![Image]( "Brothers in court over Lapland park")
Two brothers could have made more than £1 million by misleading thousands of customers into visiting a Lapland-style theme park, a court has heard.
Visitors to Lapland New Forest were offered a winter wonderland with snow-covered log cabins, a nativity scene, husky dogs, polar bears and other animals, as well as a bustling Christmas market.
Instead of the promised magical festive treat, visitors experienced fairy lights hung from trees and a broken ice rink.
Within days of the attraction opening in November 2008, hundreds of disgruntled visitors to the park on the Hampshire-Dorset border complained to trading standards they had been ripped off, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Less than a week later the attraction closed, with the theme park's owners blaming the media and sabotage from "New Forest villains" for the decision.
With visitors charged £30 a ticket and with up to 10,000 advance bookings online, the owners were set to make £1.2 million, prosecutor Malcolm Gibney told the court.
The two men behind Lapland New Forest, brothers Victor, 67, and Henry Mears, 60, both of Brighton, deny eight charges of selling misleading advertising, five charges of engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading action and three charges of engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading omission.
Mr Gibney said that following the complaints, two trading standards officers visited the theme park, which was being held at Matchams Leisure Park, near Ringwood, Hants. But before they arrived they checked out the Lapland website.
Mr Gibney described to the jury that the eye-catching website offered a "snow covered village near Bournemouth" with a "magical tunnel of light", "beautiful snow covered log cabins", a "bustling Christmas market", "wonderful ice rink" and "delicious hot and cold seasonal food".
But Mr Gibney showed the jury pictures the officers had taken of the theme park, which showed muddy fields and the "lightest possible dusting of snow" covering the log cabins. He said that instead of a "bustling Christmas market" they found two food stalls selling German sausages and a choice of turkey or pork and stuffing baguettes.
On the eve of the crucial Commons vote on university funding, Prime Minister David Cameron has sought to win over doubters with a speech promising the Government's proposed fees package will be "sustainable, competitive and fair".
As students staged sit-ins and rallies in protest at the plan to treble the maximum tuition fee to £9,000, Mr Cameron used a speech in east London to acknowledge the "passion" of those opposing his plans.
But he insisted that their passion was "drowning out some of the truth" about the package on offer from the Government.
Mr Cameron insisted that his plans would widen access to university, create incentives to improve the quality of courses and leave the poorest graduates better-off than under the existing system.
Denouncing the current funding arrangements as "unsustainable, uncompetitive and unfair", Mr Cameron said: "Today I want to explain the real truth about what's going on, why we need change and why the change we are proposing is the best option we've got."
Labour leader Ed Miliband had earlier used the set-piece of Prime Minister's Questions to challenge Mr Cameron on why he was forcing English students to pay "the highest fees of any public university system in the industrialised world".
Mr Cameron rejected critics' claims that the Government is simply seeking to save money by removing state subsidies and heaping the burden of university funding on to students' shoulders.
In fact, the loans, grants and scholarships proposed by the Government will increase in value from £7 billion to £12 billion by 2015, he said.
He added that sticking with the funding status quo would be possible only with a "radical" reduction in the numbers of students or by increasing Government spending.
Even in good economic times, Government spending alone could "never be a sustainable way of funding the growth in student numbers" and the need to keep up with international competitors, he said.
The British newlywed accused of paying to have his bride killed on their South African honeymoon is to be held in jail after an appeal was lodged against the granting of £250,000 bail.
Shrien Dewani, who was arrested on Tuesday night on a South African extradition warrant, was initially granted bail when he appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wendesday afternoon.
But the South African authorities lodged an immediate appeal, which means the businessman from Bristol will be held in custody pending a High Court hearing.
Dewani, whose wife Anni, 28, was shot dead last month as they visited a township, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder her.
The 30-year-old was accused of ordering her death by taxi driver Zola Tongo as Tongo was sentenced for his part in the killing in a South African court on Tuesday.
The court heard that Tongo had not only implicated Dewani in the murder, but had also mentioned to another man that he thought it was not the first time the Briton had arranged such a killing.
