Almost exactly two years ago, Iraq's second biggest city, Mosul, was overrun by the forces of so-called Islamic State (IS).

But amid the chaos and terror, the city's university has remained open throughout most of this time.
This has raised questions about whether it has been kept open to provide a facade of normality, or whether it has been used as a technical facility to develop weapons, including for chemical warfare.
But there are clandestine networks of Mosul students and academics who have wanted the rest of the world to know what happens in a university under IS control and in the deteriorating conditions of their city.
They have been helped by the New York-based Scholar Rescue Fund, part of the Institute of International Education, which once rescued academics in Europe from the Nazis.
On condition of anonymity, they describe a city of violence and fear, with public executions, vice police patrols, persecution, air raids, worsening shortages and bans on communication.
Day-to-day life overlaps with horrific displays of control.
In one account, someone coming home from a shopping trip in Mosul was stopped by IS members and forced, along with other passers-by, to witness the "horrifying and disturbing" spectacle of a public beheading.
There is also danger from coalition air raids, with 32 air strikes in or around Mosul last week.
"Life under Isil [another name for IS] has one meaning - absolute fear," according to one Mosul source.
There is a culture of spying, betrayal, blackmail, regular "humiliations" and deadly consequences.
"It is extremely easy for them to kill anyone. Their courts can come to a judgement in a few minutes and the execution will take place immediately."
"Some students worked with them and started spying on us," said sources who saw the University of Mosul being taken over by IS in June 2014.
Subjects such as literature and philosophy were suspended and anything seen as symbolising opposition to their religious ideology was attacked.
"They burned the books in the central library, then they demolished the archaeological sites."
"Right from the beginning, Isis [another name for IS] thought that any book that doesn't advance Islam is meaningless and worthless."
Any academics with links to the west or loyal to the Iraqi government "all lost their lives".
The university switched to subjects promoting the new regime's war effort, with foreign fighters using some of the buildings for accommodation.
Physical sciences became a priority and the IS regime encouraged training in medicine, pharmacy, nursing and dentistry, filling gaps left by doctors who had fled the city.
Languages have been encouraged - both as a way of working with foreign fighters and supporting propaganda efforts.
Even sports and exercise were re-invented as a form of jihadist training, with military-style lessons.
Mosul is a city under siege, with Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army closing in.
Sources say the response of IS has been to exert an increasingly aggressive control over communication and movement.
"They are placing more and more strict rules on internet access. They are knocking door to door, surveying each house, and asking to copy documents and ID cards to see how these belong to internet accounts.
"So whenever they spot an exchange of information these people will be in grave danger."
People are still getting information from social media but they are increasingly unwilling to post anything themselves.
Staff at the university have been warned of punishments for anyone failing to reveal escape plans of colleagues.
There are also stories of drivers being used to double-cross people trying to leave.
There have been worries about the university's laboratories being used to develop weapons - including chemical or biological agents.
In March, a US air strike hit the university campus, causing speculation about its intended target.
There have been claims that the college of electrical engineering, telecommunication channels, military censors and a propaganda radio station were hit. A former dean of computing science is reported to have been among those killed.
But doubts have been expressed about the university's capacity to develop weapons.
"Everything is already available. Arms and weapons are being brought in from all over the world. Why would they worry about re-inventing them?"
And there is a suggestion that IS has been using the university for the practical reason that it has its own separate and secure power supply.
There have been reports that IS is transferring weapons research and sensitive materials from the university into residential areas.
But other sources say this pattern for concealing armaments has been long established.
"I have seen this ever since Isil took over the city. Suspicious barrels and ammunition would be moved from one house to another every day."
There are others who say the extent of military research remains unknown.
"Frankly speaking, no one knows. There is secrecy around all physics and chemistry labs as well as agricultural materials."
"Isis is losing fighters in battle, losing control of roads, the city is under siege, they are running out of resources.
"The city is starving," says one person bluntly.
This is a picture of an administration under growing pressure, running short of money and becoming increasingly violent and repressive.
"Public executions and stoning happen on a daily basis," but it is hard to get an overview as "the city's neighbourhoods seem like disconnected islands".
Claims have been made recently about particularly gruesome executions, including lowering victims into acid.
"The problem is you have Isis and ignorance and poverty. Ignorance has been gaining ground. People are in desperate circumstances and they are ready to take desperate measures.
"This could mean joining Isis or working for them, because they need bread."
The typical local IS recruits are described as young men from rural areas, needing a regular income, who might have once suffered from sectarianism at the hands of the Iraqi security forces.
"Now, many of them would like to leave Isil, but they know they will be killed immediately."
Many of the city's former leaders and councillors have been killed. Scholars and clergymen who opposed IS were imprisoned or killed and replaced with sympathisers, so the regime has control of the city's mosques.
Women face particular sanctions, including from cane-wielding patrols of vice police.
Foreign fighters, visible at checkpoints, are described as "brainwashed and naive enough to believe the caliphate is a reality".
"They try to give a positive impression and be nice to the kids."
Propaganda is a central feature of the regime. Black flags are hung in public places and neighbourhoods have IS "media outlets".
"It's like a small kiosk with DVDs, LCD screens, projecting their ideology, how they are killing the infidels. They are giving free DVDs to children. And young people and ignorant people are flocking here to see - look at these valiant fighters."
"This culture of violence works both ways. It deters people from doing anything against the will of Isis. And it breeds a generation of ignorant and violent fighters."
There are public executions and "they know children will be present, they want them to be exposed".
"Families with morals and values would shy away from public executions."
But there are fears of a long-lasting traumatic legacy. "Society will need psychological rehabilitation" as well as the reconstruction of buildings.
"It was like a psychological tsunami, we didn't know what to do."
In the middle of the night, with IS forces advancing, people tried to escape towards Iraqi Kurdistan.
"It was terrifying. I leaned against the wall of my house, hearing the gunshots and screaming. I was in a state of loss, knowing I was heading to nowhere.
"It was the most tragic and unforgettable exodus I will ever witness in my life. There were people in massive numbers, cars, children, everything you can imagine, trying to escape."
This is a city waiting for an attack.
"There is a culture of fear and persecution, people are slowly dying."
There are warnings that IS is using "resentment" at the air raids to "drive a wedge between the coalition and the civilians in the city".
There are calls for emergency arrangements to be put in place so civilians can be evacuated. There is also an expectation of a bitter fight.
"Mosul is their last resort, their last functioning city. They will fight to the last man."
Institute of International Education president Allan Goodman says their contacts with Mosul academics show a "harrowing" story.
"Put yourself in their shoes. We're hearing that anyone in an Isis-controlled area is always afraid," says Dr Goodman.
Mark Angelson, chairman of the Scholar Rescue Fund, said: "Professors are offered no alternative - either conform or be killed."


Strong food sales gave Scottish retailers a boost over the vital Christmas period, according to a report.

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and accountants KPMG found total sales in December increased year-on-year by 0.7%.
It was the strongest rise since January 2014.
Grocery sales were 2.5% up on December 2015, which the SRC said was the best performance in more than three years.
In non-food, there was a slight decline in store sales, but online purchases lifted the category into growth.
There were good sales of mid-priced items, with fragrance and mobile phone gifts performing well.
Online sales of home accessories, beauty products and toys were also strong.
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, SRC's head of policy and external affairs, said food sales had been driven by a late surge in customers stocking up for Christmas.
He said: "It's encouraging to see another good month's performance, which builds on a good November and continues the autumn trend of a small but now sustained recovery in retail sales."
Although Christmas provided a boost for Scottish retailers, analysts warned that economic indicators suggested inflation was affecting costs for businesses.
They also said inflation was beginning to feed through to the high street, and both customers and retailers were likely to feel the squeeze over the early months of 2017.
Craig Cavin, head of retail in Scotland at KPMG, said there was a significant increase in both online and high street sales in December, but uncertainty over Brexit could result in rises in food prices.
He said: "With price increases likely over the coming year, consumers were happy to make the most of the festive discounts."


The Greek finance minister has warned there are "no excuses" for the country not to receive the next instalment of its multi-billion-dollar bailout.

Euclid Tsakalotos said the Greek government had "done its part", adding "the ball is very much on the side of our creditors and the IMF".
Last week, talks between eurozone finance ministers aimed at unlocking Greece's next set of loans broke down.
Mr Tsakalotos said a deal at the next meeting in June was now urgent.
"There are no excuses for not getting this overall deal that the Greek economy so desperately needs in its efforts to access the markets," he said.
The meeting is aimed at deciding whether Greece has done enough to receive a â‚¬7.5bn (Â£6.4bn; $8.3bn) loan plus debt relief.
The cash is vital for Greece to avoid defaulting on a debt repayment due in July.
To secure the funds, the country has had to enact a series of economic reforms.
As part of this, earlier this month Greece's parliament approved a new package of austerity measures, including tax rises and further cuts to pensions due to be implemented in 2019-20.
Mr Tsakalotos said the government "had done its part of what it promised".
A deal is reported to be held up because The International Monetary Fund and Germany are at odds over how to help ease Greece's debts once its rescue programme ends next year.
The IMF's participation in Greece's latest bailout hinges on resolving this issue.
Mr Tsakalotos said that the eurozone would benefit from a deal that helped Greece return to bond markets again.
"There is very little point in entering a programme if the goal is not to leave the programme and leaving the programme should be not only the responsibility of the debtor country but the creditor countries as well," he added.


Edinburgh missed out on the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals after an agonising late slip in Grenoble.

