David Cameron has affirmed his support for Welsh language TV channel S4C and the safeguarding of its funding.

During prime minister's questions, Mr Cameron said he wanted to make sure it remained a "very strong channel".
He was responding to a question Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Conservative MP Simon Hart.
The broadcaster's grant from UK ministers is being cut from Â£6.7m to Â£5m by 2020, but most of S4C's funding now comes from the BBC licence fee.
Mr Hart said: "The prime minister has always been a staunch supporter of the Welsh TV channel S4C, set up under the Thatcher government.
"So could he use this opportunity to reinforce his support for the channel and the commitment we've made to safeguard its funding?"
Mr Cameron replied: "S4C is a very important part of our broadcasting structure, is very popular and well liked in Wales and I want to make sure we meet both the wording and the spirit of our manifesto promise to make sure this continues to be a very strong channel."
S4C chairman Huw Jones said he was "greatly encouraged by the nature of the prime minister's response".
"We hope that his commitment to honour the wording and the spirit of his party's manifesto undertaking to protect S4C funding means that the door is open to further discussions to give expression to that support," he said.
Mr Hart led a Commons debate on how Welsh language TV channel S4C should be funded in the future, during the early hours of Wednesday morning, in which the government said it was "very sympathetic" to calls for an independent review of broadcasting in Wales.
Culture Minister Ed Vaizey told MPs: "We have always said that we will look at S4C as part of the [BBC] charter review, but I have also made it clear that we are very sympathetic to calls for a more wide-ranging independent review as well because we want to continue to safeguard S4C and to see its success."
Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, called for "an independent review of broadcasting in Welsh and of S4C, including the departmental cuts and the cuts to the BBC and the challenges of the new digital platforms".
Mr Hart said ministers "have not been particularly averse" to such a plan.


Former champion Neil Robertson suffered a shock 5-3 defeat by Noppon Saengkham in the first round of the China Open.

Australia's Robertson, who won the event in 2013, made two century breaks but went out as Thailand's Saengkham, 23, progressed with runs of 70 and 80.
Home favourite Ding Junhui failed to reach the first round as he lost 5-1 to England's Lee Walker in a qualifier held over to the main venue.
World champion Stuart Bingham beat Cao Yupeng 5-0 to reach round one.
In the first round, John Higgins beat China's Zhou Yuelong 5-2, fellow Scot Graeme Dott beat Wales' Matthew Stevens 5-1 and Alfie Burden beat fellow Englishman and world number nine Joe Perry 5-0.
Scotland's Stephen Maguire beat Gary Wilson 5-3 but countryman Alan McManus lost 5-4 to Mike Dunn.
The ranking event is the last before the season-ending World Championship in Sheffield, which starts on 16 April.
China Open schedule and results


A supporter of so-called Islamic State photographed a police officer in a mosque car park before plotting to carry out a knife attack around Remembrance Sunday 2014, a court heard.

Haseeb Hamayoon, 28, sent the image to friends and a co-accused branding the officer "kaffir" - non-believer - London's Woolwich Crown Court was told.
Prosecutors say Mr Hamayoon, Yousaf Syed, 20, and Nadir Syed, 22, plotted an attack using a Rambo-style knife.
The cousins deny all charges.
The image, allegedly taken on 19 September 2014, shows the back of the officer and was apparently taken by someone in a car.
Mr Hamayoon wrote: "Look at this kaffir. Hounslow parking lot."
Nadir Syed wrote back: "How can you pray in such a place?"
Mr Hamayoon replied: "You're right I'm walking out. This kaffir cop yeh.  Looking inside every car who's in there. I gave him a dirty look."
Mr Syed replied: "He's looking for u mate. Mi5 sent him to keep eye on y."
The messages were exchanged on encrypted messaging service Telegram.
Prosecutor Max Hill QC told the court: "You'll see on Mr Hamayoon's mobile phone two photos taken that show a police officer or PCSO walking away from the car and around a car park.
"The photos are taken from the driver's seat of the car. Those images are created on the telephone. It's quite clear what Mr Hamayoon was writing messages about."
Two days later, IS militants issued a "fatwa" calling on followers to attack Westerners. It implored them to: "Rig the roads with explosives for them. Attack their bases. Raid their homes. Cut off their heads."
Prosecutors claim the trio plotted to carry out a terror attack in the UK.
Mr Hamayoon and Nadir Syed, from Hounslow, west London and Yousaf Syed, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, filmed themselves stamping on a Remembrance Day poppy and were obsessed with the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby, it is claimed.
The trial continues.


A leading Scottish National Party politician, Alyn Smith MEP, says there is a recognition in Brussels that "Scotland is looking for something different" in relations with the EU.

"Brussels people do know there is a plurality of interests in the UK," he told the BBC in a phone interview.
"It's not a separate track, but... we reserve the right to do what we need to do, to speak to whoever we need to."
But he acknowledged that the UK could overrule Scottish wishes over Brexit.
Scotland does not have veto power to block UK withdrawal from the EU.
But under the Sewel Convention, Westminster is supposed to get Scottish consent to any UK legislation affecting Scotland's affairs.
Scottish voters backed remaining in the EU by a margin of 62% to 38% in June's referendum, while the UK as a whole voted by 52% to 48% to leave.
Mr Smith is one of two SNP politicians in the European Parliament and is on an expert panel advising the Scottish government about EU relations.
He said the SNP government was examining the EU's separate arrangements with various territories belonging to other EU member states. Among them are the Aland Islands (Finland), Faroes (Denmark) and Guadeloupe (France).
"Collectively, they demonstrate that a flexibility exists if there is political goodwill and a desire to find a solution," he said.
When asked if Scotland could stay in the EU despite Brexit, he said: "It depends what you mean by 'stay in'."
"European status, engagement, involvement could be as part of a member state, or a territory with a different relationship," he said.
"We are looking at all the options - independence is on the table of course, so we're looking at all options up to and including that."
Mr Smith is standing as deputy leader of the SNP alongside the party's Westminster leader Angus Robertson and Tommy Shepherd, the SNP MP for Edinburgh East.
The current deputy leader, Stewart Hosie, has said he will step down in the autumn.


The GMB union has welcomed plans by Heathrow to extend the London living wage to airport staff hired through outsourcing agencies.

Cleaners at Heathrow had written to the airport's boss complaining a deal for a higher rate of pay had been applied only to directly employed staff.
The deal had been part of conditions to allow Heathrow's expansion.
Heathrow has now accepted the principle of higher pay for all, but says it has yet to work out its implementation.
Citizens UK, the community activist group which has supported the airport cleaners, welcomed the commitment from Heathrow but said there were "serious and urgent questions about the timeframe".
Last month, cleaners and other agency staff at the airport wrote to Heathrow's chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, saying they were missing out on the London living wage.
This London living wage is Â£9.75 per hour - higher than the mandatory National Living Wage of Â£7.20 per hour for workers aged over 25.
The Airports Commission's report into airport expansion set a number of conditions for Heathrow, including that the airport should adopt the London living wage.
But this was applied only to directly employed Heathrow staff - and contract workers wrote to Mr Holland-Kaye to say that low wages denied them "dignity".
The contract staff argued that the pay levels - which for a 40-hour week could be less than Â£15,000 per year - were not enough for the cost of accommodation and transport in London.
"This means that some of us have to work several jobs in order to be able to feed our families," said the letter, organised by Citizens UK.
"This puts a lot of pressure on our family life as it means we work very long days and have little time to spend with our children."
A letter this week from Heathrow's chief executive to the union says: "The Davies Commission report contained a condition for Heathrow to 'demonstrate leadership as a community employer by adopting the London living wage'.
"We have accepted this condition as part of the planning consent."
But the letter says the airport will have to work with suppliers to see how it could apply the London living wage to all staff.
"We will announce our more detailed plans to become a London living wage employer when we have completed that work, probably in 2017," says the letter from Heathrow.
GMB representative Perry Phillips says it is a "positive step" the airport has "demonstrated its commitment on becoming a London living wage employer".
But Revd Simon Cuff of West London Citizens said: "There are hundreds if not thousands of workers who need a living wage now and cannot afford to wait. We want to see progress made as soon as possible."
A report this week from the Resolution Foundation said that agency workers were the "forgotten face" in debates about low pay.
The think tank said there would be a million agency workers in the UK by 2020 - and they were likely to earn less than than directly-employed staff.


Australia tightened their grip on the first Test as Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc's pace tore into New Zealand on day two in Brisbane.

Usman Khawaja top-scored with 174 as the hosts declared on 556-4, before the Kiwis faltered from 102-1 to 157-5.
Johnson removed experienced duo Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor cheaply to leave the visitors trailing by 399.
Earlier, New Zealand pace bowler Tim Southee was forced off the field with an irritated disc in his back.
With the tourists still needing 200 more to avoid the follow-on, they face a mammoth task to avoid heading to Perth trailing in the three-Test series, but their hopes of staving off defeat may well rest with Kane Williamson.
While the tourists' middle order crumbled around him, the 25-year-old withstood the pace barrage to finish the day in good touch on 55 not out.
With patchy cloud cover appearing over the Gabba midway through the final session, left-armers Starc and Johnson started to find movement through the air and off the Brisbane pitch.
Both captain McCullum and Taylor went edging balls angled away from off stump before Jimmy Neesham was bowled by a precise yorker from Starc.
By contrast, Australia's middle order held steady with skipper Steve Smith (48) and Adam Voges (83 not out) lending useful support to Khawaja.
The declaration came immediately after Khawaja, who began on 102 after making his maiden Test century on the opening day, was caught off Williamson's part-time off-spin.
Southee's injury has forced New Zealand to call up left-arm seamer Neil Wagner as precautionary cover for next week's second Test.
Listen to ball-by-ball commentary of every day of the Test series on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra from 23:30 GMT. Play starts at 00:00 GMT.