The taxi driver said he got the impression that Dewani had been in South Africa before and "had done something like this before and said he wanted the murder to look like a hijacking", according to a statement given to South African police by an alleged middle-man.
Acting for the South African authorities, lawyer Ben Watson told the extradition hearing that Dewani had met Tongo at Cape Town international airport and arranged for him to take him and his new bride to their hotel and to act as their tour guide.
As their guide, Tongo collected the couple from their hotel and took them out for dinner at a seafood restaurant.
On their way back, they passed through the dangerous Gugulethu township, where the allegedly pre-ordered hijacking took place, Mr Watson said.
Two brothers could have made more than £1 million by misleading thousands of customers into visiting a Lapland-style theme park, a court has heard.
Visitors to Lapland New Forest were offered a winter wonderland with snow-covered log cabins, a nativity scene, husky dogs, polar bears and other animals, as well as a bustling Christmas market.
Instead of the promised magical festive treat, visitors experienced fairy lights hung from trees and a broken ice rink.
Within days of the attraction opening in November 2008, hundreds of disgruntled visitors to the park on the Hampshire-Dorset border complained to trading standards they had been ripped off, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Less than a week later the attraction closed, with the theme park's owners blaming the media and sabotage from "New Forest villains" for the decision.
With visitors charged £30 a ticket and with up to 10,000 advance bookings online, the owners were set to make £1.2 million, prosecutor Malcolm Gibney told the court.
The two men behind Lapland New Forest, brothers Victor, 67, and Henry Mears, 60, both of Brighton, deny eight charges of selling misleading advertising, five charges of engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading action and three charges of engaging in a commercial practice which is a misleading omission.
Mr Gibney said that following the complaints, two trading standards officers visited the theme park, which was being held at Matchams Leisure Park, near Ringwood, Hants. But before they arrived they checked out the Lapland website.
Mr Gibney described to the jury that the eye-catching website offered a "snow covered village near Bournemouth" with a "magical tunnel of light", "beautiful snow covered log cabins", a "bustling Christmas market", "wonderful ice rink" and "delicious hot and cold seasonal food".
But Mr Gibney showed the jury pictures the officers had taken of the theme park, which showed muddy fields and the "lightest possible dusting of snow" covering the log cabins. He said that instead of a "bustling Christmas market" they found two food stalls selling German sausages and a choice of turkey or pork and stuffing baguettes.
Tony Blair has been recalled to give extra evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war.
The former prime minister will answer further questions about Britain's involvement in the conflict at a public session early next year, the inquiry team said in a statement.
Ex-foreign secretary Jack Straw will also appear as a witness again and former attorney general Lord Goldsmith has been asked to provide further written evidence.
The inquiry will hold a further round of public hearings in the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, central London, between January 18 and February 4.
Admiral Lord Boyce, chief of the defence staff from 2001 to 2003, and Lord Turnbull, cabinet secretary from 2002 to 2005, are also being recalled.
During these sessions the inquiry will hear oral evidence for the first time from current Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell; Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, chief of the air staff from 2006 to 2009; Sir Stephen Wall, Mr Blair's adviser on European issues from 2000 to 2004; Lord Wilson of Dinton, cabinet secretary from 1998 to 2002; and John Buck, Foreign Office Iraq director from 2003 to 2004.
Mr Blair mounted a vigorous defence of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, insisting he had no regrets over removing Saddam Hussein and would do the same again, when he gave testimony to the inquiry on January 29.
But anti-war campaigners and families of British troops who died in the conflict condemned his appearance, saying he evaded the panel's questions and refused to admit he made mistakes.
Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot said: "As we draft our report, it is clear that there are some areas where we need further detail. We will, therefore, be seeking further evidence on those matters. I am committed to taking the majority of this evidence in public.
"In some cases, we will be writing to witnesses or government departments asking them to provide a written statement of events, responding to specific questions set out by the committee. In other cases, we will be taking oral evidence."
