Thousands of students have failed to register to vote for the next general election, research for the Sunday Politics suggests.

They have been caught out by a quirk of the old electoral registration system, which ended this summer, under which the responsibility for registering voters lay with the rather old-fashioned idea of the "head of the household".
Under plans brought in by the Labour government and accelerated by the coalition, the system has been changed to individual voter registration.
Now individual voters have to register themselves.
Although 87% of existing voters have been automatically transferred, 13% have not and it appears that it is students who have been left out.
Before this October, first-year students tended to be registered en masse by their college or university acting as "head of the household", which ensured almost 100% registration.
This year, that was no longer allowed and student registration has fallen significantly.
Although non-student areas also saw a drop in the number of registered voters, the change in student towns was much higher.
The BBC looked at figures from nine areas where the student population is low - North Norfolk, Tamworth, Tewkesbury, Derbyshire Dales, Barrow-in-Furness, Weymouth and Portland, Boston and Richmondshire.
In those areas, the total number of registered voters, which was 457,099 in 2012 dropped by 4,139 in 2013 and dropped by nearly three times as much, 11,394 ,between 2013 and 2014.
But in 21 areas with large student populations, the change is more dramatic.
The BBC looked at voter registration figures from Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cardiff, Leicester, Oxford, Southampton, Coventry, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Canterbury, Swansea, Bath and North East Somerset, Bradford, Bournemouth, Exeter, Kirklees, Lancaster, Norwich and Derby.
In total, registered voters, who numbered nearly 4.49m in 2012, dropped by 9,727 in 2013 and by a massive 181,552 in 2014 - nineteen times higher than the drop-off the previous year.
In one of those towns, Oxford, registrations in some wards with large amounts of student residents fell by 60%.
It is not possible to prove every one of these missing voters is a student, but universities, local authorities and student bodies are confident the vast majority are.
Constitution Minister Sam Gyimah says the government is aware of the problem. He told us: "We've invested so far Â£4.2m to ensure that under-represented groups, of which students are one - you've got black and minority ethnic groups, you've also got other types of voters - are targeted and reached by the local authorities to get them on the register."
The registration process is online and takes just minutes to complete so some people ask why, if students want to vote and think it's important, they don't take responsibility and complete the form?
Others however think local authority election registration officers, the Electoral Commission, and universities should be being more proactive in informing students that they need to act.
The "Bite the Ballot" campaign to encourage greater youth participation in elections says it thinks such bodies have underestimated the scale of the problem, even describing it as "a crisis"
Nick Hillman of the Higher Education Policy Institute, who has studied the impact of student voting, says if the situation stays as it is, then our democracy will suffer.
"There are 12 seats at the next general election that we estimate could be decided by the student population.  With the next election looking like it will be very close, 12 seats could decide who makes up the next government."
The Electoral Commission insists it is dealing with the problem.
"It's important that those people not currently registered to vote are targeted to ensure the registers are as accurate and complete as possible.
"To support the local activity that is happening, we are running a national, mass media public awareness campaign from 16 March and are already working with a range of partners to help get people, including students, registered before the 20 April deadline"
Some student groups are concerned, though, that mid-March 2015 is a little late to catch the thousands of students who, right now, are not only not registered to vote at university in an election that will happen during term time, but who still seem unaware they even need to register.


President Donald Trump has questioned the neutrality of Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in last year's US election.

Mr Trump said Mr Mueller's friendship with James Comey, who had been heading the inquiry until sacked from his role as FBI chief, was "bothersome".
Asked on Fox News whether Mr Mueller should step down, Mr Trump said: "We're going to have to see."
However, Mr Trump did call Mr Mueller an "honourable man".
Mr Mueller was given the role of special counsel by the justice department to lead its investigation into alleged Russian interference after Mr Comey was sacked on 9 May.
Mr Mueller has not given any details of his investigation but US media have reported he is investigating Mr Trump for possible obstruction of justice, both in the firing of Mr Comey and whether Mr Trump tried to end an inquiry into sacked national security adviser Michael Flynn.
President Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia, calling it a "witch hunt".
He did so again in his interview with Fox & Friends on Friday, saying "there has been no obstruction. There has been no collusion."
He called the accusations of obstruction of justice "ridiculous".
Asked whether Mr Mueller should recuse himself from the inquiry because of his friendship with Mr Comey, Mr Trump said: "Well he's very, very good friends with Comey which is very bothersome. But he's also... we're going to have to see."
He also said that "the people that've been hired were all Hillary Clinton supporters".
When Mr Mueller was appointed Mr Trump was said to be furious, but the special counsel won widespread initial praise from both Republicans and Democrats.
However, lately some influential conservatives have intensified their attacks, openly calling for Mr Mueller's dismissal.
Trump advocate Newt Gingrich urged the president to "rethink" Mr Mueller's position, saying: "Republicans are delusional if they think the special counsel is going to be fair."
The New York Times has reported that Mr Trump has considered firing Mr Mueller but has so far been talked out of it by aides.
Ten days ago, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "While the president has every right to" fire Mr Mueller "he has no intention to do so".
On Friday, her colleague Sean Spicer repeated there was "no intention" to dismiss Mr Mueller.
And in his Fox interview, Mr Trump said: "Robert Mueller is an honourable man and hopefully he'll come up with an honourable conclusion."
Earlier this month, Mr Comey testified to Congress that Mr Trump had pressured him to drop the investigation into Mr Flynn.
Mr Flynn was sacked in February for failing to reveal the extent of his contacts with Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to Washington.
Mr Comey testified he was "sure" Mr Mueller was looking at whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice.
US media said Mr Mueller was also examining whether Mr Comey's sacking was an attempt by the president to alter the course of the investigation.
On 16 June, Mr Trump sent out a tweet appearing to accept he was under investigation, although later his aides suggested that was not the intention.
On Thursday, Mr Trump also made it clear that he had not made secret recordings of his conversations with Mr Comey, despite an earlier hint to the contrary.
His tweet came a day before he was required by Congress to hand over any such tapes.
Mr Trump had kick-started speculation of the recordings in a tweet he posted days after firing Mr Comey, saying: "James Comey better hope there are no 'tapes' of our conversations."
Allegations of collusion between the Trump team and Russian officials during the election have dogged the president's first five months in office.
US investigators are looking into whether Russian cyber hackers targeted US electoral systems in order to help Mr Trump win - something Moscow has strongly denied.
Separately on Friday, a Washington Post article said the Obama administration had been made aware by sources within the Moscow government last August of President VladiÂmir Putin's direct involvement in the cyber campaign to disrupt the election.
The article said the administration debated a response for months before expelling 35 diplomats and closing two Russian compounds. Mr Obama had also approved planting cyber weapons in the Russian infrastructure, the article said, but the measure was not put into action.


The Bank of England and the government covered up the failure of a World War One war loan bond to avoid damaging national morale, it has emerged.

The government wanted to use the loan to raise Â£350m to fund the war, and articles in the Financial Times claimed it had been oversubscribed.
However, the loan raised less a third of its target and the Bank of England was asked to help find the rest.
Current Bank employees discovered what had happened from old bank ledgers.
Investors could have made 4.1% by putting in some money, well above the 2.5% which was payable on other government debt at the time, but the bond still only managed to attract a narrow pool of investors.
Fewer than 100,000 people invested, with half of them putting in Â£200 or less, the Bank Underground blog reveals.
The Bank of England bought up the remaining securities in the name of its chief cashier, so as not to arouse suspicion.
And as the war dragged on, the Bank had to use its own reserves to provide money for the war effort on several other occasions.


When Makau Kioko crouches down to grab an Egyptian cobra the visiting audience always watches on with trepidation.

If the 53-year-old gets his timing wrong - and he is playing with split seconds - he is going to get bitten by one of Africa's most venomous snakes.
Mr Kioko wears protective gloves for his regular daredevil display, but if the cobra bites him anywhere else he could be dead within 15 minutes.
The venom causes respiratory failure, which can lead to paralysis and death. It is so toxic that it can even kill elephants.
Thankfully for Mr Kioko, the owner of the snake farm and visitor attraction Kioko Snake Ventures, in Kitui, eastern Kenya, he says he "always makes sure he wins" his cobra grapples.
However, one of his workers wasn't so lucky a few years ago, and did get bitten by one of the cobras.
While the farm keeps stocks of anti-venom, it wasn't administered quickly enough to prevent the man's legs being paralysed, and they subsequently had to be amputated.
Another member of staff died of his injuries after being crushed by a huge African rock python, the continent's largest snake.
"The snake felt threatened as the man attempted to get close to it to feed it a live adult goat," Mr Kioko says.
"It quickly wrapped its body around him and squeezed him. It didn't eat him, pythons rarely eat humans, but he died."
Although being a snake farmer has its obvious risks, it is a growing industry in Kenya.
There are now 42 such farms in the country, and a further 21 are awaiting licensing approval, according to the government body responsible for regulating the sector, the Kenya Wildlife Service.
The farms primarily make their money as tourist attractions that charge visitors.
They also export snakes, mainly to zoos and pet shops in Europe and North America, where the best and biggest examples are sold for more than 10,000 Kenyan shillings ($100; £80). Snakes are also sold for venom harvesting and scientific research, both domestically and overseas.
Despite occasional fatalities and other injuries, staff at the farms are required to have relevant qualifications, such as diplomas in animal management.
Mr Kioko and his 16 employees look after more than 1,800 snakes, half of which are pythons. The other 50% include more than 32 different African species, plus 13 that are native to other continents.
On a good day Mr Kioko says his five-acre (two-hectare) farm, which opened in 2009, now attracts more than 350 visitors. Kenyans are charged 300 shillings, while overseas tourists have to pay an entrance fee of 1,000 shillings.
In addition to watching Mr Kioko's daredevil cobra act people can learn all about the snakes, and see them up close.
To keep the snakes happy and healthy at the facility he says they have to be given as much living space as they need. This means outdoor enclosures for the largest specimens.
Some of the snakes Mr Kioko breeds, others he rescues.
"Snakes invade people's homes and bite them," he says. "I'm then called out to capture the animals from their homesteads. In return I keep them, and raise them on my farm."
Another Kenyan snake farmer is David Musyoka, who has more than 220 snakes at his facility in Meru County, eastern Kenya.
His collection includes the venomous Mount Kenya Bush Viper, and milk snakes, which are native to North and South America. Visitors are charged 300 shillings, with an average of 50 people visiting per day.
The 54-year-old says: "I also export to zoos in the Czech Republic, UK, Germany, US, Mexico and Brazil. Also, China is an emerging market."
While he says he is happy with the business, he does have to endure the occasional break-in.
"I have had incidents when people have invaded my farm, stolen a few snakes, and illegally sold them to witch doctors," says Mr Musyoka. "Others sell the meat on the black market, so these are some of the challenges."
Albert Otieno, a senior reptile curator at the National Museum of Kenya, says that while snake farms can bring in a steady income, they require significant start-up capital which can be hard to come by. He adds that Kenyan banks like to give money to established businesses rather than unproven start-ups.
"For a start-up [snake farm] you need to raise not less than three million shillings or $30,000."
Prof Germano Mwabu, a World Bank consultant economist at the University of Nairobi, adds that money is not enough, and that instead you need to be very knowledgeable about the reptiles.
"To be successful you have to know a lot about the ecology of snakes," he says. "[For example], you have to have knowledge about their breeding."
Back at Kioko Snake Ventures, Makau Kioko has a diploma in reptile management, so he more than knows the risks when he is catching cobras or wrestling pythons.


