BBC News Online looks at the timeline of events which led to the sentencing of Colin Howell and his former lover, Hazel Stewart for the murders of their respective wife and husband.

At 1047 GMT the judge sends the jury of nine men and three women out at Coleraine Crown Court to consider the verdict.
It takes them just over two hours to find her guilty.
Her former lover Colin Howell pleaded guilty to the murders in November 2010. He was sentenced to 21 years for the murders of Trevor Buchanan, 32, and his wife, Lesley Howell, 31.
On the 14th day of the trial it is Hazel Stewart's Birthday, she is 48.
The judge begins his summing up in the case.
Judge Anthony Hart acknowledged there had been a lot of public attention on the case and the jury had to put that aside and make their decision based on the evidence.
Mr Hart told the jury the key question was: "Were they in it together?"
Stewart jury sent out Wednesday
Prosecution and defence lawyers give their closing arguments in the trial.
Mrs Stewart's defence lawyer tells the court she could not have been in a joint enterprise with Howell who regarded her as "weak, vulnerable and easy to control".
The lawyer also says financial issues had motivated Colin Howell to murder his wife Lesley and Stewart's husband Trevor Buchanan in May 1991.
Earlier in the day a prosecution lawyer claimed Stewart agreed to a plan to carry out the two murders so she and Howell could continue their relationship.
He says she helped execute a plan to sacrifice the life of her husband and kill her then lover's wife with carbon monoxide fumes.
On the 12th day of her trial, Hazel Stewart's defence lawyer tells Coleraine Crown Court that she will not give evidence at her trial.
Earlier in the trial, police interview tapes were played in which Mrs Stewart admits she was aware of a plan to kill her husband but insisted she wanted no part in it.
The court is played more tapes of a police interview with Hazel Stewart.
In them she cries bitterly and says: "The biggest mistake of my life was ever meeting Colin Howell and I have paid the price,"
"I would like to say sorry to Trevor's family. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a son.
"I have a son and I love him very much. To David, my husband I love so much. Lisa and Andrew. They are my life and I have lost it."
In another tape played to the court Stewart admits she was part of a plan to kill her husband but insisted she wanted no part in it.
The court hears Stewart tell police how she got rid of evidence.
They also hear how she encouraged her husband to take a sleeping tablet on the night of the murders.
Through police interview tapes the court hears Stewart describe how Howell often gave her laughing gas.
She says she "went crazy" when she feared her former lover gave her too much laughing gas before they had sex on his dentist's chair.
"I knew what he was trying to do and I freaked out," she says.
The jury listen to the first of 15 taped interviews Hazel Stewart gave to investigating officers in 2009.
In them she says she wished she was dead when they questioned her about the murders.
At one stage, her daughter Lisa, who is sat in the public gallery beside her brother Andrew, wipes her eyes with a handkerchief.
On his final day of giving evidence for the prosecution in the trial of his former mistress, Howell denies he was a monster and says Hazel had gone along with the plan.
Howell, tells the court: "It could not have happened without her co-operation, she didn't say no, there was no objection to me being there."
Money was the only reason Colin Howell murdered his wife Lesley, a lawyer for his former partner claims on the third day of her double murder trial.
The barrister says that the dentist gained Â£414,000 from his wife's will, life insurance, an endowment payment and cash from her late father's estate.
Paul Ramsey QC, defending Hazel Stewart, put it to Howell, that all his financial problems had been solved with the death of his wife.
But the dentist denies the suggestion, claiming he received only Â£212,000 as a result of his wife's death.
On the same day Howell admits flicking his wife with live cable a month before her death.
A friend of Lesley Howell, tells the court Mrs Howell had told her of the incident before her death.
Howell admits bath cable incident
Howell begins giving four days of evidence at the trial of his former lover, Hazel Stewart.
He says Mrs Stewart was not convinced they could get away with making Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell's deaths look like suicide.
"I remember the word crazy being used by her," he said.
"That was nature of the objection Hazel gave to me."
Howell says her concern is over being caught, not about the concept
It was the first time some of the details of Howell's role in the murder emerged as Howell pled guilty ahead of his trial.
The prosecution lawyer says the double murder plot was a joint plan.
He says she played an active role in a joint plan to kill for "selfish ends", as he outlined the prosecution case against Mrs Stewart.
"Hazel Stewart knowingly entered into this agreement and assisted Colin Howell in ensuring he could safely kill her husband and afterwards they both covered up the whole thing," he said.
The prosecution tell the jury about a series of interviews given by Mrs Stewart when she was arrested in January 2009, they say she changed her account of events three times.
The jury is sworn in for the trial of Hazel Stewart at Coleraine Crown Court.
Jury chosen in double murder case
Former dentist, Howell is sentenced to a minimum term of 21 years. He is already on remand at Maghaberry Prison.
Days before his trial is due to begin at Belfast Crown Court, Howell changes his plea and pleads guilty to the murder of his first wife, Lesley and his former lover's husband, Trevor Buchanan.
Howell pleads guilty to indecently assaulting three women patients at his surgery on dates between July and December 2008. He denies 14 other charges of indecent assault against the same three women and three others.
Howell is charged with 17 counts of indecently assaulting six women at his dental practice over a 10-year period from 1998 to 2008.
Howell's second wife, Kyle files for divorce and returns to America with her seven children.
Murder accused's family in US
Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart are charged with the murders of their former partners, Trevor Buchanan, 32, and Lesley Howell, 31. At the time both deny the charges.
Howell hands himself in a police station almost 20 years after the killings. He admits to police that he gassed his former wife, Lesley and Trevor Buchanan and had fooled police into believing they had taken their own lives.
Howell's eldest son by his first wife Lesley, dies aged 22, in an accident in Russia.
Matthew Howell lost his grip on a stairwell and fell four floors from an apartment block onto a concrete surface below.
He was studying at St Andrews University and was on placement in St Petersburg as part of his undergraduate language course when he died.
Colin meet his second wife Kyle Howell at a bible study class.
She was divorced with two children and had fled an abusive marriage in America before moving to Northern Ireland.
They marry in May and went on to have a further five children.
Howell proposes to Hazel in 1995 and the pair visit two dentistry practices in Scotland with a view to resettling both their families across the Irish Sea but their relationship again ends in 1996.
At first their rekindled romance was a secret but by 1994 Howell took his children round to Hazel's house.
They couple go on family holidays with their children to Newcastle, County Down and the Lake District in England.
A coroner's court rules that both Trevor and Lesley had committed suicide in an apparent pact.
According to medical evidence both died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
In 2009 Howell tells police he had concocted a story to give the impression that his wife and Mr Buchanan had committed suicide because they had struggled to cope after discovering he and Hazel had been having an affair.
Howell contacts church elders to say his wife is missing.
Their bodies are discovered in a fume-filled car in a garage at Lesley's father's house on 19 May.
Hazel Stewart continued to meet Colin Howell in secret after the funerals and continued to do so for up to five years after the killings.
Howell connects a hose to his car exhaust and runs the hose into the lounge where his wife, Lesley is drugged and asleep on the sofa.
He later confesses to police that his wife, Lesley, cried "Matthew", the name of their eldest son, as he held a gas pipe to her face.
Howell calls Stewart to let her know he has killed his wife and is on his way round. He puts his wife's body into the boot of his car and drives to Trevor Buchanan's house.
The police officer struggles briefly after he awakes to find Howell gassing him. Trevor's body is then dressed by Howell and put into the boot of his car along with Howell's wife, Lesley.
Howell drives the car containing the bodies to Lesley's father's house in Castlerock.
He puts Mr Buchanan's body into the drivers seat and places his wife's body outside the boot surrounded by family photographs and a letter his wife had written after an attempted suicide.
Lesley Howell is left devastated after her father dies. Harry Clarke collapses and dies at his daughter's house.
This was key as Howell later uses his wife's grieving as part of his plan to cover up the murders.
He says his wife was so upset about her father's death and her husband's adultery that she took her own life.
Howell meets Hazel at least twice before the murders to prepare. Once to explain the plan and a second time for Howell to give Hazel sedatives for her to use on her husband, Trevor.
During swimming lessons organised by the church Mrs Buchanan and Mr Howell become attracted to each other.
Hazel became pregnant, and unsure who was the father of her baby, decides to have an abortion. Hazel and Colin travel to England for the procedure.
Following the abortion their relationship ends but resumes several months later.
The couple would meet at Castleroe Forest but were soon spotted by a member of the church.
Both confessed to their partners and pastor. Lesley Howell, who had just had her fourth child takes an overdose. Lesley leaves a note which will become central to the murder cover up.
Trevor Buchanan was left devastated but wanted his marriage to work.
For four months the two couples receive counselling through the church but the affair resumes.
Howell describes their attraction as being "like an addiction".
Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart begin an adulterous relationship. They are confronted by the minister of Coleraine Baptist Church, Pastor John Hansford, about the affair and they agree to counselling.
Hazel and Trevor Buchanan move to Coleraine with their two young children and settle in Charnwood Park.
They attend Coleraine Baptist church where Hazel Buchanan meets Colin Howell at the playgroup.
Recently qualified dentist, Colin Howell marries young nurse, Lesley Clarke.
They began dating in 1981 after meeting in Belfast and go on to have four children: Matthew, Lauren, Daniel and Jonathan.
The couple are committed Christians and become very active in Coleraine Baptist Church.
18-year-old farmers daughter, Hazel Elkin, marries RUC Constable Trevor Buchanan, 22, at Omagh Baptist Church.
The Buchanans have two children, Lisa and David, soon after they are married.


Plans to upgrade road and rail links to boost the so-called Northern Powerhouse are "too little, too late", commuters and transport groups say.

