Raising the Bar! Model Refaeli strips down poolside to reveal killer bikini curves

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:11 AM on 29th December 2010

Just in case anyone had forgotten about Bar Refaeli's illustrious career as a swimsuit model, then here's a little reminder.

The stunning model put on a tantalising poolside display as she peeled off her clothes to reveal another tiny bikini on day two of her holiday in Mexico.

Bar, 25, showed off her killer curves in a minuscule mismatched bikini after dispensing with her Daisy Dukes and see-through white shirt.

Looking good: Bar Refaeli showed off her stunning figure as she soaked up the sun in Mexico where she is on holiday

Stripping down: The Israeli model peeled off her Daisy Dukes and see-through white top to reveal her killer bikini curves

She was spotted soaking up the sun in Los Cabos, Mexico, yesterday.

After lounging around and sipping on an iced drink, the former Sports Illustrated took a dip in the pool to cool off.

Bar's boyfriend Leonardo DiCaprio didn't join the Israeli model by the pool, instead she chatted to a group of friends.

Refreshments: Bar, who dates actor Leonardo DiCaprio was sipping on a cool iced drink

Lady of leisure: She has been joined on her vacation by a group of friends

According to sources, the Hollywood star is planning on tying the knot with his girlfriend of five years.

Apparently Leo has been looking at converting to Judaism and even made several secret trips to Israel to learn more about where Bar comes from.

‘Leo’s sudden intense interest in Israel, its culture and religion is the clearest sign yet that he intends to marry Bar,’ said a source.

Cooling off: Bar takes a dip after topping up her tan in the sunny weather

Job done: The former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model still knows how to work a two-piece

‘He has been staying with her in a hotel in Tel Aviv for a few days at a time recently so that he can avoid the photographers outside her apartment in a nearby suburb.

‘Now he is looking into converting for her.’

For months rumours have swirled that the 36-year old has secretly proposed to Bar.

But it appears the couple didn't spend Christmas together - Leonardo was spotted on Boxing Day in Los Angeles, where he took a private tour of the LA County Museum Of Art Museum.

Curvier than usual? Bar seen earlier in the holiday in another skimpy bikini

Christmas apart? Leonardo DiCaprio takes a Boxing Day tour at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art museum in LA

Police 'watched Crossbow Cannibal for two years and knew he would kill'

By Chris Brooke
Last updated at 8:53 AM on 29th December 2010

Jailed for life: Stephen Griffiths murdered three women but even before the killings, police were aware of his anti-social behaviour

Police feared ‘Crossbow Cannibal’ Stephen Griffiths was a serial killer in the making – but were powerless to act, a source has claimed.

Griffiths, who was jailed for life last week for murdering three vice girls, was being watched two years before he killed them.

Officers had already seized a haul of hunting knives and a crossbow.

And a former senior management source with Accent, the housing company which ran the block of flats where Griffiths lived, has revealed that police worried it was only a matter of time before he killed.

Managers of the block in Bradford had been alerted by a policeman after librarians reported Griffiths was reading books on human dismemberment.

Housing staff insisted no females went alone to speak with Griffiths after neighbours reported threats and sinister behaviour towards women. The association was so concerned it even gave the male caretaker a panic alarm.

Griffiths had formed ‘platonic’ relationships with at least two women residents in Holmfield Court, where he rented a £60-a-week, one-bedroom flat.

At first they described him as polite and friendly. But when it became clear he had sex in mind and his advances were refused, he became aggressive.

Staff built up a huge dossier of complaints on Griffiths with Bradford police and a better CCTV system was fitted around the building in case it was needed as back-up in court.

But police didn’t even have a strong enough case for an anti-social behaviour order – an Asbo.

In 2008, the manager left for a new job and the case was left on file, with no avenue for police to act – despite the warnings.

Then, this year, 40-year-old Griffiths was arrested after the discovery of the hacked-up bodies of his three victims.

The victims: Susan Rushworth, 43, Suzanne Blamires, 36, and Shelley Armitage, 31 were found hacked-up earlier this year

When the source heard of the arrest, he rang police and told murder squad officers: ‘You’ve got loads on this man already. I can fill in the gaps.’

