A report from syria, where the people of Eastern Ghouta have suffered more bombardment, as the un meets again to discuss what to do. Henry bolton refuses to step down as ukip leader, despite the resignations of 12 senior members of the party. And Alexis Sanchez has completed his move to Manchester United from arsenal. Hes likely to be the highest paid player in the premier league. And coming up in sportsday, on bbc news could liverpool come from behind at swansea to keep up their tilt on a place in the premier leagues top four . Good evening. And we start with stark new evidence of the intense strain on hospitals across the uk, as the nhs struggles to deal with the pressure of the winter months. Medical staff at the University Hospital of north tees, in the north east of england, say they dont have the capacity to give proper care to all incoming patients, and the trust says pressures are immense. A bbc news team spent several days at the hospital, witnessing the problems at first hand as our special correspondent, ed thomas, explains in this extended report. Inside the nhs. For the first time this winter, we have been given full access to a hospital. I have worked for the trust for 19 years, i have never known it to be as bad as it is now. Over a weekend, we spoke to patients. Its supposed to be the best country in the world. We are nowhere near the best country in the world. Progressively getting worse. Definitely. I met staff, facing unprecedented pressure. We have no rooms in the a e department, so these patients are waiting here for the next available bed. How do you describe the nhs . Itjust feels like a disaster zone. Its just completely under strain, bursting at the seams. What is it like being on the corridor . I think its a disgrace. The University Hospital of north tees. It has some of the best a e waiting times in england, but was so full at one point this month, it had to close its doors. Its friday and we are in the Rapid Assessment unit. Ill do this one. It used to be the hospitals gym. It is always hot, it is because the windows are at the top. It is like stepping off a plane abroad. Thats what its like, the heatjust hits you. Are you comfortable there . Patients with less severe symptoms can be sent here instead of a e. Dawn has worked here for nearly 20 years this has been her busiest winter yet. Its exhausting mentally and physically, trying to keep up with everything we need to do in the short space of time we have to do it in. It can be hard and tiring, but i do love myjob. Well get you there. Some patients spent up to six hours here. Average waiting times are not included in the hospitals a e figures. How many trolleys have you got in here . 12. How many patients . 18. How many more to come in . Nine. Another nine to come in. About two hours before you get your results. They dont have the time to look after patients and do their own jobs and everything. Its terrible. The nurses get really upset, dont they . They really do get upset. I think the nurses deserve better. The nurses couldnt do any more. We need a proper area for Rapid Assessment. If the patients werent here, where would they be . Sat in a e. On saturday, a e is filling up. The Rapid Assessment unit in the gym is closed. Lady out of 12 is going into nine. And leanne, the nurse in charge, must find space. Just more patients coming through the door, more elderly patients, more poorly patients. What are your concerns . Theres not the capacity, we dont have the capacity to safely look after the amount of patients coming through the door. By 4200, ambulances are backing up outside a e. Inside, paramedics wait with their patients. Shes looking after me lovely. Im doing well. Im in pain, but im coping. Blanche is 83. And she is struggling to breathe. Theyre marvellous, these two men. Theyve never left me. I know. Im in agony. Shes in a lot of discomfort and pain. Being in the corridor is not where she needs to be. We have given her what we can in terms of pain relief. What does she need . She needs to be seen by a doctor. Thats it. Paramedics told us they waited with blanche for an hour. When you see that lady down there for an hour. Its awful. We dont like it. Nobody likes the patients to be in the corridor, but i physically have no room to put this lady in. I have been down and apologised, but there is no physical bed to transfer this lady into. Across the nhs, emergency admissions are at record levels. You are doing fantastic. What do these mean to you . They are amazing. Tenfold, they are amazing. Many hospitals are also facing a major flu outbreak. What has this place meant to you . She wouldnt be here. She said herself she thinks she would be dead if it hadnt been for these doctors. Here, it means by sunday, every bed on every medical ward is full. Were trying to move patients from orthopaedics to create some capacity. Its denises job to find beds. Hello, denise speaking. Site coordinator. To keep patients moving through the hospital. We can always want more beds and more staff, but you cant go on foreverjust using more beds and staff, we have to look at the other reasons they come into hospital as well, and is there any other resources we can use . Patients that are in trolleys in corridors are very rare within the trust. My concern is that the year on year increase in the acuity of patients and number coming to a e is not sustainable. We need to transform our care. From friday to sunday, the hospital failed to meet its a e four hour waiting target. Im going to check the floor. They averaged 85 well below the 95 target. We are losing a lot of experienced staff, because they are becoming burned out. They are realising they cant keep going like this. Just discharge him, but when you discharge. Its been nonstop. Weve had that many people through today. We havent been able to give them a drink. How does that make you feel . Frustrated and sad, i would say. Can you go on doing this . No. Notjust me personally. I dont think any of us can. You have had a few more years than me and i think ive got less to give. How long do you think you can stick it out for . At this