The government is expected to commit £300m to kick-start transport projects, with details due in Wednesday's Budget.
Chancellor George Osborne will confirm government backing for the HS3 rail link between Manchester and Leeds.
The Railfuture campaign group said by the time upgrades were made they would be "outdated and overcrowded again".
The HS3 rail link proposal is a key part of the government's Northern Powerhouse plan - which attempts to redress the north/south divide and attract investment to the north.
Thinktank IPPR North said government backing of HS3 would be "no substitute" for construction work actually beginning.
The organisation's director, Ed Cox, said the region would expect the government to invest significant amounts of public money to finally get the "spades in the ground" just as it had done with Crossrail in London.
Chris Hyomes, chair of Railfuture in Yorkshire, said: "George Osborne needs to find out how to speed the process up and make it simpler so these improvements happen quicker.
"We're looking at improving roads and railways, but by the time they are improved they are going to be outdated and overcrowded again.
"What we're going to do in five to 10 years time should have been done 10 or 20 years ago."
Louise Ellman, chair of the Commons' Transport Select Committee and Liverpool Riverside MP, described improving trans-Pennine links as "equally important" to the North as London's £14.8bn east-to-west Crossrail route, which is due to open in phases from next year.
She added: "We need to know the detail of what is being proposed."
Some rail commuters at Manchester Piccadilly Station said a faster line between the two cities was necessary.
One man said: "Room is a big issue, it's always full and it takes a long time as well. They are always cancelled and delayed so it needs something doing to it."
Another said: "In the morning they are crammed on, every time I ever get on it - there are people struggling to even get on the train."
Ben Harrison, from thinktank Centre for Cities, said: "The Leeds-Manchester train link is one of the slowest big-city connections in the UK, so this upgrade and investment is much needed.
"Progressing the delivery of this investment must now be a priority, to ensure the improved train links are operational early in the next Parliament."
How much will HS3 cost?
Len Tingle, BBC Look North's political editor
Sixty million pounds allocated towards creating what the Chancellor himself is calling "HS3" will be spent on providing a route map of how the destination of improved rail links across the Pennines can be reached.
This first allocation of public cash is dwarfed by the expected cost of getting the first 125mph express train on the track.
There have been no official costs yet, but several "guestimates" from independent transport experts put the figure around the £7bn mark.
The problem for the industry is that nobody really knows what HS3 will be.
The final cost and the timetable for completion will will depend on how many extra tunnels, bridges and track extensions it will need.
Chris Fletcher, of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said the Northern Powerhouse "must be focused around better transport connections across the North of England and not diluted with hundreds of other schemes and ideas".
"The East-West route is fundamental to allowing a good flow of employees, goods and products to move between the major cities and go where demand is highest.
"Ask anyone about the time it takes to get between Manchester and Leeds and they all want faster and more reliable journeys. HS3 is part of that solution," he added.
Upgrades to east-west road links were "absolutely essential" as they lag behind north-south connections, AA president Edmund King said.
"Plans to upgrade the M62 motorway are long overdue; we've seen very little spent on cross-country infrastructure," he said.
Mr King said the government must not "skimp on safety", as an increasing number of AA members were becoming stranded in "live lanes" on smart motorway sections due to a lack of breakdown areas.
Malcolm Bingham, of the Freight Transport Association, said there was an "over-reliance" on the M62 motorway.
He said: "We've got a single road that creates that connectivity across the Pennines and it only takes a small incident or over-running roadworks to create a massive delay."
The road system was not coping with the traffic levels that it needed to, he warned.
"What we need is a network of major routes that connect the north of England. If we don't start moving towards it we'll never see it."
This feels like the moment that the government starts to put its money where its mouth is. Two years ago George Osborne set out his "Northern Powerhouse" idea, and transport was critical to its success.
In a sense, the National Infrastructure Commission has designed a route map and the Treasury has agreed to pay for the ticket.  But it is only the start of a long journey.
Much of it will be spent on planning better rail and road links between Manchester and Leeds.
These projects are not quick or easy or cheap.  In addition, parts of the M62 will be developed between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.  The Commission has decided this is the most efficient way to deliver improvements.
This all indicates that the Manchester to Leeds axis is still seen as the key component in creating a Northern Powerhouse.  But Lord Adonis, who chairs the commission, has said there is much more to do.  And much more beyond transport too.


With thoughts on how to house Millenials and designs for an airport for drones, the visionary architects and curators at the Venice Architecture Biennale are looking to the future.

"If we're going to talk the talk, we have to walk the walk," insists the Pritzker Prize-winning Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena - curator of this year's Venice Architecture Biennale.
"[The Biennale] is not about the advancement of architecture but about improving the quality of lifeâ€¦ and the way architects try and do that is through the built environment.
"The first thing was to define what are the front lines, what are the challenges, what are the problems?
"Inequality, migration, pollution and the production of waste are the kind of things every single citizen suffers or experiences."
So, instead of "producing more debris", he decided to create the first room of his sprawling exhibition in Venice's Arsenale out of the waste materials from the unwanted exhibition stands used in last year's Art Biennale.
The walls of the room are constructed from 100 tonnes of discarded plasterboard, layered horizontally to look like elegant rows of chalky bricks, while the ceiling shimmers with the effect of a huge mass of misshapen metal studs hanging down like stalactites from above.
For him, "value should not be dependent on the cost of materials, but from the way you deal with them."
It's a point underlined in a modelled plan for how a modern European city might respond, in architectural terms, to a large influx of migrants.
It shows a public realm designed by the architect, around which are a series of low-rise apartment blocks that have been plumbed and wired but have little else - for example, there are no dividing walls or windows.
These, says Aravena, would be supplied by the new resident after taking a trip to the local DIY store. Basic, yes - but far better, he thinks, than a tent in a muddy field pitched on the edge of a city.
His concerns about the practicalities of city living in the 21st Century are echoed in the British Pavilion, which has been commissioned by the British Council.
Three young curators have presented an exhibition that explores possible answers to the country's housing problems.
An over-sized mock-up of the front door to 10 Downing Street sets their show and ideas into a political context, while questioning the Elizabethan notion of a front door for all.
They argue that our attitude to the home needs to change - it shouldn't be how big it is, but how long do you need it for.
Hence, their exhibition starts with A Home For Hours, a crash-pad full of day beds in which resources are pooled for a better quality of life, where domestic appliances, board games, clothes and shoes are shared.
It's an idea that might seem a little far-fetched to some, but for those Millennials who have grown up in an age of student debt and rocketing house prices, it could present a practical solution to a pressing problem.
Another room is a Home for Days, consisting of two "Zorbs", giant spherical inflatables into which you can jump and sleep - the concept being that we already spend so much of our time living in a virtual bubble, why not go the whole hog and live in an actual one?
A Home for Months, meanwhile, is a tiny two-storey tower containing a bed, bathroom and kitchenette - a structure designed to be arranged in rows within a larger room where residents would share communal spaces.
It's a contemporary take on the boarding house: affordable city living for the i-Generation.
The celebrated architect Lord Foster is also in Venice presenting his latest creation - not, this time, a fancy tower block or gorge-spanning bridge, but a modest, vaulted brick-built building which he claims to be the world's smallest airport.
It's the next stage in a project he's being working on for some time, which would see this "drone-port" installed in Rwanda as a base from where remote-controlled machines can take off and deliver much needed supplies to inaccessible areas.
It looks a little like a mud hut, but is actually a highly complex computer-based design that is the result of a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
With the aid of cutting edge computer science and buried steel tension ropes, the largely self-supporting structure uses a fraction of the materials such a building would normally need and can be made with minimum expertise.
It's a project that fits perfectly with Aravena's vision for this Biennale.
"The scarcer the resources, the greater the need to think creatively about the use of those resources - and that, in the end, is down to mind power, it is creative.
"To build quality projects doesn't mean you have to have costly materials."
The Venice Architecture Biennale runs from 28 May to 27 November 2016.


Nottingham Forest owner and chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi says he is close to agreeing a deal to sell the club.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Al Hasawi, who took control of the Reds in the summer of 2012, would not reveal the identity of the buyers.
However, BBC Sport understands that a United States consortium, led by millionaire John Jay Moores, is on the verge of securing a £50m deal.
The takeover would see the former San Diego Padres owner take an 80% stake in the Championship club.
Moores' consortium were previously interested in buying Premier League side Everton, and the potential new owners met club staff last week.


An Israeli who crossed into Gaza last September is probably being held by the militant Hamas movement, Israel says.

Abraham Mengistu, of Ethiopian origin, went into Gaza of his own accord and has been missing since then, defence officials say.
Israel says it does not consider Mr Mengistu to be captive, AP news agency reported. Hamas has not commented.
An Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was kidnapped and held by Hamas for over five years before being freed in 2011.
Israeli defence officials say they have appealed to international and regional bodies to help clarify Mr Megistu's situation and are demanding his immediate release.
AP quoted an unnamed official as saying it is unclear why the 29-year-old went into Gaza but that he is believed to be mentally unstable.
Sgt Shalit was captured in a cross-border raid by Hamas in 2006, triggering a crisis which was only resolved years later in a controversial exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.


Tributes have been paid to "titan of cinema", the actor Sir Christopher Lee, who has died aged 93.

