Kerry Smith has resigned as a UKIP prospective parliamentary candidate after apologising for offensive remarks he made in a phone call.

He was selected to fight the South Basildon and East Thurrock seat after ex-Tory MP Neil Hamilton pulled out.
In a recording obtained by the Mail On Sunday, Mr Smith made offensive remarks about gay people, other UKIP members and Chigwell in Essex.
He later issued a "wholehearted and unreserved apology".
UKIP leader Nigel Farage told BBC News that Mr Smith had resigned "by mutual consent", and described his behaviour as "loutish and wholly inappropriate".
He said UKIP had had "great difficulty" with the Basildon selection, adding: "The party has got to grip this and sort it out, in short order".
Mr Farage also said UKIP's national executive committee had the power to impose a candidate if it wanted.
UKIP hopes to make a serious challenge for the South Basildon and East Thurrock seat in the forthcoming general election, in which it is seeking to win a handful of seats and potentially hold the balance of power.
But Mr Smith's resignation, four days after he was re-adopted as a candidate, capped a week of negative headlines for the party.
Mr Hamilton pulled out of contention for the seat amid questions raised by the party over his expenses while another candidate, Natasha Bolter, withdrew amid an investigation into allegations she made against Mr Bird, whose job is to vet election candidates.
Following his resignation on Sunday, Mr Smith said in a statement: "I want the best for South Basildon and Thurrock and I want to see the real issues discussed that touch the lives of people.
"Therefore I have chosen to resign so that UKIP can win this seat next May."
A parliamentary candidate resigns having tried blaming his racist comments on taking painkillers.
This comes days after an alleged sex scandal at UKIP Head Office in which the party's chief executive did - or did not - sleep with another candidate.
Meantime a wealthy donor is said to be threatening to stop funding the party if his friend doesn't get a seat. You may think that UKIP's week of bad headlines is just a diverting soap opera.
You may think it simply shows the growing pains of Britain's fastest growing political force. You may think it has no significance at all. If so, you'd be wrong.
Read Nick's full blog
During the recorded conversation, Mr Smith talks about UKIP's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group. He can be heard jokingly referring to it as BLT UKIP, and adds "what the old poofter groups call themselves".
He jokes about "shooting peasants" from the Essex town of Chigwell and supporting "a peasant's hunt through Chigwell village".
A UKIP spokesman confirmed to the BBC that Mr Smith had apologised to Mr Farage for allegations made against him during the phone call - which Mr Smith has since retracted.
UKIP MEP Steven Woolfe, the party's immigration spokesman, said that "racist and homophobic language" would not be tolerated.
"When there is someone who has come out and expressed these type of views, which I abhor and dislike intensely, we have acted rapidly and we have got them out," he told Radio 4's Today programme.
UKIP's candidates, he claimed, were "ordinary people" who did not have the media training that their political rivals had and sometimes had to be "guided".
But he insisted the way the party was dealing with problems as they arose showed how it had matured.
"What we have seen over the last ten days is that UKIP has grown up rather dramatically," he added.
Mr Smith stood for UKIP in the Basildon seat in 2010, where he came fourth behind the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems.
But the party now regards the seat as one that it could possibly win and the selection process is now likely to be re-opened.
After Mr Hamilton withdrew his candidacy for the Basildon seat earlier this week, Channel 4 reported seeing a letter from UKIP's finance committee querying expenses claims made by him.
Mr Hamilton, UKIP's deputy chairman, said his decision to withdraw from the Basildon selection process was nothing to do with expenses, but that it was a UKIP "dirty trick" to stitch him up.


Falkirk manager Peter Houston hailed his side for "taking chances" as they progressed to the Premiership play-off final thanks to Bob McHugh's late goal.

McHugh's stoppage-time winner meant the Bairns beat Hibs 3-2, 5-4 on aggregate.
"We're deep into injury time and the two centre-halves are in the opposition box for a long throw-in," Houston told BBC Scotland.
"We take chances. We took a chance tonight, and Bob McHugh scores again - brilliant."
Houston's side now face Kilmarnock in a two-legged final, on Thursday 19 and Sunday 22 May, with the winner playing top-flight football next season.
"We'd have been on our holidays tonight if we'd lost that, and we didn't want that," said Houston, whose side were runners-up in the Championship. "We all spoke about it during the week.
"We wanted to be in that final - normally the second-best team in the league gets to the play-off final. Very difficult game against Kilmarnock - I'll go to their game [against Dundee United on Saturday]. We've already had them watched a number of times."
McHugh has made a habit of coming off the bench to score crucial late goals for Falkirk. He struck late on against Hibs in the sides' previous two meetings - including the first leg of the semi-final - and scored a last-gasp winner at home to Rangers.
On Friday, though, Houston opted to start McHugh, in place of Lee Miller, rather than deploy the striker later in the game.
"He's been chapping my door for three weeks - 'when am I getting a start?'" Houston explained. "I went with tried and trusted, and [John] Baird and Lee have been doing well and scoring lots of goals.
"It was injury that took Bob out the team, not me. But I brought him here because he's a goalscorer. I gave him the opportunity tonight, I thought it was the right time to unleash him because I needed pace in behind a wee bit more, and it worked."


A British nurse who contracted Ebola last year during his work in Sierra Leone, has been recognised in the Queen's birthday honours list.

Will Pooley, 30, has been made an MBE for his services in combating the disease outbreak in west Africa.
The nurse, from Suffolk, recovered fully and returned to Sierra Leone in October and is now back in the UK.
There were at least nine MBEs for other nurses and about 7% of all the honours' recipients were from the health sector.
Oliver Johnson, programme director for the King's Sierra Leone Partnership for whom Mr Pooley worked, was made an OBE.
And Ciaran Devane, the former chief executive of cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support, receives a knighthood.
Mr Pooley, from the Suffolk village of Eyke, travelled to eastern Sierra Leone in the summer of 2014 and in August, just six weeks after his arrival, became the first Briton to be evacuated from west Africa with the virus.
Mr Pooley did not want to comment on his award, but his mother Jackie told the Press Association news agency that the family was "very proud" of him and he is hoping to continue with his nursing career.
"We are very proud because he followed what he wanted to do. He followed it through even when it was uncomfortable and dangerous and he was quite aware that he was putting his life on the line," she said.
Mr Pooley had to be airlifted back to the UK for treatment for the virus. He was treated in a special isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London where he was given the experimental drug ZMapp. He told the BBC afterwards how scared he had been.
Following his recovery, he spoke at a summit in London to discuss the global response to the virus, choking up as he recalled the "horror and the misery" he had witnessed in Sierra Leone.
Oliver Johnson has been leading a small team on the frontline of the Ebola response at Connaught Hospital in the Sierra Leone capital Freetown.
He said he was "humbled" by his honour.
"Everything we achieved is due to the efforts of extraordinary local health workers and international volunteers, who have bravely led the fight against Ebola and did not hesitate to put their lives at risk to save others.
"They are the real heroes of the response, and I would like to dedicate this award to them, especially those friends and colleagues who lost their lives to the disease.
"We will continue to fight the virus until we have seen the last case, and to work with our local partners to rebuild and strengthen their health system in the coming years," he said.
More than 11,160 people are reported to have died in the worst ever Ebola outbreak, which caused deaths in six countries; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali.
The outbreak in Liberia, which had the highest number of deaths out of all the countries affected, was declared over by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 9 May, 2015.
In Sierra Leone, where Mr Pooley was working, there were only 15 new cases declared in the week ending 7 June, according to the WHO.
At its peak in December 2014, Sierra Leone was reporting more than 500 new cases a week.


The Netherlands were beaten in Iceland to suffer their second defeat in three Euro 2016 qualifiers.

Two goals from Swansea midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson kept Iceland top of Group A, six points above the Dutch, who came third at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In Wales' Group B, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Belgium drew 1-1, while Omer Damari scored a hat-trick as Israel beat Andorra 4-1.
Southampton's Graziano Pelle scored the only goal as Italy defeated Malta 1-0.
Pelle, 29, was making his debut in a match that saw both sides reduced to 10 men as Malta's Michael Mifsud was sent off after 27 minutes, before Italian Leonardo Bonucci was dismissed with 17 minutes remaining.
It has been a terrible start to the Netherlands' campaign for new boss Guus Hiddink, who took over the national side in the summer after Louis van Gaal left to join Manchester United.
The Dutch lost their first Group A game 2-1 in Czech Republic and needed to come from behind to beat Kazakhstan 3-1 on Friday, before losing in Reykjavik.
Elsewhere, the most emphatic win was Croatia's 6-0 demolition of Azerbaijan in Group H, with Ivan Perisic netting twice and ex-Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric also on the scoresheet.
In the same group, Norway beat Bulgaria 2-1, with Martin Odegaard making his competitive international debut to become the youngest player to appear in a European Championship qualifier match, at 15 years and 300 days.
Meanwhile, in Group A, Czech Republic beat Kazakhstan 4-2 and Latvia drew 1-1 with Turkey.
Match ends, Iceland 2, Netherlands 0.
Second Half ends, Iceland 2, Netherlands 0.
Attempt missed. Arjen Robben (Netherlands) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Leroy Fer.
Foul by Robin van Persie (Netherlands).
Birkir Bjarnason (Iceland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Nigel de Jong (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Iceland).
Gregory Van der Wiel (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Iceland).
Substitution, Iceland. Rurik Gislason replaces Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.
Foul by Leroy Fer (Netherlands).
Emil Hallfredsson (Iceland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bruno Martins Indi (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Emil Hallfredsson (Iceland).
Corner,  Netherlands. Conceded by Teddy Bjarnason.
Attempt blocked. Quincy Promes (Netherlands) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Daley Blind (Netherlands) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kári Arnason (Iceland).
Attempt missed. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Iceland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Kári Arnason.
Nigel de Jong (Netherlands) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Nigel de Jong (Netherlands).
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Iceland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Emil Hallfredsson (Iceland) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Foul by Leroy Fer (Netherlands).
Hannes Thór Halldórsson (Iceland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Netherlands. Leroy Fer replaces Ibrahim Afellay.
Corner,  Netherlands. Conceded by Ragnar Sigurdsson.
Foul by Nigel de Jong (Netherlands).
Emil Hallfredsson (Iceland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Bruno Martins Indi (Netherlands) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Ibrahim Afellay following a set piece situation.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kári Arnason (Iceland).
Attempt saved. Ragnar Sigurdsson (Iceland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Substitution, Netherlands. Quincy Promes replaces Jeremain Lens.
Gregory Van der Wiel (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Birkir Bjarnason (Iceland).
Corner,  Netherlands. Conceded by Teddy Bjarnason.
Corner,  Iceland. Conceded by Stefan de Vrij.
Attempt missed. Robin van Persie (Netherlands) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.