Alan Solomons' side needed at least a losing bonus point to progress.
Tries from John Hardie and William Helu helped Edinburgh into a 17-13 advantage at half-time, Arnaud Heguy crossing for the home side in between.
The second of Gio Aplon's brace came in the final minute and Edinburgh's deficit, combined with London Irish's bonus-point win at Agen, sent them out.
Last year's beaten finalists finish level on points with London Irish but the latter join pool winners Grenoble in the last eight.
Irish completed the round-robin stage with just three wins to Edinburgh's four but won out thanks to a superior aggregate points haul in the two meetings between the teams in Pool Five.
Hardie claimed an early try for Edinburgh and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne added the conversion.
However, Solomons was forced into a change soon after with Alex Toolis replacing Anton Bresler in the second row.
Two Jonathan Wisniewski penalties brought the hosts back to within a point before they themselves made a substitution, Fabien Barcella making way for Sona Taumalolo.
Wisniewski missed his next penalty and Hidalgo-Clyne was successful with his first, opening up a four-point gap.
James Percival then came on for Ben Hand as Grenoble once again had to change their line-up.
Heguy's try and Wisniewski's conversion briefly had the home side ahead but Helu burst through the middle to cross and Hidalgo-Clyne added the extras.
Wisniewski's penalty narrowed Grenoble's deficit to one but Hidalgo-Clyne quickly responded with one of his own before the hosts' fly-half added another.
Hidalgo-Clyne had his first unsuccessful kick and atoned with his next penalty but Aplon's try, converted by Wisniewski, put the home side ahead again.
Another Wisniewski penalty followed, leaving Edinburgh clinging on to a six-point deficit that would have seen them through.
But South African full-back Aplon slipped a tackle in the last minute to claim his second score and though Wisniewski missed the conversion, it mattered little as the French side finished their pool campaign with a comfortable lead.
Grenoble: Aplon, Mignot, Farrell, Hunt, Kilioni, Wisniewski, McLeod, Barcella, Heguy, Edwards, Hand, Kimlin, Vanderglas, Diaby, R. Grice.
Replacements: Gengenbacher for Hunt (67), De Kierk for Edwards (41), Alexandre for Diaby (46). Not Used: Jammes, Taumalolo, Percival, Loustalot, Bosch.
Edinburgh: Tonks, Hoyland, Allen, Scott, Helu, Burleigh, Hidalgo-Clyne, Dickinson, Ford, Nel, Bresler, B. Toolis, Coman, J. Hardie, Du Preez.
Replacements: Fife for Burleigh (71), Dell for Dickinson (78), Cochrane for Ford (65), Berghan for Nel (65), Watson for J. Hardie (60). Not Used: A. Toolis, Fowles, Strauss.


Sir Alex Ferguson believes more consistent selection will ensure that Manchester United avoid a repeat of last season's Champions League failure.

14 September 2011 - Benfica 1-1 Manchester United (Champions League)
27 September 2011 - Manchester United 3-3 Basel
18 October 2011 - Otelul Galati 0-2 Manchester United
2 November 2011 - Manchester United 2-0 Otelul Galati
22 November 2011 - Manchester United 2-2 Benfica
7 December 2011 - Basel 2-1 Manchester United
16 February 2012 - Ajax 0-2 Manchester United (Europa League)
23 February 2012 - Manchester United 1-2 Ajax
8 March 2012 - Manchester United 2-3 Atletic Bilbao
15 March 2012 - Atletic Bilbao 2-1 Manchester United
Last year, the Old Trafford club failed to progress beyond the group stage for just the third time in 17 years after being involved in three of the previous four finals.
But Ferguson is certain he knows where three-time winners United went wrong.
"Last season we changed the team too much and it backfired," Ferguson said.
United failed to win any of their four Champions League group matches against Benfica or Basel.
They were subsequently knocked out of the Europa League by Athletic Bilbao, while Basel were beaten 7-0 by Bayern Munich as they were eliminated.
Ferguson added: "It definitely won't happen next season - there is no chance of that.
"Over the last few years we have used the group stage as an opportunity to play the youngsters.
"Basel were just an ordinary team and they showed that when they played Bayern."
Ferguson believes Michael Carrick, 31, will play a key role as United look to bounce back from a first campaign without a trophy since 2004-05.
He added: "Carrick is the key to it. If you look at the central midfielders in the Premier League, he can match up against any of them in terms of quality.
"He can read the game and also play in front of the back four."


A service of commemoration and reconciliation has been held at a memorial to Welsh soldiers killed during the battle of Mametz Wood in northern France 100 years ago.

The service was led by Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan and included an address by First Minister Carwyn Jones.
Treorchy Male Choir and members of the Royal British Legion have been taking part.
Other services have been taking place in Wales on Thursday.
The 38th (Welsh) Division attacked Mametz Wood between 7 and 14 July 1916, with more than 4,000 of them killed or injured.
The battalions were drawn from all over Wales and represented north, south, rural and industrial areas, as well as men from the London Welsh.
The main act of commemoration and remembrance took place at the site of the Welsh dragon memorial, facing the wood, at 11:00 BST.
Lt Gen Jonathon Riley, speaking at the ceremony, said: "We lost as many of our people in 15 minutes here as we lost in 15 years in Afghanistan.
"It was a victory, we must not forget that, but at a high price."
First Minister Mr Jones said the ceremony was "to remember but also to thank".
Speaking of French people also present, he said: "Today our two nations are united in peace, not war.
"It's hard to imagine today, looking at this peaceful place, the horror of war. Today we honour them for their bravery and their courage."
A large number of descendants of those who fought and died are thought to have travelled to France to take part in the services.
Concerts are also being held in the village of Mametz on Thursday.
The band of the Royal Welsh Regiment will perform on the village green at Mametz and the Treorchy Male Voice Choir will give a concert in the Basilica of Albert.
Chorister Arthur Miles, from Ton Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taff, said he would be paying his own private tribute as his father, Isaac, fought in the battle.
"He died in 1970 and never forgot the carnage and horrors experienced during the days of that battle," Mr Miles said.
"I think it's only fitting that we remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom."
Phil Davies, secretary of the south Wales branch of the Western Front Association, said: "We hope that it will be a memorable and worthy event to remember those who gave their lives in this battle, those who survived and were injured, and all those who served in this place."


Kenya's electoral commission has denied opposition claims its IT system was hacked in order to manipulate Tuesday's election results.

Chief electoral officer Ezra Chiloba told reporters the systems were not compromised at any point.
He spoke out after presidential candidate Raila Odinga rejected provisional results indicating a strong lead for President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The opposition's claim led to sporadic outbreaks of violence.
Mr Chiloba said his team had "established that the claims being made could not be substantiated".
He added: "I wish to take this opportunity to confirm that our elections management system is secure.  There were no external or internal interference to the  system at any point before, during or after the voting."
His comments were made amid repeated calls for calm.
The government has denied that anyone died in clashes on Wednesday between security forces and Mr Odinga's supporters in the capital, Nairobi, and the western town of Kisumu, an opposition stronghold.
Earlier reports quoting police said two protesters had been shot dead in Nairobi after police were attacked with machetes while two men had been killed by officers in Kisumu when a gang attacked a vote tallying station.
Many fear a repeat of the violence after the disputed election 10 years ago when more than 1,100 Kenyans died and 600,000 were displaced.
Raw polling data published on the website of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says that with almost 97% of results in, Mr Kenyatta - who is seeking a second term - is leading with about 54.3%, to Mr Odinga's 44.8% share of the vote.
These suggest Mr Kenyatta is heading for a first-round victory.
However, it has been emphasised by the IEBC that these results are preliminary, and have yet to be certified officially.
But Mr Odinga said in a tweet that his party's own assessment put him ahead of Mr Kenyatta.
He alleged hackers had gained access to the IEBC computer system by using the identity of the commission's IT manager, Chris Msando, who was killed last month.
Observers from the African Union and the European Union among others issued a joint statement urging political parties "to use the legally provided channels of dispute resolution in case of any dissatisfaction with the process", adding that police should "avoid excessive use of force".
They also said the IEBC should carry out the tallying process "with full integrity and transparency".
Speaking to the BBC, John Mahama, former president of Ghana and head of the Commonwealth Observer Mission in Kenya, said the responsibility to maintain calm fell to the two leading candidates.
"They can take Kenya down the slippery slope of violence like in 2007, or they can both rise to the occasion and let Kenya surmount this democratic hurdle and become one of the leading democracies in Africa," he said.
The commission has not said when it will publish the final results. Legally, it has to announce the results within seven days of polling stations closing.


Nigeria eased through to their first Africa Cup of Nations final in 13 years with a comfortable victory over Mali.