Sir Roger Moore, who appeared with him in The Man with the Golden Gun and had known him since 1948, was among those sharing their thoughts on Twitter.
"It's terribly [sad] when you lose an old friend, and Christopher Lee was one of my oldest," said Moore.
Director Tim Burton called him "the last of his kind - a true legend - who I'm fortunate to have called a friend."
Burton said it had been "an honour and pleasure" to work with Sir Christopher on five films - Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Alice In Wonderland and Dark Shadows.
"Christopher has been an enormous inspiration to me my entire life... He will continue to inspire me and I'm sure countless others for generations to come," said Burton.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Saddened to hear of Sir Christopher Lee's death, a titan of Golden Age of Cinema & distinguished WW2 veteran who'll be greatly missed."
Singer and photographer Bryan Adams shared a portrait he took of the star, with the words, "What a sad day for the world to lose this incredible actor and human being."
The actor's Lord Of The Rings co-stars also paid tribute - Dominic Monaghan said on Twitter: "So so sorry to hear that Christopher Lee has passed away. He was a fascinating person. Threw a Bic pen into a tree in front of me."
Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in the film trilogy, wrote: "An extraordinary man and life lead, Sir Christopher Lee. You were an icon, and a towering human being with stories for days. We'll miss you."
In honour of another of Sir Christopher's famous roles, Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Mayor of London Boris Johnson posted a picture of himself brandishing a light sabre alongside the actor.
Johnson wrote: "Really sad to hear about the death of Christopher Lee, one of the greatest British actors and a master of the macabre."
Star Wars director George Lucas said: "Christopher was a great British actor of the old school. A true link to cinema's past and a real gentleman. We will miss him."
Film buff Jonathan Ross said: "So sad to hear that Sir Christopher Lee has died. A great actor, a great star, a surprisingly good singer and a lovely, lovely man."
Bafta's chief executive Amanda Berry was Sir Christopher's agent for six years during her first job as a theatrical agent.
She told BBC 5 Live the actor had "incredibly high standards and always wanted to be the best he could be."
"He always played a brilliant baddie," she added, "I would never want to pigeon hole him as he was a genuinely brilliant actor."
Berry said the actor and music fan, who recorded several heavy metal albums, "was like an honorary grandfather to me, and offered to sing at my wedding. "
Many who had grown up watching Sir Christopher on screen also paid tribute, including Reece Shearsmith, who wrote: "Very upset to learn that Sir Christopher Lee has passed away. An amazing gentleman who brought us so many iconic roles. He will be missed."
Paddy Considine called him "a true legend", while Mark Gatiss tweeted a link to a portrait he had once commissioned of the actor.
"The great, always criminally underrated Sir Christopher Lee has left us," wrote Gatiss. "A Titan of cinema and a huge part of my youth. Farewell."


Work to move thousands of boulders on the sea bed off the south coast of England is getting under way to enable a 116-turbine wind farm to be built.

The Rampion wind farm, between Peacehaven and Worthing, is the first to be located off the south coast.
Energy firm E.On said the seabed would be cleared along the cable route and around each of the turbine positions.
Work is also beginning onshore on the first of 12 cabling stages to the south of Upper Brighton Road, Worthing.
E.On development manager Chris Tomlinson said: "Assessment of the number of boulders is still under way but is likely to be in the thousands and up to six vessels will be on site to undertake the work over the next many months.
"Great efforts will be made to replicate the seabed as it is now and all boulders moved will be weighed and the new position recorded."
Installation of the turbine foundations will begin in January.
The Â£1.3bn wind farm eight miles off the Sussex coast will be visible from the shore and the South Downs National Park.
Onshore, access points will be constructed along the cable route.
This will be followed by trenching works to lay the ducting for the cables which will cross the national park and link to a substation in Twineham.
The wind farm could produce enough electricity for about 300,000 homes.
During the three-year offshore construction period 250 to 300 jobs will be created, with 65 permanent jobs once it is fully operational with a base at Newhaven Port.


Fracking should be carried out in the North East of England, where there are large, "desolate" areas, a former energy secretary has said.

Lord Howell of Guildford argued there was "plenty of room" for developments and less concern than was the case over "beautiful natural areas".
But the Archbishop of Canterbury disagreed, calling the North East "beautiful, rugged, welcoming".
Downing Street said Lord Howell did not speak for the government.
Fracking - short for "hydraulic fracturing" - involves drilling deep under ground and releasing a high-pressure mix of water, sand and hundreds of chemicals to crack rocks and release gas stored inside.
Water companies are worried the process could contaminate drinking water aquifers that lie above shale gas reserves. But supporters of fracking say it is safe and essential to making the UK more energy self-sufficient.
Widespread fracking has not started in the UK yet, but Cuadrilla began exploratory drilling in Lancashire in 2011 and many other possible sites have been identified.
During Lords Questions, Conservative Lord Howell, who was energy secretary from 1979 to 1981, asked: "Would you accept that it could be a mistake to think of and discuss fracking in terms of the whole of the United Kingdom in one go?
"I mean there obviously are, in beautiful natural areas, worries about not just the drilling and the fracking, which I think are exaggerated, but about the trucks, and the delivery, and the roads, and the disturbance, and those about justified worries."
He added: "But there are large and uninhabited and desolate areas. Certainly in part of the North East where there's plenty of room for fracking, well away from anybody's residence, where we could conduct without any kind of threat to the rural environment."
Despite outbursts from other peers, Lord Howell continued, turning to energy minister Baroness Verma and asking: "So would you agree with me, that the distinction should be made between one area and another, rather than lump them all together?
"And if we can push ahead with this kind of gas production, then obviously it takes us fast away from the kind of coal burning, which is increasing at the moment because of delays in authorising gas production."
Labour's Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton said: "I declare an interest as a resident of Lancashire, who is aware of the enormous beauty of the Trough of Bowland.
"Would you, minister, join with me in condemning the alleged remarks of protesters in the south of England, that all the fracking could be done in the north of England?
"And will you join with me in insisting that the beauty of Lancashire is as important, not more but as important, as the beauties surrounding, for example, Guildford?"
Baroness Verma first addressed her Conservative colleague, saying: "As members are aware, [fracking] is at its early stages of exploration and there will be areas of landscape that won't be suitable for fracking, as you rightly point out.
"But we are in its early stages and as the government is determined to ensure that we are not dependent on coal but more on gas, and low-carbon energy sources, I think you make some very important points."
She told Baroness Farrington: "I'm sure that my noble friend did not say that Lancashire was [not] as beautiful. All parts of this great country are beautiful."
Lord Howell, the father-in-law of Chancellor George Osborne, was also the minister in the Foreign Office responsible for international energy policy between 2010 and 2012.
After the comments, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, wrote on Twitter: "North east England very beautiful, rugged, welcoming, inspiring, historic, advancing, not 'desolate' as was said in House of Lords today."
Friends of the Earth's Tony Bosworth called the comments "jaw-dropping", adding:  "The government's ill-conceived fracking plans aren't something that can be quietly brushed under the carpet 'up north' - as the villages resisting the drillers in the Tory heartlands of England's south show."
North East Chamber of Commerce's director of policy, Ross Smith, said: "To be frank, this is a ridiculous way to describe a region that boasts some of the most beautiful unspoiled countryside in the UK and a host of the most recognisable and cherished landmarks and attractions in the country.
"However, if the point that Lord Howell is trying to make - albeit in a totally bizarre way - is that the North East has the expertise, the skills and the businesses within our energy sector to help solve the UK's energy issues then I would wholeheartedly agree."
And Claire Norman, spokeswoman for the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: "We can't have a situation where it's OK for the South to think these things should happen in the North, or indeed vice versa."
A government spokesman said: "Lord Howell is not a minister and does not speak for the government. He has not been a government adviser since April 2013."


The sister of a woman killed at a hostel in Caerphilly county has told how she found out her sister had been murdered on Facebook.

Cerys Yemm, 22, was attacked by Matthew Williams at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed on 6 November 2014.
Police officers stunned Williams, 34, with a Taser but he later died.
An inquest jury ruled Miss Yemm was unlawfully killed, while Williams died as a result of taking drugs and struggling against police restraint.
Cerys' sister Shannon Yemm told BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme: "I had people messaging me. I'd already seen in a [Facebook] post there'd been a murder in Argoed.
"And then I had people messaging me via Facebook message saying 'please don't tell me it's true, it's not your sister is it?'.
"Mum was obviously crying and couldn't tell me, couldn't speak on the phone."
She then had to make the drive from Cardiff to Argoed without knowing what had happened to her sister.
Cerys' mother Paula Yemm said she first learned the death was being described a "cannibal killing" when she saw the news headlines on TV.
She said: "I woke up at four or five in the morning, walked into the living room and just saw Cerys' picture and those headlines.
"You can't describe as a parentâ€¦ seeing those headlines about your child. I still can't comprehend that today."
The hostel owner Mandy Miles had told the 999 operator at the time of the attack that she believed Williams was cannibalising Miss Yemm.
But a Home Office pathologist later told the inquest into her death there was no evidence to support that claim.
"For the last two and a half years that's been over us as a family, not knowing the circumstances, just very much in the dark about my childâ€¦ and what they went through", Mrs Yemm added.
Gwent Police said the circumstances of the death were given to Paula Yemm in a "sensitive way" after the family requested that limited information was given to them regarding her injuries.


Accommodation website Airbnb has launched legal action against San Francisco over a new law that would require it to delist hosts who have not registered their living spaces.

The website faces fines of up to $1,000 (Â£750) for unregistered hosts.
But it says the registration process is too cumbersome and the city should be held responsible for illegal listings.
San Francisco says the law, due to come into effect in August, is necessary to protect the affordable rental market.
Airbnb said in a blog post: "This is an unprecedented step... and one we do not take lightly, but we believe it's the best way to protect our community of hosts and guests."
"We believe that creative approaches are still possible and hope that the city will reconsider its current path and work with us towards building a new system that is legal, workable, and fair to everyone involved."
It said that the real issue was a "broken, ever-changing and confusing" registration process.
"The process simply doesn't work for many residents, particularly senior citizens, people who occasionally share their space, work several jobs, and have limited time for repeated in-person application meetings."
Airbnb laid out its proposals for improving the registration system, including:
It said the new law violated both the Communications Decency Act, which, among other things, prevents the operators of websites being held legally liable for the third parties who use their services, and the Stored Communications Act, which offers privacy protections for user information shared on websites.
In response, city attorney spokesman Matt Dorsey told technology news website Tech Crunch: "Nothing in San Francisco's pending ordinance punishes hosting platforms for their users' content.
"In fact, it's not regulating user content at all - it's regulating the business activity of the hosting platform itself.
"It's simply a duty to verify information that's already required of a regulated business activity."
It is not just in San Francisco that Airbnb faces opposition.
In May, lawmakers in Berlin made it illegal to rent out entire homes or apartments in the German capital.
Airbnb was founded in San Francisco in 2008 and now lists more than two million properties in 191 countries.