A renewable energy firm has won its appeal against the refusal of plans for a 15-turbine wind farm at Solwaybank near the border with England.

Dumfries and Galloway Council turned down the scheme because of seismic and radar concerns.
Developer RES said both those objections had now been withdrawn.
A Scottish government reporter has upheld their appeal and ruled the wind farm, near Langholm, can proceed.
Ruth Elder, development project manager, said: "RES is delighted that consent has been granted for Solwaybank wind farm which will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent average demand of more than 19,000 households.
"As well as providing homegrown, secure and affordable energy, onshore wind farms like Solwaybank contribute cleaner, greener energy - particularly important when the world's eyes are focusing on international efforts to urgently tackle the long-term threat of global climate change."


A 20-year-old woman has been killed in a head-on crash involving a van and lorry on the A1 in the Borders.

The accident happened near Grantshouse at about 15:40 on Sunday.
A Mercedes Vito van was travelling south when it was in collision with a red Scania lorry heading in the opposite direction.
The woman, who was a passenger in the van, was pronounced dead at the scene. The road was closed for 12 hours for accident investigations.
Sgt Gary Taylor said: "Unfortunately a young woman has lost her life and we are currently working to establish the full set of circumstances that led up to this collision.
"I urge anyone who was travelling on the A1 on Sunday afternoon and who remembers seeing either the Mercedes Vito van or the Scania lorry to please contact police if they have not already done so."


A newly-ordained bishop is reportedly being held after announcing he was quitting the body that oversees China's state-sanctioned Catholic Church.

Thaddeus Ma Daqin, Shanghai's auxiliary bishop, announced his resignation from China's Patriotic Catholic Association at his ordination mass on Saturday.
Catholic media and other religious sources say he has been confined in a seminary near Shanghai.
There has been longstanding tension between Beijing and the Vatican.
The Vatican, which appointed Bishop Ma, does not recognise the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA). The Chinese church in turn rejects the Pope's authority.
By John SudworthBBC News, Shanghai
Rumour had it that Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin had been taken to the Sheshan Seminary, the old church on the outskirts of Shanghai, where he trained to be a priest.
He is said to have so upset the government that it felt the need to remove him from public view.
When we visited the seminary, we found a quiet church set high up on a hill, and a sleepy priest training centre undergoing construction work in the valley below.
There was no sign of the missing bishop and no sign of any security officials. Most priests, we were told, had left for their holidays.
Mystery of China's missing bishop
The BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai says Bishop Ma appears to have been silenced - his announcement that he intended to resign from the CPCA apparently sent shock waves through the official hierarchy.
China's estimated 10 million Catholics are split between followers of the Pope and the CPCA.
Reports said Bishop Ma told a 1,000-strong congregation that he was stepping down from the governing body to focus on his new responsibilities. This drew loud applause, said a report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper.
But analysts say the move was seen as a challenge to Chinese state control over Catholic churches and clergy.
Bishop Ma did not return for mass on Sunday and is said to have been taken away to a seminary in Shanghai and forbidden contact with others, according to an Associated Press report, citing Catholic researcher Anthony Lam and the AsiaNews and UCAnews websites.
A close friend of the bishop has told the BBC that Bishop Ma has now been forced to undertake "a period of reflection" in private, and one that might last for months.
"He has chosen belief over freedom," the friend said.
The vice chairman of the CPA, Liu Bainian, has also said that he is awaiting the results of an investigation into Bishop Ma, according to Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper.
China broke off diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1951, but in recent years tensions between Beijing and Rome had eased somewhat, with the occasional visit by a senior Vatican cardinal.
Relations suffered a setback in 2010 with the consecration of the first Chinese bishop for almost five years without the approval of Rome.
Last week the Chinese authorities ordained a bishop in the northern city of Harbin without the approval of the Vatican.


Plans for a promenade on the northern shore of Windermere have been unveiled by South Lakeland District Council.

The lake frontage at Waterhead, a popular tourist destination, is home to a ferry pier, hotels, shops and cafes.
A Â£250,000 scheme aimed at improving it for pedestrians includes new seating, resurfaced walkways and an information board to identify key landscapes in the Lake District.
Local businesses and residents have until 1 February to comment.
Councillor Giles Archibald, portfolio holder for town centres and small business, said: "Waterhead is a magnet for visitors and locals alike and offers superb views of the lake.
"It deserves a high quality, attractive promenade in keeping with its spectacular surroundings."


George Shields is hoping that his first win as caretaker manager of Montrose proves a good omen after being handed the job on a permanent basis.

Shields, who has brought in former Scotland defender Lee Wilkie as his assistant, takes over after Stuart Garden left by "mutual consent".
"My last game as caretaker manager was a 2-1 win over Annan," said Shields, who had been Garden's assistant.
"And hopefully we can build on that in my first game in charge officially."
Garden left as soon as it became impossible for Montrose to qualify for the play-offs and with it their chances of winning promotion from Scotland's League Two.
But a win away to East Stirlingshire on Saturday would lift the Gable Endies above their hosts and into sixth spot.
The players have backed me and I am really pleased with that
Under former Dundee, Arbroath and Forfar Athletic player Shields, Montrose drew away to bottom side Queen's Park and lost to Clyde before that win over second-top Annan.
"The players were terrific against Annan and, despite not having anything to play for, they fought for everything," he told the Scottish Professional Football League website.
"I am sure the way they went about things impressed the board. It certainly impressed me and I have to thank the players for it.
"During my three weeks in charge, I have also had a full turn-out at every training session. The players have backed me and I am really pleased with that."
Montrose said in a website statement that they had interviewed others for the post before appointing the former boss of junior side Dundee Violet who had also been head of youth development at Links Park.
"George was very impressive in the interview stage against equally strong candidates and the club is positive George, with his management team, will build a a strong team for the coming season and competing for promotion to SPFL League 1," it said.
Wilkie will remain with junior side Lochee United, where he is assistant manager, until the end of the season before joining Montrose.
The 34-year-old, capped 10 times for his country, played for both Dundee and Dundee United before being forced to retire because of a knee injury in 2010.
Wilkie also had loan spells with Plymouth Argyle, Notts County, Falkirk and Ross County.
Goakeeping coach John McCafferty completes the management team at Montrose.


Ronnie O'Sullivan compiled three century breaks to crush Mark Allen 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Champion of Champions event in Coventry on Friday.

Allen started well and made a clearance of 100 to draw level at one frame each.
It was 2-2 at the interval before back-to-back centuries of 124 and 109 put O'Sullivan 5-2 ahead and he clinched victory in the next frame.
The five-time world champion will play Scotland's John Higgins in Sunday's final at the Ricoh Arena.
A first prize of £100,000 is on offer for the tournament winner.
Antrim's Allen will be the home favourite at next week's inaugural Northern Ireland Open at the Titanic Exhibition Centre.


Aerial pictures show the scale of the blaze that broke out at a Norfolk seaside resort.

5 August 2016 Last updated at 13:26 BST
The fire at Regent Superbowl and indoor market in Great Yarmouth town centre started in the early hours.
Footage shows firefighters using aerial ladders and hoses to dampen down the building, which has been completely gutted by flames.


Communications regulator Ofcom has upheld complaints made against Channel 4 over an episode of The Simpsons shown before the 21:00 watershed.

The show was broadcast at 18:00 BST on 6 October and featured Homer Simpson hanging by a noose from a tree.
A viewer felt this was "inappropriate for an early evening broadcast when families would be watching".
Channel 4 has apologised for "any offence caused" and said "it took its compliance responsibilities seriously".
The broadcaster added that, after receiving two complaints about the episode, edits considered necessary to correct it "were not put into effect".
The show, it went on, would not be repeated before the watershed.
Ofcom noted that the plot of the episode "prominently featured strangulation", raising issues around its scheduling.
Rule 1.3 of the watchdog's code of conduct says: "Children must... be protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them."


Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says a £1bn plan to provide subsidised work and training placements will "provide hope" to thousands of young people.