A driver has died after a 27-ton crane toppled into a freezing river.
Rescuers tried to reach the driver trapped in the submerged cab following the accident at Mepal, Cambridgeshire, on Wednesday lunchtime.
But he was declared dead at around 1pm, about three hours after the crane, which had been dredging the river, fell.
Police and health and safety inspectors are investigating.
Police said firefighters led rescue attempts.
Julian Fountain, incident commander for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "All agencies have worked extremely closely together to make every effort to fully release the man from the water as quickly as possible.
"However, due to the location of the crane, the freezing weather conditions and the fact that the man was trapped, this could not happen in time.
"This is an extremely tragic incident. Our thoughts go out to the man's family."
He said crews from nearby stations in Chatteris, Ely, and Huntingdon were called to the scene and firefighters used an inflatable boat to reach the submerged crane.
Prince William and his fiancee, Kate Middleton, are to have marriage counselling sessions from some of the country's most senior clerics, it has been reported.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London will give the pair advice on preparing for their married life together.
With world attention on their forthcoming wedding, like many other couples they will receive pastoral care on dealing with a range of issues.
But as the second in line to the throne, William and his bride-to-be will sit down with Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and Bishop of London Dr Richard Chartres, according to the Daily Mail.
Topics under discussion may include dealing with disagreements and rows, how to remain faithful, preparing for parenthood and dealing with the in-laws.
The guidance may be needed if the couple are to avoid the pitfalls of other royal marriages, many of which have ended in divorce.
William and Miss Middleton will marry at Westminster Abbey on April 29, and both senior churchmen will play a part in the ceremony.
The Bishop of London is said to be a confidant of William's father, the Prince of Wales, offering him spiritual guidance.
A St James's Palace spokesman said: "The couple would expect to meet both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, who will both play a prominent role on the wedding day, before the service.
"Any conversations between them would be private."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told Energy Secretary Chris Huhne to stay at the international climate change talks in Cancun, even though his absence will cost the Government a vote in the crucial Commons division on tuition fees.
Sources close to Mr Clegg said the Liberal Democrat leader had decided that Mr Huhne's role in the latest round of talks on beating global warming is too important for him to be pulled out of the summit.
The decision came after Labour refused to offer a "pair" for Mr Huhne who would also miss the university funding vote, so they cancelled one another out.
Climate change campaigners begged both Mr Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband to make arrangements for the Energy Secretary to remain, because of the vital role he had been given by the Mexican hosts in leading discussions on the fate of the earlier Kyoto Protocol.
Mr Clegg decided that the long-term interests of the planet should take priority over the Government's potential difficulties in Thursday's vote, said the source.
And Mr Huhne said: "Nick Clegg and I have decided the importance of the talks in Cancun mean that I have to stay here to finish the vital work we have started.
"It is hugely regrettable that Ed Miliband's Labour Party has decided to put short-term political point scoring ahead of the long-term interests of the planet. They are putting the next two days ahead of the next two generations.
"These vital talks have denied me the chance to support the coalition Government's progressive proposals to give financial security to our world class universities sector and make the repayment system for students fairer."
Labour insisted that all of its MPs want to attend the division to vote against the Government's plans to treble the maximum annual tuition fee to £9,000. They said that Mr Huhne could be paired with a rebel Liberal Democrat backbencher.
Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood, who is also in Cancun, has said he would have voted against the fees package if he were able to attend the Commons.
Britain is set for a brief respite from the worst December weather in 29 years before temperatures plunge again for the rest of the month.
As the country battles with icy roads and disrupted trains and flights, forecasters said the UK will start to thaw on Thursday, with the mercury almost reaching double figures in some parts.
But bitter winds are expected to return by the start of next week, and bookmakers have slashed the odds on a white Christmas.
Forecaster John Hutchinson, from MeteoGroup, said: "Generally speaking, a lot of places will have a dry and pretty clear night but there will be some further snow showers on the east coast for a time.
"We're also looking at a few showers affecting Wales as well, falling as sleet and snow.