Defender Elderson Echiejile opened the scoring, heading home Victor Moses' cross, before Brown Ideye bundled past Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa.
The Super Eagles made it three with Emmanuel Emenike's shot deflecting in off Mali midfielder Momo Sissoko.
Substitute Ahmed Musa stroked home Nigeria's fourth, before Cheick Diarra grabbed a consolation for the Eagles.
Three of Nigeria's goals came in the first half, overwhelming a Malian side, who would be forced to settle for a place in the third-place play-off for the second year in a row.
Stephen Keshi's resurgent Super Eagles will make their first appearance in a final since 2000 as they attempt to claim their first Nations Cup title since 1994 - and their third in total
Stephen Keshi's side, meanwhile, progress to their first final appearance since 2000, seeking to end their 19-year wait for a third Nations Cup title.
The confident-looking Super Eagles moved the ball around well from start, with Moses unleashing the first shot from 25 yards, which flew well wide.
Mali's first attacking threat came through Adama Tamboura, who burst forward well into the box, before his pull-back was cut out by Godfrey Oboabona. Defender Molla Wague then headed well over from the resulting corner from 10 yards, when he should have done better.
Mali enjoyed some good pressure, with Kalilou Traore heading wide from Mahamane Traore's in-swinging corner. Former Liverpool midfielder Sissoko followed that miss with a long-range effort which flew over Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama's bar.
Nigeria's first real chance of the game came from a John Obi Mikel ball over the top, which striker Brown Ideye attempted to slip past keeper Samassa, only for the reinstated Malian keeper to deny him with an outstretched boot.
Mikel then lashed in a dangerous shot from 25 yards, which flew just past Samassa's post.
It served as a warning sign for what was to come, as Nigeria broke the deadlock with a goal created by the influential Moses.
The Eagles will contest their second play-off game in two years, as they failed once again to progress to their first final since 1972 - which they lost to Congo
The Chelsea midfielder turned the Malian defence inside out with some good skill to cross brilliantly for Echiejile, who stooped to head home unmarked at the far post.
The Super Eagles made it two just minutes later, with Emenike breaking forward down the right again and laying the ball into the path of Ideye, who bundled in past Samassa at close range.
Mali, rattled by Nigeria's two quick-fire goals, tried to play themselves back into the game but to no avail, as Emenike made it three just before the break.
A free-kick laid off to the striker took a massive deflection off Sissoko in the wall, wrong-footing Samassa and creeping in just inside the keeper's left-hand post.
The stunned Malians emerged in the second period with a mountain to climb and captain Seydou Keita could have got one back right at the start of the half, finding space in the box but firing wide from eight yards.
The Nigerians continued to press and substitute Ahmed Musa, who had replaced Moses minutes earlier, beat the offside trap and fired home under Samassa's body to put them out of sight.
Musa thought he had made it five, when he found the net from close range once more, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Striker Cheick Tidiane Diabate tried to salvage some Malian pride with a shot at the near post, which was smothered by Enyeama, before striker Mahamadou Samassa's close-range effort was palmed away by the Maccabi Tel Aviv keeper.
Substitute Diarra then grabbed the consolation for the Malians, stroking home into the corner, after some good work on the left by fellow replacement Diabate created the opening.
Diarra almost grabbed a second in injury time, but saw his effort curl just over Enyeama's bar, as the dejected Malians moved on to Port Elizabeth for Saturday's play-off, while the resurgent Nigerians progressed to Sunday's final in Johannesburg.
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi:
"Mali are a good team with a top player like Seydou Keita.
"But they are not very fast at the back and we took advantage of this to score our first two goals."
Mali coach Patrice Carteron:
"I'm still proud of this team.
"We worked hard even though we did not reach the final."


Myanmar's military chief has pledged to work with the country's new government, following landmark elections on Sunday.

Min Aung Hlaing said the military would "do what is best in co-operation with the new government during the post-election period".
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy is on track for a majority, taking about 80% of declared seats.
But a quarter of parliamentary seats are allocated to the military, meaning it will remain hugely influential.
Last weekend's vote was Myanmar's first openly contested general election for 25 years.
The NLD won elections decisively in 1990 - only for the result to be nullified and Ms Suu Kyi placed under long-term house arrest.
President Thein Sein and Min Aung Hlaing have congratulated Ms Suu Kyi on her party's performance in the polls, though have not formally conceded defeat. They have agreed to hold talks on national reconciliation with her after the final results are announced.
More than 47% of results have been declared so far, and on Thursday morning, the NLD were said to be 38 seats short of a majority.
The ruling military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) - which won the last, widely criticised election five years ago - has so far gained about 5% of the seats being contested in Myanmar, also known as Burma.
Four possible outcomes: how the NLD could win but not come out on top
What the election means in one sleepy but crucial town:
Aung San Suu Kyi: international symbol of peaceful resistance
Elections explained: Why does this vote matter?
US President Barack Obama called Myanmar's President Thein Sein on Thursday to congratulate him and the country on "a historic free and fair general election", government spokesman U Ye Htut has said.
"And second he also wants to congratulate the NLD for their success in the election," U Ye Htut told the BBC.
President Thein Sein has also pledged that his government "will respect the people's decision and choice and will hand over power as scheduled".
Full profile
About 30 million people were eligible to vote in Sunday's election in Myanmar. Turnout was estimated at about 80%.
However, hundreds of thousands of people - including the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not recognised as citizens - were denied voting rights.
A quarter of the 664 parliamentary seats are set aside for the army and a handful were not contested, leaving 491 seats.
For the NLD to have the winning majority and be able to select the president, it will need at least two-thirds of those seats.


Prof Stephen Hawking, one of Britain's pre-eminent scientists, has said that efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence.

He told the BBC:"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race."
His warning came in response to a question about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of AI.
But others are less gloomy about AI's prospects.
The theoretical physicist, who has the motor neurone disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is using a new system developed by Intel to speak.
Machine learning experts from the British company Swiftkey were also involved in its creation. Their technology, already employed as a smartphone keyboard app, learns how the professor thinks and suggests the words he might want to use next.
Prof Hawking says the primitive forms of artificial intelligence developed so far have already proved very useful, but he fears the consequences of creating something that can match or surpass humans.
"It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate," he said.
"Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded."
But others are less pessimistic.
"I believe we will remain in charge of the technology for a decently long time and the potential of it to solve many of the world problems will be realised," said Rollo Carpenter, creator of Cleverbot.
Cleverbot's software learns from its past conversations, and has gained high scores in the Turing test, fooling a high proportion of people into believing they are talking to a human.
Mr Carpenter says we are a long way from having the computing power or developing the algorithms needed to achieve full artificial intelligence, but believes it will come in the next few decades.
"We cannot quite know what will happen if a machine exceeds our own intelligence, so we can't know if we'll be infinitely helped by it, or ignored by it and sidelined, or conceivably destroyed by it," he says.
But he is betting that AI is going to be a positive force.
Prof Hawking is not alone in fearing for the future.
In the short term, there are concerns that clever machines capable of undertaking tasks done by humans until now will swiftly destroy millions of jobs.
In the longer term, the technology entrepreneur Elon Musk has warned that AI is "our biggest existential threat".
In his BBC interview, Prof Hawking also talks of the benefits and dangers of the internet.
He quotes the director of GCHQ's warning about the net becoming the command centre for terrorists: "More must be done by the internet companies to counter the threat, but the difficulty is to do this without sacrificing freedom and privacy."
He has, however, been an enthusiastic early adopter of all kinds of communication technologies and is looking forward to being able to write much faster with his new system.
But one aspect of his own tech -  his computer generated voice - has not changed in the latest update.
Prof Hawking concedes that it's slightly robotic, but insists he didn't want a more natural voice.
"It has become my trademark, and I wouldn't change it for a more natural voice with a British accent," he said.
"I'm told that children who need a computer voice, want one like mine."


Jeunghun Wang shot a third-round 64 to move into a three-shot lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.

The 21-year-old South Korean's eight-under-par round included an eagle and six birdies on the Gary Player course.
Home favourite Louis Oosthuizen is second on eight under after dropping two shots on the last two holes.
England's Andy Sullivan shot a 68 to move third on seven under, while overnight leader Alex Noren's 75 left him six off the lead.
Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson, who must win this weekend and hope Danny Willett finishes outside the top 10 to end 2016 as Europe's top golfer, is seven shots behind Wang after a 69.
Willett has struggled in what is the Race to Dubai's penultimate tournament but showed signs of improvement with a 67, which left him on par.
Find out how to get into golf with our special guide.
But it was Wang's third round which was the highlight of a day played in difficult conditions, when only 17 of the remaining field of 70 posted below-par scores.
"I'm so happy that I shot 64 and I'm more happy that I didn't have any bogeys," Wang told the European Tour website.
"I shot eight under on this course in this wind, I still cannot believe it.
"I don't want to think about any win. I just want to focus on the last 18 holes. I'll just try to do the same as today."
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A man who died after the car he was driving was involved in a crash with a lorry in Torfaen has been named by police.

Adam Phillip Michael Millett, 26, was driving a silver Renault Megane which collided with a flatbed lorry in Garn Y Erw, near Blaenavon on Friday.
The driver of the lorry received minor injuries.
Gwent Police says Mr Millett's family is being supported by specialist officers.


Five people have been injured in clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar's second city of Mandalay.

The incident was apparently triggered by a claim that a Buddhist woman had been raped by one or more Muslim men.
Armed groups gathered on the streets on Tuesday evening, hurling rocks and bricks and damaging shops. They only dispersed early on Wednesday morning when the police fired rubber bullets.
Myanmar has seen several outbreaks of violence targeting Muslims since 2012.
Muslims are a minority group in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.
The BBC's Jonah Fisher says tensions rose when a blogger posted that a Buddhist woman had been raped. The post was then shared by one of Mandalay's most controversial monks - Ashin Wirathu - on his Facebook page.
Wirathu is the leader of the controversial 969 group and was previously jailed for inciting religious hatred. The 969 group are opposed to what they see as Islam's expansion in Myanmar.
On Tuesday evening, a group of Buddhists gathered in a Muslim area of Mandalay, ransacking shops and burning vehicles, according to reports.
Throughout the night, the police kept angry groups of Buddhist and Muslim men apart, says our correspondent.
Both sides were armed with primitive weapons including iron rods, sticks and swords. Four rioters and a policeman were hurt. Muslim shops were damaged and the windows of a mosque were smashed.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mandalay police said a man had been charged with rape.
Much of the violence between the two groups has taken place in Rakhine state in the west of the country, where at least 200 people were killed and tens of thousands were displaced in 2012.
Many of the displaced - mostly Muslims - continue to live in refugee camps.
Those clashes were sparked by the rape and murder of a young Buddhist woman.
The violence continued throughout 2013. The last reported clash happened in January in Rakhine state, killing more than 40 people, according to the United Nations.
There have been particularly bitter and long-standing tensions between the Rakhine people, who are Buddhist and make up the majority of the state's population, and Muslims.
Most of these Muslims identify themselves as Rohingya, a group that is considered stateless and is rejected by both Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh.
The clashes have posed a challenge for Myanmar's nominally civilian government, which was elected in 2010 after decades of military rule.
President Thein Sein has previously said that the Rakhine violence puts the country's moves towards democracy in danger.