The three-year youth contract scheme will give employers subsidies worth £2,275 to take on 160,000 18-to 24-year-olds for six months.
Youth unemployment hit 1.02 million in the three months to September.
Labour questioned how it would be funded, following reports that working tax credits were to be squeezed.
Asked about the reports on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Clegg said the initiative would not be paid for by one single tax or spending measure.
He confirmed the government was considering a "number of savings" - likely to be announced by George Osborne in Tuesday's Autumn Statement when the chancellor will present the official economic and public finance forecasts.
Ministers are under to pressure to do something about youth unemployment, which hit a record high in the three months to September. One in five 16-24s are not in full-time work, education or training.
The new programme begins next April and aims to get young people into a range of employment sectors - from retail and construction to the green economy.
Up to 410,000 work and training placements will be created in England, Wales and Scotland by giving employers wage incentives equivalent to half of the youth national minimum wage.
Proposals include:
By x xPolitical correspondent
We know how much the new youth contract will cost, but the government is under pressure to say where the money will come from.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it would cost £1bn over three years to subsidise 410,000 new work places and provide more incentives for apprenticeships.
It is thought a squeeze on tax credits could provide some extra funds.
But when Mr Clegg was pressed on this, he said the new scheme was not paid for by one other measure and the government has had to make a lot of very difficult decisions to make savings in all sorts of areas.
A Treasury spokesman said there is not strict hypothecation in the tax system - where money from one tax is spent on one specific area - and said we would see how it all balances in the Autumn Statement.
Young jobless: Your comments
Youth unemployment lessons from history
The government says the £1bn being made available is new money - not a reallocation of existing funds - and that certain expectations will be placed on those taking part.
For example, anyone who drops out of a work experience placement or subsidised job will lose their benefits.
Ministers have yet to finalise the detail of how the money will be issued but have suggested it will be paid directly to businesses taking part.
Mr Clegg told the BBC that young people were rightly "demoralised" at the lack of opportunities in the job market and the imitative was consistent with the government's commitment to ensure the next generation did not "pay the price" of economic troubles not of their making.
"It provides hope to the many, many young people who, at the moment, are feeling, very anxious and uncertain about their future," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Labour said the initiative was a watered down version of the last government's future jobs fund, which the coalition scrapped after coming to power.
This initiative guaranteed under-24s out of work for six months a job or training and Labour say 50% of those who took part ended up with a permanent position.
"This underlines what a serious mistake it was to scrap the fund just after the election," shadow employment minister Stephen Timms told the BBC's Daily Politics.
"The future jobs fund broke the mould. If you talk to young people who took part in that programme a lot of them say it changed their lives for the better."
But Mr Clegg said Labour had offered too many "here today, gone tomorrow" jobs in the public sector and the coalition's focus was on giving private employers the incentive to give young people a foot in the door.
Employers' organisation the CBI said the scheme was "good news" while Norman Pickavance, the head of human resources at supermarket chain Morrisons, said the company had recruited 8,500 under-24s over the past year and such schemes gave people "a huge boost in confidence".
But businessman and Labour's former enterprise tsar, Lord Sugar, warned that companies had to have a reason to take on new staff.
"We can't just create jobs," he told the BBC. "A government cannot create a job, a private organisation cannot just create a job for the sake of it. I have to have some business to deploy these people in."
And TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said there was a risk of young people being exploited through work experience: "Keen unemployed youngsters desperate to find work shouldn't be conscripted into edging out other workers who should have been paid the going rate for the job."


Serbia has warned it will defend "every inch" of what it claims as its territory in neighbouring Kosovo.

President Tomislav Nikolic accused Kosovo of seeking a war, after a train painted in Serbian colours and the words "Kosovo is Serbia" was prevented from crossing the Kosovan border.
Kosovo saw the train as a deliberate provocation.
As tensions grew, Mr Nikolic said that he would be willing to send the army to defend Serbs in Kosovo, if necessary.
Kosovo, historically a province of Serbia, declared independence in 2008. It is recognised by the US and most EU countries but not by Serbia or its ally Russia.
The train - heralded as an important transport link by Serbia - was the first direct link between the Serbian capital, Belgrade, and Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo, since 2008.
Many of the remaining Serbs in Kosovo live around Mitrovica.
Serbia said the slogan "Kosovo is Serbia" in many languages was a celebration of its cultural heritage, as were the Serbian Orthodox religious symbols adorning the inside, and the liberal use of the Serbian national colours.
But Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa told reporters that the train had been stopped "to protect the country's sovereignty" and that Kosovo would not allow "machines that will provoke with a message of occupation."
Kosovo had deployed police forces along the border to prevent the train crossing over - which forced President Nikolic to order a halt to the service.
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic alleged that Kosovan forces were planning to blow up the tracks, and accused them of playing "war games".
The incident has heightened tensions, causing protests by ethnic Serbs in Kosovo, and prompting Mr Nikolic to comment that the two nations had briefly been "on the brink of conflict".
1991 - Start of the violent break-up of Yugoslavia
1996 - Rebel Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) steps up attacks on Serbian authorities in Kosovo - met with a Serbian crackdown
1999 - Nato bombs Serbian targets - Yugoslav and Serbian forces respond with ethnic cleansing against Kosovo Albanians but withdraw from Kosovo after a peace agreement
2008 - Kosovo unilaterally declares independence.
Balkans war: a brief guide
Kosovo has had a constant Nato peacekeeping force since 1999.
Tensions with Serbia were already running high, after former Kosovan prime minister Ramush Haradinaj was arrested in France on 5 January. He was detained on a Serbian warrant accusing him of war crimes.
Mr Haradinaj has twice been cleared of such charges at the United Nations, but Serbia insists he should be extradited. He remains in France pending a court decision.


Irish rock band U2 are set to play six "homecoming gigs" on the island of Ireland in November, with two shows planned for Belfast and four in Dublin.

They will play Belfast's SSE Arena, formerly known as the Odyssey, on 18 and 19 November.  It will be their first Belfast tour date in 18 years.
The Dublin shows will be staged in the 3Arena on 23, 24, 27 and 28 November.
U2 are currently on a European tour to promote their latest album, Songs Of Innocence, released last October.
In recent interviews, band members had raised doubts over whether they would be able to announce Irish dates for their latest tour.
In Italy on Saturday, U2's lead guitarist The Edge told the Press Association: "This show is designed for a type of venue and unfortunately there isn't one, certainly in the south [of Ireland].
"I think there might be one in the Belfast area, so we're looking at that as well. But you can't invent a venue. It's either there or it isn't.
"So, we're doing a lot of head-scratching right now to see if we can figure out something."
However, in a statement released on Tuesday night, The Edge said: "Finding venues to take this show is actually quite tricky and we're grateful to our overworked crew who finally cracked the reconfiguring to fit these venues."


Eagles of Death Metal singer Jesse Hughes has apologised for suggesting some Bataclan theatre security guards may have known in advance about the Paris venue being attacked last year.

The rock band were mid-performance on 13 November when four Islamist militants shot and killed 90 fans.
Hughes apologised on Facebook for his comments on Fox News last week about six security guards who were not at work on the night of the attack.
He said he made "absurd accusations".
Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, Hughes said he had learned that some guards did not come to work that night and "it seems rather obvious that they had a reason not to show up."
The owners of the Bataclan were quick to dispute this, saying he had made "grave and defamatory accusations".
Their statement said that a judicial investigation was under way and that "we wish to let justice proceed serenely".
"All the testimonies gathered to this day demonstrate the professionalism and courage of the security agents who were on the ground on November 13. Hundreds of people were saved thanks to (these agents') intervention," they added.
Hughes responded on Friday, saying: "I humbly beg forgiveness from the people of France, the staff and security of the Bataclan, my fans, my family, friends and anyone else hurt or offended by the absurd accusations I made in my Fox Business Channel interview."
He said his comments were "unfounded and baseless" and that he had been struggling with dealing with the trauma of the massacre. The raid on the concert was one of seven co-ordinated attacks across Paris, killing 130 people.
"I've been dealing with non-stop nightmares and struggling through therapy to make sense of this tragedy and insanity," he said.
"I haven't been myself since November 13. I realise there's no excuse for my words, but for what it's worth: I am sincerely sorry for having hurt, disrespected or accused anyone."
The Californian rock band escaped the carnage by hiding in a dressing room backstage and later told how they wanted to return to Paris to finish their performance.
They returned to Paris three months later to finish the gig at another venue, the Olympia, after receiving "overwhelming" support.
The Bataclan survivors were all invited and many attended amid tight security. The show included a silence in memory of the victims.


Celtic eased into the Champions League third qualifying round with a 4-0 home win completing a 6-0 aggregate success against Linfield.

