the demand has just been incredible. my son is asthmatic and obviously we are concerned about him and my husband and i took a really long, hard look at it and said, should i still do this? and we decided i had to, because no—one else is doing it. other provisions aren't in place for families, they are not in place for tiny babies. it's people looking at elderly but they are not looking at pregnant women, they are not looking at how scary it is to be 30 weeks pregnant and told to confine yourself for 12 weeks when you haven't finished your shopping. how positive are you about the future? we see a problem and we find our own solution because we are used to being forgotten by the government and we are used to being left on our own. we are not part of any other authority, so we are used to grafting and coming up with our own solutions. so that's why we will, because we always have and we always will. fiona trott, bbc news, hartlepool. time for a look at the weather. here's nick miller.

good afternoon. a fine day out there, plenty of sunshine for the spring plants, as we can see through oui’ spring plants, as we can see through our window on the weather from wales. on the recent satellite picture, some cloud from the channel islands drifting toward south—west england, a fuchsia was here. showers pushing towards the western isles of scotla nd pushing towards the western isles of scotland and we will eventually see some rain, but there is plenty of sunshine for the bulk of england and wales. the sun may be hazy in places and the arrows indicate where we have the strongest wind, gusts of around a0 to a5 mph in north—west scotla nd around a0 to a5 mph in north—west scotland and the winds are lighter compared to yesterday across much of england and wales, temperatures are well above average. mid team since in northern and scotland, upper teens to around 20 in the warmer parts of england and wales. this cloud will push further north, some showers in southern england overnight. rainy and breezy in northern scotland. temperatures are

holding up compared with last night, but in northern england and southern scotla nd but in northern england and southern scotland there might be some frost, but it is the best place for a view of the supermoon. submitted and fog patches around tomorrow. tomorrow looks more cloudy for many, some sunny spells around, and isolated shower perhaps towards the midlands and perhaps a injury one in south—west england. patchy rain in scotla nd south—west england. patchy rain in scotland and northern ireland. if anything it gets a little warmer in england and wales, but the pollen levels are high in england and wales again tomorrow. it is warmer, the windows may be open but we may be suffering a bit even if we are staying inside. i could be fog in southern england to start the day on thursday. still the chance of catching a shower in the midlands, wales and northern england and this area of cloud and scotland might have rain associated with it. dry weather on thursday and still warm, particularly in the sunshine. some

spots into the low 20s, warm and sunny spots into the low 20s, warm and sunny on spots into the low 20s, warm and sunny on friday in south—east england, whereas across the north of the uk this weather front will take outbreaks of rain and going deeper into the easter weekend, this low pressure will move in. there are changes around for the easter weekend, there will be more cloudy wrench, a chance of rain, nowhere looking particularly wet, but more noticeably it will be turning cooler, especially when this week is so warm. cooler, especially when this week is so warm. many thanks, nick. a reminder of our top story: borisjohnson remains boris johnson remains in borisjohnson remains in intensive ca re borisjohnson remains in intensive care ina borisjohnson remains in intensive care in a london hospital. number ten says he is in good spirits and has not needed a ventilator to help his breathing. it is goodbye from me, now wejoin his breathing. it is goodbye from me, now we join the bbc his breathing. it is goodbye from me, now wejoin the bbc news

borisjohnson is stable and in good spirits after a night in hospital. downing street he said he didn't require a ventilator and post receiving standard oxygen treatment. david cameron has been speaking in the past hour. obviously, it's very worrying news and all of us are praying for boris, thinking of him, thinking of his family and hoping that he gets well soon and gets back

to number ten where i know he wants to number ten where i know he wants to be and where we all want him to be. doris is a very tough, very resilient, very fit person, i know that from facing him on the tennis court and they know he will come through this. you have known him a long time, is he the sort of character he can come through this. he is very resilient, tough, also has a tremendous zest for life and for getting things done, for leading and taking decisions. i know he will wa nt to and taking decisions. i know he will want to get well, get back in charge again and that is what we all want for him and we are all hoping and praying that that is the case very soon. he is doing a tremendousjob and we want him back in there. in terms of running the country, this is unprecedented in modern times. should people be worried about the prime minister being out of action in this way? i don't think people should be worried about decisions being made. the government has a clear strategy, clear plan and all

ministers work to that plan. in our system, the prime minister remains the prime minister, but if he or she can takea the prime minister, but if he or she can take a decision, then the number ten team prepare that decision and it can be made by their colleagues, in this case, dominic raab. the right decisions, i'm sure, will be taken. that was david cameron speaking to the bbc earlier. dominic raabis speaking to the bbc earlier. dominic raab is deputising for the prime minister. his first test this morning was to chair a meeting of ministers along with the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser. carrie gracie has been speaking to ruth davidson about the challenges the government faces without borisjohnson. about the challenges the government faces without boris johnson. an event like this is quite shocking. ina weird event like this is quite shocking. in a weird way, it is almost the flip side of having the addition —— the nation the night before. a lot