As Scottish councils prepare to receive refugees fleeing conflict in Syria, what kind of life can they expect here?

In 2007, 80 refugees who fled war in the Democratic Republic of Congo were brought to Scotland to start a new life in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.
BBC Scotland's Fiona Walker followed their journey at the time.
More than eight years on, she hears how they have overcome fresh challenges and feel very grateful for the lives they have in their new homeland.
When thousands of refugees fled from war-torn DR Congo, one Scottish council - North Lanarkshire - volunteered to take them under a United Nations/UK government system which resettles some of the most vulnerable people on earth.
Justin Kasakota was a preacher in DR Congo and supplied medicines to the sick and injured with the help of the Red Cross.
He and his family survived by crossing the border into Zambia where they lived in a refugee camp.
Recalling his arrival in North Lanarkshire, Justin said: "People here were very kind to us and in general they welcomed us very well. We are very well settled here. It is a good place for us to live because it is a very safe place."
He praised the work of the Scottish government, the police and North Lanarkshire Council in helping them adapt to life here.
Justin has been volunteering and trying to find work. As someone who was at the centre of community life in DR Congo, he finds it difficult not having work to go to each day.
"We are happy but not very happy because I need also to contribute to something and I am working hard to do something myself so that I can contribute in the community, in the society and help other people as well."
Justin told me he is trying to set up his own business.
Some of the settled Congolese refugees said they do suffer racist abuse and believe it would be wrong to paint a picture that ignored this.
Both adults and children said they have been called "monkeys" and told to "go back to the jungle".
They fear speaking out about it because they say it simply attracts more abuse.
Crucially, they feel that Syrian people should be prepared for this when they arrive.
All the Congolese refugees who have spoken to the BBC say they are extremely grateful for the second chance in life that Scotland has given them.
They hope that their experiences can help inform the authorities in preparing for Syrian arrivals "because they have come from war too and need safety and the generosity of native people like we did".
North Lanarkshire Council, which resettled the Congolese refugees, is now getting ready to accept people from Syria.
Councillor Pat O'Rourke, who is leading the council's working group on resettling people from Syria, said: "Our successful involvement in the Gateway Protection Programme saw 80 Congolese refugees resettled in Motherwell.
"Being part of this programme gives North Lanarkshire unique experience in all aspects of working with partners to provide all the support services that refugees need to settle fully into a local community.
"We are committed to working with the Scottish Government and partners to support Syrian refugees coming to Scotland."


Almost nobody now believes the Cypriot bailout deal negotiated in the early hours of Saturday morning was smart.

As the economist Paul Krugman put it, it was as if Europeans were holding up a sign which read "time to stage a run on your bank".  In Europe's corridors of power there is the sound and sight of officials pointing fingers and rowing back from previous positions held.
Here's the reality: Cyprus's banks will remain closed at least until Thursday while they try and unravel this. The Cypriot parliament may delay again today voting on a bailout deal that has brought protesters onto the streets. Bank shares in Europe have been under pressure. The markets are unnerved. Fear has returned to the eurozone. The EU's reputation has been damaged.
Not a good day's work.
So what's happening? After a conference call on Monday, Europe's finance ministers said that small savers, who were going to be taxed at 6.5%, should be protected.
A new proposal from the finance ministry has surfaced today. The aim is to better protect the small savers. Under the plan those with savings less than 20,000 euros would pay nothing. Those with deposits between 20,000 and 100,000 would pay a one-off levy of 6.75%. Savings above 100,000 would face a 9.9% tax.
The proposal leaves in doubt whether it could raise the nearly 6bn euros that was a central part of the bailout deal.
And in a further indication of just how complicated this could become, the Cypriot Central Bank Governor Panicos Demetriades said he expected that 10% of deposits would be withdrawn when banks finally open.
The Cypriot government appears to have decided against raising the levy on those with deposits of more than 100,000 euros to over 15%.
Here's the rub: The government fears this would effectively destroy its financial sector. Those wealthy Russians, who are the largest foreign investors, are likely to pull their funds out of the island if the one-off tax is too high. The Russians are angry and the Cypriot finance minister is heading to Moscow to explain.
The Cypriots argue that the bailout would end up undermining a key sector of the economy. The suspicion in Nicosia is that it is precisely what countries like Germany want. They don't like tax havens for the wealthy.
So how did Europe get itself into this tangle? As always Germany is the starting point. For Chancellor Angela Merkel there was a moral element to this. "Anyone having their money in Cypriot banks," she said, "must contribute to the Cypriot bailout". In other words it can't just be left to the taxpayers of other countries.
The Cypriots say that the German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was a strong proponent of taxing savers. At the talks the IMF also played tough. It insisted that Cypriot debt had to be sustainable and that meant reducing the size of the debt. So depositors were lined up to take a "haircut" - a slice from their savings.
The Cypriots tried to hold out but they were faced with a veiled threat. The European Central Bank (ECB) might stop providing funds to Cyprus's two major banks. Without support, the banks would collapse and bankruptcy would follow.
When the protests started, Mr Schaeuble tried to distance himself from what had been decided in Brussels. He told German TV that  it was the European Commission and the ECB that had "decided on this solution and must explain that to the Cypriot people". The Cypriots say it was the Germans who had pushed hard for the levy on depositors. Berlin says "yes" but not on small depositors.
The arguments, no doubt, will continue. The legacy of this will be harder to forget.
A suspicion will linger in places like Italy and Spain that, although European officials insist this was a one-off deal, depositors elsewhere might face a tax on their accounts.
There will also be the suspicion that the finance ministers were willing to undermine the Europe-wide deposit insurance scheme with a sleight of hand.
The episode also underlines again how much resentment is building in southern Europe towards the north and Germany in particular. Many of the protesters in Nicosia are openly antagonistic towards Angela Merkel and Berlin.
There will be a question whether - as with previous bailouts - the measures adopted will damage the very economy they are intended to save.
Cyprus reminds Europe how dangerous the eurozone crisis remains.


Senegal's Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura has been appointed as Fifa's first female secretary general.

She succeeds former secretary general Jerome Valcke, who was banned from football-related activity for 12 years.
Samoura, 54, spent 21 years working for the United Nations and will start at football's governing body in June.
"It is essential Fifa incorporates fresh perspectives as we continue to restore and rebuild our organisation," said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
"She has a proven ability to build and lead teams, and improve the way organisations perform. Importantly for Fifa, she also understands that transparency and accountability are at the heart of any well-run and responsible organisation."
Samoura's appointment, announced at Fifa's congress in Mexico City, completes a new-look to an organisation which has been dogged by corruption allegations under Valcke and previous president Sepp Blatter.
Blatter, who had led Fifa since 1998, stood down last year and was later suspended from football for six years for breaching ethics guidelines.
On his appointment in February, Infantino said he would "work tirelessly to bring football back to Fifa and Fifa back to football".
Samoura, who will undergo an eligibility check before her role is ratified, currently works for the UN in Nigeria, and speaks four languages.
She started her UN career as a senior logistics officer with the World Food Programme in Rome in 1995 and has since served as country representative or director in six African countries, including Nigeria.
"Today is a wonderful day for me, and I am honoured to take on this role," she said.
"This role is a perfect fit for my skills and experience - strategic, high-impact team building in international settings - which I will use to help grow the game of football all over the world.
"I also look forward to bringing my experience in governance and compliance to bear on the important reform work that is already underway at Fifa.
"Fifa is taking a fresh approach to its work - and I am eager to play a role in making that approach as effective and lasting as possible."
BBC sports editor Dan Roan:
"For an organisation that has been accused in the past of being "blatantly sexist", the appointment of the first woman to such a senior position will be seen as a positive move.
"With new reforms limiting the powers of the Fifa president, Ms Samoura arguably becomes the most important figure in world football. Effectively the chief executive of the governing body, she will be in charge of the day-to-day running of the organisation as it attempts to recover from the corruption crisis that has threatened its very existence.
"With sponsors, campaigners and fans demanding more independence in the running of the sport, the arrival of a figure from outside football politics will also please some critics. A veteran of UN humanitarian programmes, it will be interesting to hear Ms Samoura's views on Qatar and concerns over the treatment of workers in the country as it prepares to host the 2022 World Cup.
"A Senegalese secretary general will also help FIfa's European president Gianni Infantino build bridges with Africa and other confederations, some of whom no doubt miss his predecessor Sepp Blatter."


Landlords in the West Midlands have raised concerns about plans to make them evict tenants who lose the right to live in the UK.

The so-called Right to Rent policy to tackle illegal immigration has been trialled in the region, with plans to roll it out nationally.
Critics say "legitimate immigrants" could find themselves refused homes due to landlords' fears over penalties.
The Home Office says "there are no indications" of unfair checks so far.
Since December 2014, private landlords in five council areas - Dudley, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Birmingham - have been part of a trial in which they were required to conduct checks to establish that new tenants had the right to rent in the UK. Landlords on the wrong side of the law could face penalties of up to Â£3,000.
The trial is to be expanded nationally in the upcoming Immigration Bill.
Andy Burton, a Black Country landlord with 30 years' experience, who has created four tenancies for foreign nationals since 1 December, said the burden to check paperwork made it "more awkward for responsible landlords to do business".
He believed new legislation would make it "likely legitimate immigrants would be victims of an overreaction" by landlords refusing them homes.
Communities Secretary Greg Clark said the trial had been a success, although he could not say how many people had been deported as a direct result.
Mary Latham, West Midlands representative for the National Landlords Association said the aim was to tackle "beds in sheds" landlords who crammed illegal immigrants into overcrowded spaces. But she said that existing legislation was not being enforced to prevent that.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Right to Rent is not designed to be a money-making scheme or to catch out honest landlords. Instead, we want to help landlords carry out the proper checks and deter those who are illegally resident from remaining in the UK."


