the canal. scarborough is one of many places starting to clear up. there are flood warnings in the south—west and the north—east. the long thaw may have begun, but more problems are still to come. some of the heavy snow has been in scotla nd some of the heavy snow has been in scotland and our correspondent has the latest from glasgow. it has been farfrom a normal the latest from glasgow. it has been far from a normal saturday here in glasgow, places have felt a lot quieter but things are certainly

starting to get back on track. we we re starting to get back on track. we were at glasgow central rail station earlier and many services throughout the day came back on stream and scott beale say that they are hopeful they will have a normal service hopeful they will have a normal service tomorrow hopeful they will have a normal service tomorrow which bodes well for the monday morning commute. the west coast main line between scotla nd west coast main line between scotland and england, they had hoped that trains would be running this afternoon, but they have been fighting a battle with the drifting snow and where the plough has moved it, the drifting snow has come back onto the line and they are starting to get it away again. the airports have been opened today, passengers still advised to check with their airline before arriving, because there are still cancellations and delays as you would expect with the amount of disruption there has been over the last few days. on the roads, the main arterial routes seem to be doing well, but the problem now is an side roads where the snow is compounding but not melting and it is becoming very icy underfoot.

underfoot and in the car, treacherous on some side roads and the advice is to make sure you are safe and to check carefully before heading out. we have seen some tremendous community spirit over the last few days and let me tell you the story of an elderly couple in the story of an elderly couple in the borders. their house was surrounded by about 12 feet of snow but they were dug out by some police officers and the mountain rescue tea m officers and the mountain rescue team and we hear that they are safe and well. an independent investigation is being launched after delayed train passengers were able to leave a train and walk down tracks in south east london last night. southeastern rail services through lewisham were held up after ice affected power supply to trains and caused "major disruption". this led to frustrated passengers jumping off a train after pressing an emergency alarm and walking to the nearest platform. in a moment we join bbc one and my colleague reeta chakrabarti for a full round up of the day's news but first our correspondent joe lynham has been

following the latest developments on the roads, trains and airports. of and lots that we are not aware of, so i have picked a few roads that we know that are closed due to snow and this is a quick view of some of the roads, there are far more and there are plenty of websites that you can look at to check your local area, including bbc local radio and local websites. the aa website are talking about the a911 in scotland being closed, the road south of burton on trent is closed, the b4070 in the cotswolds is closed due to snow, plenty of roads in the brecon beacons also closed as well, due to the inclement weather and the b3087 also. this is a small selection of roads. check websites and your local providers to see whether your roads are blocked. i had to get the train into work today, a little bit

apprehensive as you can imagine, east midlands trains, how is the picture looking at the moment? i got to work. east midlands is a good area in terms of rail in this thing. i have spoken to network rail, they sent me some updates, they are urging people not to travel at all today on the east coast mainline, which is a busy line up the spine of england all the way to scotland. no trains between carlisle and scotland on the west coast as well, also due to snow. the routes are back open on the south east chains. on the south east trains. they had been affected for a couple of days and they are reopening in wales as well. no trains between bournemouth and weymouth. check with your provider, if you're using great western, if you're using great western, check with them, if you're using scotrail, check with them,

the list goes on, before you make yourjourney to the station. a lot of these websites have live departure boards online. airports, air travel and some international airports have been affected. things are much better today. birmingham airport has reopened, it was suspended yesterday. it is not a small airport. it is the seventh biggest airport in the uk. for the nerds among us, it is the 43rd largest in europe. back open today, was suspended yesterday, dublin airport, even bigger, was closed for two days, back open. heathrow airport running a near normal service as is gatwick, edinburgh, but of course there are a lot of people in the wrong place as a result of cancelled flights and blocked airports so there are tens of thousands of people who are not where they want to be right now and that will take a few days to get them all back to the right place. good evening.

thousands of homes are still without electricity, and motorists and rail passengers face continuing disruption, as the uk struggles with the bitter weather. snow drifts are blocking some major roads and many rural communities remain cut off. roads and many rural as temperatures begin to rise — easing problems in some areas — there's a new threat of flooding, with severe warnings in place in parts of north—east and south west england. dan johnson reports. and south west england. at least manchester and leeds were reconnected this morning when the m62 opened. were reconnected this morning lots of other roads over these hills are still blocked, though. hills are still blocked, it's been quite incredible, never seen anything like it. we've had sort of five or so foot drifts around where we live, the other side of the hill over there. cars getting stuck. of the hill over there. including police cars and so on. of the hill over there. the ice roads of the north pennines. of the hill over there.