The hosts dominated possession at Celtic Park and Scott Sinclair's finish after four minutes set the tone.
Sinclair scored again after the second half opened with Tom Rogic's superb long-range strike, with Stuart Armstrong netting in stoppage time.
Celtic meet Rosenborg of Norway next week, with the first leg in Glasgow.
Linfield set out to try to contain the Scottish Premiership champions, but their resistance faltered and goalkeeper Roy Carroll produced two excellent saves in keeping with his performance in the first-leg last Friday in Belfast.
He denied Moussa Dembele in the first-half and then Sinclair as he looked to complete his hat-trick with a dipping shot from long range before the end.
Olivier Ntcham made his debut for Celtic following the 21-year-old midfielder's move from Manchester City.
Celtic's two-goal advantage from the first leg at Windsor Park was always going to be added to in a substantial way, the only question being how many they would manage to get.
A vast home support turned out to see it and they were rewarded with a goal inside four minutes when a shot from Ntcham broke to Sinclair, who scored from a tight angle.
The sense then was that an onslaught was coming, but it was an onslaught that took a long time to reap more goals.
Celtic had multiple chances but couldn't find the accuracy to convert them. Dembele, Rogic and Sinclair had two excellent opportunities apiece before the break but all of them went begging. At least two of them were sitters.
Ntcham, the £4.5m signing, was a presence in the heart of the park, and the Frenchman comes with a big reputation.
The president of his loan club for the last two seasons, Genoa, once compared him to Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.
That's a bit of a fanciful notion, but Ntcham looks a powerful player with a perceptive touch. It will be interesting to see how he develops in this Celtic team.
Rogic smashed in a second goal just two minutes after the restart and, seven minutes later, Sinclair made it three when finishing smartly after benefiting from a lucky break of the ball off Linfield's Jamie Mulgrew.
There would have been a hat-trick for Sinclair had it not been for a wonderful save from the veteran Carroll in the Linfield goal. The 39-year-old stretched out an arm and put Sinclair's effort on to the crossbar.
By then, Celtic fans knew that it was Rosenborg awaiting them in the next round. The Norwegian side sneaked past Dundalk and will pose a bigger threat to Brendan Rodgers' team than Linfield, who conceded a fourth in stoppage time.
Jonny Hayes and Kundai Benyu came into the game and both were dangerous. Hayes went close to scoring and Benyu's grace on the ball posed the visitors more problems. He was involved in the build-up to the final goal, smashed home by another substitute, Armstrong.
Match ends, Celtic 4, Linfield 0.
Second Half ends, Celtic 4, Linfield 0.
Goal!  Celtic 4, Linfield 0. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Substitution, Celtic. Kundai Benyu replaces Callum McGregor.
Substitution, Linfield. Cameron Stewart replaces Andrew Waterworth.
Jordan Stewart (Linfield) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution, Celtic. Jonny Hayes replaces James Forrest.
Substitution, Celtic. Stuart Armstrong replaces Olivier Ntcham.
Substitution, Linfield. Jordan Stewart replaces Paul Smyth.
Substitution, Linfield. Kirk Millar replaces Robert Garrett.
Goal!  Celtic 3, Linfield 0. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Goal!  Celtic 2, Linfield 0. Tomas Rogic (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Second Half begins Celtic 1, Linfield 0.
First Half ends, Celtic 1, Linfield 0.
Robert Garrett (Linfield) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Goal!  Celtic 1, Linfield 0. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


Neymar scored four times, including two penalties, as Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano to go level on points with La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Barca recovered from going behind to an early Javi Guerra goal as they won for the second time in four league games.
Neymar made up for the absence of the injured Lionel Messi as he was twice fouled and scored from the spot.
He then netted twice in two second-half minutes before Luis Suarez tapped in ahead of Jozabed's late reply.
Relive how Neymar inspired Barcelona to victory here.
Neymar, 23, now has eight goals for the season to make him the leading scorer in La Liga.
The Brazil international could have added even more after missing a number of first-half chances and being denied two further strong penalty claims.
That all happened after former Cardiff striker Guerra had side-footed the visitors in front after 14 minutes from a cross from ex-Manchester United forward Bebe.
Rayo created plenty more chances of their own and finished the game having had more possession than the home side - repeating the feat they managed as the last team to do similar in a league fixture against Barca two years ago.
Barcelona were indebted to goalkeeper Claudio Bravo for making a number of crucial saves early in the second half when they led just 2-1.
But Rayo had conceded six goals on their last two visits to the Nou Camp and the Madrid side were swamped again after Neymar followed up a shot from Suarez to drive the ball into the roof of the net and complete his hat-trick with 20 minutes to go.
He quickly added a fourth from Suarez's pass before returning the favour for the former Liverpool striker to side-foot home his seventh goal of the season as the defending champions' attacking power made up for their on-going defensive deficiencies.
Match ends, Barcelona 5, Rayo Vallecano 2.
Second Half ends, Barcelona 5, Rayo Vallecano 2.
Foul by Patrick Ebert (Rayo Vallecano).
Douglas (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Adrián Embarba (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jozabed.
Corner,  Rayo Vallecano. Conceded by Jeremy Mathieu.
Roberto Trashorras (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Neymar (Barcelona).
Goal!  Barcelona 5, Rayo Vallecano 2. Jozabed (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Attempt blocked. Lass (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jozabed.
Corner,  Rayo Vallecano. Conceded by Jordi Alba.
Attempt blocked. Javi Guerra (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Ebert.
Attempt missed. Patrick Ebert (Rayo Vallecano) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Attempt missed. Jozabed (Rayo Vallecano) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Patrick Ebert following a set piece situation.
Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Adrián Embarba (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gerard Piqué (Barcelona).
Substitution, Barcelona. Douglas replaces Dani Alves.
Goal!  Barcelona 5, Rayo Vallecano 1. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Neymar with a cross.
Substitution, Barcelona. Gerard Gumbau replaces Sergio Busquets.
Attempt missed. Jozabed (Rayo Vallecano) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Lass (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Jordi Alba (Barcelona).
Attempt missed. Patrick Ebert (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Javi Guerra following a fast break.
Offside, Barcelona. Dani Alves tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Diego Llorente (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Neymar (Barcelona).
Substitution, Rayo Vallecano. Adrián Embarba replaces Bebé.
Goal!  Barcelona 4, Rayo Vallecano 1. Neymar (Barcelona) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
Goal!  Barcelona 3, Rayo Vallecano 1. Neymar (Barcelona) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the top left corner.
Attempt saved. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Neymar.
Foul by Lass (Rayo Vallecano).
Jordi Alba (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner,  Rayo Vallecano. Conceded by Jordi Alba.
Attempt blocked. Lass (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Ebert with a through ball.
Offside, Rayo Vallecano. Chechu Dorado tries a through ball, but Zé Castro is caught offside.
Corner,  Rayo Vallecano. Conceded by Jeremy Mathieu.
Attempt missed. Lass (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Offside, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Foul by Sergi Roberto (Barcelona).


A teaching union has rejected a two-year deal which would see Scottish teachers being given a 1.5% pay rise this year and a 1% rise next year.

The NASUWT rejected the offer as inadequate and unacceptable.
Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, is balloting members over the offer, recommending approval, while the SSTA have "reluctantly" accepted it.
A Cosla spokesman said it was a good offer and the organisation looked forward to the final decision.
Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said there was "overwhelming support" to reject the offer.
"The offer does not make any progress towards restoring teachers' pay to pre-2011 levels, despite the fact that teachers are thousands of pounds worse off as a result of the year-on-year real-terms cuts to their salaries," she said.
"The offer fails to address the full restoration of supply teachers' pay and conditions, with the employer instead opting for a delaying tactic rather than recognising that the main solution to improving availability of supply cover is to fully restore supply teachers' pay and conditions immediately."
She said excessive workload remained the chief concern of members and said schools and employers should be putting effective strategies in place to tackle the issue.
"The offer will also not address the deeply worrying trend of teacher shortages, to which pay and workload are continuing factors," she added.
The Cosla spokesman said: "I am not going to comment on the decision of every trade union individually. What I can say is that this is a good offer and we look forward to the final decision of the teachers' side when the ballot closes."
As part of the proposed deal, a letter will go out to councils confirming that they can choose to pay supply teachers at the full daily rate from the first day of their work.
Some councils have experienced shortages of supply teachers - with critics claiming one reason for this is that they are paid less for short engagements.
There would also be a written commitment on attempting to manage teachers' workload.
This year's pay rise would also be backdated to April.
The offer covers teachers employed by councils, including Glasgow, which are no longer members of the council umbrella body Cosla.


Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has said her 22-year-old son died of what appeared to be a drug overdose, according to a family statement.

Max Barry "suffered from an overdose and passed away" in Denver on Saturday, said Ms Barry and her husband, Bruce.
The circumstances surrounding his death, including what substance he overdosed on, were not clear.
Max Barry had recently graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, in June.
He died in Littleton, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, where he moved after graduation, according to the Tennessean newspaper.
"Early this morning, we received news that no parents should ever have to hear," the couple said in a statement on Sunday.
"We cannot begin to describe the pain and heartbreak that comes with losing our only child. Our son was a kind soul full of life and love for his family and friends," the statement continued.
Max Barry is the only child of Mrs Barry and her husband, a professor at Vanderbilt University
"Our hearts break for Mayor Megan Barry," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. "Please keep her family in your thoughts."
Congressman Jim Cooper called it a "terrible tragedy that no family should have to suffer".
"My heart goes out to Megan and Bruce. They are such wonderful people," he told the Tennessean.
More than half a million people in the US died from drug overdoses between 2000 and 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many of those deaths involved overdosing on an opioid, a type of drug used to relieve pain that has ravaged parts of the US.
Mrs Barry was sworn in as Nashville's first female mayor in 2015.


Chesterfield substitutes Kristian Dennis and Dan Gardner sunk managerless MK Dons and lifted Chesterfield off the bottom of the League One table after a roller coaster second half.