Wales' players will have to raise their game to maintain their hopes of touring with the British and Irish Lions this summer, says forwards coach Robin McBryde.

The former Wales hooker said the squad had been through a "painful" debrief after the 29-13 loss to Scotland.
He expects the team to improve for the matches against Ireland and France.
"There is a Lions tour and I'm sure that will be at the back of the minds of the players," he said.
Speaking in Welsh, McBryde added: "If there is to be any chance of them going on that tour they have to raise their game."
A defeat against either France or Ireland would consign Wales to their least successful Six Nations tournament since 2010.
Two losses would see them drop out of the top eight in World Rugby's rankings and face the possibility of a tough draw for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
Seven of the Wales starting XV against Scotland were on the 2013 Lions tour under Warren Gatland.
The New Zealander is due to announce his Lions squad on 19 April and spent Wednesday with the Wales players as part of his rounds of the four home nations.
Gatland has been given a year off from his role as Wales coach to lead the Lions, and McBryde said he had offered almost unbiased feedback on the Murrayfield defeat.
"It is good to catch up with Warren," McBryde added.
"I would not say he is completely neutral, but someone who hasn't spent that much time in camp, it is good to hear his thoughts on the game and good for us to have another set of eyes and just being able to discuss things.
"It is also a gentle reminder to the players that there are Lions eyes upon them as well."
McBryde conceded that Wales were in a difficult position after two consecutive defeats in the Six Nations, and had faced tough analysis after losing to Scotland for the first time since 2007.
"It's been pretty painful really for all of us, coaches and players," he said.
"It's obviously something that hasn't happened for a while, losing two games on the bounce in the Six Nations.
"But there was a fair amount of honesty, people putting their hand up and being accountable for their errors.
"It is painful but until we get a level of performance and a victory - hopefully in the next match - that pain is going to be there."


Horse riders in the Vale of Glamorgan are wearing body cameras and high-visibility bibs that look like police uniform to slow down drivers.

Jocelle Lovell has been campaigning for drivers to "pass wide and slow" since her 13-year-old daughter was thrown from her horse in Penarth.
South Wales Police said the bibs were "clearly intended" to resemble police uniforms and "confuse" the public.
It said riders had been "abused" by the public because they felt "misled".
But an inspector has encouraged the use of cameras to capture evidence of poor driving.
Ms Lovell said some drivers "genuinely don't know what to do" while others "swear, beep horns and are abusive".
But Ms Lovell said the high-vis bibs with checks that "look a bit like police checks [are] quite good because it slows the traffic down and it also help people see us".
Insp Lisa Gore, from South Wales Police, said riders were encouraged to wear high visibility clothing but added that these particular bibs were "clearly intended to create a resemblance to mounted police officers".
She said they could "confuse the public and have created situations where riders have been abused by members of the public who feel they are being misled".
Insp Gore added: "Some riders have reported drivers sounding their horns and revving their engines to frighten horses because they feel misled.
"We want to ensure the public make an informed decision about wearing such clothing," she added.
Ms Lovell always wears a body camera when riding and said other riders wore them on their helmets.
"If something happens we can give it to the police as video evidence," she said.
"It's a shame because it takes a bit of the fun out of riding."
She started wearing cameras after an incident involving her daughter, Chloe.
Chloe said: "I was riding along on the road... and a truck came past on the tightest part of this bend and instead of slowing down just zoomed passed.
"I ended up falling off into the middle of the road. He could clearly see me in the middle of the road but he just kept on going.
"It knocked my horse's confidence for quite a while."
Ms Lovell wants the Welsh Government to implement an annual public education road safety campaign to educate road users how to pass horses and riders safely.
The Welsh Government said it had met interested parties to discuss what could be done to promote safe driving when passing horses.
South Wales Police has reminded drivers of the importance of slowing down and passing with a wide space when over-taking horse riders.
A ride to raise awareness will start and finish at Cosmeston Farm Livery, Sully, Cardiff, on 21 May.


An armed raid at a jewellers could be linked to one at another branch three months ago, police have said.

Market Cross Jewellers on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough was targeted on Tuesday by men carrying what were thought to be axes.
No-one was injured, and police have not released any details of what was taken.
In November, watches, and diamonds worth hundreds of thousands of pounds were stolen during a raid at the store's branch in Yarm.
A 24-year-old man from Manchester was arrested on 8 January in connection with that robbery and later bailed pending further inquiries.
Temporary Det Ch Insp John Ward said: "There are clearly similarities between [yesterday's] robbery and the one that took place in Yarm in November and numerous lines of inquiry are being pursued in both cases.
"Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have seen, or have knowledge of, a silver Citroen C Crosser motor vehicle bearing the registration plates MK60 XCD.
"We believe this vehicle was involved in the [Middlesbrough] robbery and it was later discovered abandoned in the car park next to Leader timber merchants on Newport Road, Middlesbrough.
"We would also appeal to local hoteliers and to those who run local bed and breakfast venues to alert us should they have had any guests who may have raised their suspicions over recent days and who may have spoken with a North West accent."


RB Leipzig's rise from Germany's fifth tier to the top of the Bundesliga is no fairytale, says Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Leipzig, founded in 2009 with backing from drinks firm Red Bull, are three points clear at the top of the table.
Watske dismissed suggestions Leipzig's rise is on the same scale as Leicester City, the 5,000-1 outsiders who won last season's Premier League.
"There is no tradition like Leicester City," said Watzke.
With the backing of the Austrian energy drink manufacturer, Leipzig have won four promotions in seven seasons.
They have won their last eight top-flight games and face defending champions Bayern Munich away on 21 December.
Their rise has seen them labelled "Germany's most hated club" and opposition fans have staged protests against their commercial structure.
Media playback is not supported on this device
In September, some Dortmund fans did not travel to support their team at Leipzig and instead followed radio coverage of the match at the club's old ground.
Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel suggested in November that Leipzig could emulate Leicester's Premier League achievement and win the Bundesliga.
Speaking to BBC World Service's World Football, Watzke described RB as a promotion tool for Red Bull.
"It's a club built to push up the revenues for Red Bull and for nothing else," he added.
"Ok, it's good for the league because the race to be champions is more close.
"In German football, the clubs belong to the fans and our pricing level is very cheap. A lot of fans from England come to Borussia Dortmund to watch a live game for 11 euros."
Listen to the full interview with Hans-Joachim Watske on BBC World Service's World Football.


Arlene Foster bagged a crocodile this week but it was another big beast that was really in her sights.

Her speech to DUP election candidates contained 16 references to Gerry Adams.
Sinn Féin's new northern leader Michelle O'Neill, who was hardly mentioned at all, "was installed by Gerry Adams and she will be instructed by Gerry Adams" said Mrs Foster.
Gerry Adams, she said, "is no longer in the shadows, he is front and centre of Sinn Féin's campaign."
Asked afterwards if she was trying to turn the Sinn Féin president into an assembly election bogeyman, the former first minister told a reporter: "It is very clear to me that this is all about Gerry Adams wanting a valedictory before he leaves the scene."
In contrast, she was almost warm about Martin McGuinness, saying: "I can't believe this is what he wants his legacy as deputy first minister to be."
And discussion around an Irish Language Act received just one mention because that was not what Arlene Foster wanted the story to be.
And it wouldn't have been, had Mrs Foster not been asked an almost throwaway question about it as the DUP launch in Lurgan wound down.
Opinions vary about why she answered as she did. Some believe she wanted to deflect attention away from Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.
There's no doubt the DUP would like this election to be about anything but that.
It is more likely that she allowed herself to be provoked because of the way the question was framed.
Noel McAdam of the Belfast Telegraph asked: "Could the DUP not, given its strength in recent years, have been more magnanimous, for example, in relation to an Irish Language Act?"
"Are you serious?" the DUP leader flashed back. "You think the DUP should implement an Irish Language Act as some sort of magnanimous step for Sinn Féin? We will never accede to an Irish Language Act."
And then she was off into the bit about how there was greater need for a Polish language act as more people in Northern Ireland spoke that language than Irish.
And then the coup de gras: "If you feed a crocodile, it will keep coming back for more."
Forget Gerry Adams, this was the story and everyone in the room knew it. It just wasn't the story the DUP leader set out to tell.
Sinn Féin is, so far, the only one of the major parties not to condemn the remarks.
It probably doesn't feel it needs to: Party sources believe the remarks fit their narrative going into an election they say has been partly brought about by DUP arrogance and a lack of respect.
The DUP leader may, unwittingly, have done them a favour.
Asked about the remarks at a Sinn Féin event, Gerry Adams smiled and said: "See you later, alligator."
He could have been describing Sinn Féin's current view of the Stormont institutions.


Victoria Azarenka secured back-to-back WTA titles with a straight-set victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Miami Open final.

The Belarusian won 6-3 6-2 in 77 minutes to add a third Miami title to her victories in 2009 and 2011.
The 26-year-old has now won 20 career WTA titles and will return to the world's top five next week.
Russian Kuznetsova, 30, was bidding for her second title of the year after her victory in Sydney in January.
Azarenka, a former world number one and twice a winner of the Australian Open, has rediscovered her best form this season after failing to win a WTA title throughout 2014 and 2015.
She began the year with victory in Brisbane in January and last month overcame Serena Williams to win at Indian Wells.
She becomes just the third woman to achieve the Indian Wells-Miami double after Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) and Kim Clijsters (2005).


Three men involved in a "cash for crash" scam which killed an 88-year-old woman in Leeds have been convicted.