"Later in the night, the breeze does pick up a bit in the west of Scotland bringing in some slightly milder air, which is the first sign of warmer or less cold air trying to push in.
"What we're going to have through the next few days is the wind moves round from the Atlantic bringing less cold air."
Speaking on the outlook for Thursday, he added: "Southern areas will see temperatures higher than they have been, between 2C and 4C. Up across Scotland and Northern Ireland, temperatures of 5C and 9C, so we're looking at a bit of a thaw."
But despite improved temperatures over the next few days, forecasters warned the Arctic conditions are expected to return.
"It's going to stay cold for much of the rest of the month with widespread risk of ice, frost and snow showers," Mr Hutchinson added.
A painting by British master George Stubbs has sold for a record £10 million.
Brood Mares and Foals, painted at the height of the renowned artists' career in 1767, was offered for sale for the first time at Sotheby's in London.
An undisclosed buyer bid £10,121,250, including the buyers' premium, for the 100cm by 187cm oil on canvas.
Sotheby's - which had expected between £10 million and £15 million - said it was a record price for a work by Stubbs.
The painting was privately kept by descendants of original owner Colonel George Lane Parker, son of the second Earl of Macclesfield, Oxfordshire, for 237 years before it was exhibited at the National Gallery in London in 2005.
It had only been shown on two other occasions, both times in 1768.
Liverpool-born Stubbs, who was famous for his paintings of horses, published a book titled The Anatomy Of The Horse in 1766.
Emmeline Hallmark, director of British Pictures at Sotheby's, said he was "the greatest horse-painter of his time".
Oil giant Shell had "access to everything" being done by the Nigerian government because it had staff in every relevant department, according to the latest US embassy cables revealed by WikiLeaks.
The wires published by the Guardian refer to comments made by Ann Pickard, Shell's then vice-president in Africa, that the government had "forgotten" that the global firm had seconded Shell employees to various ministries.
The notes suggest Shell staff were able to gather inside information about the dealings of the oil-rich state.
In the confidential cable from October 2009, the ambassador wrote that Ms Pickard said Shell had received a copy of a letter from a Nigerian government adviser to the Chinese rejecting an offer for oil exploration blocks.
The cable said: "Pickard said Shell had good sources to show that their data had been sent to both China and Russia.
"She said the GON (Government of Nigeria) had forgotten that Shell had seconded people to all the relevant ministries and that Shell consequently had access to everything that was being done in those ministries."
The ambassador, named by the Guardian as Robin Renee Sanders, also reported Shell was "producing 663,000 barrels per day as of October 13, including the Bonga field".
Among the cables were memos indicating Shell had shared intelligence with the US about "militant unrest" as well as asking for information about rival Russian energy company Gazprom.
A spokeswoman for Shell said the company would not comment on the contents of the leaked cables.
Sensors that can detect gunshots have been installed in one of Britain's biggest cities in a bid to drive down gun crime.
The Shotspotter Gunshot Location System - which can pick up blasts within a 25m (82ft) radius - is being used in parts of Birmingham.
Police hope it will drive down the number of firearm incidents in the city, which have run into the hundreds in recent years.
The sensors, which record an audio clip and give police a GPS location, have been placed on buildings in areas of north-west Birmingham.
Trained officers listen in to the clips and can then decide whether to deploy other officers.
Chief Supt Chris McKeogh said the Shotspotter - used in 50 American cities - had an 85% accuracy rate.
He told the BBC: "The sound waves a bullet produces has a particular signature, if you like, and that should be recognisable to our force control room officers that have been trained up to listen.
"Shots, or a shot, being fired outside have the best chance (of being detected). Inside or with a silencer, the ability is not so good."
Birmingham has seen 295 firearm incidents, 59 involving discharge, so far this year. Last year, there were a total of 440, with 60 involving shots.
West Midlands Police said the rates of gun crime justified the use of the Shotspotter system.
TV licence fee evaders have been particularly inventive over the past 12 months in the excuses they have offered for not paying their dues, licensing chiefs have said.