The Dons looked finally on course for their first home league win of the season when they struck twice in six second half minutes.
Daniel Powell and substitute Ryan Colclough eased a night of mounting frustration in front of goal against the Spireites by turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead after 73 minutes.
But defensive frailties enabled Danny Wilson's visitors to clinch their first away league win of the season as Dennis lifted a shot high into the net before fellow replacement Gardner tapped in an 80th minute winner.
Dons dominated possession and chances from the first whistle only to fall behind after goalkeeper David Martin tripped Reece Mitchell. Former Don Jay O'Shea confidently slotted home the 32nd minute penalty.
Lively Kieran Agard smashed a shot against the post as Dons missed a host of chances before the late drama.
Report supplied by Press Association.
Match ends, MK Dons 2, Chesterfield 3.
Second Half ends, MK Dons 2, Chesterfield 3.
Attempt saved. Jack Hendry (MK Dons) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Foul by Daniel Powell (MK Dons).
Ian Evatt (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. George C Williams (MK Dons) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Dan Gardner (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card.
Dion Donohue (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ryan Colclough (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dion Donohue (Chesterfield).
Substitution, Chesterfield. Jon Nolan replaces Reece Mitchell because of an injury.
Substitution, MK Dons. George C Williams replaces Samir Carruthers.
Substitution, MK Dons. Chuks Aneke replaces Ben Reeves.
Attempt missed. Ben Reeves (MK Dons) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Goal!  MK Dons 2, Chesterfield 3. Dan Gardner (Chesterfield) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Gboly Ariyibi.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by George Baldock.
Goal!  MK Dons 2, Chesterfield 2. Kristian Dennis (Chesterfield) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Tom Anderson following a set piece situation.
Foul by Samir Carruthers (MK Dons).
Liam O'Neil (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Liam O'Neil (Chesterfield) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Attempt missed. Dean Bowditch (MK Dons) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high.
Goal!  MK Dons 2, Chesterfield 1. Ryan Colclough (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner following a corner.
Corner,  MK Dons. Conceded by Reece Mitchell.
Substitution, Chesterfield. Dan Gardner replaces Jake Beesley.
Substitution, Chesterfield. Kristian Dennis replaces Jay O'Shea.
Joe Walsh (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Connor Dimaio (Chesterfield).
Attempt saved. Ian Evatt (Chesterfield) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Dean Bowditch.
Corner,  Chesterfield. Conceded by Jack Hendry.
Goal!  MK Dons 1, Chesterfield 1. Daniel Powell (MK Dons) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Dean Bowditch.
Daniel Powell (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gary Liddle (Chesterfield).
Liam O'Neil (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Daniel Powell (MK Dons).
Reece Mitchell (Chesterfield) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jay O'Shea (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card.
Corner,  MK Dons. Conceded by Connor Dimaio.
Attempt missed. Gary Liddle (Chesterfield) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Attempt saved. Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is saved in the centre of the goal.


Belfast Kincora Boys' Home should be included in a new UK-wide inquiry into child sex abuse, Amnesty International has said.

It follows claims of an establishment "cover-up" over allegations of paedophile activity at Westminster.
Home Secretary Teresa May has announced a new investigation into how government handled the claims.
Now Amnesty's NI director Patrick Corrigan has called for Kincora to be part of that inquiry.
Three senior care staff at the east Belfast children's home were jailed in 1981 for abusing 11 boys in their care.
"There have been long-standing public concerns that we really never got to the bottom of what went on in Kincora," Mr Corrigan told Radio Ulster's Talkback on Tuesday.
"There are fears that there were many more victims and abusers during the period between 1960 and 1980.
"Allegations have persisted that paedophilia at Kincora was linked to British intelligence services, with claims that visitors to the home included members of the military, politicians and civil servants, and that police investigations into abuse at Kincora were blocked by the Ministry of Defence and MI5."
Mr Corrigan said that while the current Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry into child abuse at institutions in Northern Ireland includes Kincora, it has only limited powers.
"The current Northern Ireland inquiry is unable to compel the release of files from either Whitehall or the secret services, and given the nature of the allegations over Kincora, this is exactly where any secrets are likely to lie buried," he said.
"The new wide-ranging Hillsborough-style inquiry announced by the Home Secretary must now be allowed to investigate the allegations that have long surrounded Kincora.
"With Kincora, the power to secure the release of key documents from Whitehall or MI5 filing cabinets is absolutely vital.
"Nothing less than the inclusion of the Kincora home in the new inquiry is liable to see the truth finally arrived at and justice finally delivered."
East Belfast MP Naomi Long said: "We haven't really dispelled the rumours surrounding the Kincora scandal. There are victims still around and they deserve justice."
She said that given the remit of the Westminster inquiry, it was perhaps "a better vehicle," for Kincora.
Sinn FÃ©in MP Michelle Gildernew said allegations that MI5 had a role in Kincora were "particularly shocking".
"It has been claimed that not only were MI5 aware of the horrendous abuse of vulnerable young boys, but monitored it and attempted to use it for their own gain," she said.
"The British government needs to listen to the growing calls from a range of groups, including Amnesty International, for a full inquiry into what happened at Kincora."


Kosovo and Serbia have signed a series of agreements in key areas, in a major step towards normalising ties.

Serbs in northern Kosovo will enjoy greater rights through one of the deals, while Kosovo gains its own international dialling code in another.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, who mediated, called the agreements "landmark achievements".
Kosovo split from Serbia in 2008, a decade on since a conflict between Serb forces and Kosovan Albanian rebels.
A Nato bombing campaign against Belgrade effectively forced Serbia to cede the state, but it has not officially recognised Kosovo.
Both sides aspire to join the EU, which for Serbia depends on implementing a 2013 EU-brokered agreement on normalising ties with its southern neighbour.
Under the April 2013 Brussels Agreement, Serbia did not recognise Kosovo's independence but agreed to co-operate in ways that would allow it to operate more like a sovereign state.
Progress since then has been patchy. Elections played a part. For several months last year Kosovo did not have a government, and the Albanian nationalist opposition opposed any compromises with Serbia.
But finally talks have regained their momentum.
Both sides say they have got what they wanted from the latest deal.
Kosovo's foreign minister claimed it was a de facto recognition of independence.
Serbia's prime minister said it ensured representation for ethnic-Serbs in Kosovo. It should also mean Serbia can now move forward with its negotiations to join the EU.
"This is a big achievement for the whole of Serbia and it means there are no longer any obstacles, nothing stands on Serbia's way towards Europe," said Serb Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.
Kosovo Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci was quoted as saying that Serbia had "in a way recognised Kosovo as an independent state".
Kosovo has a majority Albanian population, but under the agreement 10 areas with large Serb populations will be able to manage issues such as the local economy and education.
Mr Vucic said the Community of Serb Municipalities would have an assembly, president and a flag.
The deal will also put an end to the inconvenience for Kosovo's mobile phone users of using Monaco or Slovenia international codes. Serbian-majority areas in the north will still be able to use Serbian calling codes.
The two sides also agreed on how to share the symbolic Mitrovica Bridge that separates Albanian and Serb communities in the north.


A "complete rethink" of the UK's flood defences is required following widespread flooding across northern England, the Environment Agency says.

Deputy chief executive David Rooke said better waterproofing of homes and improved warning systems would be vital for tackling future weather extremes.
Parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester were flooded after downpours caused river banks to burst.
Prime Minister David Cameron defended government funding for flood defences.
He denied accusations - made by the leader of Leeds City Council - that there was a "north-south divide" in efforts to prevent flooding.
Judith Blake said flooding in Leeds was a "preventable disaster", saying the North had not received "anywhere near the support that we saw going into Somerset" - which flooded in 2014.
She said the government had cut funding for a flood defence project in Leeds in 2011, and there was now a "real anger growing across the North".
However, Mr Cameron - speaking as he visited flood-hit areas - said the UK had spent "more per head of the population on flood defences in the north than we do in the south".
"We are going to spend £2.3bn on flood defences in this parliament but we will look at what's happened here and see what needs to be done," he added.
Latest updates from northern England
In Pictures: UK flooding continues
Christmas flooding: Your pictures
How do you stop flooding?
The Environment Agency has nine severe flood warnings - meaning danger to life - in place in north-east and north-west England, and more than 100 other flood alerts across England and Wales.
It comes as more heavy rain and wind is forecast for late Tuesday into Wednesday. BBC Weather's Nick Miller says this next bout of bad weather has officially been named Storm Frank.
The Environment Agency's Mr Rooke told the BBC the UK was moving from a period of "known extremes" of weather to one of "unknown extremes".
"I think we will need to have that complete rethink and I think we will need to move from not just providing better defences... but also looking at increasing resilience," he said.
Improvements to flood warning systems and better building design would help, he added, so that "when properties do flood, they have solid floors, waterproof plaster, more electrics up the wall".
Many places in northern England have seen record river levels over the past 24 hours, including the River Aire in Leeds, and the rivers Calder and Ribble, affecting places such as Whalley, Hebden Bridge and Ribchester.
The River Ouse is now thought to have stabilised in York, where hundreds of people had to leave flooded homes following the torrential rain over Christmas, but water levels are still believed to be rising in the town of Selby.
Extra soldiers were deployed on Sunday to aid emergency services, and about 200 unpaid mountain rescue volunteers from Wales, Cornwall and the Lake District have also been helping in the city.
In other developments:
Downing Street said emergency financial assistance would be available to homes and businesses in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
They will have access to the support package announced earlier in the month for people affected by Storm Desmond in Cumbria.
Shadow communities secretary Jon Trickett called for a major programme of public works and an end to cuts to local authorities in order to deal with the flooding.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued yellow (be aware) warnings for rain on Wednesday in areas of northern England, Wales and Northern Ireland, bringing the threat of further flooding.
Amber (be prepared) warnings for rain are also in place for parts of Scotland on Wednesday. There are currently no flood warnings in Scotland.
People can access information from council websites and the Environment Agency Floodline.
The agency is also operating a phone line - 0345 988 1188 - which will be staffed rather than offering recorded information.
5 December: Storm Desmond brings more than a month's rain to parts of Cumbria, leading to flooding in Carlisle and other areas
12 December: River levels remain high and more than 70 flood warnings are issued amid more heavy rain
22 December: Communities in Cumbria flood again - some for the third time in less than a month
25 December: More than 100 flood alerts and warnings are issued across England and Wales as torrential rain hits
26 December: Residents in West Yorkshire and Lancashire are evacuated from their homes and flooding hits Leeds, Greater Manchester and York
27 December: Police in York advise hundreds of people to evacuate their homes as severe flood warnings remain in place in northern England
Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
View the flood map by tapping on the image below
Tap here for up-to-date flood information.


Ireland staged a second-half comeback to survive a major scare and keep alive their hopes of making the Women's Rugby World Cup semi-finals by beating Japan.

