the rate of daily coronavirus infections continues to fall, but the number of people being admitted to hospital continues to rise. a special report from inside the royal london hospital, with staff and resources stretched to the limit. so we're now going to run into a problem because we haven't got any beds. he is quite sick. he could die from this, by the way. i'm sorry to have to say that. but the vaccine roll—out continues apace — four million so far in the uk, and the over—70s in england are now invited to get a jab. but there are concerns about how some areas are moving much faster with their vaccinations than others. also tonight... mps are debating the extra £20 added to universal credit, to put pressure on the government to extend it. as the manchester arena

attack inquiry resumes, we talk to the man who tried to save the youngest victim, saffie roussos. and risking temperatures of up to minus—70 to scale the world's second—highest mountain — the team talk of their relief at making it safely back. and coming up on bbc news: england and wales women are without their managers, as phil neville and jayne ludlow both step down. neville has been confirmed as the new inter miami manager. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. daily cases of coronavirus have fallen by almost a quarter across the uk in the last week, showing that the current lockdown is having an effect. but the number of people admitted to hospital continues to rise.

ten hospital trusts across england have reported having no spare critical care beds, despite extra capacity being added. we start tonight on the front line of the battle against the pandemic. clive myrie reports from the royal london hospital on the huge challenges facing the team there, and how patients and their families are coping. you may find some of his report distressing. there are those who must look into the abyss — to spare all of us. how many floors are taken up by covid patients here? we've got patients on the third floor, fourth floor, sixth floor, seventh floor, eighth floor... of 548 beds at the royal london hospital, 420 have covid patients. for ten days, we joined staff in one of the uk's biggest intensive care units... yes, still coming. go, go, go. ..at the peak of the second wave... he could die from this, by the way,

i'm sorry to have to say that. - ..as a new variant of covid—19 forces a reckoning for our health service... sorry! so we're now going to run into a problem because we haven't got any beds. ..and a reckoning for us. nobody wants to go through this. i wouldn't wish this on anybody. this really is horrible. as london sleeps, the night shift begins at the royal london hospital. nursing sister carlene kelly makes her way to a job that's crushing her, in the middle of the covid nightmare. sleep isn't what it used to be. there is anxiety when you wake up and you remember what you have to go into. we're fragile and angry.

in the emergency department, consultant nick bunker is up to his neck in problems. so, he's got covid and he's had a stroke. a new covid patient has been admitted for every hour he's been on shift. by sam, eight. so we're now going to run into a problem because we haven't got any beds. no beds? we had five beds to start the night. we've got two patients next door who need to come in. just down there, thank you. all right. and here's another. where will he go? just bring the back of the bed up. see if that helps. and is he on 100% now? yeah. in pressurised rooms, the patients receive oxygen through masks, their condition monitored, but who may need more sustained help from a ventilator? sats below 96.

one man's breathing badly falters. just do it, just do it, just do it. he must be intubated, fast. and we watch as medics put him to sleep and push a long plastic tube down his throat, hooking him up to his new breathing machine. when he'll wake up, no—one knows. soon, he'lljoin so many others here oblivious to night and day. cared for by strangers like carlene, who we spoke to in the first wave of the virus, back in may. i've felt broken on many an occasion and i think a lot of my colleagues have. now, the intensity of the second wave is even more frightening. how i feel about this time, like, i'm trapped in a cave and the water is slowly rising. i'm barely keeping

my head above water. it's scarier, it's bigger. i was so naive the first time. i wasn't convinced we were going to have a second wave at all, and the huge numbers that have just absolutely slammed us, it'sjust... i never thought it would be possible to have this many intensive care patients, not at all. nick bunker checks on carleen and all the staff as he helps monitor around 130 icu covid patients... spread all over the hospital. there were little more than a0 intensive care beds before the pandemic. yeah, let me know if i need to know. and he still needs more tonight. a few minutes later, we find a porter with a priceless possession. we soon find out how he sadly came upon it. martin freeborn said he wanted to speak to us. my wife lost her fight for life.