moment in time, ive probably got about five years left, tops. So far, my career has been four years long. I wouldnt say i would do a long career in the nhs. Step back before you sit down. With our ageing population, more patients with complex acute conditions, more nurses leaving thanjoining in england last year, many want to know how the nhs can continue to cope. Come this time next year, this will happen again and again and again and again. And we will see all these pictures in the news, and the horrendous trolley waits, and it doesnt seem to change. I dont understand what you need to make things better. Lots of questions raised. In a moment, well have a word with our health editor, hugh pym, at the department of health and social care. But first, lets talk to ed thomas, whose report weve just seen. Staff remarkably candid about the immense challenges they are facing. What the impressions you took away . Yes, that is right, it was incredibly difficult to get into that hospital to tell that story. But once we did, we were struck by how open and frank and honest nurses, consultants, health co nsulta nts nurses, consultants, Health Consultants were, they wanted to tell their story. The stories you just heard tonight, they were just a snapshot of a particular moment inside the hospital. They were representative of our time there. People who are tired and frustrated. And importantly, the pictures you have just been watching, the ambulances outside a e, the patients queueing up in the corridors, they match what clinicians have told us up match what clinicians have told us up and down the country this winter. But the one thing to take away from all of this was how incredibly hard the nurses and doctors were working inside that hospital to keep patients safe, despite winter pressures. Patients safe, despite winter pressures. Many thanks once again. Straight to whitehall and the department of help. The Prime Minister has already acknowledged the immense challenges in the nhs. Tubing more evidence like this is likely to bring a change, a change of approach or policy . The official line tonight is that the government did put more money into the nhs in england over two years in the budget is more for this winters pressure but nobody here is denying the images we saw maybe typical of hospitals around the country. A e units and a real strain, difficulties finding beds and start feeling the pressure. It will add momentum to a debate around whitehall about the long term funding needs of the nhs. Jeremy hunt, the secretary of state, has already called for a 10 year funding plan. His department is under pressure on another front tonight, but the calculation of a e statistics for the key four our waiting time benchmark. The bbc has become aware is smaller but of trusts, possibly more, have been adding data from minor injuries set at centres run by other providers into their data to perhaps make their performance look better and their performance look better and the watchdog react into that has called for explanations from nhs leaders. Labour is putting pressure on the government to provide answers as well. And embarrassingly for eve ryo ne as well. And embarrassingly for everyone in government and the nhs, it could well be that the biggest in nhs in england at hospitals going back over a year or more may have to be recalculated. Many thanks once again. The trial has started of a man accused of driving a van into a group of muslim worshippers outside a mosque in north london. Darren osborne, whos a8, denies the murder of makram ali, and attempting to kill nine others. The prosecution says he was trying to kill as many people as possible, in an act of terrorism as our home affairs correspondent, daniel sandford, reports. The pandemonium on a summer night in north london after a large box van smashed into a crowd of worshippers at speed, leaving them strewn across the pavement, some with life changing injuries. And leaving 51 year old makram ali dead. Today, his family were at Woolwich Crown court to watch as 48 year old Darren Osborne, from cardiff, went on trial. Jonathan rees qc for the prosecution said osborne had deliberately driven into a group of muslims, trying to kill as many as possible. The prosecution say Darren Osborne became enraged after a bbc drama about sexual abuse by pakistani men in rochdale, and by the attacks on london and manchester. His partner said he was a ticking time bomb who followed on twitter tommy robinson, the founder of the far right group the edl. The day before the attack, he hired a large van. That saturday evening, Darren Osborne came here to his local pub, the hollybush, and the prosecution say that witnesses remember him writing on a piece of paper, and then becoming increasingly loud and abusive about muslims. The prosecution say that after the attack, a misspelled note was found in the cab of the van osborne hired. Part of it reads. The prosecution say that this pro palestinian march may have been Darren Osbornes originalftargefi the muslim community. Daniel sandford, bbc news. The head of the army general sir nick carter has warned that the armed forces might struggle to respond to future threats, without further investment. Speaking this evening, he highlighted russia, which he said posed the most complex threat to the uk from another state since the end of the cold war. Sir nick also underlined the threat to the uk from cyber attacks, as our defence correspondent, jonathan beale, reports. Russia is building an increasingly modern and aggressive military. Warfare, electronics, cyber and misinformation. And they are even on manoeuvres on europes doorstep, with large scale exercises near natos borders. Enough to worry the head of the british army, who tonight gave this rare public warning. I believe our ability to pre empt or respond to these threats will be eroded if we dont match up to them now. They represent a clear and present danger. They are not thousands of miles away. They are now on europes doorstep. The uk is already seriously outnumbered russia has more than 2500 tanks, among them the most advanced in the world. In