this lane leading to the tiny village of bewcastle's been blocked since wednesday. village of bewcastle's been blocked this morning, local farmers cleared the snow. you never see a gritter out here, never. people here are feeling a bit forgotten. i rang the highways department yesterday morning asking them to send out some assistance as our tractor was stuck in a neighbour's. as our tractor was stuck in a and they said there's no way anybody was going to be out our way. anybody was going to be out i think it's absolutely disgusting. anybody was going to be out right across the north, there's still plenty of snow to clear. we don't want any more, but, you know, it is what it is and we can cope with it. you know, it is what it is when you see the amount of snow here you get an idea of what this community has had to endure this week. this is not the only village that has been cut off. high that has been cut off. tides and flooding are now a risk. high tides and flooding are now a risk. this is dawlish on the south—west coast. and look what the

trains have to plough through in scotland. we actually hopeful of a near normal service tomorrow, which will set everything of people going back to work on monday morning. very hopeful we can provide a really good service come monday. hundreds of homes across wales were without power. leaking boilers have only added to the misery. bedding is damaged, the bed itself is gone, soaking wet, the carpet such rated. some supermarkets are running short after the beast from the east, the hysteria from siberia. there are signs of warmer climes back in bewcastle. the long, slow thaw might have started, that doesn't mean the problems are over. north devon has seen particularly heavy snow and some remote villages have been cut off for days. heavy snow and some remote villages jon kay is there for us. heavy snow and some remote villages yes, heavy snow and some remote villages this is the a exmoor yes, this is the a39 which crosses exmoor and heads towards the tourist

town of lynton connecting lots of little remote villages. when we got here the road was completely covered in snow. snowploughs are going through bit by bit very gradually. they've just got round the corner there, that's as far as you can get at the moment. it is incredibly slow progress. here is why. one scoop at a time. progress. here is why. but it is a massive task. progress. here is why. clearing the a39 to free this area of devon. we need to dig through to get the roads open again. to get the roads open dan has been helping out as a volunteer, helping council and highway staff. as a volunteer, helping council and so supplies can get in and villagers can get out. down in the dip it gets even worse, so it's just going to take how long it takes. and it won't be quick. how long it takes. it could be days before they reach the town of lynton four miles away. before they reach the what's happened here is that the high winds have brought all this snow in off the moors and it's basically become trapped on the road by the high trees and the bushes.

and it can't go anywhere. by the high trees and the bushes. it can't get away. by the high trees and the bushes. compare it, look, with the hills after the side. there the snow has pretty much melted now. but on the road itself, completely blocked. we received these pictures from deep within exmoor today. how long until all this thaws? within exmoor today. karen's worried help might not be able to reach her village if there's an emergency. life here is getting tough. there's an emergency. people are running low on supplies and i think that worries people in this day and age when we are not used those sorts of circumstances. when we are not used those sorts of linda is helping her neighbours. when we are not used those sorts of these remote communities are clearly working together. what you do is put an appeal on the village facebook site and somebody will come up to the door and help you out if you're really stuck. up to the door and help you out if so what have you had? up to the door and help you out if well, it's always nice getting some potatoes when you're short of potatoes, isn't it? potatoes when you're but there can be no fresh deliveries

until all this is cleared. so tonight the work continues on the a39. jon kay, bbc news, devon. continues on the a39. use continues on the a39. justin. three men have beer charged usejustin. three men have been charged with manslaughter and arson over an explosion in leicester which left five people dead. several people were also injured in the blast in the hinckley road area of the city last sunday. three members of the same family died when the shop and flat were destroyed. reports from syria suggest government forces have gained more ground in an assault on the rebel—held area of eastern ghouta, near the capital damascus. on the rebel—held area of eastern once again, no aid was delivered during the daily five—hour humanitarian ceasefire in eastern ghouta — and no civilians mad it out. ghouta — and no civilians made it out. ghouta — and no president assad's ally russia says rebels have prevented civilians from leaving. rebels have prevented the rebels deny this. rebels have prevented the trial use of new video technology, to assist football referees, is proving controversial in the english game. now football's world governing body has approved its use, and it's set to be used at this