of people saying they had been touched by it. they didn't know that they had needed her to give them that message, but they realised as soon that message, but they realised as soon as that message, but they realised as soon as she sat at how much they appreciated it. having the prime minister, who is such a big, ebullient, energetic figure, and also occupying highest position in the land, then being struck low by this, it affects people in a way as well. it shows that this virus is no respecter of position or rank. people from all parties and none wa nt to people from all parties and none want to see the prime minister doing well. that is part of our national story. i'm interested in your perception of the machinery of government at the moment, and the personalities and the challenges they face. people who never expected to be in such a leadership role at this moment are having to step up at a particularly difficult time. we have dominic raab, a lot younger, a

lot less experience than politics, having to deputise were necessary. exactly. you see a lot of people who are doing something they never thought they would have to do. rishi sunak had been in thejob thought they would have to do. rishi sunak had been in the job three weeks before he had to launch the biggest single economic intervention from the treasury that we have ever seenin from the treasury that we have ever seen in our adult lifetime. by god, didn't that man step up? you are seeing matt hancock absolutely understanding and having been a health ministerfor a understanding and having been a health minister for a long understanding and having been a health ministerfor a long time, understanding the brief very well, but never having seen the challenges put into the nhs we have seen and he stepped up. i have no doubt that you will see dominic raab step up as well. when people in politics are faced with something incredibly intense, the way you get through it is duejust put intense, the way you get through it is due just put your head down and work, work, work, work. that is

exactly what dominic raab will be doing. that kind of leadership, being the person who answers the questions is a lonely place to be, but don't forget, as your previous guests but don't forget, as your previous gu ests have but don't forget, as your previous guests have said, a lot of the big strategic decisions have already been set. the cabinet itself is incomplete simpatico with the prime minister. we have some of the best experts anywhere in the world giving the advice on how to get there, too. in somebody like chris whitty, to have one of the top epidemiologists anywhere on the planet to happen to be the guy holding the reins of chief medical officer at the time is only get a pandemic like this, it is so only get a pandemic like this, it is so reassuring. we have one of the best people anywhere and one of the most experienced anywhere think the decision—makers throughout. most experienced anywhere think the decision-makers throughout. we have heard some of the opposition leaders talking about back into government, hoping the government succeeds, but

providing constructive criticism and challenge were necessary. as challenge were necessary. how providing constructive criticism and challenge were necessary. how the uk government is performing, the scottish government, the other regional and national assemblies, do you think that there is something that should be done better or differently, or are you just cheering them on thinking they are doing their best at the moment. cheering them on thinking they are doing their best at the momentlj agree doing their best at the moment.” agree with sir keir starmer that thatis agree with sir keir starmer that that is the best approach to have. the way in which our new leader in the scottish government has instructed us to take this, is to make sure the questions we are asking of the scottish government are the ones that nudged the government in a direction where they need to go. we had similar issues regarding ppe with front line staff that you have had south of the border. i don't think there is anybody anywhere in the uk that wa nts to anybody anywhere in the uk that wants to see an opposition party in

any of the four parliaments playing politics. we want the country to come together, to be led by the government and governments, and doing everything that is required to keep us safe and well and your family safe. that means there is a strong and important role for a grown—up opposition party, which every indication we have seen since sir keir starmer came every indication we have seen since sir keirstarmer came in, every indication we have seen since sir keir starmer came in, the labour party is now returning to. i think thatis party is now returning to. i think that is great for the country, not just for the labour party. ruth davidson speaking earlier to my colleague. we have had extensive accounts from doctors, nurses and otherfront line health workers about the realities of tackling the disease, but what about those who are now in their own battle to recover from it? about those who are now in their own battle to recoverfrom it? this man spent five days in isolation in

bradford after catching covid—i9. it was a few weeks ago, a sunday evening i came home and i had a really high temperature. i've had fevers before, but nothing like this. for a few days i was at home andi this. for a few days i was at home and i thought i would battle through it at home. on the thursday my mum and my wife rang for an ambulance. the paramedics came and they checked me. my dad was also displaying symptoms. they ended up taking my dad on the thursday. my dad got better and came home after a few days. on the following sunday, seven or eight days later, we rang again andi or eight days later, we rang again and i went into hospital, into a&e. i was taken to our coronavirus —positive word, then went into acu.