Mr Justice Goss returned verdicts with no jury after jurors at Leeds Crown Court reported they were offered bribes.
Betty Laird died after the collision in September 2014.
Sabir Hussain, Raja Hussain and Shahrear Islam Miah were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud.
The Hussains were also convicted of manslaughter. Mr Miah was cleared of the charge.
Mr Justice Goss said there was a "concerted attempt" to tamper with the jury.
"Approaches [were] made to five [jurors] after they left court on Tuesday by at least two different people, one female and one or two males, to reach certain verdicts."
Mrs Laird died after the car she was in was in collision with a Volkswagen Passat on Old Lane in Beeston in September 2014.
One of the Passat's passengers, Mohammed Ubaidullah, later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit fraud.
He told police the collision was not a genuine accident but part of a deliberate "cash for crash" scheme and said Sabir Hussain was the driver.
Sabir and Raja Hussain, who did not give evidence in the trial, said they were innocent passengers in the car, the collision was an accident and denied involvement in an insurance scam.
Mr Justice Goss said: "There was a conspiracy to stage a crash for cash with a view to making fraudulent insurance claims."
He added that he could not be sure, on evidence, that Miah was in the car at the time of the collision and found him not guilty of manslaughter.
Ubaidullah, 29, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Sabir Hussain, 25, of Beeston, Leeds, Raja Hussain, 31, of Beeston, and Miah, 26, of Chadderton, Oldham, will be sentenced on Tuesday.


There has been no official response from the Islamic State group (IS) to US claims that it has used chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq.

However, there have been signs that IS and its supporters would not shy away from their use.
A month ago, online supporters of the group boasted of an attack against Kurdish forces near the Tigris river in northern Iraq, saying they had used an unspecified chemical weapon.
They said 40 mortar rounds had been used to deliver the weapons targeting Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in the village of Tall Rim on 11 August.
The next day, IS officially acknowledged firing mortars in the area and published photographs showing the rounds being fired, apparently illustrating the same attack, but it did not mention chemical weapons.
Separately, German officials said they suspected that IS had used mustard gas against Kurdish forces in that area south-west of Irbil, at about that time.
While talk of non-conventional weapons is not currently a burning issue among IS supporters, there has been a long history of debate on the subject in jihadist circles going back more than a decade.
Many have argued in favour of their use, comparing them to weapons like catapults used in early Islamic times. But others have objected, saying Islam does not permit such indiscriminate killing.
IS itself has a track record of flouting international conventions and may have recently found a new ally to help it justify the use of weapons like mustard gas.
Last month, IS supporters online celebrated what they said was a pledge of allegiance to IS leader Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi from radical Saudi cleric Nasir al-Fahd.
Mr Fahd is the highest profile figure to sanction the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in jihad, publishing a fatwa on the subject in May 2003.
Mr Fahd's fatwa appears to sanction the use of a nuclear weapon against the US as a form of retaliation for Muslim deaths.
"If a bomb were dropped on them killing ten million [Americans] and burning as much of their land as they have burned Muslims' land, it would be permissible, without the need to mention any other evidence," he wrote.
"But we might need other evidence if we wanted to wipe out more than that number of them."
The fatwa also quotes extensively from Islamic texts to argue that jihadists can use WMD if they judge that is the only way to "repel the infidels".
He was arrested the same month and remains in prison to this day.
On 24 August, a pro-IS media group circulated what were said to be handwritten messages from Mr Fahd, smuggled out of prison, announcing his loyalty to IS and encouraging others to fight under its banner.
Given Nasir al-Fahd's standing in jihadist circles, if the notes are genuine, his backing for IS would boost the group's claim to religious legitimacy.
It would also help it justify any use of chemical or other non-conventional weapons, given his high-profile endorsement of WMD use by jihadists.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.


The public will be able to view King Richard III's sealed tomb for the first time later when Leicester Cathedral is reopened.

The king's coffin was lowered into a vault below the cathedral floor during a reinterment service on Thursday.
A large piece of stone engraved with a deep cross lies on top of the tomb and 200 guests who won a ballot will be allowed to view it from 13:00 GMT.
The cathedral will open its doors to the public after the unveiling service.
The last Plantagenet king's remains were found beneath a Leicester car park in 2012.
More than 20,000 people queued to see the coffin in the cathedral earlier this week and long queues are expected after the hour-long service.
Rev Pete Hobson, acting Canon Missioner of Leicester Cathedral, said: "We'll welcome as many people as we can - just keep moving people and you'll all get a look."
He added that the service would have a "lighter feel" than Thursday's ceremony, which was presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
"Thursday was a day for the nation, Friday is a day for Leicester and Leicestershire," he said.
Later in the evening 8,000 candles will be lit in the city's Jubilee Square and Cathedral Gardens before a firework display on the cathedral roof.
The two-tonne Swaledale fossil stone lies on a marble plinth, while the inlaid coat of arms is made of marble and semi-precious stones.
The reburial has not been without controversy. Campaigners who petitioned for Richard III to be reburied in York have described the events in Leicester over the last week as a "pantomime".
Richard, the last English king to die in battle, was killed at Bosworth Field in 1485, at the end of the Wars of the Roses.


La Cressonniere will not run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe next weekend.

Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget said the winner of the French versions of the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks, who was second favourite for the Arc, has a "problem".
"We don't know exactly what it is," he said. "She has to have an examination. The problem is towards the back."
Only Roger Varian's Postponed was ahead of her in the ante-post market for the race at Chantilly, which is run over one-and-a-half miles.
The traditional venue, Longchamp racecourse in Paris, is being renovated and will re-open in September 2017.
BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght
This is a considerable blow to this year's staging of the Arc. La Cressonniere was amongst a relatively small number of major players, having emerged as one of the outstanding fillies in Europe with wins in the French equivalent of Britain's 1,000 Guineas and Oaks Classic-races.
Her prospects of success seemed to be further boosted by the much-quoted stat that four of the last five stagings of European flat racing's greatest prize were won by female horses. On a brighter note, La Cressonniere's absence would appear to make the task facing British-trained favourite Postponed that much easier.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.


Jonathan Trott reached a half-century for Warwickshire for the 123rd time in his first-class career at Taunton.

But rain had the final word on a day in which Somerset's bowlers managed just 37 balls in the meeting of the County Championship Division One's bottom two.
Play did not start until after lunch as the groundstaff mopped up from the previous day's deluge, further hampered by early afternoon showers.
When play did get under way, the Bears added 31 runs to close on 124-3.
After Jack Leach had delivered one ball to complete his unfinished over from day one, the Overton twins took up the attack for Somerset.
Craig bowled a testing first over from the Pavilion End before Jamie had a big appeal for lbw against Trott rejected with his first delivery of the day.
Trott had just moved to 50 when bad light forced the players off, and more rain followed before umpires Alex Wharf and Paul Baldwin called off play for the day at 17:00 BST.


A man who admitted killing his nine-year-old brother has been given an indefinite hospital order by a judge.

Daniel Taylor, 21, pleaded guilty in June at Bradford Crown Court to the manslaughter of Jack.
The boy died after being stabbed by his brother at a house on Rookes Avenue, Bradford, on 18 February 2010.
The court heard Taylor was a paranoid schizophrenic and was probably suffering "an abnormality of the mind" when he killed his brother.
Taylor stabbed his young brother to death just hours after community mental health workers left his house saying there was no immediate problem, the court heard.
He sat in the dock surrounded by guards and carers and showed no emotion as the court was told about the attack on his brother and his history of mental health problems.
The court heard he was told he had doted on Jack when he was born, they were close and he loved him very much.
But Simon Bourne-Arton QC, prosecuting, said Taylor had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia a number of years earlier and also had problems with cannabis use and alcohol.
From May to August 2009 he was admitted to Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford and, when he was released, he was monitored by a community mental health team.
The court heard Taylor would often fail to take his medication and eventually his condition began to deteriorate.
Mr Bourne-Arton said he was hearing voices and became more threatening towards his family.
The day before the attack his family tried to contact the mental health team as his mother became more and more concerned about his behaviour.
His mother said Taylor had been due a benefits payment which she feared he would spend entirely on cannabis, Judge James Goss QC heard.
She then found he had burned a picture of himself and was "out of his head".
Mr Bourne-Arton said Taylor's key care worker was away and on February 18, the day of the attack, his team had training which meant the message was not picked up until the afternoon.
Members of the team did visit Taylor at home later in the day.
The prosecutor said they stayed for about 20 minutes and left after concluding "there was no immediate problem or crisis".
Five hours later, he said, Taylor picked up a 8.7in (22cm) kitchen knife and went looking for his brother, Mr Bourne-Arton said.


The Plaid Cymru AM for Aberconwy, Gareth Jones, will stand down from the Welsh assembly at next year's election.

Mr Jones, 71, represented Conwy in the assembly's first election in 1999, but lost his seat by 72 votes in 2003.
A former headmaster, he returned to the Senedd when he won the redrawn constituency of Aberconwy in 2007.
The chair of the enterprise and learning scrutiny committee said it had been a "huge privilege and a rare honour" to represent his electors.
Mr Jones, who was awarded the OBE in 1991 for services to education, said he was "eternally grateful to the people for giving me that opportunity".
He had been head of Ysgol John Bright in Llandudno, Conwy, and an independent educational consultant before the 1999 election.
He became Plaid education spokesman and chaired the assembly education committee.
After his 2003 defeat he became leader of the Plaid group on Conwy council before returning to the assembly.
"Early on in my professional career as a teacher I never imagined that I would be in this position, nor that Wales would have a semblance of self-government, but I've enjoyed it immensely and will miss it greatly," he said.
"I hope I've been able to contribute something to our fledgling democracy here in Wales.
"I also hope that the next fourth assembly will see someone elected who shares my passion both for this constituency and for this nation and someone who will finally have the right tools to get on with the job of representing the people of Aberconwy in a proper parliament for Wales."
Voters will go to the polls next May, and Mr Jones will stand down when the assembly is dissolved at the end of March.


Young people are turning to cosmetic procedures such as botox and dermal fillers as a result of social media pressure, according to a report.