A penalty try and a score by full-back Mayu Shimizu helped underdogs Japan to a shock 14-0 half-time lead.
Two touchdowns by replacement Paula Fitzpatrick and one from Alison Miller saw Ireland bounce back, with Nora Stapleton kicking nine points.
Ireland's game against France will decide the group winners on Thursday.
The hosts had edged Australia 19-17 in their opening pool match on Thursday, while France secured a bonus point as they thrashed Japan 72-14.
Coach Tom Tierney made seven changes to the Irish line-up in the hope of keeping many of his players fresh for the pivotal game against France in Dublin. That match will decide who comes out on top of the group after the French hammered Australia 48-0 in their second fixture on Sunday night.
Ireland are aiming to at least emulate their feat of three years ago when they managed to reach the semi-finals, before losing to eventual winners England, but only the three group winners and the best performing runners-up will make the last four.
With their side lying nine places above Japan in the world rankings and having seen off their opponents twice in warm-up games in June, Ireland  supporters arrived at the UCD Bowl expecting their side to rack up as big a score as possible in preparation for the expected pool-winning shoot-out with France.
However, Japan dominated possession and territory in the first half as Ireland were outplayed in every facet of the game and were forced into a series of basic handling errors.
Full-back Mairead Coyne was fortunate to escape a yellow card for a high tackle before Japan were rewarded for their superiority with a 27th-minute try.
Referee Ian Tempest awarded a penalty try after the hosts were penalised for collapsing the scrum following a drive by the Japanese forwards from a five-metre scrum.
Shimizu wrong-footed the Irish defence and dived over three minutes before the interval, then added the extra points to increase her side's advantage.
Ireland's woes were compounded soon after the resumption when Katie Fitzhenry paid the price for repeated Irish high tackles by receiving a yellow card.
Despite being a player down, the momentum soon swung in favour of Ireland, inspired by their hard-working forwards.
Winger Miller went over in the 45th minute, with Stapleton converting to half their side's deficit, then Fitzpatrick dotted down after Ireland set up a rolling maul from a lineout, the hosts' fly-half again kicking the additional points.
Spurred on by a vociferous home crowd, Ireland began to pile on the pressure in search of victory and after putting together 19 phases of play, Japan were punished for an infringement by a Stapleton penalty.
Fitzpatrick ploughed over from close range for her second in the final play of the game, with Stapleton's conversion ensuring a 10-point winning margin for the resilient but relieved Irish.
"The courage that we showed on Wednesday to beat Australia came through again. We showed resilience and managed to get the result," said Ireland captain Claire Molloy.
"We have a lot to work on. We were very unhappy with our handling and with the breakdown so we need to fix that."
Ireland: M Coyne; H Tyrrell, K Fitzhenry, S Naoupu, A Miller; N Stapleton, N Cronin; L Peat, C Moloney, C O'Connor; C Cooney, S Spence; C Griffin, A Baxter, C Molloy.
Replacements: L Lyons, R O'Reilly, A Egan, P Fitzpatrick, A Caplice, L Muldoon, J Deacon, L Galvin.
Japan: M Shimizu; E Hirano, I Nagata, R Kurogi, H Tsutsumi; M Yamamoto, M Tsukui; M Ebuchi, S Saito, S Minami, A Mimura, A Sakurai, Y Sue, S Suzuki , M Takano.
Replacements: M Suzuki, M Kataoka, M Fujimoto, A Nakajima, Y Shiozaki, Y Noda, A Suzuki, AI Tasaka.
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)
Commentary on Ireland's pool matches will be on the BBC Sport website


Raymond McCauley may go blind as he gets older.

He knows this because when he had his genetic code read, he found out that he was likely to get age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The disease leaves the sufferer with a very narrow field of vision.
As head of bio-technology at the world's most futuristic learning institution, Singularity University, he found the news "burdensome" at first.
"I had never heard of AMD, I had no family history of it and in many ways it was the worst story you can get in genetic diagnosis, 'Here's something that you didn't know about which we can't do anything about,'" he says.
"But I'm a scientist, so I read some papers and found out that there are some things you can do. You can take vitamins, you can get a certain ocular check-up. I stopped going to the mall to buy my glasses and started seeing a research ophthalmologist."
Now he feels a lot happier.
"What was an incurable, untreatable disease turns out to be fairly curable and treatable. I'm glad that I got the information," he says.
An increasing number of private companies are offering to read people's DNA in the same way that a computer reads code, providing insights into how their own genome will affect their health.
Finding out that she had an 85% chance of developing breast cancer, led Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie to have both breasts removed.
Even before genetic information went mass market, doctors have raised concerns about patients Googling symptoms and diagnosing themselves with diseases often far worse than anything that they really have.
Does the new era of personalised genomics mean this is set to get worse?
"I think it could slide into a dangerous place but in that particular case and in most others, the patients are doing it with the full consent of the medical community. If you are 85% likely to get cancer in your lifetime that at the very least is going to prey on your mind and at worst it will kill you," said Mr McCauley.
And, he adds, nobody wants to return to the dark ages of medical care.
He says: "In the [19]70s a family practitioner who found out that a patient had cancer was more likely not to let them know because they didn't want to worry them. That would be unthinkable today."
It took 12 years and $3bn (Â£1.8bn) to sequence the human genome, the code in DNA which makes up every living thing.
But in recent years the cost and speed of sequencing have dropped dramatically and today you can send off a blood sample and get your own code read for $2,000.
And, for about $100, you can send in a sample of saliva and get reports on how your genes relate to hundreds of health conditions.
It is only a matter of time until new parents get handed their child's genetic code alongside their birth certificate, says Mr McCauley.
"We will all get those readouts done when we are first born," he says.
"We will end up with at the very least with a health prediction, things we are likely to suffer from and the drugs that won't work for us."
But having such information readily available raises huge ethical issues too.
It could lead to what he calls the "Gattaca scenario", a sci-fi film that portrays a future society divided between those with good genes and those with bad.
"Will we also get a read out of our innate talents or limitations, social, intellectual or otherwise? That is pretty chilling. How will we handle that as a society?" asks Mr McCauley.
It is clear that the authorities are unsure how to regulate the industry that is growing up around personal genetic information.
Last month the US Food and Drugs Administration banned personal genomic firm 23andme from sending out any more of its saliva tests until it could provide evidence they were accurate.
For campaign group Genetics and Society it is further evidence that the burgeoning industry is already unravelling.
"Some would say it's much too soon to talk about revolutionising healthcare, because we're still learning just how much we don't know about genes and individual health," executive director Marcy Darnovsky tells the BBC.
"I'm about ready to say that it might in fact be too late to make that claim, because it's becoming ever more clear that genetic information will never yield solid actionable data about an individual's risks for the vast majority of common complex diseases."
Arming people with information about their possible future health is likely to dramatically alter the patient-doctor relationship.
Stanford-trained Dr Daniel Kraft thinks currently doctors are ill-equipped.
"If I'm your doctor and you come to me with your genome on a disk drive I don't know what to do with that," he says.
"We are still at early stages of understanding this information. No doctor wants to look at the actual code, we need tools to help us interpret it."
Those tools are likely to be algorithms that can trawl through vast amounts of data.
When we are able to make sense of the data, it will raise a whole heap of ethical questions, thinks Richard Dobbs, director of consultancy McKinsey Global Institute.
He says: "Will you need to tell your insurance company about your genome? When you go for a job will you have to tell your employee so they know how many days you will have off sick? The question becomes - where do you draw the line?"


Brighton council has been accused of a lack of joined-up thinking after plans were put forward for a Â£3m Olympic-sized open air pool near Saltdean Lido.

The plans are for a derelict council-owned site on Madeira Drive.
The council said the pool would provide excellence and broad appeal and was "very different" from Saltdean Lido.
Simon Kirby MP and Saltdean Lido criticised plans for two pools within a 3.9-mile (6.2km) radius. The developers said there could not be too many pools.
Mr Kirby, Brighton Kemptown MP, said: "There is only a certain demand, and I'm not sure having two outdoor pools within three miles of each other is a very sensible way forward."
Rebecca Crook, from the 1930s Saltdean Lido which will open next year following restoration, said: "Two outdoor swimming pools within a four-mile radius is most unusual and certainly will impact on both businesses."
She added: "The bigger point is the lack of joined-up thinking."
Rod Hart, from Swimmergy, one of three companies behind the plans, said the new pool and Saltdean Lido were "entirely different".
He said the 50m pool would be more for training than general swimming, although it was hoped it would attract everyone.
Developers hoped to attract triathletes and swimming squads, teams and coaches from around the world, he added.
The council said the pool would become a hub for swimming and sport-related business, be marketed for triathlons, and provide escorted sea swims, lifeguard training and leisure swimming.
Brighton councillor Geoffrey Bowden, economic development and culture committee chairman, said Saltdean Lido was "a very different facility" with exciting plans and a unique offering.
His committee will decide whether to give landlord's consent for the planned new pool on Thursday, and any planning process will include full consultation, he added.


Asda's chief executive Andy Clarke has told the BBC he has never seen profitability fall so quickly in the UK supermarket sector.