Baku was the new kid on the Formula 1 block in 2016, presenting fans with the fastest street circuit on the calendar.

The race was expected to be full of high drama, with drivers squeezing cars through narrow sections and an error or two never far away.
What happened? An unexpectedly dull inaugural race.
With only a 12-point gap between Vettel and Hamilton at the top of the drivers' championship, can Azerbaijan provide an exhilarating show this time around?
Choose your top-10 race result below...
Who will finish in the top 10 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?


Serbia's match with Albania was abandoned after a drone carrying a political message sparked clashes involving players and fans on the Partizan Stadium pitch.

Media playback is not supported on this device
The Euro 2016 qualifier, refereed by English official Martin Atkinson, was suspended in the 41st minute at 0-0.
Trouble flared when a nationalist Albanian banner flew above the pitch and was caught by a Serbia player.
Albania players tried to take it before several fans broke onto the pitch.
Atkinson led the players off the field and, after a delay of around 30 minutes, Uefa confirmed the match had been abandoned.
Albanian fans had been banned from attending the qualifier between the two Balkan rival nations.
Serbia and Albania have a history of turbulent relations, predominantly in relation to the former Serbian province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.
It has been recognised by the United States and major European Union countries, but Serbia refuses to do so, as do most ethnic Serbs inside Kosovo.
"It is a regretful situation on which we will report; the referee, myself and the security adviser. The circumstances were such that we couldn't continue the match," Uefa match delegate Harry Been said.
"You all saw what happened and I cannot comment on who is to blame or what to blame. I will submit a report with my colleagues to Uefa and Uefa will decide what will happen further."
Serbian national broadcaster RTS reported that Olsi Rama, the brother of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, was arrested in the stadium's VIP box for instigating the drone stunt, but he later denied that was the case.
Serbian B92 Television journalist Milos Saranovic, who was at the match, told BBC Sport: "The whole atmosphere before the game was that Serbia and Albania was more politically sensitive than any other game.
"I cannot remember for years so many police at the stadium. Everything looked like a situation that is not normal.
"One small stupid situation made an explosion - that is the shortest way to describe the incident of the night.
"The players have usually been able to keep the atmosphere on the pitch normal. The game was normal for 40 minutes with no small accident on the pitch but when that flag appeared, the heat was going up."
Albania had been looking for their second win in Group I, having started the day top with four points.
Denmark, in second place before Tuesday's games, lost to Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a last-minute goal in a 1-0 win.
In other matches, Switzerland beat San Marino 4-0 in Group E - England's group - while Gibraltar lost 3-0 to Georgia in Group D. In that section's other games, Scotland drew 2-2 in Poland while the Republic of Ireland drew 1-1 in Germany.
Northern Ireland recorded their third win in as many games to beat Greece 2-0 and top Group F with nine points.
Finally, in Group F, Hungary edged Faroe Islands 1-0 and Romania won 2-0 in Finland.
Match abandoned due to crowd trouble, Serbia 0, Albania 0.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match  (Serbia).
Offside, Albania. Ermir Lenjani tries a through ball, but Bekim Balaj is caught offside.
Offside, Serbia. Darko Lazovic tries a through ball, but Dusan Tadic is caught offside.
Corner,  Albania. Conceded by Aleksandar Kolarov.
Attempt saved. Ermir Lenjani (Albania) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Ansi Agolli.
Foul by Nemanja Gudelj (Serbia).
Bekim Balaj (Albania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Lorik Cana (Albania) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ansi Agolli with a cross following a corner.
Corner,  Albania. Conceded by Nemanja Matic.
Attempt saved. Mergim Mavraj (Albania) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Amir Abrashi.
Attempt missed. Amir Abrashi (Albania) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.
Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia).
Ermir Lenjani (Albania) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Ansi Agolli (Albania) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Stefan Mitrovic (Serbia).
Bekim Balaj (Albania) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner,  Albania. Conceded by Zoran Tosic.
Foul by Stefan Mitrovic (Serbia).
Bekim Balaj (Albania) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner,  Serbia. Conceded by Lorik Cana.
Attempt blocked. Dusan Tadic (Serbia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aleksandar Kolarov.
Foul by Dusan Tadic (Serbia).
Lorik Cana (Albania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nemanja Gudelj (Serbia).
Bekim Balaj (Albania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Dusan Tadic (Serbia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Lorik Cana (Albania).
Foul by Darko Lazovic (Serbia).
Mergim Mavraj (Albania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Burim Kukeli (Albania) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Filip Djuricic.
Attempt missed. Zoran Tosic (Serbia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Dusan Tadic.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Andi Lila (Albania) because of an injury.
Nemanja Gudelj (Serbia) wins a free kick on the right wing.


Urjit Patel has been named as the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India - the country's central bank.

Mr Patel, currently deputy governor, is a one-time Yale University economist who worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the early 1990s.
He is known to be very hawkish on inflation, which remains one of the big worries in the Indian economy.
Mr Patel replaces Raghuram Rajan whose term, which was at times controversial, ends on 4 September.
Mr Rajan had been expected to stay for a second term but decided to return to academia.
This appointment ends months of speculation over who would get one of India's highest-profile jobs. Mr Patel represents continuity and a safe pair of hands.
Outgoing governor Raghuram Rajan was one of the world's most well-known central bankers. The new man has less of a global reputation but enough credentials that international investors - so key to India's economic growth - are unlikely to be worried.
And the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has been agonising over this decision for a while, is likely to feel comfortable too. Mr Rajan riled some politicians for weighing into debates seen as being outside the role of a central bank governor - be that tolerance among different religions or the lavish lifestyle of indebted businessmen. Mr Patel will be expected to be lower-key and more conventional.
This is a nation whose food prices can fluctuate widely, often depending on the weather. And for hundreds of millions of Indians being able to afford basic vegetables and pulses is a major concern.
However, in a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Rajan denied having ever been publicly critical of Mr Modi's government.
Mr Patel takes charge at a time when India has the fastest-growing major economy in the world and its currency, the rupee  - which hit record lows in 2013 - is more stable.
And while there have been concerns about inflation rates creeping up as oil prices recover and food costs rise, many expect the central bank to cut interest rates later this year to help stimulate more growth.


While the Sunni Islamist group Boko Haram makes headlines in Nigeria, a Shia group is also causing anxiety in some quarters, the BBC's Mark Lobel reports from the city of Kaduna.