so your experience in intensive care was presumably because she was struggling to breathe? yes. before i went into hospital, one of my symptoms, i struggled to breathe. when i went into hospital they were trying to attach all these wires and stuff on my arms. they were struggling to find some of my arteries. one of the doctors, after four different doctors attempted to find my arteries, said it was my arteries potentially collapsing. that is when they took me into acu. they put me onto one of these machines that was pushing air into my throat. i was conscious during that time, but it was a scary ordeal. so you didn't have to go on a ventilator or be intubated and have the machine doing your

breathing for you. you are having the assistance of oxygen to help your lungs? yes. a mask was put on my face for about 12 hours it would push oxygen down into my throat. it was really tiresome because each timei was really tiresome because each time i tried to breathe out, this machine is pushing air back down into your throat. it was really scary because i was conscious during that time. when i went into the intensive care unit, no family members were allowed, so i was com pletely members were allowed, so i was completely alone. the only comfort i had was the nhs nurses and doctors who were in the room with me looking after me. we know the prime minister has now been moved to intensive care and has had assistance with

breathing. were you afraid, in that lonely time of having symptoms worsening, you must be very frightening. it was really scary. at some point i did think i was going to go ahead. that is really scary. you start thinking, could my family cope without me? i support my family, my mum and dad, my wife and my siblings and everyone. all these things are running through your head, especially when you start to come to terms with it. such a weird time to be in. as my symptoms started to get better and as i started to get better and as i started to get better and as i started to feel better, i was so happy. to get the news that my dad was doing well. my grandma came out

of hospital as well, that was fantastic. when did you come out of hospital? you look so well, it is ha rd to hospital? you look so well, it is hard to square the story you are telling with looking at you on the screen. i came out last week on monday. just coming out of hospital may be so much better, as well. it was a lonely period in there. to be around my family, now i try to get out in the garden, get fresh air. i am doing so well now. i advise other people to stay safe and make sure they observe the government and nhs guidance on this whole situation. so good to hear of his recovery.

borisjohnson remains boris johnson remains in borisjohnson remains in intensive ca re borisjohnson remains in intensive care and a london hospital being treated for coronavirus. his condition is stable. the foreign secretary is standing in for the prime minister were necessary. the queen has been kept informed about his health. shinzo abe declares a state of emergency in tokyo and six other regions as the country struggles with the pandemic. charities running two hospices are warning they could close unless they get emergency funding. sue ryder, one of the largest charities in the uk for british palliative care and bereavement support, has reported a £12 million gap in its finances over the next three months, while marie curie is £30 million short. i'm joined now by heidi travis, chief executive at sue ryder,

who has been calling on the government for financial support. tell us why this situation has come about for sue ryder? thank you for having me on. since the coronavirus struck, like lots of charities we have had to close all of our shops, and many of our big fundraising events have been impacted. what this means is quite simply, over the course of the last two weeks, 70% of ourfunding has course of the last two weeks, 70% of our funding has stopped stop before the virus came along we only receive 30% of our funding through statutory funds from the nhs, we have to deliver at the other 70% to be able to provide our services. now that we don't have the shops are the fundraising events we find ourselves ina very fundraising events we find ourselves in a very difficult position, as will other hospices. we are very hopeful that we will get some government funds to help with this,

but we have launched our emergency appeal. it is vital right now that hospice services can be maintained in the uk. we are the uk? end—of—life service and at this time it would not be right for us to be closing services, particularly when we operate out in the community. for those people, they don't want to be having to try to go to hospital.m is one of those terrible side—effects of the outbreak that services such as years are being so hard—hit. services such as years are being so ha rd—hit. the services such as years are being so hard—hit. the government has launched a rescue package, as you know, for many people, for businesses, for self—employed people, freelancers. of charities falling through the net? i think we are being talked about and i think that people are recognising that hospices are an integral part of the health service. we are always part of that journey for someone. we

provide the uk? end—of—life services, it is just that we are normally only 30% funded through our endeavours with shops fundraising. we do need support. i hope that that might be coming, but for some hospices it needs to come quite quickly. we will do everything we can over the coming weeks to make sure that we are putting all efforts we can into raising funds, but we know that the public themselves are financially constrained at the moment, so it is a very difficult time for us while we try to look after our staff and make sure that they can give the very best of care to patients, both in the inpatient units and item people because my combs. are your hospices able to run as they normally would at the moment? we have had to implement lots of different changes to make sure that we keep both patients and

their staff safe. we have implemented different ways of working for people in terms of their clothing and how they are entering the building, just as the nhs site will be. we have different visitor restrictions in place to normal. all of this is to try to keep everybody safe, our staff, so that they can go on providing care to people, and to make sure the patient to with us are safe. there is a big job being done by our community teams out in people because my combs, because it is also really important for our staff to be safe when they go into homes with family members, as well. it also to make sure that the people they are looking after getting the best treatment. what level of funding would you be looking for from the government? in the sue ryder, it would be different for every hospital depending on how they generate theirfunds, hospital depending on how they generate their funds, but we know that over the next three months we have a £12 million shortfall. we will do everything we can to try to