He explained: ‘The background on Griffiths had been left on file. My job finished and I moved on, police officers involved were relocated. But all the while the danger within Griffiths was building.

‘I felt somehow guilty when I saw what he had done, but the police had their hands tied. They could do nothing until something happened. The housing company worked with the police. We believed he would kill, we all thought he was a serial killer in the making.’

In a statement to police, the source had said: ‘A police officer told me that during an earlier visit Griffiths had a number of hunting-style knives, other weapons and a crossbow. These were confiscated.

‘He also advised me that he was greatly concerned about Griffiths and Accent staff should take care when dealing with him.'

Weaponry: One of the crossbows belonging to murderer Stephen Griffiths

The source continued: ‘I concluded there wasn’t any action that Accent could take at that time but I advised my staff that if we received any further complaints I wanted to know immediately.

‘I had hoped that there might be evidence that would allow us to obtain an Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction against Griffiths to prohibit certain behaviour from him towards others, but unfortunately the evidence was historical and wouldn’t allow us to act.

‘Griffiths was warned about his behaviour after complaints but reacted angrily.

‘I recall that a letter was sent to Griffiths advising him of the complaint and asking him to contact the investigating officer.

‘I was in the office one day and received a telephone call from Griffiths responding to the letter. He was very aggressive in manner. He did not swear but made threats of taking legal action against Accent. I advised him to be aware of the allegations and to ensure he didn’t engage in any activity that may be deemed anti social.’

Convicted killer: A West Yorkshire Police photograph of 'Crossbow cannibal' Stephen Griffiths

Last week Griffiths was jailed for life after admitting the murder of Shelley Armitage, 31, Suzanne Blamires, 36, and Susan Rushworth, 43. All vanished from the same
red-light district in Bradford.

The source added: ‘There must be an inquiry into what avenues can be explored when we have such a lot of evidence against someone, coupled with a genuine belief that harm or murder will surely follow, to be able to stop them.’

West Yorkshire Police said the force was not in a position to comment at this stage.

The Peking Pound: China's Gucci generation splurge £1bn in UK sales

By Tom Kelly
Last updated at 8:09 AM on 29th December 2010

Wealthy Chinese tourists are expected to spend a billion pounds on luxury goods during the sales, it emerged yesterday.

The booming ‘Peking Pound’ has accounted for almost a third of post-Christmas purchases of high end goods such as Burberry, Mulberry, Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

Many West End stores have appointed assistants who speak Mandarin to help cash in on the massive new market.

Frenzy: The 'Peking Pound' has accounted for almost a third of the money spent during the Christmas sales, with Selfridges processing 10,000 transactions per hour

Selfridges has started taking China UnionPay cards – the only domestic credit card available in China – to accommodate the upsurge.

The second purchase in the Boxing Day sale at the Oxford Street department store was made on one of the cards and was worth £1,200.

Selfridges went on to process 10,000 transactions an hour, boosting trade by 40 per cent on last year, with one onlooker describing the scene inside as looking like the ‘Great Mall of China’.

Retail analyst Jonathan De Mello, from the CB Richard Ellis consultancy, said Chinese shoppers have taken over from Russians and Arabs as the biggest spenders on luxury items in Britain.

Enlarge

‘Like anyone, they enjoy getting a bargain so the post-Christmas sales are inevitably an especially busy period,’ he added.

‘China’s rapidly-growing economy has generated a vast new market for luxury goods. But the high taxes levied on imported Western goods in China makes purchasing these products in Britain 20 to 30 per cent cheaper for them. They are also attracted by the cachet of buying a luxury item from its country of origin.

‘It’s often a kind of one-upmanship among friends or colleagues to get a Burberry or Mulberry item from Britain.

‘Visitors from China are usually on very structured tours which have fixed times for shopping in certain areas, which in almost all cases means the stores in London’s West End. It is now a huge market for stores in Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Piccadilly. Christmas holds no special cultural significance for most Chinese, so it is no hardship to be away from families during this time of year and instead go on a shopping trip to London.’