A new Android-powered Blackberry with a physical keyboard has been unveiled by Chinese phone-maker TCL Communication.

26 February 2017 Last updated at 00:18 GMT
The company now licenses the brand for its devices, after Blackberry decided to outsource the development and manufacture of its smartphones.
The device was unveiled ahead of the start of the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.
TCL's Nicolas Zibell told the BBC's Chris Foxx that he hoped to revive the brand with "strong products".


The founder of a society that helps people with rheumatoid arthritis is among those recognised across Berkshire in the Queen's New Year's Honours.

Ailsa Bosworth, who has been made a MBE, started the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) following her own experience of the condition.
More than 690,000 people are affected by the condition in the UK.
Others honoured in the county, include Paul Owen from Wargrave, who has been made an OBE for services to canoeing.
Mrs Bosworth started the NRAS in 2001 operating initially from her own home before moving to headquarters in Maidenhead.
She said: "I am delighted, it came totally out of the blue.
"It is really a reflection on my team. I couldn't do without their passion and support. Rheumatoid arthritis is a hidden disease and many people do not really understand it."
Elsewhere in Berkshire, Karnail Pannu, the chairman of a multi-faith forum that helps to develop community links and cultural activities has been appointed an OBE for services to the community in Windsor and Maidenhead.
Rosanna Noad, from Slough, who works as part of a Border Force team safeguarding children entering and leaving the UK has also been made an OBE for her services to child protection.
Among high-profile names receiving honours, AP McCoy, who lives just outside Lambourn, has been knighted in recognition of his racing career where he became champion jockey 20 years running.


TV cameras could be allowed into crown courts in England and Wales for the first time, as part of a pilot scheme proposed by the Ministry of Justice.

During the pilot, sentencing remarks made by senior judges at eight courts, including London's Old Bailey, would be filmed but not broadcast.
Filming other court users, including defendants, witnesses and victims, would remain banned.
Filming has been allowed before only at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
In Scotland, broadcasters have been able to apply to televise court proceedings since 1992 but this rarely happens.
In addition to the Old Bailey, the three-month pilot will run at courts at Southwark in south London, Manchester (Crown Square), Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds and Cardiff.
This latest experiment in filming doesn't mean we'll get to see entire criminal trials like those of OJ Simpson and Oscar Pistorius.
But it does mean that we could get to see and hear judges sentencing murderers and others at the conclusion of gripping and notorious cases at courts like the Old Bailey.
For the first time we would get to see some of the drama of the criminal case itself, rather than the legal argument of an appeal.
It would undoubtedly increase understanding of the complex nature of what a judge must take into consideration when sentencing, and would enable television, radio and online audiences to see and hear senior judges pass sentence on the most serious criminals.
Justice minister Shailesh Vara said he hoped the move would lead to "more openness and transparency as to what happens in our courts".
Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd said he would work with the Ministry of Justice to assess the impact of cameras in court.
BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said the pilot would not be seen by the public, but that the trial represented a "significant move forward".
Crown courts are open to the press and public but filming and recording is banned under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 and the Contempt of Court Act.
Filming has been possible in the Court of Appeal, which is based at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, since 2013.
Proceedings in the Supreme Court - the final court of appeal for civil cases in the UK and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland - have been filmed since it was established in 2009.


Chester came back from two goals down to claim a local derby draw against Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.

Defender Ryan Astles' superb low left-foot volley completed City's comeback after Rovers had been reduced to 10 men for the final half hour.
But Rovers still climb a place to third after maintaining their unbeaten National League run under Micky Mellon.
Andy Cook opened the scoring with his 11th goal of the season to put Tranmere ahead in the 30th minute.
He outmuscled visiting left-back Johnny Hunt for an aerial ball, controlled on his chest and fired an angled right-foot volley from 18 yards, which Chester keeper Alex Lynch only got a hand to.
Six minutes later, it was 2-0 as Lynch was beaten at his near post by Ben Tollitt's low angled left-foot drive.
After Kane Richards lashed his powerful shot against the underside of the hosts' bar just before the break, Tom Shaw then headed one back after meeting a ball from Ryan Lloyd six minutes into the second half.
But, after home midfielder Tollitt was sent off for his second bookable offence, after going down in the box looking for a penalty, Chester wasted a string of chances to equalise, before Astles struck a minute into injury time.
Match ends, Tranmere Rovers 2, Chester FC 2.
Second Half ends, Tranmere Rovers 2, Chester FC 2.
Blaine Hudson (Chester FC) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!  Tranmere Rovers 2, Chester FC 2. Ryan Astles (Chester FC).
Kane Richards (Chester FC) is shown the yellow card.
Lee Vaughan (Tranmere Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Tranmere Rovers. Adam Mekki replaces Jake Kirby.
Scott Davies (Tranmere Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Tranmere Rovers. Michael Ihiekwe replaces Andy Mangan.
Second yellow card to Ben Tollitt (Tranmere Rovers) for a bad foul.
Goal!  Tranmere Rovers 2, Chester FC 1. Tom Shaw (Chester FC).
First Half ends, Tranmere Rovers 2, Chester FC 0.
Craig Mahon (Chester FC) is shown the yellow card.
Ryan Astles (Chester FC) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!  Tranmere Rovers 2, Chester FC 0. Ben Tollitt (Tranmere Rovers).
Goal!  Tranmere Rovers 1, Chester FC 0. Andy Cook (Tranmere Rovers).
Ben Tollitt (Tranmere Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Jay Harris (Tranmere Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


Craig Whyte claimed he told Sir David Murray that he would not be buying Rangers solely from his own funds, a court has heard.

The High Court in Glasgow was shown an email, sent by Mr Whyte two months before he took over the club, in which he said much of the deal would be paid for from a third party fund.
Mr Whyte denies a charge of acquiring Rangers by fraud in May 2011.
He also denies a second charge under the Companies Act.
The court also heard that the ticket firm said to have helped fund Mr Whyte's Rangers takeover wanted their involvement to be kept secret.
Ticketus had concerns it may "embarrass" then Ibrox owner Sir David Murray as well as upset supporters.
The claims emerged as Ross Bryan - a fund manager for Ticketus - gave evidence for a second day.
The 38 year-old was quizzed by Mr Whyte's QC Donald Findlay about the company's involvement in the buy out.
Prosecutors state Whyte took out a loan from Ticketus against three years season tickets to help fund the takeover.
Mr Bryan said the firm was not "publicity hungry".
Mr Findlay went on to suggest Ticketus "wanted their involvement kept secret".
The witness agreed and added there was a potential "embarrassment" for Sir David if it became known.
It was also claimed fans may "boycott" buying season tickets if they "objected".
But Mr Findlay went on to state Ticketus were "only interested in securing" their transaction whether it "upset" anyone or not.
The QC: "You wanted this deal to go through?"
Mr Bryan: "Once we got to a certain stage, we expected it to close."
Mr Findlay then suggested it was "celebratory" for Ticketus.
The QC said: "All you were interested in was getting this deal done?"
Mr Bryan: "Only in the context of selling the tickets - that's the trade of Ticketus."
The trial also heard that the firm had previously been involved with other major clubs including Manchester United.
Prosecutors allege Mr Whyte pretended to Sir David Murray, and others, that funds were available to make all required payments to acquire a "controlling and majority stake" in the club.
The Crown alleges Mr Whyte had only £4m available from two sources at the time but took out a £24m loan from Ticketus against three years of future season ticket sales.
The court has heard the sale was eventually made to Mr Whyte for £1 but came with obligations to pay an £18m bank debt, a £2.8m "small tax case" bill, £1.7m for stadium repairs, £5m for players and £5m in working capital.
The second charge under the Companies Act centres on the £18m payment between Mr Whyte's Wavetower company and Rangers to clear a bank debt.
The trial before eight men and seven women continues.


Belgian Greg van Avermaet won stage five of the Tour de France - the first in the mountains this year - to take both the yellow jersey and a big lead over the race favourites.