A man who has twice been jailed for life after separate juries convicted him of the same murder has sought to have the latest conviction quashed.

Ian Geddes, 59, was found guilty of killing his cousin Charles McKay in Inverness in March 2003 following a trial in 2005 and a re-trial in 2013.
Geddes, of Inverness, denies the murder and claims he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
He has taken his case to the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.
For more than a decade, Geddes has denied he was responsible for his cousin's death.
High Court juries have heard that ambulance personnel and police were called to Mr McKay's home in East MacKenzie Park, Inverness.
They found the electrician lying at the foot of a flight of stairs. Geddes, who stayed there from time to time, told them he had found his cousin there.
Although the first reaction was that Mr McKay had died from natural causes, suspicions were aroused when a letter emerged seeking to alter Mr McKay's will so that Geddes would inherit Â£25,000.
It was alleged that a pillow which had been in Mr McKay's bedroom was hurriedly thrown into a dustbin as refuse collectors came down the street.
At hearing at the Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday, Geddes' solicitor advocate John Scott QC told judges: "I invite the court to accept this is one of those must unusual cases, rare cases, where this court can and should intervene and quash the verdict of the jury as unreasonable."
Mr Scott said there was nothing that pointed to the use of a pillow in Mr McKay's death.
Advocate depute Andrew Stewart QC for the Crown said the flaw in the appeal grounds advanced was that they focused solely on the medical evidence and did not take into account the wider evidence.
Judge Lord Justice Clerk, Lord Carloway, sitting with Lord Brodie and Lord Drummond have reserved their decision.
Lord Carloway said they would give their decision as soon as they could.


More than 50 Indonesian companies are being punished for their role in causing the haze that blanketed South East Asia earlier this year.

The forest fires that caused the haze are the result of illegal slash-and-burn practices.
The fires are used to clear land for palm oil and pulp wood plantations.
For the first time the government is revoking as well as freezing the licences of companies found responsible.
The pollution caused by the fires has occurred for years, but was particularly bad in 2015.
The government has not named the firms, but released the initials and general location of 30 of the 56 companies who are being punished
Only one of the companies was confirmed to be foreign-owned. Another is a supplier to one of the world's biggest paper and pulp producers Asia Pulp & Paper (APP).
Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya said other companies would be punished for not putting out blazes that reached their areas, the BBC's Rebecca Henschke reports from Jakarta.
Ms Nurbaya told a news conference that more companies were under investigation.
It is illegal in Indonesia to clear more than two hectares of land by what is known as slash-and-burn methods.
'Slow progress': Firefighters scramble to contain forest fires
Emergency nursery: One Indonesian town's plan to protect its babies
Cause for controversy: What causes South East Asia's haze?
Indonesia 'needs time': Joko Widodo says he needs three years to tackle haze
The government said in October that people caught flouting the law would face up to 10 years in jail.
But local farmers have said convictions are unlikely.
Many experts believe fires are likely to start up again when the rainy season ends in March.
President Joko Widodo recently told the BBC that it might take at least three years before the situation is under control.
In a quarterly report the World Bank said Indonesia's forest fires and subsequent haze this year have cost the country "more than twice" the amount spent on reconstruction efforts after the 2004 Aceh tsunami.
The bank said the cost amounted to 1.9% of Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP), adding that regional and global costs would be much higher.
The fires have had a devastating impact on children and wildlife - including Indonesia's rare orang-utans.


Prison safety in England and Wales has "deteriorated further" and urgently needs improving as figures show escalating self-harm, violence and disorder, a group of MPs has said.

The number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons rose by 26% - from 79 to 100 - in the 12 months to March, according to a report by the Justice Committee.
Its chairman Bob Neill said prison safety was a matter that "cannot wait".
Prisons minister Andrew Selous said improvements were being made.
The report found:
The committee said the prison service has a "major issue" with staff retention, which resulted in a net gain of only 440 prison officers in 2015 following the recruitment of 2,250.
The MPs also said there were currently 7,000 fewer officers than in 2010, when the prison population was 2,500 lower that it is now.
The committee did however recognise that the Ministry of Justice and the National Offender Management Service (Noms) had sought to improve safety by creating offences for the possession of new psychoactive substances and knife possession in prison.
Body-worn cameras and to improve safeguarding procedures have also been introduced.
But "overall levels of safety in prisons have not stabilised as the ministry hoped, let alone improved and continue to deteriorate significantly", the report said.
Mr Neill called for the government to urgently draft an action plan aimed at increasing safety levels for both staff and prisoners.
"It is imperative that further attention is paid to bringing prisons back under firmer control, reversing recent trends of escalating violence, self-harm and disorder," he said.
The committee also highlighted the death of custody officer Lorraine Barwell, who died after being kicked in the head by a prisoner in July 2015, as an example of the worsening situation.
Mr Selous said "we must do better" at reducing violence and self-inflicted deaths and stopping drugs getting into prisons, as well as doing more to help prisoners with mental health problems.
"This report demonstrates the very serious challenges facing the prison service and shows how badly prison reform is needed," he said.
"We have secured Â£1.3bn to modernise the prison estate and we have responded to staffing pressures with a national net increase of 530 officers, since January last year.
"These reforms will ensure prisons are places of decency and improve public safety by reducing reoffending."


British Airways cabin crew based at Heathrow airport are to strike on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in a row over pay and conditions.

The action, backed by the Unite union, could involve up to 4,500 staff on "mixed fleet" contracts who joined the airline since 2010.
Unite said they were on lower pay than other staff.
British Airways called the strike "calculated" and "completely unnecessary".
According to the airline, all long haul flights will proceed as normal, as will all flights out of Gatwick airport and City.
It said it was working on a contingency plan for Heathrow which would be published in the next three days.
It comes after cabin crew who are members of Unite rejected a 2% pay rise offer on Wednesday - 1,200 members voted for the strike, British Airways said, around 7% of its total crew.
The union argued that salaries for those on mixed fleet contracts were advertised between £21,000 and £25,000 but, in reality, started at just over £12,000 plus £3 an hour flying pay.
It said they did "not have collective bargaining rights" and managers had "endured a six-year pay freeze".
British Airways said it had proposed a "fair and reasonable pay increase" in line with that accepted by other British Airways staff.
The airline said: "We are appalled that Unite proposes to disrupt customers' travel plans on such special days when so many families are trying to gather together or set off on well-deserved holidays.
"This calculated and heartless action is completely unnecessary and we are determined that it will fail."
BA said it had approached the conciliation service Acas.
Separately, Virgin Atlantic pilots have voted for industrial action short of a strike in a row over union recognition.
The Professional Pilots' Union (PPU) said 88.6% of its members had voted in favour of the move, and that the turnout had been 80.3%.
From 23 December, "pilot goodwill" will be removed, which could mean some flights not being covered, the PPU said.
Virgin said it did not expect flights to be affected.
"We have been clear with the PPU leadership team that this action is unnecessary and we remain prepared to recognise the PPU once we have agreed the terms for voluntary recognition," it said in a statement.
"We expect our flying programme to remain unaffected during this period and want to reassure our customers that all flights are operating as normal."


Divorces are known to break a heart or two but in one case in Japan, an extra 54 violins were left in tatters.

A woman has been arrested for destroying her former partner's violin collection and 70 bows, together worth 105.9m yen ($950,700, Â£770,000).
The 34-year-old suspect broke into his apartment in Nagoya and wrecked the instruments, police said.
The incident took place in 2014 in the midst of their breakup but the woman has only just been arrested.
Her 62-year-old former husband is said to have been both a maker and collector of violins.
The most valuable instrument among the 54 casualties is an Italian-made violin worth 50m yen, the Kyodo news agency said.
According to Japanese media, the woman is a Chinese national and was arrested on Tuesday upon returning from China to Tokyo.


Ghanaian Sellas Tetteh has been named as caretaker boss of Sierra Leone as the search for a permanent coach is put on hold.

Tetteh is the Ghana under-20 coach and will take the Leone Stars job after an agreement between the Sierra Leone and Ghana football associations.
The 58-year-old has been contracted for three months.
His first match will be an African Cup of Nations qualifier against champions Ivory Coast on 5 September.
The venue for the match against this year's Nations Cup winners is yet to be decided as Sierra Leone is currently not allowed to host international games due to Ebola.
Tetteh, who won the 2009 Under-20 World Cup with Ghana, will be assisted by a group of local coaches.
A SLFA statement reads: "The SLFA is honoured to inform the general public that the Ghanaian FA in a solidarity gesture has agreed to a three-month loan with the SLFA for Coach Sellas Teivi Tetteh to serve in a caretaker capacity as national coach for Leone Stars."
"The Ghanaian FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi was keen to lend support to the SLFA as a sign of support and solidarity towards Sierra Leone's determination to continue its participation in the games, despite tremendous mounting odds."
Leone Stars lost their opening Nations Cup qualifier 1-0 to Group I opponents Sudan in June, when John Jebbor Sherington was caretaker coach.
Group I also includes 2017 Nations Cup hosts Gabon but their matches will not count towards qualification. Only the group winners advance to the finals.
The former Black Stars and Rwanda coach will also be in charge of Sierra Leone's first 2018 World Cup qualifying fixtures home and away to Chad in early October.
If Leone Stars progress to the second round Tetteh, will continue in the role against Egypt in November.
The SLFA has put on hold the selection of a permanent coach for Leone Stars until further notice, citing "delays in logistical procedures."
Six coaches have been shortlisted for the job including local trainer John Keister.
The other five are all Europeans; Croatian Drago Mamic, Herzog Carsten of Germany, Belgian Luc Eymael, Serbian national Savisa Milosavljevic and Tahseen Jabbary of Netherlands.


