Imjoin me, sarah im join me, sarah campbell, for a look back at a busy royal year. There were plenty of headlines and a new addition. Baby archie joined his pa rents new addition. Baby archie joined his parents on tour to south africa. Good morning. In the past few minutes the duke of edinburgh has left hospital, as a pre existing condition. These are the latest picturesjust in. The duke walked out of the king edward vii hospital in central london, and got into a car before being driven away. He travelled to the hospital on friday as a precautionary measure. Buckingham palace say the admission was for observation and treatment. Andy moore is outside the hospital in central london. What more do we know . We dont know very much more than the fact that the duke of edinburgh has left. We have had no official confirmation from Buckingham Palace yet. We assume he is going to sandringham to join the rest of the royal family but we have not yet had that confirmed. He left at probably about he left probably about 12 or 13 minutes ago, he got back turn into the back of a vehicle at the king edward vii hospital. He was sitting on the front passenger seat. He has been here forfour on the front passenger seat. He has been here for four nights, on the front passenger seat. He has been here forfour nights, we know very little about the kind of treatment he was getting here, all we had was a statement from Buckingham Palace on friday saying he had been admitted on a precautionary basis under Doctors Orders for observation and treatment for a pre existing condition. We dont know what that condition was. We heard a little bit from Prince Charles yesterday, he was visiting flood victims in the village of fishlake near flood victims in the village of fishla ke near doncaster and flood victims in the village of fishlake near doncaster and people asked how his father was, Prince Charles replied, well, he is 98, things dont work so well when you are that age. He talked about the treatment he was getting at the private hospital here, he said his father was being well looked after and that was all Prince Charles said he knew about it. Thank you very much indeed. The queen will use her Christmas Day message to say that 2019 has been quite bumpy. It comes after a year of intense political debate over brexit, as well as a number of personal events affecting the royal family. Her majesty said the path of course is not always sooth and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference. the duke and duchess of sussex have revealed their festive greeting via the Queens Commonwealth trust twitter account. Captured in black and white, the image shows their seven month old son archie, gazing into the camera. The card was not officially released, instead it was emailed to friends and staff and hard copies sent to family. Harry and meghan are currently spending a six week break in canada. Borisjohnson and Jeremy Corbyn have thanked nhs staff and other Public Servants who work through the holidays in their christmas messages. The Prime Minister also said the uk stood in solidarity with christians around the world who faced persecution for their beliefs. Mr corbyn said it had been a difficult year for many but christmas was a chance to reflect on hopes for a better world. Around 2000 volunteer firefighters will spend their Christmas Day tackling australias bushfires as the crisis continues. The countrys Prime Minister has pledged more support amid criticism from some unpaid workers. Nine peope have died after more than 84 fires devastated homes and businesses. Heres the bbcs phil mercer in bargo for us. This is a miserable scene that has been repeated time and time again, not just here been repeated time and time again, notjust here in New South Wales, homes have been lost in other parts of the country. We have seen vast areas of bushland destroyed. This property was burned down from fires that raised up the gully at the back from very dense bushland that is charged and scorched. Apparently, were told by the neighbours that owners were on holiday and have only recently returned, so what a terrible christmas it will be for that particular family and others around eastern australia. Although conditions are far more benign today, there is expectation that more hot and dangerous conditions will return. Adding to that sense of anxiety is that no one knows where on anxiety is that no one knows where 0n disaster will next strike. This isa 0n disaster will next strike. This is a suburban street in the town of bargo, about a 90 minute drive to sydney, and if we can look briefly to my right, this is how indiscriminate some of the fires can be. The house over there is unscathed, the house next to me has damage to the roof and the house you have seen behind me that was devastated and destroyed is the only one in this particular street that has been destroyed, and you may be able to hear a water bombing helicopter flying overhead, able to hear a water bombing helicopterflying overhead, this is sadly one of the sounds of the semi in australia, the sounds of emergency helicopters dipping down to suck water out of reservoirs, to jump to suck water out of reservoirs, to jump on the fires. Were also hearing lots of sirens, the fire authorities are using these calmer, cooler conditions to try to gain the upper hand on some of these fires and in state of New South Wales for christmas, well, there will be no respite for many of the volunteers who are still giving their time to try to protect life and property. Last week australia endured a record breaking heatwave, the city of syd ney record breaking heatwave, the city of sydney was choking in a horrible smoky toxic haze blown in by the bushfires. Then, of course, we had the bushfire emergency as well. During that time of crisis, Prime MinisterScott Morrison