year's world cup in russia. the system allows referees to review key moments during a match, such as goals and penalty calls. key moments during a match, but critics say it's slowing down the action and ruining the game, as richard conway reports. the action and ruining the game, from diego maradona's hand of god to injustice in the biggest games. football has long opposed technology to help officials make the important decisions. to help officials make the important but after an historic vote, all that has changed. video assistant referees or var, as it's known, finally given the go—ahead. or var, as it's var is good for football, it's good for refereeing. it brings more fairness in the game. it's good for refereeing. and for these reasons we have decided to approve. we have decided to var will be used to correct errors relating to goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity. nearly 1000 games have formed

part of a two year var experiment. part of a two year var tottenham's match against rochdale last week was included in the trial but was criticised given lengthy delays while the referee reviewed incidents. leading to claims technology is killing the atmosphere and pace of the match. the holy grail of football is the world cup, surely if it's not good enough for the fa cup we can't we let out into the most prestigious tournament we have every four years. but one of the architect of the new tournament we have every four years. system told me there is evidence video assistant is working. on clear error situations, the accuracy of the referee decisions went from, initially, 93% up to around 99%. of course there are grey areas where an incident could be a penalty, could not be a penalty, and they will always remain grey areas. not be a penalty, and they will football's leaders want to eliminate game changing mistakes.

as the video trial has shown, anyone who thinks technology will stop controversy may want to think again. who thinks technology will stop richard conway, bbc news. who thinks technology will stop scientists are testing new technology which could lead to the early detection of oesophageal cancer. it's one of the deadliest forms of the disease, claiming around 8,000 lives each year in the uk. now doctors and physicists in cambridge have developed a camera to spot abnormal cells before they develop into cancer. our science correspondent richard westcott reports. right now this is how you find one of britain's deadliest cancers. oesophageal cancer kills 21 people a day because it is so difficult to spot. people a day because it is using a camera with a normal white light on the end, the doctor's looking at the dark red patch. these physicists already use different coloured lasers to study electrons. use different coloured now they are adapting the technique to look for early signs of disease. what happens is the tissue becomes cancerous is we get a change in the chemical composition, and different chemicals have different colours,

meaning that if we look at the cancer with a technique that allows us to capture information from all of the different colours of light that are being reflected, we can get a fuller picture of the disease state that is present. of the disease state and this is how it might look. of the disease state two thirds of our patients present with a cancer that is already spreading to the lymph glands, and after that it can go to distant organs like the liver. and after that it can go to distant if we treat a cancer at that point at which it is still within the tissue of the tissue itself and has not spread anywhere, we can remove it all and cure it. itself and has not spread anywhere, that is is that what happened to jackie. they caught her disease in time, and now she is fine. i knew there was something wrong. and now she is fine. people should not have heartburn for 20 odd years, actually it was 30 years. heartburn for 20 odd years, they will start trials of the new camera on patients in the next few weeks. of the new camera on patients if successful, it could also be used to spot other cancers before they become fatal. to spot other cancers richard

to spot other cancers westcott, bbc news. we're back with the late news at 10:10. hello. this is bbc news. more now about the weather. an operation is underway tonight to reach people at linton in north devon, who have completely shot off. andy burkett has the report. unless you have got one of these, you're not going anywhere. while much of the south west returns to normality, clinton remains cut off. this is a road ten miles away, deep snow here means the roads are impassable. trips come to the top of the

telegraph poles. it has been a lock in with the difference for this pub owner. he has not had a delivery here since wednesday. this is the main road. it goes from linton on to the mowers and up the top there, you can see the sheep in the field. there is grass they can get to but in other places where the snow has drifted, there is no chance by them at all. efforts are being made to clear the road in and out of the town but it is not expected to happen before midnight. we hope to be able to get in there but there are a lot of snowdrifts, some of them up to 12 foot deep and the snow blowers and snowploughs, it is a horrendous task and it is very