The 31-year-old was part of an early breakaway and finished strongly to win his second career Tour stage.
Briton Chris Froome is now five minutes and 17 seconds behind Van Avermaet in the general classification.
The defending champion finished in a group alongside rival Nairo Quintana.
Van Avermaet is not considered a threat to Froome's hopes of retaining his yellow jersey in Paris on 24 July, but there was a period during the 216km stage where it looked like he might take a worryingly large lead at the top of the general classification.
The BMC Racing rider was part of a nine-rider breakaway early on and the gap to the peloton was 16 minutes at one point.
Only countryman Thomas de Gendt remained with him on the ascent of Col du Perthus, the second category-two climb on the stage, but Van Avermaet powered away to finish the final 17km by himself and win by a margin of two minutes and 34 seconds.
Froome's Team Sky and Movistar, whose overall hopes rest on Quintana, eventually raised the pace, a move that devastated the peloton and saw Peter Sagan - the yellow jersey holder coming into the stage - and this year's Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali fall off the back.
Quintana, who has twice finished runner-up to Froome, attempted to catch the 31-year-old Briton off guard in the final moments, but Team Sky responded swiftly to keep their man alongside his main rival.
Fellow Briton Adam Yates, of the Orica team, is level with Froome and Quintana, as well as other general classification contenders such as Fabio Aru, Romain Bardet, Tejay van Garderen and Pierre Rolland.
"We're happy to stay out of trouble," said Froome. "The big general classification days are still to come. This day wasn't going to be a big showdown between the contenders."
Van Avermaet's strengths do not lie in multi-stage events, but rather in the one-day classics, having won Paris-Tours in 2011 and the Tirreno-Adriatico this year.
His BMC Racing team had only held the yellow jersey for four days in their nine-year Tour history previous to this win.
And while Van Avermaet may well retain it for a few days longer, his attention will turn to aiding team-mate Van Garderen's challenge for the title.
"It may look a little lumpy but the next stage is one for the sprinters because it's their final chance for a while with us heading into the Pyrenees mountains."
Read more from Geraint Thomas' stage-by-stage guide
"It's special for me. It's the best jersey in the world. It's my first time and perhaps the last so I will enjoy every moment," he said.
"It's the best moment of my career. The main goal for us is having Tejay or Richie Porte on the podium in Paris."
It was a tough day for two-time champion Alberto Contador and an even more arduous one for 2014 winner Nibali.
Tinkoff's Contador, 33, has been battling against the injuries he suffered in crashes in the first two stages, and the Spaniard looked in discomfort as he crossed the line 33 seconds behind the group of favourites after slipping back late on in the stage.
Astana's Nibali is finding, just as Contador did last year, that winning the Giro and the Tour in the same year is a mammoth task - it has only been achieved 10 times and not since 1998.
The 31-year-old was dropped by the peloton and dragged himself to the finish eight minutes and 28 seconds behind the general classification contenders.
Contador, six and a half minutes behind the yellow jersey holder, will still maintain faint hope of a revival, but Italian Nibali is out of the running.
Stage five result:
1.  Greg van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) 5hrs 31mins 36secs
2.  Thomas de Gendt (Bel/Lotto) +2mins 34secs
3.  Rafal Majka (Pol/Tinkoff) +5mins 4secs
4.  Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) same time
5.  Daniel Martin (Ire/Etixx-Quick-Step)+5mins 7secs
6.  Bartosz Huzarski (Pol/BORA) same time
7.  Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Etixx-Quick-Step)
8.  Adam Yates (GB/Orica)
9.  Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky)
10. Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing)
General classification after stage five:
1.  Greg van Avermaet (Bel/ BMC Racing) 25hrs 34mins 46secs
2.  Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Etixx-Quick-Step) +5mins 11secs
3.  Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +5mins 13secs
4.  Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +5mins 14secs
5.  Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +5mins 17secs
6.  Warren Barguil (Fra/Giant) same time
7.  Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar)
8.  Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana)
9.  Pierre Rolland (Fra/Cannondale)
10. Daniel Martin (Ire/Etixx-Quick-Step)


With just two weeks until America goes to the polls, Arnold Schwarzenegger is sad he can't run, Donald Trump is fighting back over sexual assault claims, and President Obama is really happy.

First, let's spend a minute thinking about what could have been.
"If I'd been born in America, I would've run," says Arnold Schwarzenegger, in an interview with AdWeek. "Because now? This was a very good time to get in the race."
Sadly, because the actor-turned-politician was born in Austria, we'll never know who would have won in a (primary) battle between Schwarzenegger and Donald Trump.
Judging by his comments earlier this month, he would have put up more of a fight than the other Republican candidates.
Anyway, back in the real world, Donald Trump continued his offensive on Monday against the women who have accused him of sexual assault.
Talking about the allegations at a rally in Florida, he said: "One said, 'He grabbed me on the arm.' And she's a porn star," before adding: "Oh, I'm sure she's never been grabbed before."
He was referring to Jessica Drake, a 42-year-old adult film star who says the Republican nominee grabbed her and kissed her without permission 10 years ago.
Mr Trump denies the claims and has vowed to sue the accusers after the election. We've got a round-up of the accusations and Mr Trump's response to each here.
It's not all plain sailing for Hillary Clinton though, with her links to the FBI coming under scrutiny again.
On Monday, it was revealed that a political committee for Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe gave nearly $500,000 to help fund an election campaign of Dr Jill McCabe, the wife of an FBI official.
That's awkward for Mrs Clinton because Mr McAuliffe is a long-term friend of both her and Bill, and the FBI official later helped oversee the investigation into Mrs Clinton's email use.
Like many of the scandals that have been linked to the Democratic nominee, it's confusing and unclear how, if at all, she was involved - but it's news she could do without.
One group of voters that Donald Trump has found it difficult to woo is millennials, with one USA Today poll earlier this month giving Hillary Clinton a 48% lead over the Republican. The BBC's Franz Strasser has been out to speak to young Trump supporters in North Carolina to find out why they're standing behind the businessman. You can watch his full report above - it includes this great quote: "The slime will only get slimier."
On what led to Mr Trump's candidacy, Katty Kay has come up with 10 reasons why The Donald ended up as the Republican candidate, including the financial crash, Uber and the LGBT movement. You can read her full piece here: Driverless cars and other reasons we have Trump.
And Aleem Maqbool has been to Virginia to see if the allegations of sexual misconduct surrounding Donald Trump have stifled support among America's Christian evangelical churches, traditionally a reliable source of Republican votes. Watch the video below to find out.
6 million
The number of Americans that have already voted in the election in states that have early voting.
Video: Senator Warren says 'nasty women' will sink Trump
Donald Trump remains in Florida, holding a rally in Sanford then another at the Tallahassee Car Museum in the evening. Mike Pence, his running mate, is in Ohio.
Hillary Clinton is also in Florida, holding two rallies during the day before attending a fundraising event in Miami in the evening. Her running mate Tim Kaine is also attending fundraising events, but in Connecticut and New York.
Mrs Clinton's army of surrogates are also out on the road, with her husband Bill campaigning in North Carolina and her daughter Chelsea in Wisconsin. Vice President Joe Biden is taking the Democratic nominee's case to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Senator Elizabeth Warren is in North Carolina.
Who is ahead in the polls?
50%
Hillary Clinton
44%
Donald Trump
Last updated October 25, 2016


A second independence referendum will "almost certainly" be demanded by Scots if the UK votes to leave the EU but Scotland does not, the first minister has said.

Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC's Andrew Marr many people in Scotland would object to being taken out of the EU "against their will".
David Cameron has announced that the EU referendum will be held on 23 June.
Ms Sturgeon insisted she would be arguing the case for the UK to stay in.
Campaigning ahead of the EU referendum is already under way in Scotland with both sides trying to sway voters ahead of the summer ballot.
The SNP, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens have all said they are supporting remaining part of the EU.
UKIP has said it will campaign in Scotland for the UK to leave, with the party's Scottish leader, David Coburn, saying the country would be better off out of Europe.
Asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme if a second independence referendum would definitely be triggered if the UK voted to leave the EU but Scotland did not, Ms Sturgeon said: "Almost certainly, I think that would be the demand of people in Scotland.
"I hope this scenario doesn't arise. I hope the UK as a whole votes to stay in the EU for a whole variety of different reasons.
"But if you cast your mind back to the Scottish referendum, the No campaign then said if Scotland voted Yes then our membership of the EU would be at risk. That was rubbish then, but that was a key argument."
She went on: "If, a couple of years later, we find ourselves, having voted to stay in the EU, being taken out against our will, I think there will be many people - including people who voted No in 2014 - who would say the only way to guarantee our EU membership is to be independent.
"That, I think, is inescapable."
Ms Sturgeon said she thought the EU reform deal negotiated by Mr Cameron "didn't live up to expectations" and she said her reasons for wanting to remain in the EU were "rather different" to the prime minister's.
Former SNP deputy leader and veteran independence campaigner Jim Sillars is among those campaigning for Scotland to leave the EU.
On the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme, he said: "During the 2014 independence referendum the European Union told us to get stuffed. They weren't prepared to accept Scotland becoming a new member state.
"So I see no reason why I should got to bat for an organisation that told us to get stuffed in 2014, and if the UK remains in membership, will tell us to get stuffed in the second independence referendum. We don't owe them anything.
Opposition parties in Scotland said the first minister should concentrate on the EU referendum campaign rather than Scottish independence.
The Conservatives said "as always with the SNP, everything comes back to their campaign for independence", while the Liberal Democrats said the EU campaign "must not be used as a proxy campaign for independence".


New director of rugby Todd Blackadder says he "watched every game Bath has played in the last two years" to prepare for the new Premiership season.

The 44-year-old replaced Mike Ford this summer, moving to England having been in charge of New Zealand-based Super Rugby side the Crusaders since 2009.
Bath, who were Premiership finalists in 2014-15, finished ninth last term.
"It was just to get myself a feel of the type of rugby," the former All Blacks captain told BBC Radio Bristol.
"I wanted to understand the conditions, the way the game is refereed and the way it is played."
Blackadder, who led the Crusaders to two Super Rugby finals, says he wants to sign two centres to add depth to Bath's squad in the midfield.
The Blue, Black and Whites have lost England backs Ollie Devoto - to Exeter - and Kyle Eastmond - to Wasps - this summer.
"We are probably two midfielders light when I look at the overall season, so we're working hard to try to fill those gaps," he continued.
"I'm a big believer too that if you give someone an opportunity, they'll go out there and do a job, so if we have some breakages, we could select some novices."
One announcement Blackadder has already made is to name back row Guy Mercer as Bath's new club captain, after Stuart Hooper retired last season, with fly-half George Ford chosen as vice-captain.
"I'm massively excited about the job," Bath academy product Mercer, 26, told BBC Points West. "I'm honoured to have been asked to do it.
"We've tried to learn a lot from last year because it isn't what anyone wanted at the club.
"I don't think there is more pressure this year but certainly the boys have a whole lot of intrinsic motivation to do better."
Bath begin their 2016-17 campaign away to Northampton Saints on Saturday, 3 September.


Wrestling superstar The Undertaker has retired from WWE.

At the end of Sunday night's WrestleMania 33, having lost to Roman Reigns, he dropped his gloves, hat and trenchcoat in the middle of the ring and left.
The 52-year-old, whose real name is Mark William Calaway, leaves the sport after more than 26 years of Tombstones and Chokeslams.
The star made his WWE debut at Survivor Series back in 1990.
Throughout his career, the Undertaker's been a multiple world heavyweight champion, a six-time tag team titleholder and a Royal Rumble winner.
Some of today's biggest wrestlers - including Bayley, the Bella twins and Austin Aries - paid tribute to The Undertaker on social media saying #ThankYouTaker.