it was a mixture of covid and infection that - finally finished her off. and this is literally in the last few minutes? yeah, yeah, yeah. in the last half - hour, i've lost her. her name was helen and she was 64. what's your message to people watching this who perhaps feel that there is no covid, there is no battle that everybody is fighting? it makes me really angry. nobody wants to go through this. i wouldn't wish this on anybody. this really is horrible. it's real, and people. really do need to look after themselves and take care, because you don't _ want this to happen. i wouldn't wish this on anybody.

yeah, please wake up, - and please be over—careful. you can't do enough i to keep yourself safe. don't end up like us. please. that's the three grandchildren - and my three daughters, and my wife in the background, looking on. she loved being a grandmother. this letter's from my daughter but, unfortunately, she went i on the ventilator before she could see it. - "dearest mum, helen, grandma. we love you so much and we miss you more than we can say. - you are so strong and have been through so much. - you are our hero, our inspiration... our light in the darkness. until we see you again, and we will,

you stay strong, as always. all our love, and forever... laura, lindsay and meghan." it's a sad story, isn't it? clive myrie reporting there. and we'll have more reports from clive, cameraman david mcilveen and producer sam piranty at the royal london hospital over the course of the week, here on the bbc news at six. thankfully, the rate of vaccination against coronavirus continues apace. the prime minister revealed that more than four million people in the uk have now had their firstjab. and in some parts of england, those aged 70 and over, as well as those listed as clinically extremely vulnerable, will now begin receiving offers of a vaccine this week. the prime minister has described it as a "significant milestone". however, there are still concerns about a steady supply of the jab.

with the latest, here's our health editor, hugh pym. with ten new mass vaccination centres opening today, this one at st helens rugby league stadium, the pace of the roll—out is being stepped up. and there was plenty of praise from those in priority groups who had been invited to attend for theirjabs. it's been fantastic, so pleased that it's on the way, for everybody, notjust for me, but for everybody. it was brilliant, i'm really surprised how turned on it is. i think it's great. the prime minister was visiting oxford biomedica, one of the companies manufacturing the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine. he said good progress was being made, but stressed there was no guarantee of a rapid lifting of restrictions. i'm afraid i have got to warn people it will be gradual, you can'tjust open up in a great open sesame, a great bang, because i'm afraid the situation is still pretty precarious, as people can tell.

priority groups in the vaccine roll—out plan are care—home staff and residents, nhs and care workers, those aged 70 and over and the clinically extremely vulnerable. that's 15 million people being offered a first dose by the middle of february. after that come those aged 50 and over and younger adults with underlying health conditions. that's an additional 17 million being offered that first dose by the spring of this year. so, what happens after that? well, ministers have indicated that teachers, police and shop workers might well be at the top of the list. some vaccination centres and hubs in england have done most of the over—80s in their area and, from this week, will start offering jabs to the over—70s. this gp in kent, though, says he's frustrated he is not yet able to do that. we're still doing the over—80s. and i would like that message

to go out there that i know there's been a lot of media attention indicating the over—70s are going to be invited in but, at the moment, we're not able to do that, not because we don't want to, because we do, it's simply we don't have the vaccine in enough quantity. there are regional variations, although the overall numbers are encouraging. what do you say to local teams who say they cannot get hold of enough doses? there are parts of the country that have made very significant progress and gone a bit faster than the average, and i thank them. what we're doing now is making sure that whilst they, of course, will be able to move on to the next group, we are prioritising the supply of the vaccine into those parts of the country that need to complete the over—805. in northern ireland, 8.7% of adults have had a first dose of the vaccine. in england, the figure is 8%. in both scotland and wales, it's around 6% of the adult population. around 4 million have

had theirfirstjab. the plan seems to be on track, but there's still some way to go. hugh pym, bbc news. the latest government figures show there were 37,535 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period — which means that, on average, the number of new cases reported per day in the last week is a4,997. across the uk, an average of 35,882 people were in hospital with coronavirus over the seven days to sunday, including suspected cases in wales. 599 deaths were reported — that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—i9 test. that figure is usually lower after the weekend. on average, in the past week, 1,129 deaths were announced every day. the total number of deaths so far across the uk is 89,860. and let's get an update on the uk's programme of mass vaccinations.