He said Chinese buyers now account for about 30 per cent of the luxury goods market in Britain, followed by Russians, Arabs and Japanese, with British shoppers making up only around 15 per cent of the purchases.

Luxury fashion house Burberry says Chinese shoppers make up nearly a third of the customers in its London stores, helping to boost sales by more than a fifth in 2010.

Mulberry says the Chinese are the fastest-growing group of customers for its luxury fashion goods.

Nearly two and a half million Chinese people visited western Europe this year, which was up a fifth on 2009, and the amount they spent almost doubled, according to figures from consulting firm Tourism Economics and shopping specialists Global Blue. Over the past two years the value of the pound has fallen by around 30 per cent against the Chinese yuan.

China’s growing economy has led to the number of U.S. dollar billionaires in the country leaping from one in 1999 to 130 last year.

Huge crowds continued to flood shops yesterday on the third day of the sales.

At Westfield Shopping Centre in West London 50 shoppers at a time were queuing to get into the Louis Vuitton store after security guards imposed a ‘two in, two out’ rule because of the crowds. Vast numbers were also out in Newcastle upon Tyne.

But retail analyst Tarlok Teji, of Manchester Business School, warned that the cold weather had still made it tough for stores. He said: ‘I think we’ll see some really tough trading results. Many retailers will not get close to the targets they hoped.’

Fury of music teachers over 'no touching' diktat

By Tom Kelly
Last updated at 1:12 AM on 29th December 2010

Forbidden: A scene from the Musicians' Union video

Music teachers have been told to avoid physical contact with pupils because of fears of accusations of paedophilia.

The Musicians’ Union has released a video, backed by the NSPCC, calling on members not to touch students.

It said the policy would protect tutors, who face immediate suspension if an accusation of inappropriate touching is made and often have their careers destroyed even if they are found to be innocent.

But teachers have branded the film a ‘hysterical overreaction’ and say it is likely only to heighten children’s anxiety about paedophilia.

They point out that touching pupils is often the only way to straighten backs, reposition hands or correct other common errors made by developing musicians.

The film, Keeping Children Safe In Music, shows a sinister-looking music teacher helping a boy to play the violin. As the teacher intervenes to correct his play by putting his hand on his shoulder and his fingers in the correct place on the strings, the youngster looks concerned.

A voiceover says: ‘There are times when you need to demonstrate particular techniques.

‘In the past, this has been done by touching students, but this can make them feel uncomfortable, and can leave teachers open to accusations of inappropriate behaviour.

‘It isn’t necessary to touch children in order to demonstrate: there’s always a better way.’

The scene is then replayed, with the teacher demonstrating on his own violin rather than touching the boy.

The film, which is also posted on YouTube, describes itself as an ‘online resource allowing anyone teaching music to children to gain a better understanding of their child protection responsibilities and avoid situations that could lead to accusations of misconduct’.

Music teachers writing on the website of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, which also backed the film, called it ‘madness’.

Keeping a safe distance: One piano teacher said the idea was silly because a prod in the back reminds pupils to sit correctly

One wrote: ‘It’s much better to steer a child into position than spend ten minutes trying to get them [there] without touching them. It’s also far from protecting children. It’s bringing them up to think that there is something dirty about touch and to be suspicious.’

A mother who teaches piano wrote: ‘If a child slouches while playing, a small prod in the small of their back will make them sit up without disrupting the flow.

‘Child protection vital but we’ve lost sight of the wood for the trees.’

The head of a music school posted: ‘Those who have turned caring adults into teachers and relations scared stiff to touch a child are the ones who should be told “hands off”.’

Josie Appleton, of the Manifesto Club, which campaigns against over-regulation of everyday life, said: ‘This official video makes everyone paranoid about touch and the creepy tone makes out that all violin teachers are like paedophiles and presents all touching as lecherous.’

A Musicians’ Union spokesman said: ‘Having to be more creative and find alternatives to touching reinforces the learning process. We would be being irresponsible if we did not advise our members of the risks they are taking if they do make physical contact with children.’

An NSPCC spokesman said: ‘The NSPCC works with many organisations helping develop policies and guidelines. The aim is for these to be proportionate to the circumstances.’