Saharan sand swirls around us as horses gallop through the film set we are visiting.
Brightly painted walls and wooden and straw weaponry line old forts, recreated to mirror the scene of the brazen Islamic revolution that arrived here in the 19th Century.
I am seeing for myself how media-savvy the mainly-Shia Islamic Movement in Nigeria has become.
Inside the compound, a dubbing operation is under way.
Flattering documentaries of religious leaders are being translated into the local Hausa language, with hundreds of DVDs sold to eager locals every month.
The movement has had a thriving daily newspaper for more than two decades and says it will soon broadcast its internet-based Hausa radio station on the country's main air waves, and start up a new TV channel.
In recent years, the once tiny movement's membership has sky-rocketed in size and scope while all attention has shifted to Boko Haram, the Sunni Islamist group fighting for an Islamic state in Nigeria.
Some are worried that this movement may be growing unchecked by the current ruling powers it condemns as discredited.
Its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, became a proponent of Shia Islam around the time of the Iranian revolution in 1979.
Events in Iran encouraged him to believe that an Islamic revival was also possible in Nigeria.
Ever since, he has grown increasingly confident he can build a permanent Islamic state within the country.
Although he denies his movement gets any funding from Iran, he is also vehemently anti-American.
When I met the white-bearded, traditionally dressed religious leader, who looked older than his 57 years, he resembled a peaceful, friendly, elder statesman and smiled as he told me that he now has hundreds of thousands of followers.
We sat together on his bright, fluffy pink, red and white rug and an orange-flowered garland framed a hanging portrait of the revolutionary Islamic leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, who watched over us.
But followers here, including Sheikh Zakzaky, are closely watching present-day events in Iran.
The US and Israel threaten to attack the country if fears of a nuclear weapons building programme there are realised, despite Iran's insistence its nuclear ambitions are purely civilian.
I asked the sheikh if Iran were attacked, would it have an impact in Nigeria?
"Not only in Nigeria, in the entire world," he said.
Sheikh Zakzaky did not explain what would happen, but added: "How much the impact would be, would depend on which areas were attacked."
Throughout our encounter, the vagueness of some of Sheikh Zakzaky's answers - perhaps driven by his apparent mistrust of the media, he separately recorded our conversation in order not to be misquoted - not only leaves many of his statements open to interpretation but also creates the perception he may have something to hide.
Sheikh Zakzaky was a political prisoner for nine years during the 1980s and 1990s, accused by successive military regimes of civil disobedience.
His supporters have been involved in many violent clashes with the state over the decades - 120 of his followers are currently in prison - and political analyst Muhammad Kabir Isa says they do constitute a genuine threat.
Mr Isa, a senior researcher at Ahmadu Bello University, describes the sheikh's movement as "a state within a state".
"I know for one that his outfit embarks on drills, military drills," Mr Isa said.
"But when you embark on military drills, you are drilling with some sort of anticipation. Some form of expectations."
Sheikh Zakzaky later told me his movement did train hundreds of guards to police events, but compared it to teaching karate to the boy scouts.
Mr Isa also alleged the movement's supporters have now become a lot more influential in society.
"I know for example he is making sure his members are recruited into the army, his members are recruited in the police force, he has people working for him in the state security service," he said.
Kaduna state spokesman Saidu Adamu said he could not confirm if the movement's followers were in the police, army or state security services but said he hoped it would not affect their loyalty to the state if they were.
The state's relationship with the movement may also determine how peaceful it remains, according to prominent human rights activist Shehu Sani.
He campaigned for Sheikh Zakzaky's release while the cleric was a political prisoner and says the government has to take its share of the blame for the recent violence by Boko Haram, which says it is trying to avenge the 2009 death in police custody of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf.
"If the Nigerian state applied the same measure of cruelty and extrajudicial killings to the members of the Islamic movement as it did to Boko Haram, we would be faced with a violence that's a million times more than that because the Islamic movement's well organised and educated," according to Mr Sani.
The Nigerian government says it is prepared to talk to Boko Haram though it describes it as a faceless organisation with unrealistic demands.
In Sheikh Zakzaky's home town of Kaduna, Boko Haram has directed attacks at both the security forces and locals.
When I met Kaduna's Governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, to discuss the current security crisis, he told me he wanted to make use of all religious leaders to find a solution urgently.
I asked the governor if he had reached out to Sheikh Zakzaky.
"We are trying to reach out to everybody and I am sure, sooner than later, I will get across to him," he said, underlining a conciliatory approach that has so far not borne results.
In contrast, it looks unlikely that Sheikh Zakzaky would be prepared to engage with the governor.
During our interview, he did say he would consider entering the political process and could, for example, have his own political party, if the system worked.
But he said the current system did not work.
He rather surprisingly blamed that system for causing the current insecurity in the country by insisting Boko Haram was a creation of the "oil-hungry West", whom he accused of using the Nigerian security forces to carry out heinous crimes here.
"Security forces are behind it," he said animatedly.
"There's nothing like Boko Haram. I have never seen a single man calling himself Boko Haram. Our enemies are from outside. And they are the ones behind those bombings."
That theory goes against much of the evidence about the group that does exist, as the government has arrested senior members of the militant outfit and police stations and army barracks are often the targets of attacks.
Oil analysts insist that the last thing the West would want is instability in the country, which, they say, would in fact jeopardise their operations here.
Yet Sheikh Zakzaky's followers, young and old, confidently told me they agreed with his view of who was behind the unrest and were in full support of the sheikh's brand of Islam spreading across the whole of Africa, not just Nigeria.
As I watched thousands gather for a weekly Koran class led by Sheikh Zakzaky, women covered in black clothes seated on one side, men in lighter clothes on another, they all appeared peaceful and studious.
The movement does not seem to be an imminent threat to either the government or Nigerian people.
But with a greater allegiance to external powers, and a clear hatred of parts of the West closely tied to the current government, the situation remains precarious.


A benefits cheat who claimed she could not walk unaided - but was filmed dancing and lifting heavy boxes - has been jailed for 18 months.

Cafe owner Lisa White, 56, from Broadstairs, claimed she needed an oxygen mask to breathe, and was paid more than Â£150,000 in benefits.
However, investigators obtained undercover footage of her working in the cafe, and a video of her dancing.
She admitted fraud and was jailed at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday.
White told Greenwich Borough Council she was living in a council home in Eltham, south east London, with her mother.
The council raised concerns after irregularities were found in payments to her carer.
Her husband, Andrew White, 56, was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence for his part in the fraud.
Mr White had given his address as being in Broadstairs while caring for his wife, who was living in the council's property in London.
Mrs White had been receiving direct debit payments of Â£135 per week from Greenwich council, but bank statements showed the amounts being paid to her husband and carer were lower, the council said.
She told Greenwich council the Eltham property was her only home, but records showed her name was linked to two properties in Broadstairs as well as a cafe and bandstand kiosk.
A council spokesman said: "She stated that she required care and assistance on a daily basis; that she could not dress herself without assistance; was unable to lift kitchen items such as pots and pans; required the assistance of oxygen tanks to regulate her breathing and had to use a walking stick indoors and a wheelchair outdoors in order to assist her mobility."
Fraud investigators filmed her running her business including serving customers and carrying heavy supplies, visiting a shopping centre, and dancing, the London authority said.
Her husband admitted one charge of fraud and one under the Proceeds of Crime Act.


(Close): London shares edged higher on Tuesday, extending the strong gains seen in the previous trading session.

After surging 2.8% on Monday, the FTSE 100 index closed up 27.2 points, or 0.43%, at 6,326.2.
A rally in commodity prices helped mining and energy companies, with Anglo American closing up 4.3%, having earlier been among the biggest fallers.
Glencore shares continued their recent pattern of big price swings by rising 2.5%.
It added to the 21% that the mining giant had jumped on Monday following reports that it was to sell its agricultural assets in order to cut debts.
Shares in bid target SABMiller dropped 3.8% after its second-quarter trading update, amid reports that it was likely to rejected a formal takeover approach from rival AB InBev.
SABMiller reported a rise in sales volumes, thanks to growth in Latin America and Africa.
However, reported revenues fell by 9% due to the depreciation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar.
In the FTSE 250, Greggs shares rose 7.6% after the bakery chain reported a 4.9% rise in like-for-like sales for the July-to-September period.
On the currency markets, the pound edged up 0.50% against the dollar to $1.5221 but slipped 0.17% against the euro to â‚¬1.3516.


Northampton Saints prop Alex Waller has said he does not take his place for granted, despite having played in his 100th consecutive Premiership game.

The 25-year-old became the first player of any club to pass the landmark during Saints' victory over Bath.
"I have done a 100 on a bounce but I am not sure I can do another 100," Waller told BBC Radio Northampton.
"Just to be involved with the club for as long as I have been and to be in the first XV is a great honour."
He added: "It is something I work at every week and not take for granted.
"I actually had no idea it was my 100th consecutive cap, Someone came and told me after the whistle.
"I am happy with it but it's not something I dwell on usually, otherwise I would have probably known."
Waller's younger brother Ethan started ahead of him during Northampton's 13-11 win and Alex was quick to praise the effect he had on the game.
"We are all competitive and I'd like to start every game, but the reality is we don't have LV games this season," he said.
"You saw from today's performance that he is quite capable of standing in and doing a fantastic job."


After a crushing defeat in Indiana's primary, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has pulled out of the Republican race for the presidency, all but securing Donald Trump the nomination.