Thousands of children have fled their homes in Syria and the Middle East because of the ongoing war there.

26 May 2016 Last updated at 06:40 BST
Many of them travel hundreds of miles by boat, train and foot in the hope of finding a new place to make their home.
Along the journey some of them become separated from their friends and family.
Omar is one of many young people who have made the dangerous journey all the way from Syria to France.
He now lives in a temporary camp in Calais called 'the jungle'.
This is his story told in an animation...
Advice if you're upset by the news


Sunderland remain in the relegation zone after they failed to turn their dominance into goals against West Brom.

Despite a first clean sheet in 17 league games, the Black Cats took only a point, wasting two excellent chances to win the game in the closing minutes.
First Fabio Borini forced a sprawling save from Ben Foster, before the keeper denied Jermain Defoe from five yards.
Then the hosts had a goal disallowed in injury time when Dame N'Doye netted, but was correctly adjudged offside.
It could be a significant missed opportunity for Sunderland, who are now four points from safety after Norwich beat Newcastle.
West Brom - who came closest when an overhit Darren Fletcher free-kick tested Vito Mannone - remain 11th.
Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce will be hugely frustrated, having seen his side pegged back from winning positions in drawing their previous three matches. They finally kept it tight at the back - only to misfire up front.
The Black Cats had 22 shots - their most in a league game this season - hitting the target with seven, but could not find a way past Foster.
Much of the optimism about Sunderland's survival prospects has centred on the goalscoring nous of Jermain Defoe, but after netting in the past two games, the striker endured a poor day.
The 33-year-old had eight shots, but directed only three on target.
In addition to his late chance, he shot wide on the turn when played in by Patrick van Aanholt, and failed to make contact at all when found unmarked eight yards out by Wahbi Khazri's superb cross.
Media playback is not supported on this device
It was a largely lacklustre showing by West Brom, who were perhaps fortunate to earn the point that takes them to the 40-point mark widely presumed to represent safety from relegation.
Their star performer was goalkeeper Ben Foster, who made a number of excellent saves.
It was a complete performance from the 32-year-old, who used every part of his body to deny Sunderland: repelling Defoe's late shot with his feet, sticking up a hand to save a first-half effort from Lee Cattermole and even blocking with his face when Jan Kirchhoff found a way through.
And with back-up England keeper Jack Butland set to miss Euro 2016 after fracturing his ankle against Germany, Foster - who has eight England caps - could hardly have chosen a better moment to remind former Baggies boss Roy Hodgson of his class.
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce: "It was the best performance since I've been here. It was outstanding, particularly in the second half.
"We controlled the game, we played with composure and huge ability to break a very stubborn defensive unit. We richly deserved the victory, but just couldn't find the back of the net."
Media playback is not supported on this device
West Brom manager Tony Pulis: "I was concerned today, I think the players thought we were safe - but we showed that wherever we go, we're West Bromwich Albion and we give a performance. We must never lose that doggedness that I love as a coach.
"Hopefully [in the summer] we'll be able to bring a few players that will give us a little bit more going forward."
Sunderland face league leaders Leicester next Sunday (16:00 BST), while West Brom visit Manchester City on Saturday (17:30 BST).
Match ends, Sunderland 0, West Bromwich Albion 0.
Second Half ends, Sunderland 0, West Bromwich Albion 0.
Lamine Koné (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by James McClean (West Bromwich Albion).
Offside, Sunderland. Fabio Borini tries a through ball, but Dame N'Doye is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Yann M'Vila (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Cattermole.
Attempt missed. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Patrick van Aanholt.
Corner,  Sunderland. Conceded by James Chester.
Attempt blocked. Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lee Cattermole with a cross.
Jan Kirchhoff (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jonathan Leko (West Bromwich Albion).
Offside, Sunderland. Lee Cattermole tries a through ball, but Dame N'Doye is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yann M'Vila.
Jonny Evans (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card.
Attempt blocked. Victor Anichebe (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by James McClean with a cross.
Corner,  West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Vito Mannone.
Foul by Lee Cattermole (Sunderland).
James McClean (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Fabio Borini (Sunderland).
Darren Fletcher (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Fabio Borini (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jan Kirchhoff.
Fabio Borini (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Claudio Yacob (West Bromwich Albion).
Hand ball by Jonathan Leko (West Bromwich Albion).
Foul by Jan Kirchhoff (Sunderland).
James Chester (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Sunderland. Dame N'Doye replaces Wahbi Khazri.
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Victor Anichebe replaces Salomón Rondón.
Hand ball by Fabio Borini (Sunderland).
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Jonathan Leko replaces Saido Berahino.
Attempt missed. Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right from a direct free kick.
Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sandro (West Bromwich Albion).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland) because of an injury.
Hand ball by Salomón Rondón (West Bromwich Albion).
Corner,  West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Patrick van Aanholt.
Corner,  West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by DeAndre Yedlin.
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. James McClean replaces Craig Gardner.


A mass burial for about 300 people killed by a mudslide and flooding has taken place on the outskirts of the capital Freetown.

President Ernest Bai Koroma attended a multi-faith memorial service at the burial site in the city of Waterloo.
Some 600 people are still thought to be missing while more than 400 people are known to have died.
About 3,000 people are homeless in what is being described as a humanitarian emergency.
There is also growing concern about the risk to public health from water-borne diseases.
Mortuaries have been overwhelmed by the number of bodies they have received - more than 100 of them are children.
Freetown's chief pathologist, Dr Simeon Owizz Koroma, said those buried were people who had been identified or whose bodies were badly decomposed.
Mr Koroma told the BBC that the number of bodies he had certified was "approaching the 350 marker. But we're still expecting more coming, yes.... up to a month or two months, and I believe some are buried with the collapse of masonry, buildings".
The mass grave in Waterloo is known as the Ebola cemetery after the 2014 disease outbreak, which killed nearly 4,000 people in the country.
Homes in the hilltop community of Regent were covered after part of Sugar Loaf mountain collapsed following heavy rain early on Monday. Many victims were asleep in bed when disaster struck.
Bereaved families have been gathering outside the mortuaries - some carrying pictures of their relatives - in the hope of identifying their lost loved ones.
Sorrie Koroma is searching for his missing 12-year-old daughter, along with his sister and her five children who were staying with them for the school holidays. "I need to see my daughter's body just so my life can continue," he told the BBC.
President Koroma, who has visited the stricken area, said "entire communities have been wiped out" and called on the international community to provide "urgent support".
Sierra Leone began a week of mourning on Wednesday.
The EU has pledged 300,000 euros (Â£270,000), and Carlos Martin Ruiz De Gordejuela of the European Commission said the money would go to humanitarian organisations to ensure it reached those most in need.
The Red Cross has warned it is a race against time to find survivors. The search is taking place using diggers and makeshift tools.
Flooding is not unusual in Sierra Leone, where unsafe housing in makeshift settlements can be swept away by heavy rains.
The rains often hit areas in and around Freetown, an overcrowded coastal city of more than one million people.


A carer found guilty of murdering her MS-suffering father has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of four years.

Claire Darbyshire, 36, killed 67-year-old Brian at their home in Wykeham Green, Dagenham, east London, on 2 September last year.
Afterwards, she claimed they had made a suicide pact as his illness had become "intolerable".
But following an Old Bailey trial, a jury found Darbyshire guilty of murder.
Sentencing her, Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard QC said he accepted that she believed it was an act of mercy.
He said the key to the case was that she failed to establish her father had agreed she would also kill herself in a suicide pact.
He said: "I accept your evidence that your father did raise the question of ending his own life and he wanted to do that and wanted your help to do so."
But he told her she had unlawfully killed her father behind "closed doors" and no defence to murder applied.
Darbyshire, who was born male but has lived her life as a female, has already spent five months on remand in a men's prison awaiting trial.
Widower Mr Darbyshire developed MS in 1995 and in 2014 the defendant took over as his sole carer.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC told jurors that Mr Darbyshire, a retired Ford stock controller, had not expressed any suicidal thoughts or complained about being in pain to nurses who visited him.
Medical records revealed he had episodes of "bad temper and aggression", but had never tried to kill himself.
Darbyshire complained to a friend about having to look after him and appeared to be stressed.
After the killing she caught a train to the Dover area, having texted the district nurse to visit "asap".
On 3 September, Darbyshire approached a National Trust worker on cliffs for help and ended up with support services in Canterbury.
Five days later she mentioned the suicide pact for the first time. She said they had both taken an overdose on 1 September, which failed to work, before she suffocated her father.
On the morning of 10 September - eight days after the killing - police discovered Mr Darbyshire's body in his bed with a suit, teddy bear and various handwritten notes nearby.
Following her arrest, Darbyshire told police she had planned to hand herself in the next day and a signed account was found among her belongings.
In mitigation, Paul Keleher QC told the court that by 2015, Darbyshire and her father were "living a life which most people would regard as intolerable".
He also discussed a report about her time in custody, saying she had thought about self-harm when she first arrived in prison but "the kindness of strangers... brought her to the realisation that life was not desperate".
He added: "The prison will continue to support in terms of her ongoing transformation."
Det Insp Sarah McConnell from the Met Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command said:  "The reclusive lifestyle that Brian and Claire Darbyshire had lived for a number of years means it is difficult to fully understand their precise situation."
She said the unanimous verdict of murder "has been welcomed by the remaining family of Brian Darbyshire".


Harry Kane has already shown he has the ability to be a top Premier League striker, but it is his attitude that will help him make it at international level too.