The £700,000 golden goodbye:

Shame of fat cat bosses given huge pay rises and pension boosts just before their council was axed

By Paul Sims
Last updated at 8:38 AM on 29th December 2010

A former £100,000-a-year ­council boss is to face legal action over claims he inflated his own salary as well as that of senior colleagues to secure an extra £700,000 in ­redundancy and pension payouts.

The cash windfalls were paid out after the senior executives were all made redundant from Wansbeck District Council in Northumberland in March 2009 as part of a major overhaul of local government.

Under the controversial plans drawn up by the then Labour government, 45 district, borough and county councils merged into just nine ­‘unitary’ local authorities, with Wansbeck being merged into Northumberland County Council.

£240,000 payout: Former chief executive Bob Stephenson

But when the new unitary authority examined Wansbeck’s accounts, it discovered a series of financial irregularities.

An urgent inquiry was launched and a report by the council’s anti-fraud investigator found the pay rises were awarded a year before the merger.

The report, seen by the Mail, reveals: ‘The investigation was concluded... with evidence that the salaries of the chief officers had been potentially fraudulently inflated prior to dissolution under Local Government Reorganisation.

‘The total amount involved, including potential future pension payments, is in excess of £700,000.’

Denial: Colin Mitchell (left) declined to comment while Trevor Straker (right) denies any wrongdoing

It is claimed a total of £375,000 was over-paid in salaries and redundancy payments and a further £344,000 in future pension payments to the age of 75.

Investigators also discovered the council’s chief executive, Bob Stephenson, paid himself an additional £40,000 a year as the two-day-a-week head of the council’s regeneration arm, Wansbeck Life.

More...

• DAILY MAIL COMMENT: A cautionary tale of public profligacy

The payments were made over an 18-month period before his redundancy, they found.

The report recommends court action against five former senior managers to recover the payments and names the five as council chief executive Stephenson, 57; Trevor Straker, head of engineering services; Colin Mitchell, 52, director of neighbourhood and community services; Carolyn Forster, 44, solicitor to the council and Nick Burden, the head of regulatory services.

All of the managers, apart from Stephenson, are understood to have genuinely believed they were entitled to pay rises.

The full report, which concludes that the payments were unlawful, was passed to Northumbria Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

All five were interviewed by the police, but after a full and thorough investigation no charges were brought due to insufficient evidence.

However, the council now plans to sue all five in the High Court in a civil case – where the burden of proof is much lower – to recover the overpaid money.

Mr Stephenson – who is said to have walked away with a £240,000 pay-off in March 2009, more than twice his annual salary – is alleged to have been responsible for the overpayments.

The council’s anti-fraud investigator, Alan Le Marinel, said in his report: ‘It is evident from what has been stated in the various documents that a claim against Mr Stephenson would be very likely to succeed in that he acted dishonestly and knowingly and beyond his powers in increasing his own and the other... salaries and that because of this he may be liable for the total sum overpaid.

‘However, I would recommend that proceedings be instigated against the other former chief officers on the basis that Mr Stephenson’s actions were ultra vires [beyond his powers].

‘For the avoidance of doubt it is my opinion that in the absence of delegation powers to alter the salaries of the former chief officers the actions are unlawful and ultra vires and therefore recoverable by way of an action of restitution.’

Despite the allegations Mr Stephenson is still believed to be drawing on his pension.

Last night, one council worker told the Mail: ‘He has shown complete contempt for the council and other members of staff, given the fact we all have a question mark hanging over our jobs. It’s incredible. These senior council officials have walked away with vast sums of money they simply are not entitled to.

‘We are facing the harshest cuts in local government for many years and many of us fear losing our jobs.’

Mr Stephenson and Miss Forster are also accused of trying to transfer the ownership of the council’s regeneration arm Wansbeck Life away from the County Council to a North East housing group.

Had they succeeded the County Council would have been left as a minority shareholder while the housing group inherited up to 80 per cent of the firm’s tangible assets – worth up to £31million. Stephenson has since been sacked as head of Wansbeck Life – which relies on £3million in public funding every year – but is appealing against the decision.