After launching his candidacy in March 2015, he lasted far longer than most others, despite splitting opinion within the party.
It was a run that saw him clinch a number of states, but that was also known for some painfully awkward moments.
Here are some of the highlights and lowlights of his race for the White House.
Not just punching, but elbowing. This came right at the end of his campaign, as he went to hug his father on stage in Indiana. It provided further evidence that Mr Cruz's co-ordination is not, perhaps, his strong suit (see also: last week's awkward handshake with his vice-presidential pick Carly Fiorina).
During the third Republican debate in October, Mr Cruz took aim at the media for the level of questioning candidates had faced. At one point, he had the audience eating out of his hand and came across as the voice of reason.
"The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don't trust the media," he said. "This is not a cage match. You look at the questions - Donald Trump, are you a comic book villain? Ben Carson, can you do math? John Kasich, will you insult two people over here? Marco Rubio, why don't you resign? Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen? How about talking about the substantive issues?"
Because the internet is the internet, a myth built up over the past few months that Mr Cruz is the Zodiac Killer, the unidentified murderer who struck California in the 1960s and early 70s.
The rumour led to a booming industry in 'Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer' memorabilia, memes aplenty - and saw Heidi Cruz asked a question about the rumour by a journalist last week.
(She needn't have answered: the Zodiac Killer first struck in 1968; Ted Cruz was born in 1970).
The former speaker of the House, John Boehner, raised the stakes last week - he did not say Mr Cruz was the Zodiac Killer, but instead called him "Lucifer in the flesh".
It's only 13 seconds of footage captured on the Iowa campaign trail by a BBC Newsnight team in February. But, in those 13 seconds, young Caroline Cruz flicks her finger at her father's face to push him away, he grabs her around the waist, kisses her on the cheek, is met by a flinch and cries of "Oww!" and then glances at the camera, his eyes saying: "You didn't just get that on film, did you?"
When Mr Trump decided to boycott a Fox News debate ahead of the Iowa caucus in late January, Mr Cruz took the opportunity to undermine Mr Trump, his mannerisms and his mocking of fellow candidate Ben Carson.
There was a point when, even if Mr Cruz did not quite have the wind in his sails, he did well enough to make life a bit more uncomfortable for Donald Trump.
He came top of the pile in 10 primaries or caucuses, sweeping Mr Trump aside in Idaho and, last month, in Wisconsin. At that point, Republican Party leaders were rallying around the Texas senator in hopes of wounding Mr Trump. Not bad for someone who so divided the party at the start of his campaign.
A month later, and how things have changed.
This must have hurt. Mr Cruz is a huge fan of the fantasy film The Princess Bride, and has been known to quote whole sections of the film verbatim.
But Mandy Patinkin, who played the swashbuckling, revenge-thirsty Inigo Montoya in the 1987 comedy, does not approve.
After writing in Time magazine that it was "amusing and kind of stunning" that Mr Cruz was a fan, he went on to say: "Every character in that movie is looking to be loved. I'm sure Ted Cruz wants to be loved. I know Donald Trump does. Everyone wants it. But we mustn't look for love by spreading hate."
Under US election rules, candidates are not allowed to work with Super PACs (political action committees) who support them.
With this in mind, hours of raw footage was posted on YouTube that could then be converted by Mr Cruz's supporters to make a campaign video.
The 15 hours of raw footage showed him rehearsing his family into saying nice things in front of the camera, coaxing his mother into saying something she was uncomfortable with, making his daughters say grace three times until they get it right for the camera, and getting visibly irritated at interruptions.
A journalist with Politico watched all 15 hours of the footage so you don't have to.


A firefighter paralysed after a freak stag-do accident in Majorca has been forced to postpone his wedding as a result of his injuries.

James Thorpe, 28, and Michaela Watson, from Boston, were due to marry this Friday but cancelled the ceremony after Mr Thorpe broke his neck.
He was left paralysed from the chest down after falling in the sea in Magaluf earlier this month
Miss Watson said: "It needs to be perfect and it wouldn't have been".
More on this and other local stories in Lincolnshire
She told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "I knew deep down that the day would not go ahead, but I didn't want to take that drive away from James.
"I thought it would not be fair on him or me because we saved so hard."
Mr Thorpe is being treated at Sheffield Spinal Injuries Unit after being flown home from the Spanish holiday resort.
A crowd-funding page to help with his recovery has so far raised more than ??12,000.
Miss Watson said the support had been "humbling" and Mr Thorpe was determined to walk again.
"It would be amazing if James could walk down the aisle," she said.
"That's what we're praying for and that's what we're aiming for."


Retail organisations are split on Belfast relaxing Sunday trading hours.

A city council consultation ends this week on whether to designate Belfast a holiday resort, which would allow all-day opening on 18 days a year.
Belfast Chamber of Commerce supports the move, believing it would boost retail spending and create jobs.
However, Retail NI, which represents small traders, fears it could be exploited by supermarkets and has "serious concerns."
The move is also opposed by the shop workers' union, Usdaw
It has requested a meeting with the council on 19 May, when a council committee is due to deliberate the move.
The proposal could see large shops in Belfast having their trading hours extended on up to 18 Sundays between 1 March and 30 September each year.
The step is made possible by designating the city as a holiday resort under legislation from 1997.
Last year, a council paper stated there was "a strong lobby" to review Sunday trading, currently permitted from 13:00-18:00.
It said the move would boost the economy, benefit tourism and support the regeneration of the city centre.
Usdaw general secretary John Hannett said the current trading arrangements were a "fair compromise".
"Many shop workers, particularly parents, tell us how important Sunday is to them and their family," he said.
"Often it is the one day of the week when everyone can sit down together for a meal, with many saying they needed the time on Sunday to help their children prepare for the school week."


An English language school and education group called "Isis" is having to change its name because of the associations with extremism.

A spokesman said it had become increasingly difficult to attend international language events under the Isis banner.
There were also a few "negative comments" for staff wearing Isis T-shirts, said the spokesman.
The re-branding has adopted the name Oxford International Education Group.
The chain of language schools and education providers has been called Isis since 1991, taking its name from the part of the River Thames at Oxford that is called the Isis.
But the group has decided it is no longer practical to keep the name, when there are so many negative connotations of violent extremism, with Isis one of the names attached to the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
A spokesman said a decision had been taken not to wait for a change in the political situation but to go ahead and switch from Isis Education to avoid any further risk of embarrassing confusions.
"To have our staff in certain markets operating with Isis business cards, Isis group email addresses, Isis banners, was not an option. Thus, after 24 years as Isis the rather sad decision was made to re-brand," said a spokesman.
Branches such as the language school in Greenwich in south London have changed their signs.
Apart from the problems of the branding within the UK, the group had concerns about international perceptions of the Isis name.
Recruiting students, including from the Middle East, had become more difficult with the Isis name and there were concerns about difficulties for staff working overseas.
There were also concerns about internet search engines and the results that might follow from someone looking for the Isis training centres.
The education group, which runs English courses for thousands of overseas students, was started with funding from the Prince's Trust.
It is the latest example of the name Isis no longer being considered appropriate.
Last week, the World Meteorological Organisation said that it would remove Isis from a list of potential names for hurricanes.
It had been on a list for future hurricanes in the Pacific, in reference to the ancient Egyptian goddess, but it has now been dropped and replaced with Ivette.
A private equity firm and a software brand are among the businesses which have dropped using Isis as their name.


Mohamed Merah, the man believed to be the gunman on a scooter who killed seven people in south-western France, was killed in an armed siege after police surrounded his block of flats in Toulouse.

A 23-year-old French citizen of Algerian origin, he had long been known to the French authorities as a petty criminal but latterly his links to Islamist extremism drew attention.
The man who reportedly told police negotiators he was a member of al-Qaeda had recently made visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he was found in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar.
He reportedly admitted the shootings in which three unarmed French soldiers were killed, as well as a rabbi and three small children at a Jewish school. Merah reportedly held, by her hair to shoot her in the head.
According to French prosecutors, he had expressed no regrets other than "not having claimed more victims" and was proud of having "brought France to its knees".
He said he had been motivated by the fate of the Palestinians, the French military presence in Afghanistan and France's ban on the full veil, prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters.
Mohamed Merah was from Toulouse where he grew up on a housing estate in Les Izards, a troubled district in the north-east of the city with a large North African population.
He later moved to the block of flats on Sergent Vigne Street, in the quieter, south-eastern district of Cote Pavee.
From a family of five children, the suspect was largely raised by his mother, who was divorced.
He was a mechanic by trade, according to French magazine Le Point, and loved scooters in particular. He was also a keen footballer.
He was considered a juvenile delinquent. As a minor he was reported at least 15 times for acts of violence, and was described as having "a violent profile from childhood and behavioural troubles".
First arrested in 2005, he served two short prison terms, in 2007 and 2009. His convictions reportedly include thefts and driving offences.
In February, he was found guilty of driving without a licence and was due to appear in court in April.
However, two of his friends said he was a "nice guy" who "got on well with everyone", JDD reports.
One of them, Samir, said Merah had been seen in a Toulouse night club only last week.
"I served in the army and he never said anything to me about it," he added.
"I am also shocked he killed North Africans. We can't believe it."
Others give a different picture.
An unnamed young man who ran into him in arai(popular Arab music) night club around the time of the first shooting told the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur: "He's a waster, a layabout.
"A loner. Not a serious guy... Sometimes he had his hair long, sometimes short, sometimes red."
An unnamed former paratrooper interviewed by local newspaper La Depeche was a friend of the first victim, Sgt Imad Ibn Ziaten, killed on 11 March.
On Saturday night, 17 March, he ran into Merah, whom he also knew, and unwittingly embraced him, as is the custom.
"On Saturday, he even said to me, you are speaking to an angel," the ex-paratrooper said.
"I didn't understand at the time."
La Depeche suggests the "angel" may have been a reference to the suspect's jihadist beliefs.
When he attacked paratroopers in Montauban on 15 March, Merah shouted "Allahu Akbar", or "God is great" in Arabic, prosecutor Francois Molins said, quoting police who had viewed video of the attack.
He reportedly became radicalised years ago while in prison, according to Le Point.
French media reports say that two years ago he forced a boy to watch bloody videos from Afghanistan, then beat up the boy's sister after the boy's mother intervened.
Several witnesses in Les Izards are quoted by La Depeche as saying Merah turned up outside the family's home dressed in camouflage and waving a sword, shouting "al-Qaeda! al-Qaeda!"
The mother lodged a complaint but there was apparently no prosecution, La Depeche adds.
When Merah's mother was asked by police to assist in police negotiations, she reportedly refused, saying she no longer had any influence over her son.
French lawyer Christian Etelin, who defended the suspect in non-terrorist proceedings in recent years, told AFP news agency he had not given the impression of being a fanatic and had never talked about Islam to him.
"But two years ago I learnt that he had suddenly become radicalised and had left for Afghanistan," the lawyer added.
Merah visited Pakistan in 2011, from mid-August to mid-October. He had already visited the country in 2010, when he was stopped by Afghan police over the border in Kandahar, the former stronghold of the Taliban.
Handed over to US forces, he was sent back to France, La Depeche writes.
France's domestic intelligence agency (DCRI) was aware of his foreign trips and suspected him of radical Islamist activity.
Interior Minister Claude Gueant revealed that Merah had been asked by intelligence officials in November 2011 to explain his visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan and had shown them photographs to prove he had been a tourist.
Mr Gueant defended the DCRI by saying it followed "a lot of people engaged in radical Islamism".
"Expressing ideas and manifesting Salafist opinions is not grounds enough for prosecution," he added.
Days after the final shooting, Merah was tracked down by police to his flat where he opened fire when they tried to approach him.
Said to be armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, an Uzi machine-gun and several handguns, he resisted arrest for nearly a day and a half.
In his last conversation with police, on the evening of 21 March, he refused to surrender and threatened to kill police officers, Mr Gueant said in a detailed statement soon after news of his death.
When RAID police commandos moved into the first-floor flat in the morning, he opened fire from the bathroom, shooting so heavily that an experienced commando later told the minister he had never seen an "assault of such violence".
Merah jumped through a window with a gun in his hand, still firing, Interior Minister Gueant said.
He continued shooting, at which point a RAID commando killed him with a single shot to the head, Francois Molins said.
Three police officers were injured, one seriously, during the operation.