treacherous conditions they are working on. while some areas have thawed out, north devon is not the only place with the roads are blocked. this is just only place with the roads are blocked. this isjust outside plymouth. at least you can see the car there. near okehampton, this vehicle is not quite so easy to spot. here on exmoor, you canjust about get directions still. the roads are not the only problem. for many, the biggest issue is dealing with power cuts and a lack of water. more than 700 homes were still without electricity while ago and many households are still without water. the low temperatures and the thawing process from the snow has resulted in a large break—out of bursts and leaks and we are struggling to keep pace with the sheer demand for water for our customers and we have had quite a few problems with customers having leaks and bursts on their own pipes as well. water was also the problem on the rail line at dawlish but today the training in and out of

the region was restored, as were flights from exeter airport. the health secretary, jeremy hunt, has said the prime minister's brexit offer showed that it is possible to get "frictionless" trade with the european union while leaving the single market and the customs union. theresa may's speech, which she made in london yesterday, has largely been welcomed by leave and remain supporters in the conservative party. andrew rosindell is one of those leave—voting conservative mps and joined me earlier to give his reaction to the prime minister's speech. she has clinched it, in my view. she has put things into perspective. we wa nt to has put things into perspective. we want to be part of europe, to trade, cooperate and work with our neighbours and have bilateral understandings and agreements, like most countries in the world like to do with their neighbours, but what we will not do is be part of a political union where the european court ofjustice has power over us, where our own laws are not ultimately made by the british parliament, where our immigration is under control of our own

regulations, ourfishing industry is restored, all these things are what the people voted for in the referendum. she has absolutely made clear we re referendum. she has absolutely made clear were britain stands now. michel barnier can no longer say we do not know what britain wants, she has made it clear and now the ball is very firmly in the court of the eu to respond, i hope, in a positive way. i was listening to a discussion on this and i cannot remember who it was, but her words have been described as nothing more than emollient and you are saying that there is a very definite description of where we stand. do you really believe that? the problem is that the eu is like a religion, everyone has to be part of this great united states of europe that is evolving, we will all conform and do the same thing, oh no, we are not, we voted not to do that. we want to be friends with europe, cooperate with europe, we want to trade with europe but we will not be put into this straitjacket of a federal system, andi

straitjacket of a federal system, and i am afraid it is evolving, it is gradually becoming reality. what is gradually becoming reality. what is good is that you have the dutch prime minister warning against this, other friendly countries like poland especially, they are not happy. we are seeing elections in italy that are seeing elections in italy that are likely to elect parties who do not want a federal system. britain is leading the way and we are setting the pathway out of this federal system which the bureaucrats in brussels are still fanatically trying to build. we could lead the way and one of your suggestions in this letter was about we start those trade negotiations immediately. that is not going to happen, is it? no reason why it would not happen. the eu does not do flexibility. they are looking in a verrall narrow way about this. we would love to be able to sign trade agreements now, but that will not happen but i hope that will happen as it is believed the eu. there are countries around the

world that want to work on trade with britain, especially the commonwealth countries and i think it has been a great shame that in the last 50 years we have not been able to do it and i think it will be a great advantage in the long term that we could actually have our own independent policy again. time for a look at the weather with susan powell. cannot promise you any particularly springlike weather in the week ahead but what i can tell you it that it will not be as cold as it'sjust gone. things will remain unsettled overnight tonight the risk of snow from the midlands and wales, heavy showers possibly turning thundery into the south west of england, further snow across eastern scotland and perhaps the far north—east of england. milder for southernmost counties, another frosty night and ice will be a big issue first thing on sunday. you see the change in our type of weather as the air comes up from the south, showers of rain across england and wales into southern scotland and northern ireland, snow confined to the highest ground but more snow showers extensively

across northern and eastern scotland through sunday. temperatures to the south back up at around eight or 9 degrees. still struggling close to freezing further north. this is bbc news, our latest headlines: weather warnings for snow and icy roads remain in place across much of the uk. thousands of homes are without power. several flood warnings have been issued for parts of england, due to high tides and strong winds. motorists and rail passengers have been told to expect continued disruption on roads and railways. three men have been charged with manslaughter and arson over an explosion in leicester, which left five people dead and a number of people injured. the prime minister has helped bring together remain and leave supporters — according to the health secretary, jeremy hunt. video assistant referees are set to be used at this year's world cup