contrast, britain has fewer than 300 and the uks challenger tank, here on an exercise, is now over 20 years old. This intervention by the head of the army is as much an appeal for more money for defence as it is a warning about the threat posed by russia. Over the next ten years, the ministry of defence needs money. They could face another. Round of brutal cuts. So how does britains defence spending compare . Last year its budget was £35 billion. While russias was £44 billion. But the uk is still part of a Nato Alliance who together spent £657 billion, including a us defence budget of £443 billion. This is not only about russia, it is also about our european allies and the united states. We need to show to our nato allies that we are taking russia seriously and that we intend to maintain ourselves as a serious military power. The defence secretary has sent his top brass into battle to persuade the chancellor to give him more money, but they are competing with other demands and other departments and defence may not be the top of the list. Jonathan beale, bbc news. For five years, the syrian suburb of Eastern Ghouta has been the target of endless attacks by president assads forces, and some 400,000 people in the area are now suffering what the un says is a humanitarian crisis. Eastern ghouta is one of several de escalation zones in syria, formed as part of an attempted truce between Government Forces backed by russia and syrian rebels. Despite that, the bombardment continues, and the Un Security Council is meeting tonight to address the situation, as our correspondent, nawal al maghafi, reports. Eastern ghouta is a suburb under siege. Airstrikes have become a daily occurrence here. Racing from emergency to emergency, there seems to be no end to the violence. And when half of the population that lives here are children, its them who suffer the most. Mahamoud, just three years old, survived the attack unhurt. His brother was lost in the rubble. Altogether, eight civilians were pulled out of the remains of their homes. They survived this attack, but they cant escape the siege. Surrounded for the past five years, the un has recently described Eastern Ghouta as the epicentre of suffering in syria. For almost 400,000 people, that means daily misery, with little food, winter temperatures, and heavy bombardment. Once the dust settles, the children are sent out to search for firewood. This woman has lost one child to this war, and shes struggling to feed the others. Eastern ghouta might be 20 minutes drive from damascus, but food is 15 times more expensive than the capital. Translation i have six children. How am i meant to feed them . I cant even afford to buy them bread. All they have is a mouthful each. They never get full. Have mercy on us in an attempt to escape the shelling, abu brahim has made this abandoned building his home. With no windows, hes chosen to face the cold than the bombs. His two boys exposed to the chill of winter. Translation when it comes to food, we cant afford to buy that much. We eat day by day. We cant afford to buy wood, so we burn whatever we can find. I burnt most of my belongings that i took with me when we were displaced. No aid has been allowed into the area since november. Without vital supplies, tens of thousands of children face the threat of malnutrition. As the attacks continue, the syrian and russian governments say their forces only attack islamist rebels in the area. For many children here, theyve been born into this brutal siege, and if something isnt done soon, its all they will ever come to know. Nawal al maghafi, bbc news. In a new front in the syrian conflict, turkey has intensified its military offensive against Kurdish Forces in northern syria, despite the negative diplomatic reaction around the world, including the us government. The turkish government says that the operation will continue until every terrorist is cleansed from the region. Our correspondent, mark lowen, is in hatay, on turkeys border with syria. Despite the criticism i mentioned, is there any sign that turkey will change the kind of operation it is mounting . Absolutely no sign at all, it is ploughing ahead despite this pretty dreadful weather. Turkey is that the first turkish soldier has been killed in the clashes. Kurdish activists say around 20 civilians have been killed by turkish as strikes although the turkish government says that is nonsense propaganda. The risk is growing for those living in the Border Regions in southern turkey. We went to a town close to here which saw an incoming rocket blamed on the Kurdish Militia in syria, we saw shattered glass on the ground and mangled corrugated iron and i spoke to be some are they syrian refugee killed in that rocket strike, as he drove with the coffin of his father towards the Syrian Border he said, we have escaped the terror of the assad regime in zim yet only to be met by the terror of the kurdish militants. In syria. President erdogan, when questioned by the us about the length of the operation, said it was not a maths equation, how long have you been in iraq and afghanistan . The only approval he is interested in is the 50. 1 of the voters he will need here to be re elected next year. Voters he will need here to be reelected next year. Thank you for the latest from hatay. The leader of ukip, henry bolton, is resisting the growing calls for his resignation following a controversy about racist comments made by his former girlfriend. No fewer than 14 party spokesmen and women have now resigned, calling on mr bolton to step down, but hes insisted hell put an end to what he calls factional infighting. Live to westminster for the latest with our political correspondent, leila nathoo. To those in his party who want him to walk away, fighting talk from a leader determined to stay where he is. I will not be resigning as party leader. Instead, a provocative message setting his sights on ukips warring body that backed a vote of no confidence in him last night. Warring body that backed a vote of no confidence in him last nightm is now time to put an end to the factional infighting that has been going on within the party for some time and to remove those who have been part of that. In a single phrase, it is time to drain the swamp. It was henry boltons relationship with jo swamp. It was henry boltons relationship withjo marney swamp. It was henry boltons relationship with jo marney that triggered this latest turmoil. He says it is now over after she had to apologise for sending racist text messages. For many in ukip that is not enough. I4 messages. For many in ukip that is not enough. 