A study by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics says government must protect people from an unregulated industry.
The report also condemns makeover apps and online plastic surgery games aimed at children as young as nine.
The authors fear such apps are contributing to growing anxieties around body image.
Much of the cosmetic procedures industry is unregulated so reliable data on its size is hard to come by.
In 2015 one market research company estimated the UK market could be worth as much as Â£3.6bn.
But there is little doubt it has grown significantly over the past decade.
The report identifies several factors that are encouraging young people in particular to focus on body image.
These include increasing levels of anxiety around appearance, the rise of social media where photos can receive positive or negative ratings and the popularity of celebrity culture, complete with airbrushed images and apparently perfect lifestyles.
Prof Jeanette Edwards, from the University of Manchester, who chaired the council's inquiry into ethical issues surrounding cosmetic procedures, said some of the evidence around games aimed at younger children had surprised the panel.
"We've been shocked by some of the evidence we've seen, including make-over apps and cosmetic surgery 'games' that target girls as young as nine.
"There is a daily bombardment from advertising and through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat that relentlessly promote unrealistic and often discriminatory messages on how people, especially girls and women, 'should' look."
The report describes how apps with names such as "Plastic Surgery Princess", "Little Skin Doctor" and "Pimp My Face" could be contributing to mental health problems in young people.
Prof Edwards also called for cosmetic procedures to be banned for anyone under 18 unless they involve a multi-disciplinary team of specialists, GPs and psychologists.
"Under 18s should not be able to just walk in off the street and have a cosmetic procedure.
"There are legal age limits for having tattoos or using sun beds. Invasive cosmetic procedures should be regulated in a similar way."
Charlie Massey, chief executive of the General Medical Council, which regulates doctors, said that it had already introduced standards for those performing cosmetic procedures to ensure they work safely and ethically and was developing similar guidelines for surgeons.
"Cosmetic interventions are not without risk, and anyone considering a procedure must have confidence that those carrying it out have the necessary skills and competence to do so safely.
"We hope this certification system will, in time, help set the standard for similar forms of accreditation in different areas of practice, that will provide additional reassurance to patients."
A government spokesperson also said action had been taken to improve regulation.
But they added: "This report highlights once again that we live in a world where young people are under immense pressure on a daily basis about how they should look - it is ethically wrong for companies to exploit this and offer unnecessary cosmetic procedures to under 18s."
Kevin Hancock, of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, whose members helped compile the report, said it "voices many of the same concerns" his organisation has.


Relegation-threatened Kidderminster Harriers have extended the youth loan of midfielder Ben Whitfield from Premier League side Bournemouth until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old has become a fans' favourite at Aggborough after scoring four goals in 15 appearances.
The National League side have also tied the midfield pair of Ousmane Fane and Elton Ngwatala to new deals.
The French duo, both 22, are contracted until the end of the 2016-17 season.
All three players have helped the Harriers hit their best run of form of the campaign, with the club winning three successive games in February to lift themselves off the bottom of the National League table. Before this month, Kidderminster had won just two of their previous 28 league fixtures.
With 15 matches remaining, the Harriers are seven points from safety.
Chief executive and majority shareholder Colin Gordon has been back in caretaker charge since Dave Hockaday left the club last month.


Britain's judokas failed to win a medal on the opening day of the Tbilisi Grand Prix in Georgia.

Kelly Edwards and Chelsie Giles both lost in their -52kg repechage finals to finish seventh.
Edwards won her opening bout before losing to second seed Reka Pupp of Hungary and finished with a loss to Darya Skrypnik of Belarus.
Giles also started with a win but was then beaten by Erika Miranda from Brazil and Portugal's Joana Ramos.
Kimberley Renicks (-48kg), Sam Hall (-66kg) and world junior number one Neil MacDonald (-60kg) were all beaten in the first round of their weight divisions,
Find out how to get into judo with our special guide.


A man has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of a postman who died 20 years ago after being punched in the head.

Anthony John McDonnell, 45, of Whitebridge Avenue, Leeds was bailed and is to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 20 November.
Andrew Batten, 42, died in hospital after he was attacked at a taxi rank in Vicar Lane, Leeds, on 13 October 1995.
Detectives had launched a fresh appeal last month.
Mr Batten, who lived in Beeston, had gone out after finishing work and was still wearing his Royal Mail uniform.
He was found on the pavement by an ambulance crew after an anonymous call and was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with a fractured skull. He died two days later.


A suicide car bomb has killed at least 17 people, mostly women and children, near a military base in Afghanistan, officials say.

The bomber detonated explosives at a checkpoint near Camp Chapman, formerly used by the CIA, in eastern Khost province on Sunday.
Camp Chapman was the site of one of the worst attacks on the agency in 2009 when a bomber killed seven officials.
No US or coalition soldiers were killed in this latest attack.
The base now houses both Afghan and foreign troops, including US soldiers.
Youqib Khan, the deputy police chief in Khost province, told the Associated Press news agency that Sunday's blast hit a checkpoint manned by members of an Afghan unit that guards Camp Chapman.
Officials said those killed were civilians in cars waiting to clear the checkpoint at the time of the blast.
No group has said it carried out the blast as yet, although the Taliban has often targeted troops and launched a fresh offensive in late April.
Khost borders Pakistan and is one of Afghanistan's most volatile provinces.


Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them has had the biggest UK box office opening weekend of the year so far.

The film, written by JK Rowling and starring Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, took a total of £15.3m.
It is the third highest opening weekend from the JK Rowling series, behind the two final Harry Potter films.
Warner Bros executive Josh Berger said: "We are thrilled with the huge response from British and Irish audiences."
The film also worked its magic at North American cinemas, taking an estimated $75m (£61m) over the weekend - more than the rest of the US box office top 10 combined.
Harry Potter creator Rowling has planned scripts for a total of five films in the series.
The first instalment is set in New York, and tells the story of a fictional author mentioned in the Potter stories.
Redmayne plays the part of the animal-loving magizoologist Newt Scamander, who visits New York's secret community of witches and wizards.
The film is set 70 years before Harry Potter reads his book at his school, Hogwarts.
It has received broadly positive reviews from critics.
The opening weekend haul in the US and Canada was lower than for any of the Harry Potter films, however.
Elsewhere in the box office charts, Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange fell to second with $17.7m (£14.3m), with Trolls third on $17.5m (£14.1m).
Sci-fi movie Arrival, starring Amy Adams, took fourth spot with $11.8m (£9.5m), while the comedy Almost Christmas, starring Danny Glover and Gabrielle Union, rounded out the top five with $7m (£5.7m).
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.


Cardiff City Supporters' Trust has written an open letter to owner Vincent Tan calling for a return to the club's traditional home blue kit.

In June 2012, the Welsh club announced it would be changing the kit from blue to red and introducing a new badge.
Fans will march to Cardiff City Stadium on 31 January to deliver a letter requesting a return to the former kit.
"There must be a return to playing in blue at home for the next season," read the letter.
The letter also called for "a return to the traditional club badge that was removed at the rebranding".
It continued: "Ever since the decision was taken more than two-and-a-half years ago to rebrand our club it has created division within the fan base, with many supporters feeling that the changes completely ignored the club's long history and traditions.
"To repair bridges we believe that there must be a return to playing in blue at home for the next season, along with a return to the traditional club badge that was removed at the rebranding.
"Committed fans, who have in many cases followed the club for decades, feel disenfranchised and have told us that they are considering not renewing their season tickets at the end of the season unless there is a return to blue.
"We dearly hope that such a boycott can be avoided.
"We believe that unless changes are made the division between the fans and our club will only grow. Your executives in Cardiff will confirm that the stadium is overwhelmingly blue at every home match. The fans of Cardiff City have given their verdict."
The decision by Tan to rebrand the club, whose nickname is the Bluebirds, was to help "appeal in international markets".
Cardiff were on the verge of administration when Tan took over in May 2010 and survived three winding-up orders in the 2009-10 season over unpaid taxes.
An outstanding debt of £24m to main creditors Langstone - whose spokesperson is former Cardiff City owner Sam Hammam - was settled in July 2013.
In January 2014, Cardiff City reported a loss of £30m for the season 2012-13 season, when they were promoted to the Premier League, and the club's overall debt rose to £118m, with just over half - £66m - owed to Tan.
The letter from the Trust also queried the state of the club's finances: "We are also concerned that the pledges made by yourself to convert the debt owed by the club to you into equity have yet to be realised.
"We would be grateful if you could make a firm commitment on the conversion of the debt."
Cardiff were relegated back to the Championship after one season, which saw Malky Mackay sacked as manager mid-campaign to be replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Solskjaer left as Cardiff boss in October 2014 with Russell Slade named the Norwegian's successor.
Cardiff are currently 12th in the Championship after a five-game winless run and face Colchester United in the FA Cup third round at home on Friday night.


A man arrested on suspicion of the murder of a woman in Portslade has been released on bail.

The body of Shana Grice, 19, was found at a house in Chrisdory Road, Mile Oak, after she failed to turn up for work on Thursday morning.
Sussex Police said a 27-year-old man had been bailed until 29 September pending further inquiries.
Her parents have paid tribute to a "kind, thoughtful, caring daughter".
Ms Grice worked in the accounts department of Palmer and Harvey, a company in Hove.
Det Supt Jason Taylor said: "This remains an ongoing investigation and has understandably come as a shock to the local community.
"Our thoughts are with Shana Grice's family and friends and we would ask anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area, no matter how insignificant you may think it was, to get in touch."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been notified of Ms Grice's death as police had been in contact with her and "other people" previously, Sussex Police said.


Women's Super League champions Chelsea Ladies have the strength in depth and attacking quality to cause "mayhem" this season no matter who plays, according to winger Gemma Davison.