Comedian Jon Stewart has hosted his final broadcast of the satirical US news programme The Daily Show.

A host of stars joined him for the final show, including the singer Bruce Springsteen.
There were also video messages from US Secretary of State John Kerry and Republican Senator John McCain.
Stewart took over the show in 1999 and established himself as one of the most influential satirists in the US and the voice of liberal America.
He is being replaced by the South African comedian Trevor Noah.
The Daily Show, broadcast on Comedy Central, has often been cited as a leading news source for young people, with an average audience of one million viewers.
In his final monologue, Stewart thanked colleagues, fans and family.
"Nothing ends. It's just a continuation. It's a pause in the conversation," he said.
"So rather than saying goodbye or good night, I'm just going to say I'm gonna go get a drink," he said.
The Daily Show has also helped to launch several well-known comic performers, including Steve Carell and John Oliver, as well as Stephen Colbert who is to be David Letterman's replacement on CBS's Late Show.
The hashtag #JonVoyage was trending on Twitter as Stewart bid farewell to the Daily Show, with famous fans paying tribute.
For John McCain, it was a chance for a spot of gentle revenge. Stewart had once mocked him using a puppet resembling the Republican senator.


A 53-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital after suffering serious injuries when his paraglider crashed in North Lanarkshire.

The pilot had been flying over Greenhead Moss community nature park in Wishaw before crashing to the ground.
Emergency services were called to the scene at 15:30 on Saturday and the man was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
Police Scotland said inquiries into the incident were ongoing.


Paris St-Germain have signed Poland midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak and Belgium defender Thomas Meunier for undisclosed fees after their sides' Euro 2016 exits.

Krychowiak, 26, joins from Sevilla, for whom he played under new PSG boss Unai Emery for the past two seasons.
The former Reims central midfielder, who impressed at Euro 2016, has signed a five-year contract.
Right-back Meunier, 24, moves from Club Brugge on a four-year deal.
They are the French champions' second and third signings of the summer - following on from 29-year-old Nice winger Hatem Ben Arfa.
PSG lost all-time top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer after his contract expired and he joined Manchester United.


A Romanian hacker has been indicted in Virginia on charges he accessed computer accounts of several senior US government officials.

Marcel Lazar, known as Guccifer, faces charges including cyber stalking and aggravated identify theft.
He is accused of hacking into the Facebook and email accounts of former cabinet members and senior military officers, among others.
Mr Lazar has been jailed in Romania, according to media reports.
The names of the alleged victims have not been disclosed in court documents.
In the US, Mr Lazar has been linked to the theft of personal emails and photographs belonging to former US President George H W Bush, 90, and his family.
One photograph posted on the internet in 2013 showed the retired Republican in bed in hospital, where he was being treated for bronchitis.
Those stolen emails were reported to include addresses and personal details of several members of the Bush family, as well as a personal note sent by President Barack Obama through an aide.
Among the purloined photos were pictures of former President George W Bush, one showing him posing beside a life-size cardboard cutout of himself with a moustache drawn on it and others showing paintings by him, including self-portraits.
At the time, The Smoking Gun said it had been in contact with Guccifer.
He said he had taken "a lot of stuff" including "interesting mails" about the former president's time in hospital, the website reported.


The non-domicile rule, that allows some UK residents to limit the tax paid on earnings outside the country, has been a regular topic of debate in recent years.

Various changes have been made to the way people face charges in the UK if they wish to keep their non-dom status.
Still, the tax status remains, and there is an element of mystery about it - with the number of non-doms in the UK a matter of informed guesswork.
Now the Labour Party has vowed to scrap non-dom status, with some caveats to protect temporary workers, if it wins power in the general election.
A non-dom is a UK resident whose permanent home, or domicile, is outside of the UK.
A domicile is usually the country his or her father considered his permanent home when he or she was born, or it may be the place overseas where somebody has moved to with no intention of returning.
That means somebody can be born, be educated and work in the UK but still hold non-dom status. It also means that some may inherit their non-dom status from their parents.
For proof to the tax authority, they have to provide evidence about their background, lifestyle and future intentions, such as where they own property or intend to be buried.
Key to non-dom tax status is that an individual must pay UK tax on UK earnings, but need not pay UK tax on foreign income or gains unless they bring that income back to the UK.
Yes, for more than 200 years.
The FT says it was originally introduced in 1799 and allowed people with foreign property to shelter it from wartime taxes.
It became a regular point of debate during and after the financial crisis when the legal tax affairs of wealthy residents was put under the spotlight.
This election issue includes income tax and national insurance levies and business taxes.
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
This is where things become a little more opaque.
People do not necessarily have to indicate their domicile status on their UK tax return. The UK tax authority believes there was a general trend of rising numbers to 2008 when charges came in, but a fall since.
There were an estimated 114,800 non-doms in 2012-13, according to the latest figures available.
Non-doms have included some super-wealthy household names, but also include some foreign doctors and nurses working for the NHS, as well as some students.
Non-doms who have lived in the UK for seven of the last nine years must pay £30,000 each year to maintain their tax status.
Those living in the UK for 12 of the last 14 years must pay £50,000 to do so.
Non-doms living in the UK for 17 of the last 20 years must pay £90,000 to keep their non-dom status.
About 5,000 people pay these charges, raising an estimated £300m this year for the Treasury.
Some other countries have similar regimes, but the seven-year period of grace is unusual internationally.
There would still be a period of time where temporary workers and students can legally maintain their domicile overseas.
However, the big questions raised by effectively scrapping non-dom status include:
The debate is likely to continue whichever party wins the election.


A woman who gave a lethal heroin injection to a man who wanted to end his own life has been jailed.

Lyndsay Jones, 36, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the gross negligence manslaughter of Philip Makinson, who died at a flat in Bolton in February.
Police said it was "not a mercy killing" and Jones, a heroin addict, was "not motivated by altruism but by greed".
She was jailed for four and a half years at Manchester Crown Court.
Mr Makinson was suffering from "crippling depression and anxiety" following the death of his sister-in-law and mother in 2012, the collapse of his business and the break-up of his relationship, police said.
He had previously made two attempts to kill himself and enlisted the help of acquaintance Jones.
On 1 January last year, he asked Jones to buy him some heroin and prepare an injection which would bring about a fatal overdose , said police.
However, officers said, in an attempt to keep some of the heroin for herself, Jones did not give Mr Makinson enough to kill him and he was found by friends having suffered a non-fatal overdose.
A month later, Mr Makinson again enlisted Jones' help to bring about his death, and on the second occasion the dose was fatal.
Jones told her then-partner about what she had done, and he recorded the conversations on his mobile phone. When the pair split up last year he told police.
Det Ch Insp Richard Jackson said: "Mr Makinson needed psychological help but was instead injected with heroin and left alone to die by a woman whose primary motivation was to obtain drugs for her own use.
"A man came to her in desperation and instead of providing a helping hand, she provided the killer blow."


The number of families finding themselves homeless over the past year has risen by nearly a fifth on five years ago, official data shows.