He says 2015 could be as challenging.
In an interview with BBC 5 live's Wake Up to Money, broadcast on Wednesday, he said discount grocers have had a striking impact on retailing.
Analysts Kantar Worldpanel say Aldi and Lidl have reached a record combined market share of 8.6% of all shopping done at major UK grocery chains.
Their rise has come at the expense of the "Big Four" supermarkets, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
"The level of profitability decline in some retailers over the course of 2014 - we've never seen it before," said Mr Clarke. "It suggests 2015 is going to be equally as challenging."
Although Asda has suffered less than rivals such as Tesco from the rise of the discounters, its market share fell 1% in the three months to December according to Kantar Worldpanel.
The discounters are planning to make bigger inroads into the UK this year.
So confident are they that Danish discounter Netto is returning to the UK after a 4 year absence.
Interestingly, the company is being partnered by Sainsbury, in what some see as a "can't beat them, join them" move.
Established Aldi is on a major expansion drive, with plans to create 35,000 new jobs in the UK and to almost double its total number of stores to 1,000 by 2022.
The former UK managing director of Aldi, Paul Foley, told Wake Up to Money the rise of the discounters was "unstoppable."
"The golden age of food retail profits by big, very successful, very well run businesses is over and discounters are the disrupters."
Mr Foley said the discounters were likely to grow to take a 20% market share.
Morrisons has been hit hard by the rise of Aldi and Lidl. It reported a 6.3% fall in sales in the three months to November and a fall in half year profits of just over 30%.
In October the supermarket responded with the launch of Match & More, a loyalty card that matches prices against Aldi and Lidl, as well as the Big Four.
Morrisons' Group Marketing Director Nick Collard told Wake Up to Money that customer behaviour had "really changed".
"The number one driver of store choice used to be convenience - it's absolutely now about price.
"We still have the same relative number of customers, they're just shopping slightly less frequently and buying slightly less."
The bitter supermarket price war has forced the grocery market into deflation. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics food prices have fallen by 1.7%.
Kantar Worldpanel reported that the value of UK grocery sales fell for the first time in two decades in November.
Supermarket expert and Loyalty Magazine editor Annich McIntosh, says the changes the industry is experiencing are profound.
"This modern shopper is unlike any we've known before - a person with a mobile phone who can compare prices instantly.
"There are a lot of very worried executives of food stores out there."
Global Research Director at analysts Planet Retail, Natalie Berg describes the rise of the discounters as part of "a perfect storm".
"I think there's been a real shift just in the past 18 months.
"Shoppers are generally more accepting of the discounters. They view it as a badge of honour and they're happy to shop those own brands"
"On top of the shift in mindset the discounters have significantly upped their game."
Despite the threats, Asda Chief Executive Andy Clarke sees grounds for optimism.
"Kwik Save had a place in this market for a good period of time and it disappeared from the landscape.
"I'm not suggesting that's going to be the case with the current discounters but they are a retail format that's been in this country for a good period of time."
"They're a very different shopping experience. They've got roughly 10% of the product range of a superstore."
But Mr Clarke had this warning: "The discounters will grow and there will be winners and losers."
Former Aldi UK boss Paul Foley is bullish about the German retailers' prospects. "The game's only half over."
Mark Price, the managing director of Waitrose, is also upbeat.
The high-end supermarket has grown market share, and said discounters aren't having an impact on sales.
Mr Price had this advice for Waitrose's rivals: "Be very clear with your customers what you stand for.
"The ones that do that well will do extraordinarily well and they'll survive. The ones that do it less well will find the going tougher."
Wake Up to Money is broadcast weekdays on BBC 5 live. You can sign up to the podcast via the 5 live website.


New proposals for the redevelopment of the Headingley Stadium have been revealed.

The Leeds site is home to rugby league side Leeds Rhinos, rugby union side Yorkshire Carnegie and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Plans include a new South Stand on the rugby ground and a new joint stand overlooking both the rugby pitch and cricket ground.
A public consultation over the proposals is due to start in February.
The capacity of the cricket ground would increase under the plans with the aim of hosting matches in the 2019 Cricket World Cup and securing future Test matches.
Plans were revealed in 2014 for a Â£50m revamp of the cricket ground, which currently holds about 17,000 spectators.
The new combined stand proposes about 4,200 seats for cricket and 3,800 facing the rugby pitch.
The new South Stand for the rugby stadium has a planned capacity of 7,700 with 2,200 being seated.
Gary Hetherington, Leeds Rhinos chief executive, said: "It will present a major construction challenge and inevitably cause some disruption for all teams during that period.
"Our [rugby] stadium capacity will reduce to just over 13,000 for a period during the 2017 season."
Funding is to be provided by a combination of public and private sources including Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos.
Leeds Rhinos also plan to sell sites in Weetwood and Tingley for housing development with the receipts invested in the scheme.
Consultation events are planned including a four-day exhibition at the Headingley ground.


London's Natural History Museum (NHM) has undergone a major revamp with a blue whale skeleton now forming the main exhibit as visitors come through the front door.

The marine mammal replaces the much-loved Diplodocus dinosaur, "Dippy", which will soon head out on a tour of the UK.
The museum believes the change will give its image a refresh.
It wants to be known more for its living science than its old fossils.
The museum employs hundreds of researchers who engage in active study on a day-to-day basis.
Yes, they use the 80 million-odd specimens kept at the South Kensington institution, but their focus is on learning new things that bear down on the modern world. In that sense, the blue whale is regarded as the perfect emblem.
The specimen is being given the name "Hope" as a "symbol of humanity's power to shape a sustainable future".
Blue whales are now making a recovery following decades of exploitation that nearly drove them out of existence.
The Natural History Museum is closed to the public all day Thursday for final preparations
Staff have spent months preparing the 126-year-old skeleton for its new role.
First, it had to be removed from its old hanging space in the mammals gallery.
Then it had to be cleaned and in a few places repaired and strengthened. And finally, it had to be re-hung from the iron girders that support the ceiling in the Waterhouse building's spectacular Hintze Hall.
The BBC was given exclusive access to the whole process, and a Horizon documentary, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, will go out on BBC Two at 21:00 BST on Thursday.
The film will air at about the same time as the NHM's patron, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Sir David, inaugurate the new exhibit at a gala reception.
A great many people were involved in the make-over, but the promotion of the whale represents something of a personal triumph for Richard Sabin, the museum's principal curator of mammals.
He championed the change and suggested the dynamic lunge-feeding pose that the whale now assumes.
It was on a visit to the NHM in 1976, as a boy of 10, that Richard first saw the skeleton in its old display position. He describes that experience as transformative.
"I was absolutely blown away," he told BBC News. "I remember running up the stairs to the balcony and asking an attendant if the whale skeletons in the gallery were real. And she said 'yes, and not only that you can still see these animals in the ocean today'.
"I got home and the very next day I headed down to the public library to try to find as many books as I could on whales. It was, to coin a phase, a defining moment."
For the Horizon film, Richard can be seen tracing the history of the specimen - meeting the descendants of the Irish fisherman who despatched the animal with a makeshift harpoon after it had beached off County Wexford in March 1891. But he also travels to North America, to the Pacific Coast, to join the Cascadia Research Group as they track migrating blue whales.
The group, co-founded by John Calambokidis, attaches tags to the giant creatures. Held on by suction cups, these devices record the behaviour of the whales, even capturing 4K video as they dive underwater.
The team is learning key facts that will help conserve the majestic animals, which went to the brink of oblivion thanks to 20th Century hunters.
"We've discovered that blue whales spend twice as much time at the surface at night than they do in the day," John told Horizon.
"That's the period when they're most vulnerable to ship strikes. That identified right there that we need to be most concerned about ships and their transiting through blue whale areas at night rather than the day."
For Richard, the observation of whales in the Pacific confirmed his desire to see the conservation icon put centre-stage at his museum back in London.
"It's been an honour and a privilege to work with the specimen that inspired me all those years ago - to breathe new life into it; to inject science from the field into it; to display it in a much more meaningful way.
"I honestly believe it will take people's breath away when they see it.
"Thursday is going to be an amazing day for everyone involved; I am sure there will be plaudits for what we've done. But I can't wait for Friday morning when the first families, the first schoolchildren, walk through the door and I get to hear what they've got to say about what they see."
Fans of Dippy should not despair. After the dinosaur's two-year tour of Britain, it will return to a make-over of its own.
The skeleton, which is actually only a plaster cast, will be fashioned again in bronze and placed in the east garden in front of the museum.
You can watch a trail for Horizon: Dippy and the Whale. After broadcast on BBC Two, the programme will be available on the iPlayer.
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos


Two Welsh police forces are ditching the traditional pocket notebooks for something much more 21st Century.

South Wales Police and Gwent Police are bidding goodbye to paper and pens and using mobile devices instead.
The electronic notebook and I-Patrol app means officers can take audio and video accounts from witnesses and victims and upload data onto a system without returning to a police station.
It was developed over two years with the help of a Â£1.5m Home Office grant.
Gwent police and crime commissioner Ian Johnston said the purpose was to minimise the time officers have to spend in stations and not on the streets, as well as saving time and money.
South Wales Police's Assistant Chief Constable, Richard Lewis, added: "Technology is always changing and, despite the current financial challenges, we are committed to making best use of innovation to fight crime and keep out communities safe.
"Our officers have more information at their fingertips than has ever been previously possible and we are confident the public will benefit."


A 16-strong team of police officers, PCSOs and security staff will patrol Greater Manchester's trams and buses for the next three years.

The pilot scheme will use travel operators' crime data to target "hotspots" and support transport staff.
The move, led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) and Greater Manchester Police, will see officers using body cameras while on patrol.
TFGM said the partnership will seek to ban offenders from public transport.
It said officers will also visit schools to educate pupils about the impacts and consequences of crime and antisocial behaviour on the region's travel networks.


England twice beat hosts United States to top pool B on day one of the UL International Crown in Chicago.

Holly Clyburn and Jodi Ewart Shadoff defeated Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson - the world number four - 2&1.
Then Charley Hull and Melissa Reid beat Gerina Piller and world number eight Stacy Lewis by the same score in the eight-team tournament.
"I just love playing in this kind of environment, especially when you are a bit of an underdog," Hull said.
Thailand and Japan make up the other teams in pool B while Chinese Taipei, Australia, South Korea and China are in pool A.
We've launched a new BBC Sport newsletter, bringing all the best stories, features and video right to your inbox. You can sign up here.


The 13-year-old boy who died after a motorbike crash in Magilligan was hit by his brother's bike.