New signing Karen Carney joins fellow England stars Davison, Eni Aluko and Fran Kirby in a formidable front line that also includes Ji So-Yun.
Chelsea begin their WSL season against Doncaster Rovers Belles on Thursday.
"No one will be able to read what we can do," Davison, 28, told BBC Sport.
"We have so many options. Players can rest when needed and we are still dangerous all over pitch with players able to come on and cause complete mayhem."
Davison missed out on a place in the World Cup squad last summer, but has worked her way back into the England reckoning after playing a starring role as the Blues won the Women's FA Cup and League double in her first season with the club.
She started 25 out of Chelsea's 28 games in 2015 and has welcomed Carney's arrival, even if it means playing fewer games as a result.
Carney was on target on her debut as the Blues began their domestic season with a 4-1 victory over Thursday's opposition Doncaster in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.
"Having so many options makes everything more competitive. The training has gone up a level once more. It will benefit everyone massively," the former Arsenal and Liverpool winger said.
"Karen is top quality. She already looks like she has been here a long time.
"We are continuing to build as we did last season and there is definitely more depth to take us to another level. We want to compete in everything."
Despite dominating the domestic game, Chelsea could not replicate their success in Europe last season and were knocked out of the Champions League by Wolfsburg in the last 16.
And although Davison said they want to fight on all fronts this term, progress in the Champions League remains the ultimate challenge
"We want to win everything," Davison added. "We fell short last season but were pretty dominant in the league and want to be dominant again and push on even more.
"In the Champions League, I feel we under-estimated ourselves a bit and showed Wolfsburg a bit too much respect.
"They are a top-quality side with with world-class players but we have no reason to fear anyone. We take confidence from the performances, and the experience of last season."


Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal says striker Danny Welbeck was sold because he did not score enough goals.

Media playback is not supported on this device
And the 63-year-old Dutchman insists he will give home-grown players a chance.
Speaking as he presented his two latest signings, Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind, Van Gaal explained why Welbeck, 23, was sold to Arsenal for £16m.
"He played three seasons for the first team, but he doesn't have the record of Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney. And that is the standard," Van Gaal said.
"That is why we let him go, because of Falcao, but also to allow the youngsters to fit in. That is the policy. That is why I am here."
Welbeck joined Arsenal on transfer deadline day in a deal Gunners manager Arsene Wenger revealed almost did not happen.
The Manchester-born forward, who scored both goals for England in Monday's 2-0 victory over Switzerland, netted 29 times in 142 United appearances.
Welbeck's international team-mate Rooney, 28, has scored 217 goals for United in 445 matches, while Dutchman van Persie, 31, has hit 48 in 78 games.
United spent close to £150m during a summer transfer spree, but also allowed a large number of players to leave.
Van Gaal said promoting local young players was a cornerstone of his philosophy at Old Trafford.
"We let 14 players go, we have only brought six players in," he added. "That means there are many positions vacant, they are vacant for the youth.
"I have already used a lot of youngsters in the season and pre-season, so I am always willing to give young players chances - but they have to take the chances.
"The possibility is there. All the youngsters have to know that."
Much of the attention during Thursday's news conference focused on Falcao.
The Colombia striker hinted he wanted to stay at United beyond his season-long loan from Monaco, with the Old Trafford club having an option to buy him for £44m (55m euros) in the summer.
"This is a new process, a new team," the 28-year-old said.
"I would like to be here and part of his project. Every player wants to play Champions League.
"This year it is not possible in Manchester, but we are confident to achieve the qualification for the next season."
Van Gaal praised Falcao, adding he believed he could lift United to new heights.
"When you see his record, it is unbelievable," he said. "Today in the training session, he got one ball and it was in the goal.
"When I say this I put too much pressure on him, I know it is very difficult to come from another club to Manchester United in a new process."


Mae uwch swyddog gyda Bwrdd Iechyd Betsi Cadwaladr wedi cyfadde' bod y corff wedi methu yn ei ddyletswydd i edrych ar ôl dyn oedd â salwch meddwl gafodd ei ganfod yn farw yn afon Menai.

Roedd Iwan Lewis, 36 oed o Benygroes, yn glaf yn Uned Hergest yn Ysbyty Gwynedd pan fu farw ym mis Mai 2016.
Yn ystod y cwest fe honnodd ei fam, Elizabeth Lewis, nad oedd y bwrdd iechyd wedi gwrando ar ei phryderon ynglŷn â chyflwr ei mab.
Dywedodd cyfarwyddwr clinigol y bwrdd, Dr Sandeep Matthews, mai'r "tebygolrwydd" oedd eu bod wedi methu yn eu dyletswydd tuag ato a'u bod yn cyflwyno nifer o welliannau.
Yn ystod y cwest fe ymddiheurodd Mr Matthews i'r teulu gan ddweud y gallen nhw fod "wedi siarad mwy gyda Mrs Lewis a chymryd ei safbwynt hi i ystyriaeth". Fe fydd y bwrdd iechyd hefyd yn cyflwyno ymddiheuriad ar bapur i'r teulu.
Maen nhw'n dweud eu bod yn gwneud newidiadau sydd yn cynnwys gwella'r modd o gyfathrebu gyda theuluoedd cleifion a gwella cydweithrediad gyda'r heddlu.
Yn ystod y cwest, roedd seiciatrydd ymgynghorol yn Ysbyty Gwynedd wedi beirniadu Heddlu'r Gogledd am anfon plismon i Uned Hergest i siarad gyda Mr Lewis.
Ond wrth ymateb yn dilyn y cwest, dywedodd yr heddlu: "Fe ddywedodd y crwner yn glir fod y swyddog wedi ymddwyn yn 'hollol resymol' ac rydyn ni'n fodlon bod ein swyddogion wedi ymddwyn yn briodol ar hyd yr amser."
Mae'r heddlu hefyd yn dweud eu bod yn cynnal cyfarfodydd cyson gyda'r bwrdd iechyd ac y bydd pryderon yr ymgynghorwyr iechyd nawr yn cael eu trafod.
Casgliad y crwner Nicola Jones oedd marwolaeth naratif, a dywedodd ei bod hi'n amhosib gwybod yn bendant os oedd marwolaeth Mr Lewis yn ddamweiniol neu yn hunanladdiad.


Two men have been remanded in custody accused of attempted murder after two houses in Fife were allegedly set alight.

A 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was badly hurt after the incidents in Alexander Road and Adrian Road, Glenrothes, on 28 March.
Naveed Iqbal and James Simpson appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court each facing two charges of attempted murder.
Neither made any plea or declaration and their cases were continued.
A 22-year-old woman arrested with the pair was released from custody and did not appear in court.
Mr Iqbal, 34, from Leven, and Mr Simpson, 31, from Falkirk, appeared separately in private on petition facing two charges each of attempted murder.
Both men were remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing next week.
A spokeswoman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "The procurator fiscal received a report concerning a 22-year-old female, in connection with alleged incidents in Glenrothes on 28 March 2017.
"After full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, she was liberated from custody pending further inquiries and did not appear in court."


Three-time Olympic champion Pete Reed has announced his rowing comeback as he aims for a fourth Olympic gold medal.

Reed, 35, returned to his job in the Navy following last summer's Rio Olympics, where he won gold in the men's eight.
But the Briton, who also won Olympic gold in Beijing and London, now plans to compete at Tokyo 2020, when he will be 39.
"I felt I had more to give, more to do. It feels natural," he told BBC Sport.
In Rio, Reed was part of Britain's eight-man crew which won gold to regain the Olympic title for the first time since 2000. He had won his first two Olympic golds in the men's four in Beijing and London.
Should the former Oxford Blue, already one of the most decorated rowers in British history, secure a fourth Olympic gold he will join the list of greats such as Sir Ben Ainslie, Sir Mo Farah and Sir Matthew Pinsent.
"I'm really pushing the ages of what rowers are capable of," added Reed, also a winner of five World Championships golds and three silvers.
"I've seen great stuff before - Dame Katherine Grainger, Greg Searle and people like Sir Steve Redgrave, who was 38 when he won gold in Sydney, so it's definitely possible.
"The most important thing is that I'm hungry to train, I want to be here."


The operator of a landfill site in Surrey that is producing a sewage-like smell should pay compensation to residents, local MP Crispin Blunt says.

There have been more than 120 complaints about the odour from the site in Cormongers Lane in Redhill.
Biffa, which runs it, has begun urgent improvement work after the Environment Agency found surface water was causing hydrogen sulphide gas emissions.
Mr Blunt, the Reigate MP, said Biffa should get the site working properly.
The Conservative MP said: "The local community that played host to the site should be getting some compensation from Biffa."
He added that the company should recognise the smell as "wholly unacceptable" and make some "collective restitution" to the people of Redhill.
In a statement, Biffa said: "To date a Biffa Award Scheme has donated Â£140m to community projects throughout the UK and, specifically within the locality, Biffa has endowed a nature reserve next to the site."
A report by the Environment Agency after officers inspected the site has led to an action plan being implemented by Biffa.
The improvements that Biffa are making include installing 100 gas extraction wells.
Initially it was thought the emissions were methane gas but further investigations found it was hydrogen sulphide.
Biffa said low levels of the gas can cause an unpleasant odour but it was not dangerous to health at such levels.
The agency said it would be carrying out regular odour assessments and further site inspections.


A firm which has bought two pipe-making works on Teesside said the move would create 100 new jobs.

International metals group, Liberty House, said the deal with Tata Steel UK for the Hartlepool steelworks would also safeguard 140 existing jobs.
Liberty executive chairman, Sanjeev Gupta, said he wanted the site to become a world leader in the gas and oil pipes industry.
Tata Steel will retain a third mill on the site, employing 270 people.
Liberty has already bought Tata's speciality steelworks in Yorkshire, Lancashire and the West Midlands, and Scunthorpe's Caparo Merchant Bar mill.
The company now have a workforce of nearly 5,000 across the UK, it said.


Churan Zheng, an events organiser, works for a company in China that allows her and her female colleagues to take a day or two a month off if they suffer from period pain.