generate some of that through our emergency appeal. that is a really significant some. when it is such a big part of the funding, 70% of the costs of running our services that we are now missing, that puts a real time pressure on getting support and making sure that these essential services can keep running alongside the hospitals so that we don't add to the pressure at the moment. we will have to leave it there. heidi travis, chief executive of sue ryder, thank you forjoining us. let's move away from coronavirus for a moment because the former vatican treasurer, cardinal george pell, has been freed from jail. he's won his appeal against his conviction for sexually abusing two choirboys when he was archbishop of melbourne in the 1990s. the 78—year—old cardinal, who was once the vatican's treasurer and one of the pope's most senior aides, said that truth had prevailed. shaimaa khalil reports from sydney.

he is the most senior catholic official ever convicted of child sexual abuse. his arrest and subsequent trial rocked the church. now george pell is a free man after seven judges in the country's highest court ruled that a jury was wrong. from the moment allegations were put to him by the police, cardinal pell had always maintained his innocence. what a load of absolutely disgraceful rubbish. completely false. madness. in 2018, a jury found george pell guilty of abusing two choirboys at melbourne's st patrick's cathedral in the late 90s, whilst serving as archbishop. he was convicted of five counts of sexual abuse including rape. after losing an appeal, his lawyers came to australia's high court, arguing that the verdict relied too much on the testimony of the alleged victim and ignored other evidence.

the judges agreed, saying that the jury should have had some reasonable doubt. cardinal pell said the decision remedied a serious injustice but that he held no ill will to his accuser. he added that the trial was not a referendum on the catholic church, or on the way its officials dealt with the crime of paedophilia. at the time of his arrest, cardinal pell was in charge of the vatican's finances and one of the pope's closest advisers. now his future is unclear. well, i think the options that he's got are pretty narrow. i mean, on the rome front, someone has already been appointed to hisjob in rome. in terms of voting in a conclave to elect the next pope, he will lose that right when he turns 80. the australian catholic church is in a disastrous state with regard to leadership but i don't think that cardinal pell is the person who will be able to assume that leadership.

survivors of sexual abuse say quashing the verdict in such a high—profile case will discourage victims from coming forward. this will make people reticent to go and report a crime because they will feel that they will not be believed by the justice system and that the rich and powerful will appeal over and over again and victims will not be believed. george pell‘s acquittal ends a case that shocked australia but the division and controversy around him will continue. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, sydney. now it's time for a look at the weather. lots of dry weather out there, plenty of sunshine, although he is the in places. add a bit of cloud across the channel islands in

southern england will introduce the chance of a shower, more especially in south—west england. for the far north—west of scotland, increasing cloud and breeze with me arriving for the evening. when cuts up to about a0 miles an hour here, lighter winds across much of england and wales compared to yesterday. temperatures in mid—teens in the warmer parts of england and wales, these temperatures are well above average for the time of year. into tonight, more cloud does drift northwards across england and wales. a chance of a shower in southern england, clwyd in northern scotland and northern ireland. it will not be as cool tonight as last night. for the clearer parts of southern scotla nd the clearer parts of southern scotland and northern ireland could see a touch of frost, and also the best place to see the super moon. there is more cloud across much of england and wales tomorrow compared with the day, may be as shower and the midlands, country one

potentially in south—east england. clwyd for northern ireland and north—west scotland. it is still warm out there for many of us, and warmer into england. some spots into the low 20s. for england and wales, high pollen levels again tomorrow, this is tree pollen. thursday could start with some fog, particularly in southern england, gradually clearing. for southern england, sunny spells. maybe some spots of light rain and drizzle in scotland. most light rain and drizzle in scotland. m ost pla ces light rain and drizzle in scotland. most places will stay dry. feeling colder in northern scotland. it is still warm baguette the sunshine, particularly in parts of england and wales. this weather front will gradually change things. for friday, rain across the northern part of the uk, still warm and sunny in the south—east of england. another area of low pressure arriving through the easter weekend. weather changes are coming this weekend. more cloud around, chance of rain, newer

looking particularly wet. it will be turning cooler is that we can on. —— as the weekend goes on.

this is bbc news. the headlines: borisjohnson remains in intensive care in a london hospital, being treated for coronavirus. downing street says his condition is stable. as we speak, the prime minister is in intensive care, being looked after by his medical team, receiving the very, very best care from the team at st thomas', and our hopes and prayers are with him and with his family. this is the scene at st thomas' hospital in london, where police security has now increased as the prime minister is treated. the prime minister has been given oxygen there. foreign secretary, dominic raab, is standing in for the prime minister ‘where necessary‘ — the queen is being kept informed about mrjohnson's health. japan's prime minister, shinzo abe, declares a state