Former England captain and BBC pundit Alan Shearer, who scored 30 goals in 63 games for his country, explains why he thinks Tottenham striker Harry Kane can carry his impressive club form into international football in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania.
I spoke about him recently to one of his former coaches at Tottenham, my old Newcastle team-mate Les Ferdinand, and he says Harry always wants to learn and improve.
He is not the kind of player who will stop working hard just because he has been called up to the senior squad for the first time by Roy Hodgson.
Yes, there was an arrogance about what Kane said over the weekend about him wanting to play for England now, and not just be part of the squad. But it was a good arrogance.
Even before Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge pulled out because of injury, I said that Kane should start against Lithuania in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier.
One of the reasons I think that is because he has got the confidence to go into the England set-up and straightaway believe that he belongs at that level.
He wants the chance to prove himself. I was the same, and I can understand why he has been compared to me.
I am a huge fan of his and what I love about him is that he scores all types of goals and does not care about the reputations of whoever is marking him.
He has got a great touch, heading ability, can mix it physically and his finishing is top class.
There is a bit of everything to his game and he is happy to run in behind defenders or come short looking for the ball.
He is still raw but, if you put all of that together, then it suggests he can be very, very good.
There are a few reasons why it sometimes takes players time to adjust to international football.
When you are called up for the first time, you probably don't know a lot of people and it is not like joining a new club where you can settle in quickly because you are with your team-mates every minute of the day.
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With England you get maybe five to 10 days together, sometimes not for a few months. You cannot form relationships until you have spent time with people and it takes a while to get used to that.
On the pitch, it is different too. It is described as a step-up is because in the main you are up against better players than you are most weeks at club level.
That will not be the case against Lithuania, though. Again, that is why Hodgson should chuck Kane in for that game.
It is a game we will win anyway and, if he waits until the friendly against Italy on Tuesday, then there will be a lot of changes and it will be difficult to look at Kane properly.
He has scored 29 goals already this season and is clearly in brilliant form, so Friday would be a great chance for him to make a flying start to his England career with a goal on his debut.
Kane is certainly capable of it and I know how extra special it would be for him because it happened to me.
Graham Taylor gave me my England debut at Wembley in February 1992 in a friendly against France, who at the time had not been beaten for 20-odd games.
I was thrown in, like I think Kane should be, and started up front.
Sheffield Wednesday striker David Hirst was my partner in the England attack, with Gary Lineker on the bench.
Beforehand, I was determined to enjoy every minute of that game because I did not know whether I would get another chance, and my advice to Kane would be to approach his debut the same way.
Just before half-time came the moment I had lived for all my life. Nigel Clough took a corner, Mark Wright headed it down inside the area and I turned to fire the ball into the net.
I scored hundreds of goals in my career but I will never forget my first one for my country.
It was an amazing feeling, and I really hope Kane gets to experience it this week too.
There was more - Lineker came on for the second half and I set him up to score our second goal in a 2-0 win.
I was voted man of the match and my prize was two flights to New York. I never quite made it there, though - I gave the tickets to my sister instead.
For me it was pretty much a perfect debut, apart from the fact my mum and dad were not there to see it because I only found out a few hours before kick-off that I was playing and it was impossible for them to get down from Newcastle to Wembley in time.
But it did not stop me being dropped to the B team for England's next game, a friendly against Czechoslovakia a month later.
That was a big disappointment but I had to deal with it, and at some stage Kane will have to face a setback too, whether it be an injury or some bad luck.
His attitude will also help him deal with when something goes wrong, but for now I just want him to keep going. He deserves this chance.
When I broke into the England team, I was fighting for a place alongside Lineker with Paul Merson, Nigel Clough, Alan Smith and Hirst. It was quite intense.
It has been a long time since there has been any sort of competition up front and I think it is a positive that Hodgson might have a problem about who to pick up front when everybody is fit.
He has got Raheem Sterling, Sturridge, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck as well as Kane so, at some stage, someone is going to be disappointed. That's not a bad thing.
They already have Kane saying 'I'm here, I've arrived and I want my chance' and it will be even better if they start pushing each other as they fight for their place.
At the moment we don't know how Kane will fit into the team but I believe he will be an excellent foil for Rooney, and there is only one way to find out.
Alan Shearer was talking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan


The Taliban say they will not participate in new peace talks with the Afghan government until international forces leave the country.

Direct talks were expected to begin in Pakistan next week between the Taliban and Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US.
The Taliban have been waging an insurgency against the Afghan government since being ousted in 2001.
Talks between the two have been on hold since last year.
The Quadrilateral Coordination Group, made up of representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US, had insisted in February that talks would take place in early March.
But in a statement released on Saturday, the group rejected those reports.
"We reject all such rumours and unequivocally state that the leader of Islamic Emirate has not authorised anyone to participate in this meeting," the group said in a statement.
"(Islamic Emirate) once again reiterates that unless the occupation of Afghanistan is ended, black lists eliminated and innocent prisoners freed, such futile misleading negotiations will not bear any result", the statement added.
Why did Pakistan admit to hosting the Afghan Taliban?
Why are the Taliban resurgent in Afghanistan?
The Taliban have stepped up their offensive against the Afghan government with a winter offensive, outside the usual fighting season.
The BBC's Shaimaa Khalil in Islamabad says the Afghan army has struggled to push them back, even with American air support.
The US has launched air strikes against Taliban positions, something the Taliban say must stop before talks are resumed.


Kilmarnock manager Lee Clark has confirmed defender Steven Smith will be out for the rest of the season.

Left-back Smith, 30, had been playing with a hip injury and will undergo an operation on Monday.
And forward Josh Magennis is also missing with an ankle knock, with Clark expecting him to be out for at least 10 days.
"We've lost two crucial players," said Clark shortly before Saturday's lunchtime match against Celtic.
"But there's been lots of players since I've come here saying they're worth a go so now they have the opportunity.
"The 18 we've picked today is the 18 players we have fit and available in the football club."
Clark hopes Northern Ireland international Magennis, who was called up for their friendlies against Wales and Slovenia, will be back early next month.
The 25-year-old is the top scorer at Rugby Park this season with 11 goals.
"Josh has jarred his ankle in training, late on Tuesday evening," Clark told BBC Scotland.
"He came in Wednesday after I had done the media, ready to train but didn't feel it was right. We scanned him. We've informed Northern Ireland he'll be out for a minimum of 10 days so we'll hopefully have him back for Partick Thistle [on 2 April].
"Huge blow, because he's got power, pace. His confidence was up after playing so well in the second half at Aberdeen [last week's 2-1 defeat], he got a good goal.
"So, obviously it's disappointing but just as more so for me we've lost Steven Smith also. We've lost him for the season. He now has hip surgery on Monday.
"He was outstanding at Aberdeen and I was confident that we could we just manage him through but it's proved too much.
"It must be too much because for him to even make himself available at Aberdeen shows the commitment he's got."


The Paris attacks have triggered a major shift rightwards for President Francois Hollande - he is stealing thunder from the opposition by adopting many of their own anti-terror proposals.

Several commentators in France have noted the gulf that separates reaction today from reaction to the Charlie Hebdo and HyperCacher killings in January.
Then the country took comfort in its familiar instinct for left-inspired solidarity.  A million people turned out in the Place de la Republique, and the language was of healing and cross-community fellowship.
Quite rightly, Mr Hollande has judged that today these mantras will not do.
That is why Monday's speech before the joint houses of parliament took his political enemies by surprise.  By the end even the far-right National Front (FN) conceded that the president's ideas might have some merit.
For the right-wing daily Le Figaro, the president's reaction to the attacks "marks a turning-point towards a clearer vision for eradicating the Islamists. It was about time."
The victory of realpolitik over what the French call "l'angelisme", or naivety, is visible in two domains.
On the international front, Mr Hollande has said, in so many words, that getting rid of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria is no longer what counts.
A coalition between France, Russia and the US will start to take shape, whose aim will be simple: to grind Islamic State (IS) into the dust.
This is a huge step when you consider that, just a few days ago, the French government was arguing that Mr Assad was as much of a problem as the jihadists.  Now there is a clear hierarchy of evil.
On the domestic front, Mr Hollande occupied space previously staked out by Nicolas Sarkozy's party, The Republicans, and left them struggling for a convincing response.
He announced the creation of 5,000 new police posts; 1,000 new customs and border guards; 2,500 new justice officials. In addition, 9,200 army jobs that were to have been scrapped will be saved.
Some of the president's ideas had the opposition gagging with disbelief.
A proposal to strip French citizenship from convicted jihadists who have a second nationality - for example Algerian - was consistently rejected in the past by the Socialists.
Likewise, the call for tougher sentencing for crimes that have a terrorist motivation; or the proposed change in the rules of engagement for police officers, so they can shoot more quickly.
The right would still have liked Mr Hollande to go further.
One idea pushed by Mr Sarkozy's party is for all 11,000 people subject to a so-called "S" notice to be issued with an electronic tag.
The S notice is a form of intelligence-gathering. It means that when a person on the list is identified by a police officer,  for example at a routine check, his whereabouts and associates are passed on to a central database.
Consistently it is turning out that Islamist attackers have already been identified by the intelligence services, and are thus on the S list.  This is leading to calls for all S list suspects to be tagged.
Mr Hollande said that the idea will be studied, but it is unlikely to be regarded as practical.
There is a political dimension to the president's reaction.  Elections are coming, and he has trimmed his sails to the prevailing wind.
Many will say he is still unconvincing, or that the measures unveiled can only be of marginal effect against such determined adversaries as IS.
But he has certainly judged the national mood.


UN human rights experts say the Syrian air force deliberately bombed a spring outside Damascus in December, cutting off the water supply for 5.5 million people living in and around the city.