A report into the actions of Miss Forster, who is now working for Bassetlaw District Council in Nottinghamshire, has been passed to the Solicitors Regulation Authority amid claims she and another solicitor breached the Solicitors’ Code of Conduct in relation to their roles.

Last night, Mr Straker denied any wrongdoing. He said: ‘I have no intention of talking about this. You have your facts wrong.’

Mr Stephenson and Mr Burden were unavailable for comment.

Mr Mitchell refused to comment and Miss Forster insisted she had not been investigated by the police or the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Things are a little less terrible now we've seen Joanna's body.

We just said 'Welcome back': As police reveal his daughter was strangled, father's shred of comfort

By Luke Salkeld and Ryan Kisiel
Last updated at 8:12 AM on 29th December 2010

• Police believe Joanna may have known her killer
• Two bottles of cider bought before she disappeared could provide clues
  
• Victim's boyfriend Greg Reardon is not being treated as a suspect
• Detectives reveal body had been on grass verge for 'several days'
• Officers keeping 'open mind' over possibility of sexual motive
  
• Grieving parents say: 'Police know more than they're telling us'
  

The father of Joanna Yeates said yesterday that seeing his strangled daughter’s body had provided some comfort to his grief-stricken family.

As police revealed the landscape architect died from compression of the neck, David Yeates said: ‘Things were made just that little bit less terrible when we saw Jo’s body yesterday.

‘It was a relief to see her again – we just said, ‘‘Welcome back’’.’

Found dead on Christmas Day: Miss Yeates, seen left on Christmas Day last year and right, with her cat Bernard

His heartfelt words came as it was revealed Miss Yeates bought two bottles of cider as well as a pizza before she was strangled.

CCTV from the Bargain Booze store show her buying the 330ml bottles for around £4 before heading home, The Sun reported.

The bottles were found in her flat after she disappeared, one of which had been opened and half consumed.

The revelation has raised questions over whether Miss Yeates bought the alcohol for herself or whether one bottle was for another person - perhaps even her killer.

Police, who have now launched a murder inquiry with 70 officers ‘working round the clock’, said the body of 25-year-old Miss Yeates had probably been lying by the side of a country road for several days before it was found.

They also said that they are 'keeping an open mind' on the possibility that Joanna may have known her killer.

Results of a post mortem examination, which had been delayed because the body was so frozen, confirmed the cause of death.

Detectives believe the fully-clothed body may have lain undiscovered for up to a week in Longwood Lane, Failand, near Bristol, after Miss Yeates was reported missing, possibly hidden by heavy snowfall.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones, who is leading the hunt for the killer, refused to comment on whether she had been sexually assaulted.

He publicly ruled out Miss Yeates’s architect boyfriend Greg Reardon as a suspect.

New pictures of murder victim Joanna Yeates were released by her parents yesterday. Miss Yeates is pictured during birthday celebrations on the left, and astride a motorbike seven years ago, right

Chief Superintendent Jon Stratford (left) and senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Phil Jones (right) during a press conference which yesterday revealed Miss Yeates died of 'compression to the neck'

On Monday Miss Yeates’s family and Mr Reardon, 27, made a harrowing visit to the spot where she was found by dog walkers on Christmas morning, eight days after she vanished.

Mr Yeates said yesterday: ‘I fear that whoever has done this will never hand themselves in but we live in hope that the police will catch who is responsible.’

The 63-year-old, who lives in Ampfield, Hampshire, with his wife Theresa, 56, added: ‘We are sure the police know more about what happened than they are telling us but at the moment we are not questioning them because we feel they are doing their best.

‘Hearing Jo had been murdered was not a surprise because we had been told to prepare for the worst.

‘Since hearing about her death all sorts of things have been running through our minds and we are trying to rationalise what has happened.

Family ordeal: David Yeates hugs his wife Theresa, while their son Chris places a consoling hand on his shoulder during a visit to the site where Joanna's body was discovered

Miss Yeates' boyfriend Greg Reardon (wearing a black hat) lays a bouquet at the scene as family members including her brother Chris (wearing a grey coat) looked on

‘Last week was the worst of our lives and we are hoping that we will never have to go through anything like this again.’