was on holiday in hawaii and admitted that being out of the country at a time of great distress for many was a mistake. He has been touring the fire grounds and has said that volunteer firefighters employed by the government will have four weeks pay to help them fight the fires, they will not go to work, they will be doing what they have been doing for many, many weeks, giving up their time, often risking their lives to try to stop some of these fires. As far as the political dimension and all of this goes, the Prime Minister, mr morrison, has conceded there is a link between Global Warming and the bushfire crisis that says that australias environmental policies, australias Climate Change policies, are sufficient and do not need to be revised even though this crisis shows no sign of ending and many australians are worried not only what happens in the next week and a few months but also what happens into the future as australia puts my climate dries and gets warmer. Phil mercer in australia. Police in new zealand say they have called off the search for the bodies of two people still missing since the white island volcano eruption earlier this month. The bodies of Hayden Bryan Marshall Inman and 17 year old Winona Jane Langford are thought to be in the water off the island. Winonas parents were also among the 19 People Killed by the eruption. Police said their decision follows extensive shoreline and substantial aerial searches. Thousands of children in care are living more than 100 miles from their family and friends in places they have never heard of thats according to a report by the children s commissioner for england. More than 30,000 children in care are placed out of area, which is a 13 increase over five years. While some children are placed further afield for their own safety, to protect them from criminal gangs or sexual predators, many have to move away because of a shortage of local places. The increasing number of children now is really a result of the increasing number of teenagers coming into care. Their less likely to go into foster care, more likely to go into foster care, more likely to go into childrens homes. The majority of childrens homes are in areas of the country where accommodation is cheaper. Lincolnshire, the north west, kent. This means they are sent to these places and often moved around. Children tell me not only do they feel they do not know where they are on the map, they do not know how long they will be there, they dont have access to school properly and actually they feel it is some kind of punishment. In basis, you know, a crucial time of growing up, a crucial time of growing up, a crucial time of growing up, a crucial time where they need school, they need friendships and they need to be able to plan their future. Let me update you on some good news for the royalfamily, let me update you on some good news for the royal family, we let me update you on some good news for the royalfamily, we presume, the duke of edinburgh hasjust for the royalfamily, we presume, the duke of edinburgh has just left hospital and we have had some pictures in of Prince Philip walking out of hospital and getting into the back of a car with his staff, we have just had these pictures in back of a car with his staff, we havejust had these pictures in in the last few minutes. The duke of edinburgh has spent four nights in the king edward seventh hospital in central london, he leftjust before ten to nine this morning. He did not respond to any questions or make any comment as he left, as you can see, and there were a number of Police Officers outside the hospital, as well as the Royal Protection staff. I dont think it has been confirmed but it is thought that he will be travelling to sandringham to spend christmas with the queen and other members of the royal family, christmas with the queen and other members of the royalfamily, which i imagine will be very welcome all round. These are the pictures we have just had round. These are the pictures we havejust had in round. These are the pictures we have just had in of the duke of edinburgh as he steps into a car, a brief wave goodbye and as everyone can see, fit and able to walk from the hospital, which will be very welcome for his family. Doctors are warning of the dangers posed by small button batteries that can be found in toys, Christmas Lights and musical cards. If swallowed, the batteries can burn through a childs throat in a short period of time. The Child Accident trust says two children a year die in the uk from swallowing the batteries. 0ur Health CorrespondentDominic Hughes has more. Claire still remembers vividly the events of 2015. At the age of two, her daughter sophie came dangerously close to death after swallowing a button battery. It badly damaged her throat and burned a hole in her lung, leaving sophie in intensive care and needing multiple operations. If you swallow one and they leave it, it can be fatal. And if it wasnt for my Quick Response and getting up there, because within two hours it had already done damage, it is not worth thinking about, really. They are really dangerous and things escalate so quickly. This speeded up footage shows how fast a button battery can cause damage. Slices of ham represent the delicate tissues of the throat, saliva reacts with the battery to release caustic chemicals. Within two hours, the flesh is already scorched. Senior doctors say it is important that batteries in toys, lights, clothing and cards are kept safe. Because children mistake these things as sweets, keep them out of reach where they cant get to them. If they come in compartments in toys, christmas cards, make sure they are in there, locked away if possible. Better to prevent than have to go to an a e department, but if you do have to go, our great nhs staff will be there to remove the