The Syrian government blamed rebels for damaging the Ain al-Fijeh spring during the battle for the Wadi Barada valley.
But a new report by a UN commission of enquiry says evidence showed the damage was caused by at least two air strikes.
The attack, it concludes, was grossly disproportionate and was a war crime.
The report was published a day before the sixth anniversary of the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, which evolved into a civil war that activists say has left more than 320,000 people dead.
On 22 December, government forces launched an offensive to regain control of Wadi Barada, in the hills north-west of Damascus, after a siege lasting three years.
On the second day of the offensive, Ain al-Fijeh was bombed, causing extensive damage to the structures of the spring and killing at least one rebel fighter. Both sides blamed each other for the attack.
On the same day, the Damascus Water Authority announced that it had cut off water supplies, accusing armed groups of contaminating the water with fuel.
The UN investigators looked into the allegation and found no reports of people suffering from symptoms of contamination on or before 23 December.
However, they were told by witnesses that shrapnel from the bombing had damaged fuel and chlorine storage tanks, which contaminated the water.
The investigators also examined videos of the bombing, photographs of the damage to the spring, and satellite imagery. They concluded that the area was struck several times by high-explosive aerial bombs dropped by the Syrian air force, which indicated the spring was purposely targeted.
The commission of inquiry also says the Syrian air force committed another war crime by bombing a complex of five schools in Haas, a village in rebel-held Idlib province, on 26 October. Twenty-one children were among the 36 civilians killed.
Witnesses told the UN investigators that there were no checkpoints of armed groups present in Haas at the time of the attack, which they said involved jet fighters dropping several bombs in the vicinity of the schools and returning soon afterwards to target parents and rescue workers.
Video footage purportedly of the strikes taken by an interviewee shows a Sukhoi 22 jet dropping a parachute bomb, and remnants of FAB-500ShN parachute bombs were found in the area and photographed, according to the report.
Russia, which is carrying out air strikes in support of President Assad, denied the Russian or Syrian air forces had attacked Haas and claimed the pictures of the incident were fabricated. But the UN investigators said such an assertion was clearly contradicted by the evidence.
They also noted that while both the Russian and Syrian air forces had FAB-500ShN bombs in their arsenals, only the Syrian air force were flying Sukhoi 22s.
The use of banned chlorine munitions on several occasions in attacks on rebel-held areas of the Damascus countryside and Idlib province is also documented.
The investigators concluded that government or pro-government forces were behind incidents in Saraqeb on 1 August, Bseema on 8 January, and in the eastern Ghouta region between 30 January and 21 February, which left one person dead.
Rebel and jihadist groups are meanwhile accused of carrying out indiscriminate attacks with indirect artillery fire, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties.


Sunderland have signed Boavista goalkeeper Mika on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 25-year-old could make his Premier League debut against Everton on Monday.
Fifa have ratified the signing after a technical issue meant Boavista were unable to complete their requirements by the 23:00 BST deadline on 31 August.
Sunderland needed cover in goal after first choice Vito Mannone, 28, was ruled out for up to three months with an elbow injury.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A train company is attempting to put a halt to strikes by the union Aslef.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), parent company of Southern Railway, has applied to the High Court for an injunction claiming the action breaches customers' rights.
Aslef said GTR is seeking "to prevent the voice of their put-upon employees being heard."
The union is planning drivers' strikes in December and January in a dispute over driver-only operated trains.
The company's chief executive Charles Horton said: "We have a responsibility to our customers to do all we can to protect their interests and maintain services for them."
The matter is likely to be considered by the High Court at a hearing in the coming days.
Earlier the RMT union, which is involved in a separate dispute, announced that it would cancel a three day strike planned over Christmas.
The Aslef strikes were announced this week, and are planned for 13-14 December, 16 December, and between 9-14 January.
Aslef drivers on the Southern network voted for walkouts by 87%.


England's Jamie Coward claimed a hat-trick of victories at the Billown circuit at the start of a fortnight of racing on the Isle of Man.

The Pre-TT Classic races act as the curtain raiser for racing on the Mountain Course and feature bikes made before 1972.
The Yorkshire racer won the Superbike Post Classic, 850cc Classic and Geoff Duke Junior Superbike races on Monday.
In the final race he broke the lap record four times.
His quickest lap for the 4.25-mile circuit, in the south of the island, was an average speed of 104.55 mph.
"Not a bad day in the office," he said. "Three wins and a new lap record."
Coward later recorded a lap of 122.5 mph in practice for the TT on the Mountain Course.
Eddie Wright and Kieran Clarke won both sidecar races with Alan Oversby, Ewan Hamilton and Rob Mitchel-Hill also claiming wins.


The Calmac summer ferry service between Ardrossan and Campbeltown is to be made permanent, it has been announced.

A pilot service, linking North Ayrshire and the Kintyre peninsula, has operated for the past three years.
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said it had proved "incredibly popular" and transported an average of over 10,000 passengers and 2,000 cars per year.
He said the permanent service would be part of an enhanced summer timetable for CalMac next year.
"The pilot service proved incredibly popular and I'm sure this announcement will be welcomed by passengers and the communities at either side of the route," Mr Mackay said.
"This will be a real boost for the local economy, enhancing transport links to Campbeltown and the Kintyre peninsula, as well as supporting the tourist trade by making it easier and more attractive for visitors.
Beginning in May over the past three summers, the service provided three sailings in each direction each week.
The sailings provided an alternative to the four-hour drive between Campbeltown and Glasgow and was the first regular car ferry service between Kintyre and Ayrshire.
Until the 1930s, sea travel was the main way of reaching Kintyre from the central belt.
The decision to make the route permanent was taken after Transport Scotland hired consultants to carry out a full evaluation.
CalMac's operations director, Drew Collier, said: "Passenger numbers on this route during the trial confirm that the demand is there for a regular ferry link and we look forward to delivering this service next year in support of the local community in Campbeltown."


The funeral of one of two young men killed in a car crash on the outskirts of Londonderry is due to take place later.

Aaron McDonald, 19, and his cousin Michael McDonald, 21, from Donemana, near Strabane, were killed in the accident on Wednesday.
Aaron's funeral will be held at St James' Parish Church in Donemana on Saturday.
Michael McDonald's funeral will be held at the same church on Sunday.
Church of Ireland minister at St James', Rev Judi McGaffin, said she had been "shocked" and "saddened" to hear of the deaths.
"I helped prepare Aaron for his confirmation some years ago, and I know Michael's family very well as well," she said.
"After the last few days of talking to the family, and what I have known in the past of the two boys, I could describe both of them in exactly the same way.
"They were fun-loving boys, they were very caring, compassionate, they were full of love for their families, for their community and they both radiated love as well."
Rev McGaffin said both families had been left "numbed" and devastated" by the deaths of Aaron and Michael.
"It will take some time for it all to sink in and with the help of the community they are coping," she said.
"Over the past few days I have been in Donemana with both families and I have noticed just how many young people are there.
"There were hundreds, literally hundreds of young people there the other night, but yet the village was very quiet.
"Donemana is a very tight knit and a very caring and loving and very compassionate community.
"Everybody knows everybody and they're getting a lot of very clear support from their neighbours and friends and from people much wider afield than Donemana."
The crash happened on the Victoria Road between Newbuildings and Magheramason.
Two other people were in the car.
An 18-year-old man arrested after the accident has been released on bail pending further enquiries.


As popular as chat apps have become, they all suffer from the same flaw -  if you board an underground train, head into the wild or find yourself in a situation where the authorities block the mobile networks, you're likely to end up cut off.

Now a new technology is promising to keep such "off-the-grid" smartphone owners chatting.
It has been hailed as having the potential to trigger nothing less than a second mobile revolution.
Mesh networking is the kind of techie term that, quite understandably, would elicit blank stares were one to mention it en passant.
But in the past few months, unprecedented anxiety over state surveillance of internet traffic allied with the incorporation of the technology into Apple's latest mobile software, iOS 7, has meant the novel communications protocol has itself been creating a lot of chatter.
So what's all the fuss about? In short, the technology potentially allows communication "off the grid" from the mainstream internet.
Its potential is huge - ranging from communication during disaster relief efforts through to the promotion of democracy.
At risk of simplification, it is helpful to think of a traditional network as a bicycle wheel - where every spoke connects at some point to a central hub, be it a mobile phone network, internet service provider or computer server.
By contrast, a mesh network has no central connection point to speak of. Instead, each point on the network acts as a "node" in a kind of webbed mesh, able to efficiently route traffic on to any other node within range.
That means messages can pass from one point to another, without the need for the regular internet - incredibly useful in times of disaster, where traditional communications are often limited or severed entirely.
Should even a single node be internet-connected, traffic can be shared with all other nodes to give internet access to all on the mesh.
But a mesh network can also be an incredibly useful tool for those worried about others monitoring their online activity.
Since there is no central authority, it is inherently more difficult to shut down than a traditional network and impossible to monitor unless one is directly connected to the network itself.
Mesh networking is a very well-established idea. Originally established for the military, today it is being used in projects around the globe - in villages, towns and cities, largely to help spread connectivity where only limited internet access exists.
But a little-advertised feature in iOS 7 called "multi-peer connectivity" now means that app developers can easily put mesh technology in the hands of us all, turning our once-humble handsets into makeshift routers -  no setup expertise or additional hardware required.
One app, Firechat, is already creating a buzz.
Firechat was only launched in March but already boasts millions of downloads around the world.
In essence it lets users exchange messages, photos and videos among each other, as long as there are intermediary devices nearby to relay the signal along the chain.
The app has just been released on Android too - though here it faces some competition from a well-established though less user-friendly app called the Serval Mesh, which draw attentions to its potential in relief efforts and providing connectivity to underserved rural areas.
Firechat's founder Micha Benoliel says his app is primarily aimed at entertainment, though he concedes it does have other uses.
Some are already being played out - when faced with the threat of internet restrictions and limited cell coverage, protesting students in Taiwan intent on occupying the parliament recently turned to Firechat to keep their lines of communications alive.
If that kind of use-case prevails, there's little doubt apps such as Firechat will attract the attention of governments and law enforcement agencies keen to neuter or at least monitor traffic going to this kind of off-grid network.
But right now its main challenge is to grow its user base to a stage where contemplating that kind of problem even becomes a possibility.
After all, Firechat's technology is essentially "all or nothing".
Without a critical mass of users, Firechat's promise to keep users connected wherever they may be will remain unfulfilled. And all the talk of "a second mobile revolution" may ultimately prove to be hot air.