Alongside the usual attempts to blame relatives or animals, bizarre logic and a lack of common sense ruled the list of implausible pretexts.
They included: "I've got no licence because when I called TV Licensing they refused to barter with me. Everything should be up for negotiation," and "I don't watch the television; I just use it as a light in the dark".
Investigators faced an array of strange tales and delaying tactics, with one person declaring: "Can you call back later? I want to finish watching the end of this TV programme."
TV Licensing caught more than 338,000 people watching TV without a licence over the first 10 months of this year.
Ian Fannon, TV Licensing spokesman, said: "No matter how creative people get with their excuses, watching or recording live TV without a licence is against the law.
"In fairness to those who pay the fee, we will prosecute those who try to avoid it, including the likes of the gentleman who refused to buy a licence unless we bartered with him. He was found guilty and fined by unimpressed magistrates.
"We're effective at catching evaders, but we would always rather people pay than risk a fine of up to £1,000. To help those that may find it difficult to pay in one go, we offer a range of payment options to help spread the cost - all of which can be set up quickly and easily online or by phone if you prefer."
Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, added: "Your TV licence should be treated as a priority debt, alongside expenses such as your mortgage or rent, council tax and gas and electric bills.
"Those struggling with their finances should seek free, independent advice from a charitable organisation such as National Debtline or Citizens Advice. It is also worth noting that it is possible to pay your TV licence in weekly instalments at a PayPoint outlet, over the phone, online or via SMS by joining the cash payment plan."
A wealthy businessman accused of murdering his wife on honeymoon is preparing a fresh legal challenge in a bid to be granted bail.
Shrien Dewani, 30, was denied his freedom at the 11th hour when the South African Government appealed against a decision to release him on Wednesday night.
City of Westminster Magistrates Court heard the suspected killer could be freed on £250,000 bail with an electronic tag and other strict conditions.
But solicitors working on behalf of prosecutors in South Africa lodged documents that mean the decision must be reviewed by a High Court judge.
Clare Montgomery QC, representing Dewani, said the case could be heard on Thursday, but may be delayed until Friday because of the short notice.
Dewani, who owns several care homes in Bristol, is wanted over the death of his wife Anni, 28, who was found dead in the back of an abandoned taxi with a single bullet wound to her neck on November 13.
Driver Zola Tongo has accused him of offering to pay 15,000 rand (£1,400) for her murder and ordering it to appear like a bungled carjacking as they drove through a notorious township.
A second conspirator told South African investigators he believed Dewani had arranged another murder in similar circumstances in the country before, but there is no other evidence to support this.
The court heard police have questioned why he did not use an airport-to-hotel shuttle service and why Tongo had taken the couple to such a dangerous area when the restaurant they wanted to visit was closed. It has been claimed Tongo promised 15,000 rand to the alleged hitmen, Xolile Mnguni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe, but they were only given 10,000 rand and were so angry they considered shooting him.
The next extradition hearing is scheduled to take place on January 20 at the same court.
English universities will need to charge students nearly £7,000 a year in fees just to break even, research suggests.
On average, institutions will have to raise fees to £6,863 to plug the gap left by the Government's plans for swingeing funding cuts, according to an analysis by the University and College Union (UCU).
The union said the figures "make a mockery" of ministers' claims that universities will only charge more than £6,000 in "exceptional circumstances."
Under the Government's controversial tuition fee proposals, universities will be able to charge £6,000 per year in fees, and up to £9,000 in "exceptional circumstances". This is treble the current fee cap.
At the same time, universities are facing cuts of up to 80% from teaching budgets, and it is expected that funding for subjects such as humanities will be lost entirely. Only some funding for "priority" areas, such as science and maths-based subjects would remain.
The UCU analysis looked at how many students are taught with public teaching budget funding in subjects that would, in general, not be protected under the cuts. It found that some institutions will lose all of their funding and need to charge as much as £7,700 a year to maintain their current funding.
Most universities are likely to charge more than the minimum level needed just to break even, UCU said.