Liverpool have signed Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke for £32.5m.

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Benteke becomes the Reds' second most expensive signing, on what the club describe as a "long-term contract".
Liverpool, who last week sold forward Raheem Sterling to Manchester City for £49m, triggered a release clause in Benteke's contract to make the 24-year-old their seventh summer signing.
Belgium international Benteke scored 49 goals in 101 games for Villa after signing from Genk for £7m in 2012.
He told the Liverpool website: "I'm very happy to be here. I came here to win trophies. I came here to reach some great goals with the team.
"It was the right club for me because I had a good chat with the manager and I wanted to be part of his project."
Liverpool struggled for goals last season following the £75m sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona and prolonged injury absences for England international Daniel Sturridge as they finished sixth in the Premier League.
Signings Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert produced three league goals and, after acknowledging the lack of scoring last season, manager Brendan Rodgers has added Benteke to revive the Reds' attack.
Liverpool have also signed forwards Danny Ings from Burnley and Brazil international Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim, while Benteke's international team-mate Divock Origi has returned to the club after spending last season on loan at Lille.
Benteke missed the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with an Achilles tendon injury but returned to action last October and scored 15 times to help Villa stay in the Premier League and reach the FA Cup final.
Former Villa manager Paul Lambert, who brought Benteke into English football, believes he will do well at Anfield.
Lambert told BBC Sport: "He's a brilliant number nine. He won't need just crosses to come into the box. If he gets the service he'll get goals.
"That's the type of guy he is and on his game he's a handful. I'm delighted for him. He's earned that move and if he can do what I think he can do, he'll do great for them.
"He's going to have to handle the expectancy level of winning [at Liverpool]. When you speak to Christian, he has a great belief in himself to do well."
Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge is also excited to see Benteke lead the Liverpool forward line, telling BBC Radio 5 live: "He gives something different, a massive presence up front.
"It's a fallacy when people say he doesn't play the Liverpool way. He knocked Liverpool out of the semi-final of the FA Cup when he played through the middle.
"He's very quick, very strong, very aggressive and that's something we haven't had for some time up front. It's something I'm really happy with and I think he'll bring a lot to the squad.
"I'm a lot more optimistic than I was this time last year. The strikers only scored eight goals last year, we can only do better than that going forward."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


Ar un adeg, y Gyfnewidfa Lo ym Mae Caerdydd oedd un o'r adeiladau pwysicaf yng Nghymru.

Mae stori'r adeilad yn bennod bwysig yn hanes y Gymru fodern, ond mae'n cael ei drawsnewid ar hyn o bryd gyda chynlluniau i agor gwesty, bwytai, bar a chanolfan treftadaeth o dan yr enw 'The Exchange Hotel'.
Dyma olwg ar sut mae'r adeilad wedi newid dros y blynyddoedd, a beth yw'r cynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol.
The Coal Exchange building in Cardiff Bay was once one of the most important buildings in Wales.
Its story is important in the industrial history of Wales, and the iconic building iscurrently being redeveloped with plans to open a hotel, restaurants, bars and a heritage centre under the new name The Exchange Hotel.
Here's a look at how the building has changed over the years, and the plans forits future.
Ar ddiwedd y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg, Caerdydd oedd prif borthladd glo y byd ac oherwydd bod cymaint o fusnes yn mynd drwy'r bae fe agorwyd y Gyfnewidfa Lo yn 1886.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Cardiff was the coal capital of the world andwith so much trade coming through Cardiff Bay the Coal Exchange was opened in 1886.
Yma, ar ddechrau'r ugeinfed ganrif, cafodd y cytundeb masnachol cyntaf gwerth £1m ei arwyddo. Roedd y cytundeb yn ymwneud â gwerthu 2,500 o dunelli o lo i gwmni yn Ffrainc.
It was in this building at the start of the twentieth century that the first £1m trade deal was signed, with 2,500 tonnes of coal being sold to a company in France.
Roedd 10,000 o bobl y diwrnod yn masnachu yn y gyfnewidfa, ac ar un adeg roedd prisiau glo'r byd yn cael eu dyfarnu yma.
There were 10,000 people trading in the building every day, and at one time the price of the world's coal was determined here.
Caeodd y Gyfnewidfa Lo yn 1958, gydag allforio glo yn dod i ben yn 1964. Roedd cynlluniau i gartrefu'r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol yma ond fe bleidleisiodd Cymru yn erbyn datganoli yn 1979. Roedd hefyd bwriad i osod pencadlys S4C yma pan sefydlwyd y sianel yn 1983.
The Coal Exchange was closed in 1958, with the exporting of coal ending in the mid 1960s. There were plans for the Welsh Assembly to be homed here, but the Welsh electorate voted against devolution in 1979. There were also plans for S4C headquarters to be based here in 1983.
Fel rhan o'r gwaith i adnewyddu'r adeilad, bydd ystafell newydd yn cael ei chreu yn agos i'r to a fydd yn dal dros 200 o bobl gyda bar a lle bwyta yno.
As part of the restoration worka new room will be created above the main hall with a dining area and bar holding over 200 people.
Mae'r brif neuadd wedi cynnal nifer o gyngherddau gan enwau mawr fel Manic Street Preachers, Arctic Monkeys, Van Morrison a Biffy Clyro. Mae ffilmiau a rhaglenni teledu wedi'u ffilmio yn yr adeilad hefyd, fel Dr Who, Sherlock, Stella, Casualty a chystadleuaeth Miss Wales.
The main hall as been used to stage concerts for big names such as the Manic Street Preachers, Artic Monkeys, Van Morrison and Biffy Clyro. Television programmes and various shows have also used the venue, such as Dr Who, Sherlock, Stella, Casualty and the Miss Wales finals.
Roedd Banc Barclays wedi ei leoli yng nghefn yr adeilad ar un adeg, ac roedd yn cael ei rentu fel swyddfeydd i gwmnïau. Ond dinistriwyd rhan yma'r adeilad mewn tân yn yr 1980au. Mae cynlluniau i leoli un o'r bariau newydd yma wedi i'r gwaith o adnewyddu gael ei gwblhau.
A bar will be situated at the back of the building whereBarclays Bank and other offices once were. This part of the building was destroyed in a fire in the 1980s. A bar will be located here after the renovation is complete.
Mae'r cyntedd yn dechrau cymryd siâp. Y cam nesaf fydd adnewyddu'r lloriau.
Progress is being made in the lobby area, with new flooring coming as part of the new developments.
Mae disgwyl y bydd y datblygwyr newydd yn talu dros £40m i adnewyddu'r adeilad.
It's expected that the developers will spend over £40m on the project.
Mae rhannau o'r llawr cyntaf yn agos i'w cwblhau.
Parts of the first floor are nearing completion.
Bydd 40 o ystafelloedd gwely yn rhan o'r gwesty wedi i'r gwaith adnewyddu gael ei gwblhau.
There will be 40 bedrooms in the building by the time the restoration is complete.
Mae disgwyl i'r ystafelloedd gwely gael eu henwi ar ôl enwogion o Gymru, gyda Roald Dahl a Tom Jones wedi eu clustnodi yn barod.
It's expected that the rooms will be named after famous Welsh people including Roald Dahl and Tom Jones.
Yn y gorffennol cafodd y llawr isaf ei orchuddio yn dilyn gwaith adnewyddu. Yma bydd y ganolfan dreftadaeth am hanes yr adeilad a'r diwydiannau trwm yng Nghymru yn cael ei leoli.
The heritage centrelooking at the history of the building and the trade industry of Cardiff Bay will be located on the ground floor.
Y gwaith o ailgynllunio'r fynedfa.
Work is well underway to transform the entrance to the building.
Darlun arlunydd o'r gwaith wedi ei gwblhau.
An artist illustration of the final plans for the Exchange Hotel.
Mae disgwyl i'r gwaith gael ei gwblhau erbyn diwedd 2018.
It's expected that the work will be finished by the end of 2018.


Jack Burnham and Ryan Pringle's nerveless unbroken stand of 137 saw Durham chase 282 to beat Derbyshire by six wickets at Chesterfield.

Durham were wobbling at 158-4 before Burnham (93 not out) and Pringle (62 not out) took the visitors to 285-4.
Resuming on 36-0, Michael Richardson chipped in with 62 but fell to South Africa spinner Imran Tahir (2-89).
The victory moves Durham, who started 2017 on minus 48 points, off the bottom of Division Two above Leicestershire.
Leicestershire are only into the second day of their match against Sussex at Arundel and five points behind Paul Collingwood's side, but Durham are now unbeaten in four matches.


A US firm is launching an emergency repair service for broken or damaged smartphones in the UK.