battery. Sophie has made a good recovery and her mum knows it was a close call. And not an experience anyone else should go through. Mike thomson is a consultant paediatrician specialising in gastroenterology at sheffield childrens Nhs Foundation trust and we can speak to him now from sheffield via webcam. Thanks very much forjoining us this morning. How concerned are you at this time of year that these accidents can happen . It is a huge risk, and it is potentially a big problem forfamilies risk, and it is potentially a big problem for families because the child canjust problem for families because the child can just be problem for families because the child canjust be playing problem for families because the child can just be playing around and pick up one of these batteries, even if the batteries have been trained to fight charge, they are still dangerous. We are very worried, a child can have one of these into their mouth very quickly and within hours can have a significant emergency developing. What exactly happens once the batteries are taken m, happens once the batteries are taken in, if that happens . A child will swallow one of these, if it is one of the larger ones, greater than one centimetre, they will get lodged halfway gullet and in a smaller toddler it will cause. It may go into the lung, it may go into an artery, it may cause bleeding to death. lung, it may go into an artery, it may cause bleeding to death. If this accident happens, speed is of the essence, people had to get to a e, how do you then help, how do you dislodge it . We take an xray to make sure we know where the button battery is, if it is in the oesophagus we will immediately go to the operating theatre, initially we will move to what is called an endoscopy, a flexible tube down their mouth under anaesthetic and try to remove the button battery so long as it has not eroded through the oesophagus already. If it has, on standby we will be having teams who can open up the childs chest and close any holes that may be evident and any damage that has occurred already, it is a big team effort. It is the time of year when people are with their families, they are busy, it is easy to overlook what a toddler is picking up amongst the packaging on the floor. It is enough being done to make sure these batteries are safely locked . The manufacturers do not have Adequate Packaging at the moment, you can see one of these button batteries here, it is easy to open it up, take it out and swallowed very quickly. The second issue is once they have been removed from the packaging and then the parents removed from the packaging and then the pa rents really removed from the packaging and then the parents really do need to make sure that any spare batteries are locked away in lockable cupboards to prevent toddlers from taking their name, if they battery has been used in be thrown away, even if it has been used in the parents think it is drained of its charge it can still cause significant damage. Drained of its charge it can still cause significant damagem drained of its charge it can still cause significant damage. It is impossible to know sometimes what small children have put in their mouths, but any concern et al. , go to hospital, would that be your advice . Yes, hlt was coughing, drooling or has a temperature and there may be a suggestion that they had taken a battery, take a child, especially a toddler, to the a e department. Try to take a typical battery if there is one left in the package to help identify how large it isnt whether it will cause problems. The phase that is very helpful advice, thank you very much, mike thomson. Lbs the headlines on bbc news. The duke of edinburgh has just left hospital where he was being treated for what officials described as a pre existing condition. The queen will speak of a bumpy path in her christmas message after a difficult year for the royal family and for the country. Thousands of volunteer firefighters will spend Christmas Day battling wildfires that are still ravaging australia. Lets get a full round up of sport with jane. In the last hour its been confirmed that ben stokes will not be at England Training ahead of their test match series against south africa, because his father has fallen ill and hell be at his hospital bedside. Stokess father ged is said to be suffering a serious illness and was taken to hospital injohannesburg on monday where hes in a critical condition. Englands first test against south africa starts on boxing day. Adam mountford is injohannesburg. Ben stokes father was admitted to hospital in johannesburg ben stokes father was admitted to hospital injohannesburg yesterday after suffering what is described as after suffering what is described as a serious illness. He remains in a critical condition. Ged is 64 and was an International Rugby player representing new zealand in the 19805. Representing new zealand in the 1980s. Ben has missed training to be at his fathers bedside. England have had a disruptive build up, with three players missing the warm up games because of flu like symptoms. The government says it wont rule out taking further steps if football authorities in england fail to deal with racism. It follows Sundays Premier League match between tottenham and chelsea when play was stopped after Antonio Rudiger said he heard monkey noises. Tottenham have studied hours of cctv footage with lip readers to find the alleged perpetrators, but their findings were inconclusive. Tottenham Managerjose Mourinho gave his thoughts on the issue of racism in football. Do we need help . Yes. But Society Needs help. We need to eradicate. Is that the correct word . Yes. We need to eradicate any form of discrimination, and in this case, we are speaking about racism. And, yes, football needs help. Well, the Sheffield United manager chris wilde