Universities minister David Willetts said: "Increasing social mobility, extending fair access to higher education and the professions and attracting a higher proportion of students from under-represented groups, particularly those most able but least likely to apply, are priority issues for the coalition Government.
"Universities will decide what to charge for tuition, within the limits agreed by Parliament. Those wanting to charge more than £6,000 will face much tougher requirements to actively recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds, backed up by strong sanctions to ensure we continue to advance social mobility.
"Costs in the sector do need to be held down. In common with all publicly funded bodies, universities have been asked to operate more efficiently."
Demand for property increased for the first time in four months during November as price falls tempted buyers back to the market, research indicates.
The average estate agency branch had 241 house-hunters on its books during the month, up from 218 in October, according to the National Association of Estate Agents.
But the rise in demand was not matched by an increase in sellers, with the number of people putting their home up for sale dropping for the second consecutive month, leaving the average branch with 64 properties.
The dip in sellers is not unusual for the time of year, as people traditionally put off selling their home until after the festive season, as they do not want to disrupt their family over Christmas.
The NAEA said many homeowners also continued to have unrealistic expectations about the value of their property, and were likely to be holding off selling in the hope that prices will rise again next year.
The fall in sellers is good news for the property market, as it will help to correct some of the mismatch between supply and demand, which has been caused by buyers postponing decisions to move, while homeowners had continued to come to the market.
The shortage of buyers relative to stock levels had put purchasers in a strong negotiating position, exerting downward pressure on prices.
Sales levels remained unchanged for the fourth consecutive month during November, despite the seasonal slowdown, with estate agents selling an average of seven properties per branch.
Michael Jones, president of the NAEA, said: "There is still clear evidence of demand for property in the UK housing market. In fact, given the restrictions on mortgage lending and the approach of Christmas, the true level of demand is probably higher than indicated by our figures.
"These are not window-shoppers. Our agents are continuing to make sales and it is particularly pleasing to see sales figures remain constant at this time of the year."
Thousands of students, lecturers and school pupils will protest against government plans to treble tuition fees at English universities as MPs gather to vote on the controversial issue.
Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the plans - which will see students charged up to £9,000 a year - are fair, as tensions continue to run high.
Amid speculation that as many as half of Liberal Democrat MPs and a handful of Tory rebels could vote against the Government and many others abstain in Thursday's vote, ministers were forced to add new concessions to their proposals.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg spent the day touring the TV and radio studios in a frantic last-minute drive to put a lid on rebellion. But he failed to win over his own party's deputy leader, Simon Hughes, who said he would at least abstain and may vote against the package.
However, the Government felt confident enough of victory to tell Energy Secretary Chris Huhne he did not have to fly back from climate change talks in Mexico to bolster the "yes" vote.
Later, Lib Dem rebel Greg Mulholland urged his colleagues to show they had a "distinct voice" on tuition fees, suggesting it would limit electoral damage to the party. The Leeds North West MP accused Mr Clegg of failing to listen. "If Nick wants to call me he will. But I think he knows that I feel he has not listened, and I have been saying clearly that because public opinion is very firmly against this proposal - and I accept that there are very progressive things in terms of the repayment package and people have worked hard to do that - people just do not accept that fees should go up to as much as £9,000 to pay for that and nor do they need to."
It also emerged that students' leaders had proposed cuts totalling £4.2 billion over the next four years in support for poorer undergraduates, university teaching funds and scientific research grants as they tried to stave off higher tuition fees.
Private emails sent to Business Secretary Vince Cable in October, while he was drawing up his response to the Browne report on higher education funding, set out proposals including a £800 million reduction in maintenance grants - worth up to £2,906 a year for students from disadvantaged backgrounds - which NUS president Aaron Porter said could avoid the need for a hike in fees.
A coalition source said it was "astonishing" that the NUS was opposing increases in fees, to be paid after graduates are earning £21,000 or more, when its leaders were ready to contemplate "drastic" cuts in grants for existing students. But Mr Porter said he had provided the "modelling" of spending cuts in response to a request from Mr Cable to show how fees could be held down to current levels.