Mr Yeates said the family were keen to arrange the funeral but had been told by police the body was unlikely to be released ‘for a while’.

Mr Jones appealed for more information which could help lead to an arrest.

He said: ‘The pathologist showed the cause of death was compression of the neck – in other words, strangulation.

Final journey: Miss Yeates was found less than three miles from the house she shared with her boyfriend

Floral tribute: Parents David and Theresa lay flowers at the scene

CCTV clues: Detectives are examining footage from Clifton Suspension Bridge's 32 cameras as they try to discover how her body came to end up on the other side of the structure from her home

‘We believe Joanna’s body had been there for several days before being discovered on Christmas morning.

‘We want to hear from anyone who saw anything in the Failand area, particularly between December 17 and December 19.

‘We know how Joanna died and now we need to know who is responsible.

‘Somebody out there knows what happened to Joanna. Somebody out there holds that vital piece of information Jo’s family need and want.’

He added that a number of lines of inquiry were being pursued, including the possibility that there was a sexual motive behind the killing.

Detectives are continuing a forensic examination of Miss Yeates’s flat in the Bristol suburb of Clifton as police try to determine whether her killer had been in the building with her.

Grief: A letter attached to a floral tribute placed outside Miss Yeates' flat

Anguish: Miss Yeates's parents David and Teresa (left) and her boyfriend Greg Reardon had made desperate appeals for her safe return

Joanna poses with Greg. It was her boyfriend who raised the alarm when he returned from a trip to Sheffield to find she was missing from their flat

She disappeared following a visit to a Bristol pub with colleagues on Friday December 17.

During the mile walk home she stopped at Waitrose and then a Tesco Express, as well as the off-licence.

CCTV footage shows her buying a Tesco Finest mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto pizza.

Her keys, coat and mobile phone were all found at the flat in Canynge Road but detectives are still searching for the pizza and its wrapping.

Police say there were no signs of forced entry.

Stop off: Miss Yeates purchased two small bottles of cider from this Bargain Booze shop in Clifton and also bought a mozzarella, tomato and pesto pizza from a Tesco nearby

Miss Yeates' body was discovered on a grass verge close to the entrance of a quarry (circled) just outside Bristol

Mr Reardon reported her missing on December 19 on his return from a visit to Sheffield.

The body was found around three miles from the £200,000 flat the couple shared.

Mr Reardon’s mother last night appealed for ‘every last scrap’ of information to be given to police.

Lydia Reardon, 67, who lives with her husband John, also 67, in Ilfracombe, Devon, said: ‘Someone, somewhere may know the one crucial thing that helps the police solve this dreadful crime. Please, just pick up the phone and tell them.’

Swine flu: The 'perfect storm' as flu victims soar,

winter vomiting bug spreads, more elderly fall ill... so how will hospitals cope?

By Jenny Hope and Sophie Borland
Last updated at 8:30 AM on 29th December 2010

As GP practices open for the first time after the extended bank holiday weekend, demand for swine flu vaccine is expected to soar

A ‘perfect storm’ of winter illness will batter Britain’s health services today.

Hospitals will be pushed to breaking point by a post-Christmas deluge of patients suffering from flu and the winter vomiting bug.

Accident and emergency departments are bracing themselves for a surge of referrals as GP practices open for the first time after the extended bank holiday weekend.

They are also expecting high numbers of elderly patients to be brought in as they are visited by care workers for the first time in four days.

Soaring levels of both seasonal and swine flu will heap extra strain on hospitals already dealing with cases of the sickness bug norovirus, which usually peak at this time of year.

It is feared many potentially seriously ill patients will have waited until after the four-day weekend to see their doctor, pushing services to the limit.

The swine flu outbreak sparked a furious war of words last night as Health Minister Simon Burns accused Labour of exploiting the virus for political ends.

He rejected claims by Shadow Health Secretary John Healey that the Government had ‘cancelled’ a flu jab plan for under-fives to save money.

Mr Burns insisted that ministers ruled out a blanket vaccination programme for youngsters on medical grounds.