225,407 people have had theirfirst dose of one of the three approved covid—19 vaccines in the latest 24—hour period, taking the overall number of people who've had their firstjab to 11,620,501. our health editor, hugh pym, is with me now. the coronavirus vaccine programme seems to be going well, certainly going well, what about these regional differences, though? weill. regional differences, though? well, the are regional differences, though? well, they are there. _ regional differences, though? well, they are there, fiona. _ regional differences, though? well, they are there, fiona. matt - regional differences, though? -ii they are there, fiona. matt hancock they are there, fiona. matt hancock the health secretary acknowledging as much. he put out a statement yesterday saying more than half the over—80s in england had had their firstjab, but that over—80s in england had had their first jab, but that was on over—80s in england had had their firstjab, but that was on average and london is back down at about 30% just to name one example of an area that has not really been keeping up with us. now, he said in a media briefing, as you heard, that he wanted to see supplies of the vaccine move to areas that needed to do more work to get the over—80s

vaccinated. and he then said supply is the rate limiting factor. in other words, is the rate limiting factor. in otherwords, it is the rate limiting factor. in other words, it is not entirely straightforward getting enough supply at any one time to keep everyone up to the right place. and actually, the daily number of vaccinations for the first dose was up vaccinations for the first dose was up at about 300,000 for a couple of days, it did full back a bit over the weekend, but that was a weekend. i think when all is said and done, more time needs to be given to all of this, it is a very ambitious mass immunisation programme. 4 million people have had that first dose and they seem to be on track to hit that target of 15 million in the middle of february for the priority groups, but health sources acknowledged to me it will be far from straightforward, there is more work to be done. straightforward, there is more work to be done-— mps vote tonight in a bid to pile pressure on the government to extend the extra £20 a week of universal credit beyond the current cut—off date at the end of march. around six million people claim universal credit, which was introduced to replace six benefits and merge

labour has called for the debate, saying families need certainty their incomes will be protected. the government is asking its mps to abstain, but some are expected to side with the opposition — as our political editor, laura kuenssberg, reports. the view from the rooftops was part of daily life, but the world looks different now for carl, no longer well enough to work as a roofer. this is not a new skill... retraining and relying completely on universal credit, including, what's for him a vital extra £20 a week. i've gone from not having enough to barely having enough. it's made a big difference in real terms, it's an extra £2.50 a day. and i can use that money to have the heating on an extra hour, maybe buy some fruit, maybe buy, you know, some eggs even at that basic level. everything's got to go in? with thousands ofjobs being lost and hours being cut, there's pressure on so many households. the labour leader says right now,

the 6 million people on low incomes or out of work who receive universal credit... ..just can't afford to lose that £20 top up, which is due to disappear in march. this £20 uplift has been the difference between making ends meet or not for many, many families. we are still in the middle of a pandemic, and the government wants to get rid of that uplift, which is vital to those families. it's the wrong thing to do. but keeping going would have a huge price tag, making the £20 permanent would cost about £6 billion a year. that wouldn't even be covered by a penny increase on income tax. so as one minister put it, the treasury is fighting this exceptionally hard. but growing numbers of tory mps themselves worry that at the end of march, too many people's finances will be just too shaky to cope with losing the cash. and a sprinkling of them willjoin with labour tonight to keep the payments going, defying instructions. people have lost their livelihoods,

they've lost their incomes, so i absolutely believe that universal credit should be extended. how often does new stuff come in? all the time. but the prime minister's focus is on the vaccine and tonight's vote isn't binding. a decision has to be made before too long. we have got to get our country through the health crisis. i think that, actually, the uk is capable of staging a very, very powerful economic recovery. we're going to look after people throughout the pandemic. a hint that the £20 top up could last as long as the restrictions? carl believes that's claimants' due. a lot of the people who depend on universal credit are in work, and they are the people that the country has relied on. i think they should be shown a little bit of gratitude and at least dignity. a pricey decision for the government to pursue. but cutting off the cash would have a political cost that ministers might want to avoid.

laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. the time is 18:15. our top story this evening: increasing pressure on hospital staff and resources as the number of covid patients in hospital continues to rise. and still to come... devotion pays off. why this england fan got a phone call from one of his cricketing heroes. coming up on sportsday on bbc news: a seven—wicket win for england over sri lanka in the first test — jonny bairstow and dan lawrence carrying their country to their target on the final morning. the inquiry into the manchester arena terror attack in 2017 which killed 22 people resumed today, this time focusing on the response of the emergency services. a new expert report has raised questions about whether the youngest victim, saffie roussos, could have survived if medics had responded differently. a member of the public,

paul reid, who tried to help the eight—year—old as she lay injured, has been speaking to our north of england correspondent, judith moritz. and i saw a little girl lying there. so i bent down to her. she was still conscious. i asked her her name and i thought she said salfie. her name was saffie, eight years old and lying on the floor of manchester arena after the bomb went off. the first person to reach her was poster seller paul reid. and shejust started... she wasn't upset, she just got a little bit upset, she asked for her mum and i said don't worry, we will find her in a minute. and do you remember anybody trying to bring bandages or anything to try to stop the blood? there was nobody, there was no bandages. paul has been commended for helping to carry saffie out and get her into an ambulance quickly but a new expert report has found that she might have survived if she had had better medical treatment and opportunities were

missed by trained professionals. the little girl died more than an hour after the attack after losing a critical element of blood. her parents have only recently learned the expert opinion that she didn't get the help she needed. there was a member of the public with her. i can't expect him to tourniquet, splint her legs and so on but the medically trained people that were with her didn't apply basic first aid to give saffie a chance. paul reid says he is still haunted by the memories of that night. it's just a sense of failure. you know saffie's parents have said they wouldn't expect a member of the public to have had that training and know what to do. i'm first aid trained but the most i've done was put a plaster on. i mean, to step on that foyer, some of them people... it was carnage. the manchester arena inquiry will now examine the emergency response to the attack.

the inquiry has heard it's important to acknowledge the enormous pressure which those who responded that night came under. judith moritz, bbc news, manchester. the prominent russian opposition leader alexei navalny has beenjailed for 30 days following an appearance in a court set up in a police station where he was being detained. navalny was arrested at the airport yesterday when he returned to russia. he had returned from germany where he had medical treatment after an attempt to poison him with the nerve agent novichok. his detention has been widely criticised and his supporters are organising protests this coming weekend. a plastic surgeon has appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of a former colleague at a house in nottinghamshire. jonathan peter brooks is also charged with three counts of attempted arson with intent to endanger life. fellow plastic surgeon, graeme perks, was stabbed in his abdomen and chest on thursday. police say he's currently in a serious but stable condition. dozens of lorries, mostly from scottish seafood firms,

have taken part in a protest in central london against the government's new brexit trade deal. many companies have complained the new deal has resulted in delays to their fresh produce getting to markets in europe. the government says the deal is good one for fishing communities across the uk, and has promised a multi—million—pound compensation scheme for those affected. two officers involved in the death of a black man in their custody may have provided false statements to investigators, according to a bbc investigation. 31—year—old father—of—two, sheku bayoh, died after being restrained by up to six officers in kirkcaldy in fife. an eyewitness to the incident in 2015 has told the bbc�*s panorama programme that officers' claims that mr bayoh violently stamped on a female colleague are untrue. the scottish police federation says its officers had cooperated "truthfully" with investigators. mark daly has this report. on the morning of may the 3rd, 2015, sheku bayoh was under the influence of drugs and had been seen

carrying a knife. he no longer had the knife when police arrived. four officers almost immediately used force, including batons and cs spray, and within 45 seconds, he's brought to the ground. a witness sees up to six officers kneeling or lying across sheku bayoh. she hears him scream, "get off me!" by the time they do get off, it's too late. mr bayoh's death sparked demonstrations and questions about whether his race was a factor. meanwhile, the scottish police federation representing the officers involved got their account out. the police federation gave out a statement which said... "a petite female police officer was chased and subjected "to a violent and unprovoked attack by a very large male. "she was punched, kicked and stamped on. "the officer believed she was about to be murdered."