Increasingly services are springing up offering quick fixes for the annoyance of cracked screens or broken home buttons.
New entrant, iCracked, is hoping its model of sending technicians to customers, sometimes within an hour, will help it win market share.
But critics questioned what impact it would have.
The firm already operates in 250 US cities and as the name suggests, focuses mainly on iOS devices but also repairs some Samsung models.
The prices it will charge for fixing devices will vary but will average about £57, according to the firm.
"For most people, their phone is an extension of themselves, so when it breaks it can have a huge impact on the way they go about their everyday lives," said founder A J Forsythe.
The firm began life in 2010 at a US university where Mr Forsythe was a student.
"I started handing out flyers around campus and people would call me and I'd fix their device," he told the BBC.
Growth came fast and the firm now employs 1,000 technicians across the US.
Its UK launch will initially be focused in London with 30 technicians which it hopes to expand to 100 next year.
Customers can call out a fixer either via the iCracked website or its app. They then arrange a time for them to come to their home, office or local coffee shop to repair the device.
There is a burgeoning industry springing up around smartphone repairs. High street shops offer drop-in services where they can repair phones or tablets in a matter of hours, often more cheaply than iCracked.
Websites such as Quick Fix Mobile also offer repairs within 24 hours, with prices averaging £30 - £50 for a broken screen.
Marketing manager Sean Barber was dismissive of iCracked.
"I'm not sure why these big companies come from the US and make such big news. There are already plenty of others in the UK already offering this service."
He compared iCracked's launch with that of Uber, the lift-sharing service which has proved controversial to the taxi industry.
"I don't think iCracked is going to disrupt the market like Uber did. You still have to book an appointment with a technician and in that time, a customer could have come to a service like ours and had it fixed," he said.
Mr Forsythe admitted that some may question the need for an emergency service for iPhones, but said that demand was there.
"We're seeing hundreds of requests each day and we are expecting London to be one of our busiest cities.
"I wouldn't say that it is limited to a First World problem."
Apple did not wish to comment on the service but on its website it advises customers to contact their carrier or Apple to arrange service for damaged devices. Users can also take broken phones into stores.
There is also a growing trend for do-it-yourself services such as the Restart Project - which gives amateurs advice on how to extend the life of their gadgets.


Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah says his Lebanese Shia group will launch an attack inside Syria on Sunni militants fighting for the al-Nusra Front.

Mr Nasrallah said the mountainous border area of Qalamoun would be the target, but did not specify when.
He said Syrian rebel forces, which frequently target Hezbollah across the border, posed an unacceptable threat.
Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has sent hundreds of fighters to join the Syrian civil war.
The Qalamoun area, which straddles the Syria-Lebanon border, is porous and largely unpatrolled.
In a televised address on Tuesday, Mr Nasrallah said cross-border attacks by militants from the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front posed an unacceptable threat to Lebanon's security and required "radical treatment".
"The (Lebanese) state is not able to address this issue... so we will proceed with the necessary treatment and assume the responsibility and consequences," he added.
He declined to say when the operation would begin adding: "Even when we start, we will not issue a statement. When we begin, the operation will speak for itself."
Most of the border region was recaptured from al-Nusra Front and Islamic State forces last year after a major assault by Syrian government troops, backed by Hezbollah fighters.
However, jihadists entrenched there have continued to launch attacks, with clashes reported as recently as Tuesday.
Lebanese officials say several hostages, including soldiers and police officers, are still being held after being seized along the border last year.
Fighting from Syria frequently spills over into neighbouring Lebanon, with cross-border clashes and bombings.
The conflict in Syria has also exacerbated existing tensions in Lebanon - which suffered its own civil war between 1975 and 1990 - and made Hezbollah and areas which support it targets for Sunni militant bomb attacks.


JJ Abrams futuristic series Westworld has landed a second series on US cable channel HBO.

Another 10 episodes of the big budget drama will air in 2017 or 2018, HBO programming editor Casey Bloys told the Hollywood Reporter.
"Westworld is such a big, ambitious show. I don't know if it will be fall of 2017 or into 18," he said.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Westworld is getting an average audience of 11.7 million viewers.
Westworld's ensemble cast includes Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton, Luke Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins and Borgen's Sidse Babett Knudsen.
The first series is being broadcast on Sky Atlantic in the UK on Tuesday evenings.
Co-creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy said in a statement: "During the lengthy journey to the screen, our incredibly talented actors, staff and crew became a family, and we look forward to the privilege of continuing this experience with them.
"We're also thankful to all of our amazing partners at HBO, WBTV and Bad Robot for their steadfast support, imagination and ambition. We simply couldn't have made this show anywhere else."
Bloys would not reveal whether the stars of the current series will return for a second season.
"I don't want to speculate about cast because there's still three episodes left to air," he said.
Meanwhile, Abrams is also set to co-produce award-winning West End comedy The Play That Goes Wrong as it moves to Broadway.
The play will open at the Lyceum Theatre in Manhattan in April.
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The BBC has ordered an investigation into reports TV licence fee collectors targeted vulnerable people, spurred on by an aggressive incentive scheme.

An investigation by the Daily Mail said bosses at Capita, which collects the fee, promised bonuses of up to £15,000 a year to catch 28 evaders a week.
Capita said those statements "do not reflect the high standards we expect".
BBC Director General Tony Hall said Capita had "fallen short" of standards it expected on behalf of the UK public.
The government said it would talk to the BBC about the company's conduct.
The Daily Mail sent a reporter to interview for a job at Capita, and allegedly found staff being pushed to gather evidence to take as many people to court as possible.
One interviewer was recorded saying: "We will drive you as hard as we can to get as much as we can out of you because we're greedy."
According to the paper, the company's 330 field officers are told they must hit a target number of evaders, known as the "magic 28", and for each person they catch over that, they can be paid an extra £20 to £25.
The BBC's director general, Tony Hall, said he wanted "urgent confirmation" that the interview questions were not "standard practice", vulnerable people were not being targeted, and that Capita was taking "appropriate action" over the incident.
In a letter to Capita's CEO, Andy Parker, he said: "Public trust is the cornerstone of the licence fee system.
"It is clear that, in this instance, Capita has fallen short of the standards the BBC has a right to expect on behalf of the British public."
The BBC added that it expected licence fee officers to "behave in a courteous, professional manner and abide by a published code of conduct".
Capita said its incentive scheme only applied to sales of licence fees and it only prosecuted as a last resort.
A spokesman added: "Capita is required by the BBC to ensure households are not breaking the law. Officers are expected to act in a professional manner.
"We strongly refute any allegation that officers are instructed to act outside of these requirements. Where we find employees have not acted as they should we act appropriately."
Downing Street said ministers would be raising the conduct of the enforcement officers with the BBC.
"Clearly, these are concerning reports," a No 10 spokesman said.
"The licence fee does need to be collected in a fair and reasonable manner. I see the BBC has quite rightly ordered an urgent investigation into these reports."
Damian Collins, Conservative MP and chairman of the Commons culture committee, told the Daily Mail: "It's very concerning. This is being done in the BBC's name.
"The BBC needs to make sure changes are made to the way this contract is being run or that it's taken away from Capita and given to someone else."
Labour MP Chris Matheson, who also sits on the committee, called for Capita bosses to be summoned to Parliament.
In 2015, 166,000 people were fined for licence fee evasion. The maximum penalty for watching BBC channels or iPlayer without a licence is £1,000.
In January, new sentencing guidelines were introduced meaning magistrates can impose a non-financial penalty, known as a conditional discharge, so the person will not be sentenced unless they commit another offence.
This will only be used in cases where people have made significant efforts to pay the fee.


Al Ahly of Egypt and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco secured their place in the African Champions League quarter-finals on Saturday as North African clubs prevailed in the final Group D matches.

Wydad were 1-0 winners over 10-man Zanaco of Zambia to move top of the group, with record eight-time champions Al Ahly beating Cameroon's Coton Sport 3-1.
That put Ahly level on points with Zanaco, and with identical head-to-heads, Ahly went through, above the Zambians, on goal difference.
Zanaco knew a point in Casablanca would have been enough to put them into the last eight, but they were thwarted by a 68th-minute goal from Wydad's Achraf Bencharki in front of the 80,000-capacity stadium.
Bencharki's goal came nine minutes after Zanaco defender Taonga Bwenbya was sent off having been yellow-carded a second time.
It was the first Champions League loss suffered by Zanaco this season and only the third goal they had conceded after four wins and five draws in qualifying and group matches.
Al Ahly, who began their match against Coton Sport knowing only a win would take them through to the knockout stage for the first time since 2013, suffered an early setback.
They fell behind at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria after 12 minutes when veteran defender Ahmed Fathy conceded an own-goal.
Amr Gamal came to Ahly's rescue with an equaliser and he also scored the third Ahly goal after Abdallah El Said had given the Cairo club a 2-1 half-time lead.
It means four North African clubs have now reach the Champions League quarter-finals, with Esperance and Etoile Sahel of Tunisia already through.
There will also be at least two quarter-finalists from southern Africa - defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and Ferroviario Beira of Mozambique who went through after Al Hilal and Al Merreikh were disqualified following Sudan's global Fifa ban.


The four Welsh rugby regions have raised the amount they can spend on players' wages by £1m to £4.5m.

In December 2011 the regions - Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - imposed a salary cap of £3.5m a year when all four were posting losses.
The rise reflects improved finances, with extra money from Europe and a new deal with the Welsh Rugby Union.
Pro Rugby Wales declined to comment, but it is understood the decision was mutually agreed after a review.
It is hoped the extra cash will help the regions retain star players and potentially bring more "Welsh exiles" home.
Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, George North and Luke Charteris are thought to be considering returning to Wales next season.
The Ospreys are hoping Dan Biggar and Alun Wyn Jones will agree to extend their current National Dual Contracts.
However, the regions - represented by Pro Rugby Wales - are expected to make building squad depth a priority, and not necessarily spend big figures on marquee signings.
The new ceiling - which is self-imposed - is still some way below that of England's Aviva Premiership.
Premiership Rugby Limited - the umbrella body that governs England's Premiership clubs - announced in October they would be raising their cap next season from £5.1m to £6.5m, and to £7m the season after that.
These figures exclude the salaries of two so-called "marquee signings" that remain outside the cap.