But as the virus continued to sweep the country yesterday, an expert warned that Britain is on the ‘cusp’ of an epidemic.

Virologist professor John Oxford, from the University of London, said that because two-thirds of the population did not get swine flu during the last two outbreaks, they risk falling victim now.

Dr Jim Wardrope, former president of the College of Emergency Medicine, who works at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, warned today would be one of the busiest of the year for hospitals.

‘There is usually a peak after bank holiday weekends and this one has lasted four days,’ he said. ‘There is definitely extra pressure at the moment.

‘We have a perfect storm of flu and norovirus and the last few days have been extremely busy. It’s the same for departments across the country.’

He explained that hospitals normally experience a peak in referrals from GPs following a bank holiday weekend as many patients are reluctant to use out-of-hours services and would rather wait for a routine appointment.

The influx comes as the head of the Royal College of GPs urged vulnerable patients to get the vaccine amid fears that Britain is on the brink of an epidemic.

Dr Clare Gerada said stocks of the jab arrived in most surgeries on Christmas Eve so there were currently enough supplies, and manufacturers were able to fill more orders.

Professor John Oxford said that huge numbers of people travelling to see family and friends over Christmas and New Year were carrying flu infections to different areas.

He added that it was possible children going back to school would also trigger a surge in flu cases.

This year’s seasonal flu vaccine contains protection against H1N1 and two other strains of flu virus, but uptake has been lower than expected in ‘at risk’ groups.

Around 45 per cent of those with underlying medical conditions have had the jab.

But only one in four pregnant women have done so – despite being four times more likely to develop potentially deadly breathing problems caused by swine flu.

Children under five are currently excluded from having a routine jab as part of the NHS programme, although many were vaccinated as a one-off measure during the swine flu pandemic and will retain some immunity as a result.

Independent medical advisers to the Government yesterday denied they had ever recommended routine seasonal jabs for young healthy children.

However, there have been reports that parents trying to get private jabs for their children have been turned away by High Street pharmacies and told to contact their GPs. Dr Gerada said GPs were prioritising patients so the most vulnerable were vaccinated first.

Children who were eligible because of underlying health conditions were among those, she added.

‘We want patients who need vaccinating because they’re at risk to come and see us, or contact the surgery for an appointment,’ she said.

‘Pregnant women, the elderly and those with a range of health conditions can get a jab.’

Figures released last Friday show the number of patients in critical care – most of whom have swine flu – had more than doubled in a week, from 182 to 460.

In total, 27 have died of confirmed flu since October, with 24 of those dying of swine flu. Only one of those patients whose vaccine status was known had received a seasonal jab.

The revelation came as the parents of teenager Natalie Hill, who died of swine flu just before Christmas, described the joy she brought them.

The 17-year-old passed away just 42 hours after doctors at Hull Royal Infirmary discovered she had the H1N1 virus.

Victim: Natalie Hill, 17, is thought to have caught the virus at Hull Royal Infirmary

Mother Carol Hill, 50, from Hull, said: ‘She was a blessing in so many ways and made our family stronger. We just tried to give her everything a child would ever want. She has brought us all great joy.’ Miss Hill had battled necrotising enterocolitis – a condition which destroys part of the intestines – since birth, and had spent five months in a high-dependency unit because of complications.

A spokesman for the British Medical Association said the NHS had been very busy over the long bank holiday break.

She added: ‘There will be some extra demand on the first day back to work, but patients who need medical help over the holiday have been getting it from out-of-hours services, walk-in clinics and Accident and Emergency.

‘We don’t anticipate anything that exceptional for the time of year.’

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: ‘The NHS was well prepared in advance, and it is coping well with the effects of the severe weather and flu. GP practices have been inviting people for whom the flu vaccination is recommended to have the vaccine, and I would urge them to do so.’

A spokesman for the Department of Health said there was no problem with vaccine supplies because GPs could order more if demand increased.

Professor Steve Field, former chairman of the Royal College of GPs, warned that no one should be complacent about flu.

He told BBC News: ‘People don’t feel that this is a serious illness.

‘We know it can be, particularly for those people with heart disease, chest disease and pregnant women.

‘They should come forward and have a vaccination.’