now we've uncovered witness testimony suggesting bayoh's violence has been exaggerated. kevin nelson first gave his account to the authorities two days after the incident. he says he saw bayoh react to being cs sprayed by punching nicole short, but was immediately brought down. after the punch, that was it. there was no more attack on her at all. in statements to the official investigators, pcs craig walker and ashley tomlinson claimed bayoh violently stamped on pc short while she lay on the ground with one saying he thought he'd killed her. that never happened. you're sure? yeah. what you're saying is that those accounts are false? yes. why are you doing this interview? it's not fair on sheku and his family that they've made the incident worse than it actually was to justify what happened, and that's. . . not right.

we showed sheku bayoh's sister the allegations. it's making me really angry, because five years ago, the way they painted sheku to be, that's not who he was. no officer involved has faced criminal charges or misconduct proceedings, but questions over this case persist, and a full public inquiry is under way. the scottish police federation told us its members cooperated fully and truthfully with the investigations and maintains that it's seen compelling material the stamping attack did take place, but that the public inquiry was the proper forum for it. black people in the uk are twice as likely to die in custody as white people. and the public inquiry into mr bayoh's death will examine whether his race was a factor. mark daly, bbc news.

and you can see more of mark daly�*s investigation into the sheku bayoh case on tonight's panorama programme on bbc one. england have won their first test against sri lanka. jonny bairstow and dan lawrence steered them to victory. captainjoe root won man of the match after his double century. but he wasn't the only star. meet rob lewis, an england fan from surrey who waited ten months in sri lanka to watch his team play. he got an unexpected phone call from joe root. we enjoyed you being there supporting us and singing your heart out. england and sri lanka play again on friday. rob will be watching. a team of nepalese climbers has safely descended after becoming the first ever to reach the top of the world's second highest mountain, k2, in winter. k2, along the pakistan—china border, is notoriously challenging with hurricane—strong winds and sub—zero temperatures. one of the leading members of the team is a former gurkha and british special forces

soldier nirmal purja. he's been speaking to our pakistan correspondent secunder kermani. conquering the so—called savage mountain, in the depth of winter. for decades, it defied the world's toughest climbers. now this former gurkha and british special forces soldier... this is my team here, hello! ..along with a team of other nepalese mountaineers has made history. it was super cold, and every step we climbed was an effort. so, you know, when we got to the summit, what we did was just ten metres before the summit, the whole team stopped together and, yeah, we sing the national anthem of nepal, and we made it to the summit together. some of the, obviously, team members were very emotional as well, including myself. there are 14 mountains in the world higher than 8,000 metres. k2 was the only one yet to be scaled in winter — because it's so challenging.

dozens have lost their lives on the mountain. k2 is super steep, you know. either you have to go through, you know, blue ice or rock, so it's very technical. on top of that, if you add, you know, the temperature up — to —65 degrees, you know, even —70. what kept everyone going was, everybody wanted this to their bone. the men began as members of different teams that banded together to reach the summit. a huge success for nepal, whose mountaineers have often worked out of the spotlight, supporting western climbers. secunder kermani, bbc news, islamabad. a bit warmer here, i'm glad to say. time for a look at the weather — here's chris fawkes. where are but a lot wetter, the potential for some flooding rain on the way and it's thanks to storm

christophe. between tuesday and thursday large rainfall totals but of concern that the ring going into the peaks and pennines where we could see 150 or 200 millimetres of rain. the met office have issued an amber weather warning and rivers are already running at elevated levels before the rain from christophe starts to arrive but it will overnight, becoming heavy and persistent, fringing into the far south of scotland, colder weather further north in scotland where we will see showers and fraught so our risk of icy stretches here to start tuesday but this zone or persistent heavy rain, it will rain all day across parts of northern ireland, northern england and wales, clearer skies with brighter conditions in scotland but it stays cold here, temperatures of 4 or 5 compared to milder weather further south, drier and brighter all day across south—east england. as we go through