Bolton have contacted the Football League about the conduct of fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in transfer talks over Mark Davies.

Financially struggling Bolton cut Davies' price to resolve an issue over wages and thought a deal had been done.
The player was set for a medical on Thursday and was pulled out of Tuesday's league meeting between the two clubs, which Wednesday won 3-2.
But the deal is on hold, with Davies' agent Will Salthouse questioning why.
"Sheffield Wednesday have said medical reasons but the player has not had a medical with them and they have not had any of his medical records," he said.
Bolton have contacted the Football League, although it is not known whether they intend to lodge a formal complaint.
Another Wanderers player, Zach Clough, has decided not to accept a transfer to Bristol City, despite a fee being agreed between the two clubs.
Unless there are further developments, Davies and Clough will be available for Bolton's Championship game at Nottingham Forest.
Bolton are trying desperately to raise funds before Monday's High Court appearance, when they face a winding-up petition brought by Revenue & Customs.
There had been hope before Christmas that a takeover of the club, £172.8m in debt, would have been completed by now.
However, discussions with various parties have failed to reach a successful conclusion.
Bolton are bottom of the Championship and if they went into administration, which is still a possibility, the 12-point penalty would leave them 18 points from safety.


A clause about Gibraltar in the EU document outlining the negotiating strategy for Brexit has raised the question of sovereignty over the territory.

The claim: Spain has more to lose in EU trade negotiations with the UK - because of its trade surplus with the UK.
Reality Check verdict: Spain sells more goods and services to the UK than it buys from the UK. It is also the top destination both for visits by UK residents and for UK nationals living abroad.
Over the weekend, former Home Secretary Lord Howard said the prime minister would defend Gibraltar the same way that Margaret Thatcher had protected the Falklands.
But on Monday, Jack Straw, the former home secretary and foreign secretary who organised a referendum on the status of Gibraltar in 2002, said the idea of conflict with Spain over the territory was absurd.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme that Spain was unlikely to let Gibraltar get in the way of a future EU trade deal with the UK.
"Spain has hugely more invested in their trade and relations with the UK," he said, adding that Spain exports more to the UK than it imports from the UK, which means it has a balance of trade surplus.
The most recent figures broken down by country are from 2015. In that year:
But the UK arguably has more to lose than Spain on the issue of nationals living in the other country, because there are many more British nationals living in Spain than there are Spanish nationals living in the UK.
Of an estimated 900,000 British citizens who live in the EU, the largest number of them, by individual country, live in Spain: 308,805. Of those, 101,045 are aged 65 and over.
About 132,000 Spanish nationals live in the UK.
Read more from Reality Check


Fiji's Prime Minister has issued a coded warning to Donald Trump about the dangers of climate change.

The US leader is due to decide on future US participation in the Paris climate agreement after next week's G7 meeting in Italy.
But Frank Bainimarama told delegates here that whether you lived in Miami or New York, you wouldn't be able to escape the rising seas.
Fiji will lead the next key UN climate talks later this year.
This normally low-profile May meeting of UN delegates has been overshadowed to an extent by the ongoing question of future US involvement in the Paris accord.
While not addressing Mr Trump or the US directly, Mr Bainimarama told the negotiators that he would bring his own experience as a Pacific islander to his role as head of the Conference of Parties.
"We who are most vulnerable must be heard, whether we come from the Pacific or other Small Island Developing States, other low-lying nations and states or threatened cities in the developed world like Miami, New York, Venice or Rotterdam," he told negotiators.
"But together we must speak out for the whole world - every global citizen - because no-one, no matter who they are or where they live, will ultimately escape the impact of climate change."
Other members of the Fijian team hoped that the US would be able to stay in the climate "family", but that progress would be made with or without the Americans.
"We shouldn't give up because one of the family has decided it won't walk with us," said Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan, speaking at the conclusion of these talks.
"At this point in time the US has not made that decision, and we don't know what the decision is going to be and we hope very much that they will remain within the Paris agreement... but we will not stop our work even if the result is a negative one."
The US sent a very small team to this meeting, reflecting the new administration's cooler approach to the issue.
However, the American delegates were praised for the positive role they played.
"I personally have met with the head of delegation a couple of times, he's a very experienced diplomat," said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa.
"He is very open in repeating 'our position is under review' but he is actively engaged and participating in the discussions and I think that his attitude has been appreciated."
Certainly, it is hard to escape the sentiment here that the world is willing to move on without the US.
This was echoed in the scheduling of the first climate ministerial meeting between the EU, China and Canada. It is due to happen in Berlin next week. A "major announcement" from the EU on climate change is expected on 2 June.
The EU also announced an extra â‚¬800m to help poorer nations between now and 2020. Around half that money will be earmarked for climate action.
"Today more than ever, Europe stands by its long-term partners most vulnerable to climate change," said Miguel Arias CaÃ±ete, the EU's climate and energy commissioner.
"We, developed and developing countries together, will defend the Paris agreement. We are all in, and our joint commitment to this Agreement today is as in Paris: irreversible and non-negotiable."
The EU will also find â‚¬3m to support the Fijian presidency of the forthcoming Conference of the Parties in Bonn in November. This will be the first time a small island state has held the role.
Negotiators here say they have made significant progress on a host of technical issues.


Wladimir Klitschko says he can only lose to himself in Saturday's world heavyweight title fight against Britain's Tyson Fury.

The 39-year-old Ukrainian - the WBA, WBO and IBF champion - will enter a 19th defence in Dusseldorf.
"I would have to allow someone to beat me, but I won't allow that because my ego is my protection," said Klitschko.
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"The person who can beat me is myself. If I'm 100% focused, then the only person who can beat me is myself."
Klitschko is in his second world title reign, having regained the IBF version of the belt in April 2006.
He says his decade at the top of the heavyweight division has been fuelled by his ego.
"This probably sounds selfish, but I have a very big ego," said Klitschko, whose brother Vitali was also a world heavyweight champion. "It's not about somebody else - it is about my own satisfaction and my own ego that needs to be satisfied.
"My ego is big and it gives me the motivation. My ego says I have been champion for a long time.
"I think that's the core of any successful person - ego. I wouldn't say to put ego in a negative box. I think it's controlled ego - it's big and that's probably the core of your motivation."


Carlisle United have signed striker Shaun Miller on a two-year deal, after the expiry of his current contract at Morecambe.

Miller, who scored 16 goals in 43 games last term, is reunited with former Shrimps team-mate Jamie Devitt, who also moved to United this summer.
The 28-year-old has also played for Crewe, Sheffield United, Shrewsbury, Coventry, Crawley and York.
"Shaun is a clever player," said head of recruitment Lee Sykes.
He told the club website: "His connection with Jamie [Devitt] will help both of them with the settling-in process."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


The Queen is officially celebrating her 91st birthday today - even though she was actually born in April...

It's not that she's taken months to figure out what to do for her birthday, but it's because she has two - a real one and an official one.
Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 but has an official birthday usually celebrated on the second Saturday of June.
So why two birthdays for the Queen and how does she celebrate them?
Official celebrations to mark a King or Queen's birthday in the UK have often been held on a day that isn't their actual birthday.
Usually the official birthday happens in summer because there is a better chance of good weather in the UK during the summer months.
The two birthday tradition was started more than 250 years ago by King George II in 1748.
How does she mark her birthdays?
The Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the day is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London.
On her official birthday, Her Majesty is joined by other members of the Royal Family at the Trooping the Colour parade.
Hundreds of officers, horses and musicians take part in the event in London.
The parade starts at the Queen's official residence, Buckingham Palace, along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, near to Downing Street, and back again.


The mother of a two-year-old girl who nearly died after swallowing a lithium button battery from a car key has said the ordeal "killed me inside".

Kacie Barradell, from Pear Tree, Derby, had the battery removed in hospital, in February, after it had caused serious internal damage.
Cheryl Bell, 27, said Kacie, who has returned home, was lucky to survive.
When swallowed, lithium batteries react with saliva and can burn holes through the lining of the oesophagus.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Bell said: "It devastated me, it hurt, it killed me inside.
"I cried, I screamed, but there was nothing I could do.
"I was devastated. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
Find out more on this and other stories from across the East Midlands
Ms Bell told the Derby Telegraph doctors informed her there was a 40% chance Kacie would die following the discovery of the battery, which was later removed at Nottingham Children's Hospital.
Kacie was later taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital where she had an operation due to the damage caused to her body.
Ms Bell said: "It's been hard, obviously I've had to stay by her side every single day, I've been getting three to four hours of sleep at night.
"I have been nothing but worrying."
Kacie's injuries have left her unable to walk properly and she is fed through a tube.
"She's not 100%, but we are home, she is eating and drinking and on a special diet," her mother said.
"Hopefully, she will fully recover, but we don't think this is going to be the last operation on her oesophagus."
Ms Bell is now warning other parents about the dangers of the batteries.
"Don't buy them at all; don't let your kids play with your electronic car keys," she said.


Latvia became the first nation to say they will boycott the bobsleigh and skeleton World Championships in Sochi.