Government figures show 59,090 households were accepted as homeless by councils in England between April 2016 and March 2017.
This is 17% higher than the number made homeless in the year 2011-12.
The Department for Communities and Local Government says it is investing Â£550m to 2020 to tackle the issue.
But the figures, just published, also show nearly 200,000 people are at risk of homelessness and have sought help through their local authority.
Homelessness and housing charity Shelter said the fire tragedy at Grenfell Tower had put the issue of homelessness into the spotlight.
Its director of communications, Anne Baxendale, said: "While Shelter is calling for those affected to be placed in good quality temporary accommodation nearby, and [we] hope officials make good on their promise to do so, we know many local authorities simply don't have enough affordable accommodation for those on low incomes.
"It's a similar story across all London boroughs and the country more widely, so it's no surprise that today's homelessness stats reveal the problem is getting worse nationally, with more households becoming homeless every year."
The charity highlighted that a quarter of households staying in temporary accommodation had been doing so for more than a year.
While 1,290 families were spending more than the six-week legal limit living in bed and breakfast accommodation.
A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "This government is determined to help the most vulnerable in society, and is committed to ensuring people always have a roof over their heads.
"Statutory homelessness acceptances are less than half the 2003 peak.
"However, the government is committed to do more to prevent more people becoming homeless in the first place."


A 16-year-old boy has been arrested over the murder of a man who was stabbed to death in the Black Country.

Simon Johnson, 41, was found with stab wounds at an address in Cradley Road, Netherton, Dudley, on Thursday morning.
A post-mortem examination revealed he died as a result of stab injuries.
The boy was arrested at an address in Old Hill on Saturday evening. A man, 18, from Dudley, arrested in connection with the killing on Friday night, is still in custody.
West Midlands Police is still appealing for anyone with information to come forward.


The leaders of China and Japan have met for formal talks after more than two years of severe tension over a territorial dispute.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit in Beijing.
Their first meeting included a public handshake with little sign of warmth.
In a speech to Apec, President Obama has meanwhile announced big changes to visa arrangements with China.
Multiple entry short-term visas for businessmen and tourists will be extended to 10 years - up from one year.
Those for students rise from one year to five.
Mr Obama also stressed the importance of ties between China and the US, saying "the US welcomes the rise of a prosperous, peaceful and stable China."
His comments come amid underlying tension between the US and China over Beijing's growing regional influence.
After two years of Chinese animosity towards Japan's new prime minister, President Xi has finally relented.
Today's face-to-face meeting with Shinzo Abe is important progress in relations between the world's second and third largest economies.
But the underlying disagreements over territory and history remain as bitter as ever. And even Mr Xi's body language at today's meeting was calculatedly icy.
During the handshake he did not smile or respond to Mr Abe's attempt at conversation.
For all the fireworks and group photographs, this summit brings together neighbours with different worldviews at a difficult moment in history.
How uninhabited islands soured China-Japan ties
Relations between China and Japan have long been soured by a row over islands in the East China Sea.
The uninhabited but strategically important islands, known as Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan, are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China.
Tokyo's decision to purchase three of them from their private Japanese owner in September 2012 led to an escalation in a dispute that has rumbled quietly for years.
The Chinese and Japanese leaders interacted awkwardly as they posed for an unsmiling photo after their talks.
Mr Abe said the meeting - which came three days after the two sides agreed to work to prevent the territorial dispute from escalating - was "the first step for improving ties by returning to mutually beneficial relations based on common strategic interests".
He also said they had agreed to start preparations to establish a maritime crisis mechanism.
There have been fears that a clash - accidental or otherwise - between Chinese and Japanese paramilitary vessels patrolling waters around the disputed islands could trigger a conflict.
Mr Xi told Mr Abe that China hoped Japan would follow a path of peaceful development and adopt prudent military and security policies.
Relations have also been hampered by what China sees as Japan's failure to adequately acknowledge its war-time conduct.
Q&A: China-Japan islands row
Leaders from the 21 Apec member-nations are in Beijing for two days of talks.
Apec, which includes 21 Pacific Rim nations, includes 40% of the world's population, with member countries accounting for about 44% of global trade and more than half of global economic output.
The summit takes place as China looks to underline its growing status as regional leader and economic giant.
It is the biggest event hosted so far by Mr Xi, who took over the Chinese presidency in March 2013, and trade is one of the top priorities.
In other summit developments:


Hollywood stars Will Smith and Jessica Chastain will sit on the Cannes jury when the festival kicks off next month.

The pair, both former Oscar nominees, will help choose the Palme d'Or winner from films including Michael Haneke's Happy End and Sofia Coppola's Beguiled.
They are joined by the likes of Chinese X-Men actress Fan BingBing and Paulo Sorrentino, whose recent hit TV series The Young Pope starred Jude Law.
The jury is being presided over by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.
The festival runs for two weeks in May, thankfully not clashing with Smith's headline gig with DJ Jazzy Jeff at Blackpool's Livewire event in August.
French actress and singer Agnes Jaoui, German director Maren Ade, South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-Wook and French composer Gabriel Yared will also join the Cannes panel.
Yared's scores include those for The English Patient, for which he won an Oscar, and The Talented Mr Ripley.
Lynne Ramsay is the only British director with a film in competition. Her latest feature, a thriller titled You Were Never Really Here, stars Joaquin Phoenix.
As usual, there will be a number of special screenings out of competition. This year, Barack Obama and Donald Trump will be seen in An Inconvenient Sequel, Al Gore's follow-up to his 2006 climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth.
The Cannes film festival runs from 17 to 28 May.
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Teenage paceman Josh Tongue has signed a new four-year contract with Worcestershire, keeping him at New Road until the end of the 2021 season.

The 19-year-old came through the club's academy and made his first-team debut at the start of last season.
Tongue has taken 30 County Championship wickets in 2017 at an average of 24.26.
"We are absolutely delighted to be securing the services of one of our best young players," said director of cricket Steve Rhodes.
"He is one of the brightest young fast bowling talents around the country. He is a guy who loves Worcestershire, enjoys playing at Worcester and wants to do well for Worcestershire."


Senior local government figures have serious concerns about whether Cardiff councillors will back the south east Wales city deal before May's local elections, BBC Wales understands.

The deal would bring together £1.2bn of local, Welsh and UK government funds to boost economic growth over 20 years.
Cardiff and nine other councils need to confirm their funding for the plan.
There are fears Cardiff council leader Phil Bale might not persuade enough councillors to back the deal.
Broad terms have already been agreed but the council leaders have to secure the full financial commitment from all of their authorities in a series of votes.
A senior local government source said that while the majority of authorities are on board there was a potentially "massive" problem at Cardiff.
Another local authority source said that while the challenge in Cardiff was "not insurmountable", the big risk was not reaching agreement before the local elections in May.
This would the mean new administrations having to be persuaded to support the deal in a process that could take months.
A report for Cardiff council in 2015 warned it could find its contribution to the deal "unaffordable".
Mr Bale has also faced difficulties leading the council.
He survived a leadership challenge at the annual general meeting of the city's Labour group last May.
Earlier this month he batted away calls for him to resign after his working majority was cut to three, in part because of councillor resignations.
There was no direct response from Mr Bale on Thursday but a spokesman for the Cardiff Capital Region City deal said: "All 10 local authorities are very much around the table.
"Work is underway to put in place governance and joint working arrangements.
"We expect to have a formal cabinet in place early next year, subject to agreement from the 10 councils."
The deal includes £734m for the South Wales Metro, bringing better rail and bus travel in the capital and valleys.
With the involvement of the 10 local authorities, the aim is to create 25,000 jobs and attract an extra £4bn in private sector investment.
The next stage of the plan is to secure agreement on a new regional joint cabinet as well as a mechanism to decide how specific projects are given funding in future.
A report will be published on Friday highlighting the growth and competitiveness opportunities for the Cardiff city region.


IT experts are working to fix NHS computers after they were targeted by hackers in a cyber attack on Friday.

Hacking is when someone breaks into a computer system illegally. A cyber attack is when computer systems are deliberately damaged or disrupted by people.
The attack meant some hospitals and doctors in England and Scotland were not able to use their computers and some appointments had to be cancelled.
The NHS says patients needing urgent treatment should access emergency services as normal.
As well as the NHS, it's thought the cyber attack has affected companies in about 100 other countries.
The NHS has not been affected in Wales and Northern Ireland.
IT experts are working really hard to fix the problem so NHS services can get back to normal as soon as possible.
It is not yet known who carried out the attack but there will be investigations into exactly what happened.


At least 11 people have been killed in a gun attack on a church in southern Nigeria, police say.

Up to 18 other worshippers were wounded in the early morning incident at the church in Ozubulu near the city of Onitsha.
There were conflicting reports over whether the attack was carried out by a lone gunman or a group of attackers.
Police said the shooting was the result of a feud between Nigerians from Ozubulu who were living abroad.
Anambra State Police Commissioner Garba Umar said the violence could be linked to drug-trafficking.
He said the gunman had been hired to kill a local man who was believed to be in St Philip's Catholic Church.
One of the Nigerian expatriates involved in the feud had built the church, Mr Umar added in a statement.
Parish priest Jude Onwuaso said that a "boy or man" entered the church and started shooting:
"After the first round, there was second round and I guess it was during the second round that people were shot dead. When I came back I discovered that some of my parishioners were dead, about five or six I saw shot dead bleeding.
"A lot of people were injured, some were shot in the stomach, some were shot in the head and some were shot in the hand."
But a local human rights activist said there was more than one attacker and they had been targeting the son of a local chief.
They had not found him at his home and became angry when they could not find him in the church either, Emeka Umeagbalasi told AFP news agency.
The authorities have said they do not believe there was any involvement by the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which has burned hundreds of churches during its insurgency in the north-east of the country.