The funeral for Daniel Sheridan is to take place in his native Dublin later.
The schoolboy was taking part in a practice session when he came off his motorbike and was then struck by another bike driven by his brother, Jake.
"There was nothing I could do, it was like a bad dream," Jake, 18, told BBC Radio Foyle.
The brothers, who were from Tallaght, were regular visitors to the County Londonderry track where the crash happened last week.
Daniel was airlifted to Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, but died later from his injuries.
"Me and Daniel were out practising, it was a beautiful day, but we had a crash and he passed away," Jake said.
"It was really a shock for something like that to happen. There was nothing I could do, it was like a bad dream."
Both brothers raced motocross bikes in competitions in England and had a close relationship.
Jake said Daniel had looked up to him and wanted to "be the best" at everything he did.
"I know he would want me to be strong, he was a very strong human being, even though he was very young," he said.
"I know he knows we loved him.
"It's been one of the hardest weekends of my life. We just need to stick together as a family now."


Dr Youri Yordanov started his Friday night shift at the Saint-Antoine emergency department in Paris expecting the usual mixture of older, frail patients and midnight drunks.

But this Friday night, his hospital - close to many popular bars and restaurants - was just 200m away from one of the devastating gun attacks that shook the city.
Three hours into his shift Dr Yordanov was caring for a "very nice old lady who was extremely sick" when a medical student ran towards him shouting incomprehensibly.
He didn't understand. But then he saw the patients who had just arrived.
The first was a lady in her 30s. She had three gunshot wounds.
He said: "I have never seen anything like it before.
"Her shoulder was a mess of blood and bones."
Dr Yordanov is just 35. He had never dealt with firearm wounds before. But as the oldest doctor in the department at that time, he had to take charge.
At first the patients came in walking, despite their wounds - helped by friends, or remarkably managing to hail cabs.
But as the night drew on ambulances started to arrive, ferrying in those more severely-ill.
Dr Yordanov says he doesn't know how some people survived.
One had a bullet lodged between her skull and skin.
"The fact she was there - that was a miracle," he said.
Another woman was covered in blood head to toe. He started to check for injuries.
But she told him: "It's not my blood. It was my husband's blood. He stood in front of me."
Dr Yordanov says the most difficult part was not just dealing with patients with complex injuries.
Difficult too were the patients who were less badly wounded but who could talk.
It was through their stories that he understood the horrors that had unfolded nearby.
He called quickly for reinforcements from all around the hospital.
And many volunteers came in from outside - even though the journey was dangerous.
Many were medical students who had been at restaurants nearby, instinct taking them to the nearest place they could be of help.
The department saw around 50 patients in total, all with gunshot injuries.
Dr Yordanov says though the situation was unfamiliar to him, after five initial minutes of feeling terrified his training kicked in.
He added: "This is what we do. This is our job.
"We stabilise the patient, we start treatment and we call in the surgeons when needed.
"We do this every day - this is just on a different and unexpected scale."
Dr Yordanov says being prepared is part of the job.
In fact earlier that day his out-of-hospital colleagues had taken part in a simulation exercise to help prepare for the possibility of multiple shootings.
According to Dr Yordanov these training sessions happen at least twice a year.
And though he had been part of one in the past, he had never expected it to turn into reality.
He says he is extremely proud of his colleagues and the emergency system Paris has in place.
Some doctors work as first-responders, acting as the first people on the scene and often treating patients at the roadside.
And on Friday evening the preparedness in place ensured patients were dispatched evenly to almost 20 hospitals across the region.
This meant surgeons and medical staff were not overwhelmed.
Back at Dr Yordanov's hospital, three patients who were wounded in Friday's attacks are in intensive care. One is extremely unwell.
But many patients who underwent less complex surgery have already been discharged.
Inevitably patients and medics will take their psychological wounds home.
There are numbers they can call and people they can go to for support.
In fact a psychiatrist at the hospital started counselling and debriefing patients just hours after the attack.
But how will Dr Yordanov cope?
On Monday night he went out for drinks with other medical colleagues who were on Friday's front line.
The bar they chose was very close to one involved in the tragedy.
"That's our answer. We are not going to change our lives."


"Soft skills" need to be taken much more seriously as factors for business success, says a campaign by employers.

These are skills such as communication, initiative, interacting with customers and team working.
Research commissioned by the campaign suggests such skills are worth £88bn to the UK economy.
McDonald's is backing the campaign and wants to challenge the idea that a soft skill is a woolly concept with no clear economic value.
It is working alongside firms such as Barclays and organisations including the CBI.
Jez Langhorn, from McDonald's, says soft skills are vital for employers, but they have a "reputational problem" in terms of how they are valued.
The Development Economics research group says they are worth £88bn per year, particularly in businesses that rely on "face-to-face human interaction".
The economic impact is based on factors such as increased workplace productivity and looking at what would be lost with a lack of soft skills.
These negative factors include:
The study says that unless such skills are improved, over half a million UK workers will be "significantly held back" in their job opportunities by the end of the decade.
The campaign is launching a three-month consultation and will publish recommendations later in the year.
Mr Langhorn, chief people officer for McDonald's in the UK and northern Europe, said abilities such as communication, inter-personal skills and time management, were "essential skills" for employees.
"I can't think of any job where those skills wouldn't be important... but they are not recognised as much as they should be," he said.
Many employers valued such practical skills more than academic qualifications, said Mr Langhorn, but they were worried that there were not enough people with such abilities.
"Businesses think they are important, they are massively important to the UK economy, but they are not recognised to the extent that they should be.
"Maybe it's because of the terminology or maybe it's because people haven't defined what those soft skills are or people are not sure how to articulate those skills when they're talking to their boss about promotions."
Mr Langhorn said there needed to be a better way to "showcase" their value.
"They probably have a reputational problem. They are not recognised for their importance to individuals and the economy.
"We're interested in any policies the government can implement to help employees and employers to develop soft skills.
"These skills improve productivity and that is a key thing the UK economy needs."
Neil Carberry, the CBI's director for employment and skills, said: "Business is clear that developing the right attitudes and attributes in people - such as resilience, respect, enthusiasm and creativity - is just as important as academic or technical skills."


Hibernian reduced the deficit at the top of the Scottish Championship to five points after victory over Rangers in a pulsating match at Easter Road.

Jason Cummings curled in a superb goal for Hibs in the 11th minute.
Hibs' Mark Oxley saved from James Tavernier as Rangers rallied but he was helpless when Darren McGregor deflected in Lee Wallace's shot.
Wallace and Rangers substitute Nathan Oduwa hit the woodwork before Paul Hanlon headed in a 73rd-minute winner.
The defeat ends Rangers' 100% win record in the Championship and takes Hibs' unbeaten record in all competitions to 11 games.
The game began at a frantic pace and the visiting fans were calling for a penalty after three minutes when Jason Holt fell to the ground under a challenge by Lewis Stevenson but, referee John Beaton had a long look at the incident before waving play on.
At the other end John McGinn dithered when he had a clear view of goal and allowed the ball to drift away without getting a shot away.
Hibs moved in front when Cummings collected the ball out on the right and, as the Rangers defence stood back and watched, the 20-year-old lashed in a  stunning strike for his 11th goal of the campaign.
Oxley threw up an arm to deny a fizzing shot by Tavernier but Hibernian came close to adding a second when Marvin Bartley, who had replaced the injured Dylan McGeouch, set up Dominic Malonga.
However, his attempt at curling the ball into the top corner was a yard too high.
Rangers equalised within 90 seconds of the second half beginning when Wallace strode forward and banged a shot at goal that deflected past Oxley via the luckless McGregor.
Rangers looked the team more likely to score a second goal and only a wonderful one-handed save by Oxley kept out Martyn Waghorn's left-foot shot.
The rebound fell to Wallace who crashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar, with McGregor's headed deflection probably saving Rangers from taking the lead.
A delightful ball by McGinn gave Cummings a clear sight of goal after his classy first touch took him away from Rob Kiernan, but that skill was matched by the save from Wes Foderingham.
Nathan Oduwa replaced Danny Wilson as Rangers changed formation to a more conventional 4-4-2.
Media playback is not supported on this device
And it almost paid dividends when Oduwa fired in a shot from the edge of the box that came back off the upright with Oxley scrambling along his line.
Hibernian regained the lead against the run of play when Hanlon took advantage of hesitancy in Rangers' defence to head in a McGinn corner from the right.
And although there were chances for both teams in the closing stages, there were no more goals and the home fans have renewed hope of catching Rangers in the Championship race.


Television presenter and Hartlepool president Jeff Stelling has told the club's manager Dave Jones to "quit now" in an impassioned on-air message.

Stelling, hosting Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday, told viewers: "This isn't personal to Dave Jones but for the good of the club, walk now.
"[Director] Pam Duxbury, chairman Gary Coxall, if it means sacking him, do so."
Pools dropped into the League Two relegation zone on Saturday.
Their 2-0 home loss to Barnet leaves them two points from safety with two games to play, and facing the prospect of relegation to the National League.
Jones was appointed as successor to Craig Hignett in January 2017, with Pools 19th on 27 points.
Since then they have taken just 16 further points, and dropped to 23rd.
Jones has spent much of his career managing in higher divisions during a career that has included spells at Stockport, Southampton, Wolves, Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, and Stelling told the 60-year-old "this is not your level of football".
The 62-year-old added: "If it means me retiring or resigning as club president I do so happily. Do it now, do it today."
Following the loss to Barnet, Jones told the Hartlepool Mail: "I've fought all my life and I won't stop, and I don't expect the players to stop.
"It's disappointing, we are trying to fight for our lives and you want to see more than is happening at this moment in time.
"I come here and put my reputation on the line and I'm going to fight for that reputation."
Stelling, who was born in the town and is a prominent supporter of the club, replaced MP Peter Mandelson in the role as club president in October 2015.