14 senior members have resigned from their posts in protest at his reluctance to step aside. We should be a party that is talking about brexit, putting the case for this country to come out with no deal, if we dont get a good deal, but all that has been lost because of the spectacle of his private life. He does not have the confidence of the party, he cannot operate even vaguely successfully as a party leader. He never had much of a party leader. He never had much of a mandate and he now should go. Henry bolton is ukips third new leader in less than 18 months. He is now pushing for a no ball, something welcomed by one of the biggest names in the party. Ukip does not change, it will not exist in 18 months. Emerging from this Seafront Hotel with such a defiant message, henry bogdan laid down a challenge to his colleagues, it is time for reform to ove rco m e colleagues, it is time for reform to overcome divisions henry bolton. But his bullish approach, at odds with what so many want to do here, risked making things far worse. You area risked making things far worse. You are a member . I was, not any more. When did you cancel your membership . Last week on that basis. To be honest with you, it is a failing party now. I was a ukip man but now im afraid, no. They wont get my vote unless they get themselves into gear. It is now up to ukip members to decide his fate but yet another fractious episode is damaging for a party struggling to define its message and its role. A brief look at some of the days other other news stories. Two men have beenjailed for at least 34 years after being found guilty of murdering the businessman guy hedger in an attempted burglary at his home in dorset last april. Kevin downton and jason baccus committed burglaries to fund their drug habits. A third man, scott keeping, was acquitted. Police have arrested a man whos thought to be the father of eight year old Mylee Billingham who died after being stabbed on saturday night. 54 year old bill billingham is in a Critical Condition after he was found with a stab wound in his stomach. A leading manufacturer of ejector seats, martin ba ker aircraft limited, has admitted breaking a health and safety law in connection with the death of a red arrows pilot. Flight lieutenant Sean Cunningham died in 2011 when he was thrown from his jet while it was on the ground at raf scampton in lincolnshire. Sentencing will take place next month. Our correspondent danny savage reports. This is the red arrows hawkjet that Sean Cunningham was ejected from. Unknown to him, the ejector seat was in an unsafe position and went off unexpectedly with the plane on the ground. The 35 year old, whose lifes ambition was to be a red arrows pilot, could have survived but the parachute on the seat failed to deploy. He crashed back down, still strapped to the seat, and died from his injuries. The red arrows are based here at raf scampton in lincolnshire. This is where Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was fatally injured back in november 2011. His inquest heard that an over tightened nut and bolt on his ejector seat stopped the parachute from working properly. The manufacturers of that seat, martin baker, knew about the issue and told some air forces but not the ministry of defence. So the engineers here were unaware of the issue. Flight lieutenant cunninghams sister, mother and father were in court today to hear the guilty plea. This has been a long ordeal for them. We welcome the conclusion of the coroner which confirmed what we knew all along, which is that sean was blameless. A director of martin baker, john martin, seen here second from the left, today admitted breaking health and safety law on behalf of the company. One former senior raf officer believes this incident has changed attitudes. They are an outstandingly good company and what went wrong would have hurt them deeply as well. They have learned a terrible amount from this. Martin ba ker ejection seats are still fitted to red arrows hawks and all raf fast jets. The company says their equipment has saved the lives of thousands of aircrew over many decades. Danny savage, bbc news, lincoln. The chilean player Alexis Sanchez has completed his much anticipated move to Manchester United from arsenal and is expected to become the highest paid player in the premier league. He is reported to earn £500,000 per week. Lets join our sports editor, dan roan, whos at old trafford with the latest tonight. Fuelled by booming broadcast deals, premier league finances have seen to be in premier league finances have seen to beina premier league finances have seen to be in a different planet for years but the remarkable Alexis Sanchez deal takes it to a whole new level, revealing much about the desperation that Manchester United feel as they tried to claw back lost ground against arch rivals and Runaway League leaders manchester city, the power and influence of football agent and the amount of money that is swilling around the english game. United may not have had to pay a fee for this signing but it is certainly not a free transfer. Sanchez has scored an absolute beauty it is talent like this that has persuaded Manchester United to make Alexis Sanchez the best paid player in premier league history. The striker remarkably set to earn a report that half £1 million a week after his protracted transfer from arsenal was finally completed. More akin toa arsenal was finally completed. More akin to a movie trailer than a signing announcement, united howled at his arrival with a carefully orchestrated video on their social
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