Novelist Robert Harris has called on the BBC to give books more coverage "at a time when they're really fighting like crazy for a bit of space".

The best-selling author of Fatherland and Archangel said the corporation "owes it to books to do what it used to do, which is to give something back".
The former BBC journalist was speaking at the presentation of the 2014 Costa Book Prize, whose jury he chaired.
A BBC spokesman said books and authors were "at the heart" of the corporation.
"From dedicated strands like Meet The Author and Talking Books on the News Channel, to Radio 4's Open Book and Radio 2's Simon Mayo's Book Club," he said.
"We show documentaries throughout the year like Imagine: Colm Toibin (BBC One) and BBC Four Secret Life of Books and have recently launched our new online service, Books at the BBC.
"We also run the BBC National Short Story Award and children's writing competition 500 Words on Radio 2 and cover major literary prizes such as Costa, Man Booker and the Samuel Johnson Prize."
Harris, though, told reporters the BBC should have "a dedicated books programme".
"I do wish the BBC in particular would fulfil that bit of its charter remit," he said.
Helen Macdonald's memoir H is for Hawk was named Costa Book of the Year on Tuesday, beating four other finalists.
Previously called the Whitbread award, the Â£30,000 prize aims to honour outstanding books by authors based in the UK and Ireland.


The death of a teenager at a moto-cross event in Hampshire has been ruled an accident by a coroner.

Bradley Hooper, 16, from Farnham in Surrey, died after another biker hit him as he was picking up his bike at Down Farm in May 2014.
Coroner Grahame Short returned a verdict of accidental death but was critical of the way the track was run.
The inquest heard there was a "lack of" warning flags during the practice run at Headbourne Worthy, near Winchester.
Henry Siddiqui came over a jump at speed as Bradley was picking up his bike after a crash.
Mr Siddiqui, who was aged 15 at the time of the accident, thanked the Hooper family "for being really supportive and understanding".
"I knew deep down it wasn't my fault but I am glad it has been put on paper that it wasn't my fault," he said.
The yellow flag that would have warned other riders that Bradley was on the track was not waved in time.
Returning his verdict at Winchester Coroner's Court, Mr Short was critical of the way marshals were deployed and said he would be making recommendations to several organisations.
"It was unreasonable to put a 16-year-old [marshal] with so little previous experience in that position after having had less than 15 minutes briefing as to what is expected of a marshal," he said.
The Farnham Heath End School pupil had taken part in moto-cross since he was six years old.
On the day of his death, Bradley was one of 200 people taking part in a practice session at the course.
A statement from the Hooper family, read out by his uncle Kevin Duffell, said: "He was sadly taken from us at such a young age doing a sport he loved the most, moto-cross.
"He always had an infectious smile on his face and was hugely talented and lived life to the full.
"He was the sunshine in my life and now he is my angel."
The inquest heard the Crown Prosecution Service did not pursue any prosecutions due to insufficient evidence.


A 13-year-old boy has died two days after a car crash in which his brother was killed, police have said.

Ashley Isle, of Armthorpe, Doncaster, had been in a critical condition since the accident in the Dunsville area of the town on Saturday evening.
His 18-year-old brother Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thomas had been driving on the A18 High Street near Wyndthorpe Hall. Police said the boys' family was being supported by specialist officers.
The family asked that "their privacy be respected at this difficult time".


St Mirren manager Jack Ross believes he has a squad capable of challenging for the Championship title next season.

The Paisley side need one point from their final game against Hibernian on Saturday to achieve safety.
St Mirren's form since the turn of the year has seen them climb off the bottom of the table, and Ross is hopeful he can retain the majority of his squad.
"I believe [this] group would challenge at the right end of the table, where the club should be," Ross said.
"When you look back over the last 20 games, we would be a point off second - that is evidence to suggest that they would [challenge for the Championship title]."
Ross succeeded Alex Rae as manager in October last year, with St Mirren two points adrift of Dumbarton at the bottom of the table and yet to register a win in the league.
It was December before they won their first Championship match of the season, but later that month they were still nine points behind second bottom Dunfermline.
Following a busy January transfer window - with 10 players arriving and 10 players departing - Ross began to turn St Mirren's fortunes around and based on the last eight games, they are the form side in the Championship, sitting two points clear of Raith Rovers who are in the relegation play-off position.
"Again the summer will be a testing period for us in terms of retaining players. Because there are a number of young players, their performance levels will mean they attract attention from other clubs and bigger clubs," Ross said.
"My ambition is to retain as much of the squad as I possibly can. I don't think I have to do an awful lot to it.
"I don't really want to do what I did in January, I don't want to have to make as many changes as I did. I would like to never have to do that again in my whole managerial career. It was a big challenge, and a gamble to an extent.
"Hopefully we can finish the job this season. Hopefully the summer will be a fairly stable period and we can carry this momentum into next season as well."
If St Mirren were to fail to get a point against champions Hibs, and Raith Rovers managed to get a win against bottom side Ayr United this weekend, there is still a chance St Mirren could find themselves embroiled in the play-offs.
However Ross insists that if the worst was to happen and St Mirren dropped down into League One, the club would still retain its full-time status.
"In terms of that structure it would remain the same," he said. "From several months ago, when that looked like it might be the case, obviously you have to have discussions with the board.
"The club would retain its current structure [but] it would be a blow in terms of revenue generated.
"However, there are other big clubs that have had to do that in recent years. So I don't think it would be the hammer blow that people would think in the overall structure of the club; in terms of the club's pride and where it should be, it would be a massive blow."
St Mirren may only require one point on Saturday, but Ross insists that his side will arrive at Easter Road with a very positive approach.
"I don't think we are a squad that is set up to not try and win games, we have a strength in attacking areas, scored a large number of goals recently - I think in April alone we scored 20 goals," Ross said.
"We understand there will be times in the game when we will be on the back foot, where we will be dominated in terms of territory because we are going to the home of the champions.
"But that group of players believe they are capable of going anywhere in this league at the moment and winning matches, so it is important for me to buy into that as manager and not dilute that in any way."


Two sailors who went missing after an accident on board a submarine off the coast of Mumbai on Wednesday are dead, India's navy confirms.

The INS Sindhuratna was being tested at sea when smoke triggered the automatic closure of hatches.
Seven sailors injured in the incident are recovering in hospital. The vessel returned to port on Thursday morning.
Last year 18 sailors died in one of the navy's worst disasters when a submarine sank after a fire at a Mumbai dockyard.
Initial investigations showed arms on board the Russian-built INS Sindhurakshak may have played a role in its sinking.
On Wednesday night Indian navy chief Admiral DK Joshi resigned, accepting "moral responsibility" for this latest incident as well as other operational accidents involving navy ships in recent months.
Lt Commander Kapish Muwal and Lt Manoranjan Kumar died in the INS Sindhuratna incident, the navy confirmed on Thursday.
"The two officers who were earlier declared missing have been located in the compartment of the submarine and after examination by medical officers of the navy hospital, both the officers were declared dead," a defence spokesman in Mumbai, Narendra Vispute, told the BBC.
The vessel was towed back to port on Thursday morning and rescuers boarded the submarine searching for the trapped sailors, a navy spokesman said.
Investigators were assessing the damage to the vessel and trying to find the cause of the smoke, he added.
The navy has appointed a team headed by a senior official to investigate the INS Sindhuratna and earlier submarine accidents.
Wednesday's accident is thought to be the 10th involving a navy warship and the third submarine accident in the last seven months since the Mumbai dockyard disaster in August.
Last month another submarine, the INS Sindhughosh, reportedly carrying ammunition and a full crew, ran aground while returning to the harbour in Mumbai.
There was no loss of life or damage to the submarine.
In February 2010, one sailor was killed when a fire broke out in the battery compartment of INS Sindhurakshak.


A top EU official has questioned the European Commission's ethical standards over the new role of ex-Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at US investment bank Goldman Sachs.

Mr Barroso headed the EU executive from 2004-2014 and will help the bank deal with the impact of Brexit. It is a powerful player in the City of London.
European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly has written to Mr Barroso's EU successor, Jean-Claude Juncker, raising concerns.
The City is a key hub for EU business.
French politician Michel Barnier, the man who pushed through major EU reforms in financial services after the 2008 financial crash, will head the European Commission team in the Brexit negotiations.
Mr Barnier was financial services commissioner under Mr Barroso and some reforms, including caps on bankers' bonuses, met with British resistance.
The UK government is preparing for painstaking talks on the terms for withdrawing from the EU. There are fears that Brexit could harm the City's pre-eminent role in European finance.
Prime Minister Theresa May insists that "Brexit means Brexit" and is widely expected to trigger Article 50 - the withdrawal mechanism - next year.
Mr Barroso joined Goldman Sachs in July, in a highly controversial move. He respected the EU's mandatory 18-month cooling off period before moving.
Critics say it exposed once again a Brussels "revolving door", in which elite EU officials move to lucrative jobs in business, deploying their inside knowledge and expertise.
Transparency campaigners have launched an online petition, signed by more than 62,000 people. The petitioners want Mr Barroso to lose his Commission pension.
Goldman Sachs donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to pro-EU campaigners, and said last month that Brexit could force it to restructure some of its business.
Ms O'Reilly told Mr Juncker: "Public unease will be exacerbated by the fact that Mr Barroso has publicly stated that he will be advising on the UK's decision to leave the EU.
"In this context, has the Commission considered issuing guidance to current Members, to Chief Negotiator Barnier and to staff in relation to how and whether they will engage with the former Commission President in his new role?
"Such advice is important given the need to ensure that their work is not affected by any possible failure on Mr Barroso's part to comply with his duty to act with integrity."
Ms O'Reilly investigates complaints about EU maladministration, and can order the release of documents, but cannot impose penalties.