Thursday's protests are expected to centre on central London where there will be a march and rally. Students will hold a vigil at Victoria Embankment with 9,000 glowsticks representing the potential new fee level.
The NHS could reach "breaking point" within the next few years due to increasing demands on the service, senior doctors said.
Financial pressures may mean junior doctors are not given training posts within the NHS and the overall number of places at medical school could drop.
This is despite extra burdens on the health service, including limits on how many hours doctors can work, more hospital admissions and people living longer than ever before, according to the study from the UK Royal Colleges of Physicians (RCP).
Those specialties dedicated to looking after very ill people are facing particular strain, it said.
Dr Andrew Goddard, RCP director of medical workforce, said the combination of factors was "adding further stress to a system which may reach breaking point within the next few years".
In 2009, the number of consultant posts created across the UK increased by 10.2%.
However, financial pressures on the NHS means that rise may not continue and there are "growing fears" of a lack of training posts for young doctors.
Dr Goddard said: "We have already seen a drop in the number of new posts being advertised in 2010, and although we have enough doctors in training to develop a consultant-delivered NHS, these doctors need to have jobs to go into if this service is to be realised."
The latest study comes after the RCP in England warned last week of patients being left in the hands of junior doctors because of inadequate consultant cover on weekends.
It is calling on hospitals to ensure consultants are available every single day of the week for at least 12 hours per day.
Britain will enjoy some brief respite from the worst December weather in nearly 30 years before temperatures plunge again for the rest of the month.
After more than a week of snow, ice and transport chaos, forecasters said the UK would start to thaw, with the mercury almost reaching double figures in parts.
But bitterly cold winds are expected to return by the start of next week as bookmakers slashed the odds for a white Christmas.
Temperatures fell as low as minus 13C (14F) across northern England overnight, and there were warnings of widespread icy roads before milder winds arrived from the west.
John Hutchinson, from MeteoGroup, the weather division of Press Association, said: "What we're going to have through the next few days is the wind moving round from the Atlantic, bringing less cold air. As far as (today) goes, quite a lot of England and Wales will have a pretty fine day."
But despite the thaw conditions, forecasters warned the Arctic conditions were expected to return next week.
John Hammond from the Met Office said: "December has got off to a very cold start. The last time we saw prolonged cold weather in December with such low temperatures and this amount of snow fall was 1981.
"Next week the north easterly winds will bring in the cold weather once more with an increasing risk of snow showers, especially in northern and eastern parts of the UK. It's going to stay cold for much of the rest of the month with widespread risk of ice, frost and snow showers."
On Wednesday, the UK remained in the grip of freezing conditions. In Carlisle, temperatures barely moved above minus 8C (17.6F) all day, with the lowest temperature recorded at minus 7.9C (17.8F).
Roads in worst-hit Scotland have been getting back to normal, with the Army drafted in to help Edinburgh Council clear roads in the city. The M8, which links Edinburgh and Glasgow, reopened on Wednesday after ice and snow closed it for two days, stranding hundreds of drivers.
The Lockerbie bomber is said to be close to death after a rapid deterioration in his health.
Terminally ill Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is on a life support machine in Libya and his family expect him to die within days, it has been reported.
He stopped being able to speak some weeks ago and then fell into a coma, the Sky News said, citing sources close to the family.
The Libyan was controversially freed from Greenock prison on compassionate grounds last year after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.
He was sentenced to life in jail after his conviction for the murder of 270 people in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland.
The decision to free him, which was taken by Scotland's justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, sparked fury in the US and was condemned by President Barack Obama's administration.
Last week Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi said Megrahi's family would be suing over his "neglect" in Greenock Prison.
Speaking to students in London via a video link, he said: "His health was not looked after in prison. He didn't have any periodic examination. I wish him a long life.
"After he passes away, his family will demand compensation because he was deliberately neglected in prison."
A group of campaigners in the UK is calling for an independent inquiry into the bomber's conviction.