Pressure is mounting on authorities to strip the Russian city of the March event after a report claimed more than 1,000 Russians benefited from state-sponsored doping between 2011 and 2015.
Sochi hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, where Russia won 33 medals.
"The Olympic spirit was stolen in 2014," said the Latvian team, who won skeleton and bobsleigh medals in Sochi.
"Now we say enough is enough.
"While our international federation is still going to 'read and digest the report', we will do what we can," they added in a statement.
"We will be glad to race in World Championships at any track of the world, but we are not participating in the World Championships in Sochi, Russia."
Latvia won silver in the four-man bobsleigh and silver in the men's skeleton at the 2014 Games. Their four-man bobsleigh team are also the current world champions.
Great Britain and the United States are waiting for the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation to make an official statement before taking a decision on their participation.
But it is expected they will join forces with other nations in announcing they will not send athletes if the event is not moved from Sochi.
British Olympic skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold said in October she might boycott the championships.
The samples of 12 Russian medal-winning athletes at the Winter Games in 2014 had evidence of tampering and two Russian female ice hockey players provided male urine samples.
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International lawyer Philippe Sands has won the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction for his book about war crimes.

East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity links his own family history with the origins of international law.
The judges called it "a multi-layered history that is impressive in its own right but also a satisfying, suspenseful read".
Sands donated his £30,000 prize money to a refugee charity.
He told the audience at the prize ceremony in London that he and fellow shortlisted writer Hisham Matar had decided before the announcement that if either were to win, they would share the prize and donate it to an appropriate refugee charity.
"In these trying times we feel that we could all come together to make a real difference," he said.
"From conversations this evening I understand that some of the Baillie Gifford partners would like to match this from their own personal funds, and that Stephanie Flanders will also be donating her honorarium for chairing the prize. My thanks to them all."
Hisham Matar was nominated for his book The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between.
The other shortlisted books were Svetlana Alexievich's Second-hand Time and Margo Jefferson's Negroland: A Memoir.
The Baillie Gifford Prize - formerly the Samuel Johnson Prize - is for the best English-language non-fiction and is open to authors of any nationality.
Former BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders, chair of the judges, said Sands "had pulled off something extraordinary with this book", adding that it "deserved to reach as wide an audience as possible".
She said: "This is not just one story but several different stories, woven together - each important and each deeply personal to the author. The result is a multi-layered history that is impressive in its own right but also a satisfying, suspenseful read. A stunning achievement."
Sands is Professor of Law at University College London and a practicing barrister. He has been involved in cases at the International Criminal Court and the World Court in The Hague and war crimes trials including Chile's General Pinochet, the Congo, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.
Speaking about his writing he said "as a litigator you are a storyteller".
"East West Street is really a double detective story. It's a search to unlock a family secret: the circumstances in which my grandfather and my grandmother, along with my mother, left Vienna in the course of the years that followed.
"And then it's a detective story about the origins of crimes against humanity and genocide: two subjects that occupy my life as an academic but also as a practising lawyer doing cases in international courts".
Sands has written 16 books including Lawless World, on the Iraq war, and Torture Team, on the Bush administration.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.


Cheltenham Town have signed Bristol City striker Diego De Girolamo and Brentford centre-back Emmanuel Onariase on loan until the end of the season.

De Girolamo, 21, has made just one substitute appearance for City in the EFL Cup since signing in the summer from Sheffield United.
Onariase, 20, is a former West Ham youth player who joined Brentford for an undisclosed fee last February.
He has yet to make a first team appearance in his career.
Both players could feature in Monday's visit to Colchester United.
Meanwhile, Cheltenham are set to re-sign goalkeeper Scott Brown, 31, on loan from Wycombe Wanderers.
Danny Whitehead's loan deal from Wigan has also been ended by mutual consent, while Jonny Smith, Easah Suliman and Koby Arthur return to Bristol City, Aston Villa and Birmingham City respectively after their loan spells.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


West Bromwich Albion's 18-year-old striker Tyler Roberts says his international future is with Wales, despite being eligible for England.

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Gloucester-born Roberts, on loan at Shrewsbury, qualifies for Wales through his grandfather and has been capped at Under-17 and Under-19 levels.
"It's a decision that was made a long time ago," he told BBC Wales Sport.
"With everything that goes on in Welsh football, I'm proud to say that I play for them."
He added: "Hopefully I can make my debut for them.
"It would be amazing for my family, for my grandfather.
"It's always nice to know that a manager is looking out for you and seeing how you are progressing. Hopefully I can keep doing well and get into that full squad."
Roberts is on the standby list for Wales' World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Friday.
Liverpool's Ben Woodburn, an Under-19 team-mate and a fellow dual-qualified player, has been called up into the senior squad for the first time.
"That's a massive achievement for him," Roberts said.
"I told him well done and to just go and enjoy it. If he shows what he can do, he will be fine.
"He's a massive talent. It says it all when you come on for your first few games at Liverpool and you are scoring goals and stuff."
Wales are four points behind Republic of Ireland, who are top of World Cup qualifying Group D.
Roberts trained with Chris Coleman's squad last summer before they took part in Euro 2016, their first major tournament since 1958.
"It was a massive tournament, it boosted Welsh football massively," he added.
Roberts joined West Brom's academy at the age of seven, making his debut as a substitute against Liverpool in the Premier League in May 2016.
"That was a massive experience and a great joy for me and my family," Roberts said.
"You can't really put it into words. You are stood on the touchline, knowing you are about to come on. It's just exciting."
Roberts credited West Brom's Welsh manager Tony Pulis with helping his development.
"He's been great and he's helped me grow up a lot as well," Roberts said.
"He has high hopes for you and says if you work hard, you can make it to the top.
"That's nice to hear. The main thing is just to work hard and keep your head down and hopefully you can get there."
Having spent the first half of this season on loan at Oxford United, Roberts joined Shrewsbury, another League One side, in January.
"I came here to get more game time and obviously the team and the manager were happy to have me so it's going well," Roberts said.
"It's matured me a lot coming out on loan and being with professionals who have been in the game for how many years and learning off them and just trying to get to the level that they've been at."


A cyclist has been seriously injured in a suspected hit-and-run during the early hours of Saturday in Brighton.

The unconscious man was found on the Old Shoreham Road at the junction with Lancaster Road at 03:50 BST.
It is believed he was hit by a vehicle which failed to stop. He has potentially life-threatening injuries, Sussex Police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police quoting Operation Bycroft.


A North East hospital trust has been rated "outstanding" following an inspection by health watchdogs.

Services at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were found to be of "exceptional quality" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
It becomes the fifth trust nationally out of 200 to be given the rating.
The trust's chief executive officer, Sir Leonard Fenwick, praised the organisation's 14,000 members of staff for their hard work.
He said: "The staff have been tremendous and done a great job.
"The initial response of the board was to grant them an additional day's holiday."
Prof Sir Mike Richards, the chief inspector of hospitals, said: "There was a very clear vision and strategy for delivering the highest standards of patient care with quality and safety as a key focus."
The trust's main sites include the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and the Freeman Hospital.
The Newcastle Breast Centre, located at the RVI, was highlighted for its work at the forefront of treating breast cancer.
Last month, the neighbouring Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust was also rated "outstanding" by the CQC.


Thousands of students marched through central London on Wednesday to protest over cuts to higher education support.

Organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, the protest is supported by the National Union of Students among other groups.
Protestors are campaigning for a government U-turn on the planned abolition of maintenance grants, and what they call 'living grants for all'.
Graduates told the BBC what it would have meant if they had lost their grant.
"I came from a working class background in Hull, and was the first person in my family to go to university. My dad was made redundant in the first three months of my studies and my maintenance grant was increased.
"I worked 20 hours a week outside of my degree but the grant was my saving grace, as the cheapest accommodation at my university was £79 a week. If I was receiving the lower amount [of grant] I wouldn't have got by without dipping into my overdraft by about £300 each month."
She added that the idea of students from poorer backgrounds owing £51,600 each - comprising three years' tuition at £9,000 and the proposed maximum maintenance loan of £8,200 each year - was "horrific".
"The plans would be a massive disadvantage for anyone from a working class background, not just by affecting their perception of being able to access higher education. It's expecting them to pay a price for a background they didn't choose to be born into."
Connor received a maintenance grant during his undergraduate studies, and is now the undergraduate education officer at the University of East Anglia's student union.
He said Chancellor George Osborne's plans to take away the maintenance grant were "slamming the door" on low-income students' chances of accessing higher education.
"I was the first person in my family to go to university and I feel the sheer amount of debt is having a major impact on students wanting to put themselves through higher education - to have that hanging over you is very significant.
"When the maintenance grants were introduced, access [to higher education] went up quite significantly, so it's a huge disadvantage for those from low incomes.
"Since the budget came out, plenty of students said their experience of university would have been very different without the grant.
"Even now, the cost of living for students is a real problem and the student union here has set up a food bank. More students are looking at hardship funds from the university."
"As someone who went to university after being a young carer for a disabled single mother, there is simply no other way I would have been encouraged to study at university than with a maintenance grant," she said.
"[The grant] allowed some reduction in what you pay back and made allowances for the fact my family was not in a position to pay, and ensured I thought university was an affordable path for me.
She added that it enabled her to purchase course books and join in with social aspects of university life.
"It also helped during my second year, when I knew I needed to save a lot of money for my upcoming year abroad, which I supplemented with part time work at Debenhams.
"But I feel bad for my younger brother, who is paying £9,000 tuition fees and could have had his maintenance grant taken away. His financial experience of higher education has been utterly different."
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which is responsible for universities, said it was "committed to ensuring everyone with the potential to benefit from higher education has the opportunity to do so, regardless of their background".