Her praise of menstrual leave - and suggestion that all women should be offered it - prompted a fiery debate among readers. Here is a selection of your experiences and opinions about the idea.
How can we say we want equality over pay and employment and then ask for a day's extra 'holiday' per month just for being a female? That's not asking for equality, that's saying women aren't as able to work as men, which surely kills all argument for equality... Guess what, I'm a female who has a period every month and I am still able to work as well as any man! If some women can't then that's their problem and they need to see a doctor! Charlotte Rachael, Halifax, UK
Personally, I suffer, for up to two weeks straight, I suffer. I've passed out through temporary anaemia at work. I've had to stop walking and hold on to a wall or a fence when walking to work. But I don't consider it necessary to call in sick, nor do I believe additional leave days should be required... We don't need additional leave, those who are suffering so badly need to push with their GPs to see a specialist. To award additional days leaves companies open to being taken advantage of by women who aren't suffering and just don't want to go to work for whatever reason. Lyndsey Victoria Corp, Barnsley, UK
Unfortunately, this is exactly why women make less money. Okay, well... it contributes. We are just gonna have to "man up" if we expect equality. Valerie Richardson, Oregon, US
The idea [of menstrual leave] makes sense to a degree, but surely unpaid leave will increase the wage gap (fewer hours means lower wages), which many people seem to take issue with. If it were to be paid leave, people who take the leave will either have to work harder to make up the time, or an earnings gap will develop, which is a much bigger problem than a wage gap, since fewer hours worked and equal wages means more money per hour worked for the same job, which is normally illegal. Obviously time off because of pain isn't a holiday, but it's simply not providing value to the company. I guess another alternative would be government subsidy, but I'm generally against too much of that in principle. Alex, Dundee, UK
I do sympathise with women who have a genuine problem. I'm a woman, I've been head chef in many kitchens, and don't think that I've never had to sneak into the walk-on fridge to cool down for two minutes because I might pass out. I have the same problems, I have the same pains. The difference is, I don't want to be taken the piss out of on an already male dominant role when I have worked so hard to overtake the next Gordon Ramsey chewing at my ankles! I am a reliable worker and I'm not about to be dropped at interviews "just in case" I can't give 100% every day. I HAVE spent 15 years in kitchens "manning up". Because whether you like it or not, the working world is NOT equal, never has been, probably never will be. And I'm happy working that bit harder than the men to prove myself. Jordan Glasspool Hewitt, Cornwall, UK
'Good idea'! Those who thought menstrual leave should be offered
I won't lie, I used to think women should just get on with it, not that we had the choice anyway. But after a miscarriage, on the first day of every period I'm crippled with constant back and pelvic pain, and mini contractions. I can barely walk it's so bad. I haven't taken time off work, but it definitely affects my work performance. Strong painkillers just leave me fatigued and confused. Now I'm more understanding. For some women, especially those with gynaecological problems, it can be debilitating. Unless someone has been in that position, they can't understand how bad it is for some women. Stacey Robertson, West Lothian, UK
There should be extra measures in place for those days. Also, some countries or companies don't offer as many sick days as others. This has nothing to do with gender equality. It's called being humane. Just because our grandmothers and mothers didn't have rights or privileges for their menstrual days, doesn't mean that we shouldn't benefit from societal advances and modern understanding! Marsha Thompson, New York, US
BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. We create documentaries, features and interviews about their lives, giving more space for stories that put women at the centre.
Other stories you might like:
'I married a man to keep my girlfriend'
'Adults are so obsessed with children they have no time for important things'
Who is on the BBC's 100 Women 2016 list?
I had to be carried to the doctors' on more than one occasion due to the pain, and regularly phoned in sick until my issues were sorted. I also had excessively heavy episodes. Luckily I had a very understanding (male) boss who put the days through as holidays. Sian, Manchester, UK
I think women probably should be given leave if they want it. How bad they suffer may be subjective to the individual but the option of leave should be given regardless. Punishing anyone by making them work while they are suffering is barbaric and ridiculous. James Todd, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
Luckily I work in an office with other women, with a female boss. When I have cramps so bad I'm throwing up, I can get someone to cover. And I return the favour when it's her time. We work together. Lesley Braden, British Columbia, Canada


Plans to force all of England's schools to become academies are being abandoned in a government climbdown.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan hopes the concessions will meet the demands of Tory rebels opposed to compelling high-performing schools to convert.
This was about the government listening, she said, adding ministers understood top schools should retain the choice on whether to convert.
The move comes days after threats of industrial action by head teachers.
Academies are independently run - but state-funded - schools, overseen by a not-for-profit business, known as an academy trust. They are often part of a chain.
The controversial plans to require all schools to convert to academy status, or have plans to do so, by 2022 were announced in the Budget, but details followed in a white paper.
It was not long before opposition to the idea was heard from teachers and head teachers, education experts and MPs and councillors - both Conservative and opposition.
Mrs Morgan told the BBC in an interview with Education Editor Branwen Jeffreys: "This is about being a listening government and I would consider myself to be a listening secretary of state.
"Better to have reforms than have none at all.
"We absolutely support those strong local authorities where schools are good and outstanding - they can make the choice to convert.
"I hope that they will, because we are convinced that becoming academies does lift standards but they can do the right thing for them and I think that reflects the concerns and the conversations that we have had."
Conservatives have been voicing opposition to the plans in recent weeks, particularly because all schools - even highly performing ones - were to be forced into the new arrangements.
Melinda Tilley, an Oxfordshire county councillor, complained of "diktats from above" and expressed concerns about small village schools closing.
Labour had argued that the academies programme was already hitting problems, with a number of large-scale trusts being sanctioned for failing to improve results fast enough.
Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell said: "It is frankly a humiliating climbdown for David Cameron and his education secretary, who just weeks ago were insisting they would plough on with the policy regardless."
However, the government said it would push forward with compelling academy conversions in two areas:
â€¢Where it is clear that the local authority can no longer viably support its remaining schools because too many schools have already become academies.
â€¢Where the local education authority consistently fails to meet a minimum performance threshold across its schools.
The government also announced a package of measures to protect small rural schools including extra financial support and a requirement that any closure would have to be agreed by the local authority and the regional schools commissioner.
Chairman of the largely Conservative County Councils Network Paul Carter said Mrs Morgan had "rightly listened to the concerns of councils, teachers, governors and parents in taking this important decision".
"This decision is also vital for the preservation of rural schools which are at the heart of their local communities," he said.
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers said: "We are pleased the government has listened to the profession.
"We stand ready to engage in further discussions about how the government can meet its vision in co-operation with the education sector. This move gives us hope that such dialogue can now be constructive."
The Local Government Association said its recent analysis of the grades achieved by all schools proved that 81% of council-maintained schools are rated as "good" or "outstanding", compared to 73% of academies and 79% of free schools.
"It is right that these schools should not be forced down the academy route unless they make that decision themselves," it added.
Plans to require all schools, good or bad, to become academies have been greeted with increasing disquiet and derision since they were somewhat incongruously announced in the Budget.
George Osborne described the move as freeing schools from the "shackles of local bureaucracy".
Teachers and heads were bemused by the idea of forcing change on high-performing schools. "If it ain't broke, why fix it?" they chorused.
When fury exploded from the usually loyal Conservative MPs and councillors, the education secretary began to look very uncomfortable.
During an opposition day debate, it was the Tories who made the most effective arguments against the plan.
The divisions within the party were exploited by Labour at PMQs with David Cameron having to mount a robust defence two weeks in a row.
And embarrassment grew further when Nicky Morgan was greeted by head teachers heckling: "You're not listening."
With splits over the European referendum to contend with, Mr Cameron may simply have decided it was not worth a fierce fight with the backbenches.
Ministers had argued that the new landscape would provide a high level of autonomy to schools and help drive up standards through greater innovation and competition in the system.
Currently all schools can choose to convert to academy status, but those deemed to be struggling or failing to improve sufficiently can be forced to convert. That will remain the case under these new plans.


Overnight engineering work has been blamed for train cancellations that caused chaos south of London.

Thousands of commuters were stranded as Southern Rail cancelled all services between Redhill, Reigate and Tonbridge, as well as Haywards Heath and Lewes.
Southeastern cancelled trains between Strood and Paddock Wood and services between Swanley and Faversham and Tonbridge and Hastings were delayed.
Network Rail apologised, saying de-icers and route provers could not run.
Tom Tugendhat, MP for Tonbridge, Edenbridge and Malling in Kent, said he had written to Network Rail to demand answers over the chaos, tweeting that Southeastern and Southern should have responded better.
Southeastern, which also cancelled services between Ashford International and Maidstone East, blamed poor rail conditions for the disruption.
Passengers were told they could use tickets on High Speed services at no extra charge.
Southern said ice on the conductor rail meant trains could not take power, causing cancellations, but added Great Western diesel trains were running and accepting its tickets.
BBC News producer Charlie Rose tweeted that services were at a standstill on the Hastings line and posted a picture of stranded commuters in the cafe at Etchingham station in East Sussex.
Network Rail said passengers and train operators had a very difficult morning and did not receive the level of service people expect.
"While our de-icing train fleet ran overnight and our rail heaters were all on and working, this still hasn't been enough to prevent delays," said route managing director Alasdair Coates.
"We are investigating what further action we can take to mitigate the problem of ice forming and making it unsafe for trains to run."
Southeastern apologised for the delays, including further disruption caused by a broken rail at Kidbrooke, south-east London.
"We encourage all passengers who were delayed by 30 minutes or more to claim compensation under our Delay Repay scheme," it said in a statement.
Engineering work was also blamed for disruption when more than 20 rush-hour trains into London from Kent did not run on 28 January.
Services between Ashford and London were disrupted when lines were left without power because of overrunning engineering work.
Southeastern said delays caused by a power loss between Maidstone and Swanley were down to engineering works that did not finish on time.
In January Southeastern blamed "bright sunlight" for delays to services through south-east London.