Nicky Ajose's last-gasp penalty saw Charlton come from behind to salvage a draw at Gillingham.

The home side went in at half-time a goal to the good after Bradley Dack headed home a Paul Konchesky cross.
Charlton's Ricky Holmes saw a second-half penalty saved by Stuart Nelson, who had replaced the injured Jonathan Bond on the half-hour mark, but the Gills stopper could do nothing about Ajose's spot-kick a minute into time added on.
Dack saw Charlton goalkeeper Declan Rudd race out to block a 25th-minute shot before he looped a header home for the opening goal five minutes before half-time.
Charlton were much improved after the break but could not find a way past Nelson, who tipped a Josh Magennis header over before denying Holmes from 12 yards after Ryan Jackson had pulled down Fredrik Ulvestad.
But in injury time Gillingham's Chris Herd handled in the area and half-time substitute Ajose stepped up to fire the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
Report supplied by the Press Association
Match ends, Gillingham 1, Charlton Athletic 1.
Second Half ends, Gillingham 1, Charlton Athletic 1.
Attempt blocked. Cody McDonald (Gillingham) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Charlton Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Charlton Athletic).
Cody McDonald (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Chris Solly (Charlton Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Chris Solly (Charlton Athletic).
Paul Konchesky (Gillingham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Frank Nouble (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Nicky Ajose (Charlton Athletic).
Foul by Jake Hessenthaler (Gillingham).
Fredrik Ulvestad (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!  Gillingham 1, Charlton Athletic 1. Nicky Ajose (Charlton Athletic) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Stuart Nelson (Gillingham) is shown the yellow card.
Penalty conceded by Chris Herd (Gillingham) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Frank Nouble (Gillingham) is shown the yellow card.
Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Billy Knott (Gillingham).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Gillingham. Emmanuel Osadebe replaces Ryan Jackson because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Andrew Crofts (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Lee Novak (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Frank Nouble (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Lee Novak replaces Josh Magennis.
Attempt missed. Bradley Dack (Gillingham) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Corner,  Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Paul Konchesky.
Foul by Max Ehmer (Gillingham).
Ricky Holmes (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Chris Herd (Gillingham).
Jason Pearce (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Paul Konchesky (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Fredrik Ulvestad (Charlton Athletic).
Corner,  Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Max Ehmer.
Attempt blocked. Ademola Lookman (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Bradley Dack (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ricky Holmes (Charlton Athletic).
Foul by Fredrik Ulvestad (Charlton Athletic).
Chris Herd (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner,  Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Stuart Nelson.


Stevenage missed out on a place in the League Two play-offs after losing 3-0 at home to Accrington.

A Billy Kee brace and Seamus Conneely's late penalty consigned the hosts to another season in the English Football League's bottom tier.
Stevenage top scorer Matt Godden sent an effort into the side netting on two minutes, while Stanley almost took the lead shortly after when Conneely had a shot cleared off the line.
Connor Ogilvie was denied by Marek Rodak between the Stanley posts, before Jamie Jones saved from Sean McConville at the other end as both sides pressed.
With 20 minutes to go, Accrington took the lead from the spot. Kee converted after Seamus McCartan was felled in the area.
Rodak tipped away a Godden header that was destined for the top corner as the home side rallied.
But Accrington added a second when McCartan squared for Kee to bury his 15th goal in all competitions this season.
And the away supporters were jubilant when their team notched a third as Conneely converted a second spot kick.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Stevenage 0, Accrington Stanley 3.
Second Half ends, Stevenage 0, Accrington Stanley 3.
Goal!  Stevenage 0, Accrington Stanley 3. Seamus Conneely (Accrington Stanley) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the high centre of the goal.
Penalty conceded by Luke Wilkinson (Stevenage) after a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty Accrington Stanley. Seamus Conneely draws a foul in the penalty area.
Hand ball by Tom Pett (Stevenage).
Attempt saved. Luke Wilkinson (Stevenage) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Terry Gornell (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left.
Corner,  Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Luke Wilkinson.
Attempt blocked. Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Terry Gornell replaces Billy Kee because of an injury.
Foul by Luke Wilkinson (Stevenage).
Billy Kee (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Tom Pett (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley).
Goal!  Stevenage 0, Accrington Stanley 2. Billy Kee (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Shay McCartan.
Attempt saved. Matt Godden (Stevenage) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner,  Stevenage. Conceded by Matty Pearson.
Foul by Jobi McAnuff (Stevenage).
Billy Kee (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Stevenage. Jamie Gray replaces Dean Wells.
Goal!  Stevenage 0, Accrington Stanley 1. Billy Kee (Accrington Stanley) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
Penalty conceded by Charlie Lee (Stevenage) after a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty Accrington Stanley. Shay McCartan draws a foul in the penalty area.
Foul by Charlie Lee (Stevenage).
Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner,  Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Luke Wilkinson.
Attempt missed. Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Jobi McAnuff (Stevenage) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Jobi McAnuff (Stevenage).
Matty Pearson (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Steven Schumacher (Stevenage) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Matty Pearson (Accrington Stanley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jobi McAnuff (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Matty Pearson (Accrington Stanley).
Tom Pett (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley).
Foul by Matt Godden (Stevenage).
Janoi Donacien (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.


Afghanistan may have more than a trillion dollars worth of untapped mineral deposits, a spokesman for the ministry of mines has suggested.

A joint team from the Pentagon, US Geological Service and USAID has calculated Afghanistan's mineral deposits are worth at least $900bn.
Geological surveys discovered large quantities of iron and copper as well as valuable deposits of lithium.
But questions are being asked about the timing of the release of information.
The details of a US Geological Service survey of the country were released in 2007. The US assessment of the worth of the deposits was completed in December last year.
The trillion dollar calculation was reported in the New York Times on 14 June.
The BBC's Jill McGivering says that at a time of growing despair about Afghanistan and its government, the portrayal of the country as a potential goldmine could help to bolster international resolve and paint the country as a prize worth fighting for.
Lithium is an increasingly vital resource, used in batteries for everything from mobile phones to laptops and key to the future of the electric car. Bolivia boasts the largest reserves.
Afghanistan also has significant reserves of niobium, a key ingredient in hardened steel.
Ministry of mines spokesman Jawad Omar said he could not confirm the exact value of Afghanistan's mineral wealth but had no doubt it would have a very big impact on the country's development.
If exploited, Afghanistan would become self-sufficient, he said, and no longer need foreign aid.
President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, Waheed Omar, was quoted by news agency AP as saying: "The result of the survey ... has shown that Afghanistan has mineral resources worth $1 trillion.
"This is not an overall survey of all minerals in Afghanistan. Whatever has been found in this survey is worth $1tr."
The findings were made by the US Geological Survey under contract to the Afghan government, he said.
The New York Times cited an internal Pentagon memo which said Afghanistan could become "the Saudi Arabia of lithium".
There are already plans to exploit mineral wealth in Afghanistan with Chinese backing for a copper mine at Aynak in Logar province.
It sounds like welcome news for a country which desperately needs development, our correspondent says.
But the discovery of mineral wealth will not provide an overnight solution.
It would take years to build a large-scale mining industry and unless there is peace, it will be hard for investors to guarantee security, our correspondent says.
With so much more to fight for, it may also make a peace deal harder to forge.
If Afghanistan's strategic value suddenly increases, so too might the battle for influence between regional giants India and China, and of course the United States, our correspondent adds.
Exploiting the mineral wealth will not be easy, says Stephanie Sanok, senior research fellow in the International Security Programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"I can't think of any examples where you can extract the kind of minerals we are talking about in Afghanistan in the middle of a major military campaign.
"They not only don't have the infrastructure - road, rail and water - but they don't have basic laws and regulations that will attract investment."
But if fears over instability and corruption can be averted there is a profound opportunity for Afghanistan with its gross domestic product of $12bn, says Ms Sanok.
"It is a huge employment opportunity... that will go a long way in counter insurgency."


West Ham have signed striker Diafra Sakho from French side FC Metz for an undisclosed fee.

The 24-year-old Senegal international has moved to Upton Park after agreeing a four-year contract.
His 43 goals over the last two seasons helped Metz win back-to-back promotions into France's Ligue 1.
Sakho is the third striker to join the Hammers this summer, following the arrivals of Argentine Mauro Zarate and Ecuador international Enner Valencia.
Sakho told the club's West Ham TV: "I really love English football and I've dreamed of coming to play for one of the big English clubs. Today, West Ham have given me that opportunity and I didn't hesitate to grab it.
"I've come here to continue as I was at Metz. I'm going to give it my all, going flat out on the pitch and I think the fans will appreciate that."
Manager Sam Allardyce, meanwhile, has backed a club statement that the team's approach needs to be more entertaining.
Former Millwall, Tottenham, Manchester United, West Ham and England striker Teddy Sheringham has been brought in as an attacking coach.