The man who led a major turnaround in UK theatre has taken on one of the top jobs in Australian theatre.

The Sydney Theatre Company (STC) has named Jonathan Church its artistic director, replacing Andrew Upton.
Mr Upton and his wife, Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett, ran the STC for many years.
Mr Church is credited with transforming the popular Chichester Festival Theatre, where most recently he was artistic director.
Chichester Festival Theatre announced in March that both Mr Church and executive director Alan Finch would leave at the end of September 2016.
Under their tenure, the theatre underwent a major redevelopment, doubled audience numbers and transferred several shows to the West End, including Enron and Sweeney Todd.
Mr Church said he looked forward to leading the STC through its next phase.
"I have watched from afar STC's growth over the past 30 years and the company has become a beacon of artistic adventure and international excellence," Mr Church said in a statement.
He joined the Chichester theatre in 2005 and with Mr Finch oversaw its 50th anniversary in 2012.
He will start work on programming STC's 2017 season immediately.
Mr Upton praised the appointment.
"After a period being led by an actress and a writer, I think it's important to have a theatre director once more at the helm," Mr Upton said in a statement.
"I look forward to fresh perspectives on the international theatre canon and a continuation of STC's championing of local theatre makers and stories, including on the international stage."


Four men have been charged over a suspected hit-and-run crash on New Year's Eve in which two cousins died.

Zaneta Krokova, 11, and Helina Kotlarova, 12, were holding hands as they crossed a road in Oldham, Greater Manchester, before they were hit.
Gabor Hegedus, 38, faces charges including causing death by dangerous driving and driving without a licence.
Three other men have been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Helina died at the scene in Ashton Road, and Zaneta later died in hospital.
Mr Hegedus, of Oldham, was also charged with failing to stop after a collision, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and failing to report the crash.
David Orsos, 18, Janos Kalanyos, 50, and Zoltan Peto, 49, also of Oldham, have been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
All appeared at Tameside Magistrates' Court, where they were remanded in custody and scheduled to attend Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on 1 February.


Legal aid cuts could make people feel they cannot access justice and then "take the law into their own hands", the UK's most senior judge has said.

Legal aid in England and Wales will be restricted in a range of civil cases from April to cut a current Â£2bn bill.
President of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, told the BBC the changes may even lead to higher court costs.
The Ministry of Justice said legal aid would still be provided "to those who most need it".
The cuts mean people involved in a range of disputes, such as social welfare debt, employment, family problems, clinical negligence, divorce and housing problems will no longer be allowed legal aid.
But funding will continue for some cases including family law involving domestic violence or forced marriage and debt and housing matters where someone's home is at immediate risk.
It means many people will have to pay privately for advice, find charitable help or represent themselves in trying to solve their disputes.
The proposals are intended to cut the legal aid bill by Â£350m a year by 2015.
But Lord Neuberger said the consequences could in fact cost the government more.
He told the BBC: "My worry is the removal of legal aid for people to get advice about law and get representation in court will start to undermine the rule of law because people will feel like the government isn't giving them access to justice in all sorts of cases.
"And that will either lead to frustration and lack of confidence in the system, or it will lead to people taking the law into their own hands."
Lord Neuberger said another problem would be the increase in the number of people who represent themselves in court because they could not afford or get legal aid for a lawyer,
"This will mean that court hearings will last longer, the burden on court staff and judges will increase," he said.
"And you may find the savings the government thinks it's making in legal aid will be offset in other costs of courts and judges and court staff in supporting litigants in person."
Tory MP Sir Edward Garnier - a former solicitor general - said legal aid should not be immune from widespread cuts.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that many disputes could be resolved without going to court.
"Now I'm not suggesting that, in every case, a landlord and tenant problem can be sorted out through some form of mediation or through some form of extra-legal means.
"But I think we need to be careful not always to run to the lawyer when we think we've got a problem."
Shadow justice minister Lord Bach - the former legal aid minister - said he agreed mediation could be used in more cases but said that it "doesn't come cheap either".
He told Today that, "at a time of recession and also at a time now of big welfare reform, to take away the ability of people to get free legal advice when they need it is absolutely scandalous".
Cuts should not be made "where you're attacking, frankly, the very poorest and the most disadvantaged in society", he added.
"Our whole system of justice is based on equality of law - if people can't get some access to justice then why should people believe in the rule of law anymore."
In a statement the Ministry of Justice said: "Legal aid will continue to be provided to those who most need it, such as where domestic violence is involved, where people's life or liberty is at stake or the loss of their home."
BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said the changes were seen by many as nothing short of a revolution in the provision of legal aid with the government removing funding from entire areas of civil law.
The concern was that the cuts would affect the most vulnerable in society, he said.
The bill received Royal Assent after a parliamentary passage that saw it defeated 14 times in the House of Lords.
The Lords ultimately backed ministers by the narrowest of margins, with 238 votes on each side - a tie means a victory for the government.
But our correspondent said there was was "absolutely no chance" the government would row back on the changes.
Lord Neuberger also said it was "unfortunate" that Home Secretary Theresa May had attacked judges for "ignoring" rules on deporting foreign criminals.
But he said he would not get into a "slanging" match with Mrs May.
The interview came two weeks after Mrs May accused judges of making the UK more dangerous by ignoring rules aimed at deporting more foreign criminals. She told the Mail on Sunday that they were choosing to "ignore Parliament's wishes".
"I think attacking judges is not a sensible way to proceed," Lord Neuberger said.
"It causes me concern but it does not alarm me. No government has done anything to undermine judges."
He added: "It is unfortunate that the home secretary has acted and spoken as she has done."


A Samoan woman's claims that she has stigmata has gripped the Pacific Island nation in recent weeks.

Toaipuapuaga Opapo, 23, says bleeding wounds appeared on her body while she was at church on Good Friday. Her story, widely covered in the largely Christian country, has triggered a national debate, and even comment from the prime minister.
Stigmata are marks or bleeding similar to that of Christ at the crucifixion. Believers say they appear miraculously though there is much scepticism around the claims.
Ms Opapo said the wounds appeared on her palms, feet, forehead and her side while she was performing as Jesus Christ in a church play re-enacting the crucifixion last month.
Footage of her at the church broadcast on television shows what appears to be blood running down her arms, and later emerging from her side.
In a subsequent television interview with TV1 Samoa, she claimed to be spontaneously bleeding while on camera. The station said it could not independently verify her claim.
"I'm just another human being… but my body has been used as a reminder because God knows that the faith of his servants are dying," she said in the interview, also claiming she had a "sickness" for the past three years which caused her to have visions.
Her church, the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (CCCS), told the BBC that if it really was stigmata it would be a "unique occurrence".
"Stigmata is not part of the Reformed tradition of which CCCS is a part. We are therefore undertaking our own investigations into the matter," said general secretary Afereti Uili, who added that the church would release a statement later.
Her story has been greeted with both scepticism and joy in Samoa.
Some, including the country's Catholic Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailelel Malielagaoi, have called it a miracle.
He was quoted in the Samoa Observer newspaper as saying: "We should be happy about these events... if it happens to someone, it means they are holy."
Others, however, have accused her of manufacturing a hoax.
"Still can't get my head over this. Those (are) inflicted wounds. She needs medical attention (and) counselling!" said one commenter on TV1 Samoa's Facebook page.
One reason for the split in opinion may be that many Samoans are Protestant Christians, while stigmata has been a mostly Catholic phenomenon. Ms Opapo is a Protestant.
Merita Huch, a news editor with TV1 Samoa, told the BBC: "This is a huge thing, it's dividing the whole country across the faiths."
"The Catholic Church has since been taking care of her, they have held a Mass for her. There have been villages who have invited her as they want to meet and touch her.
"But there are other churches who are warning people not to believe it, saying it is the work of the devil... Some people say she was possessed by an old boyfriend's spirit."
Religious studies Professor Paul Morris told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the case could be a response to "the tremendous pressure" the CCCS - the largest in Samoa - has been under from other churches in recent decades.
Another possible explanation for the case was "psycho-somatic, that intensity of identification... where a young woman or man identify with Jesus to an extreme degree", he was quoted as saying.


Detection kits which test if drivers have taken certain illegal drugs will be available to police in England and Wales in the coming days after ministers approved their use.

Analysis of saliva will show whether a driver has taken cocaine or cannabis, the Home Office said.
If the test is positive, police will take a suspect to have a blood test, administered by a medical professional.
A Home Office spokesperson said the technology was "groundbreaking".
Policing minister Mike Penning approved the tests this week.
"The government is determined to drive the menace of drug-driving from our roads," a Home Office spokesperson said.
"Not only do those who get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs put their own lives at risk, but also those of innocent motorists and their passengers."
Forces will be encouraged to use the devices "as quickly as possible", the spokesperson added.
Drug-driving is estimated to cause around 200 deaths per year, the Department for Transport said.
A new law, which comes into force in March 2015, makes it illegal to drive with certain drugs in the body over a specified limit.
Currently, police have to prove the driver was impaired due to drug use.
The test will be used alongside breathalyser equipment, which detects the presence of alcohol in a person's breath.
Studies on the influence of cocaine indicate drivers are impaired when they have taken the drug in high doses and during withdrawal periods.
It is thought by the government that cannabis impairs co-ordination, visual perception, tracking and vigilance.


A man has died and three other people have been injured in a two-vehicle crash in County Tyrone.

It happened on the Omagh Road in Ballygawley just before 19:00 GMT on Thursday.
Police have said the man who died was 50-year-old Kieran McSorley, from the Omagh area. He was a front seat passenger in one of the vehicles.
The road was closed overnight between Ballygawley roundabout and Augher Point but reopened at about 03:00 GMT.