Norman Cornish spent 33 years working in mines before forging a career as an artist.

Now 91 and still painting every day, he speaks about his friendship with LS Lowry and why he is not a fan of the hit play The Pitmen Painters.
Like Lowry, Cornish is fascinated by the world around him, painting vivid views of ordinary life that combine unpretentious realism with nostalgia for a half-forgotten, fast-vanishing world.
His is a world where women wear headscarves and men wear flat caps, a world of fish and chip vans and horse-drawn carts, of men playing dominoes in the pub and children skipping in the street. There are no cars.
But unlike Lowry, Cornish's subjects walk, talk and play together and are not haunting, alienated faces in the crowd.
"With Lowry, it's almost as if he were looking at real life through a window," says Cornish, who was born and still lives in Spennymoor, County Durham. "I was in the real life. I was outside amongst it all."
Cornish's friend and author Sid Chaplin once said his paintings depicted a "narrow world" - his family, the mines, the pubs, the faces of Spennymoor.
That phrase has been borrowed for the title of his latest exhibition, at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, which charts his work from early sketches of his parents to his newest work, dated 2011.
The eldest of nine children, whose father was out of work, Cornish had no option but to start working in a mine at the age of 14.
He soon joined the Spennymoor Settlement, a cultural venture that ran art classes and had a library where he could learn about Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec and Renoir.
"The only tuition I got was from the settlement," Cornish says. "I didn't have a lot of time, but I had to paint... it's an itch that you have to scratch."
He slowly started to exhibit but did not acquire a set of oil paints until a wealthy lady, who lived in "a big hall", admired one of his watercolours and asked why it was not painted in oils. Told he could not afford them, she wrote out a cheque.
Cornish worked in four mines during those 33 years and his fellow workers, he says, were mildly amused by his artistic endeavours.
"They would maybe make a joke up about things or pull my leg from time to time, but they never really bothered me a lot."
A growing artistic reputation and worsening back problems led him to become a full-time artist at the age of 47.
While most people might not give a road or a pub a second glance, Cornish seeks beauty in the life and shapes of everyday locations.
"If you see a street and it's not terribly interesting, you don't draw it," he says.
"But then something happens. Some interesting people come in or a couple of dogs start fighting or some kids start playing with skipping ropes, and suddenly it enlivens the place and I want to draw it."
Many of his paintings show men leaning into each other to talk in the pub, or standing with legs bent at the bar.
"In the past I was so used to going in the pub drawing that they didn't take the slightest bit of notice of me," he says.
"I was painting real people. They couldn't care less about me. I was in a wonderland there."
Cornish became friends with Lowry after meeting him at a gallery in Newcastle and recalls him as being "a bit funny, a bit peculiar".
"I remember we talked about what happened to an artist when he died. His work - was it forgotten or was it going to be cherished?" Cornish says.
He told a sceptical Lowry that his works would be cherished "for obvious reasons", he remembers.
"I've lived long enough and he's been dead long enough for me to see the real result of what we were discussing, the fact that he was important.
"I don't know about my own [work], but that's another matter."
The story of north-east miners-turned-artists has recently been celebrated in The Pitmen Painters, a play by Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall, which is preparing to open in the West End.
The play focuses on a group of miners in Ashington, Northumberland, who became respected painters after seeking art tuition in the 1930s.
After opening in Newcastle in 2007, The Pitmen Painters has had successful runs at the National Theatre in London and on Broadway.
Cornish feels an affinity with the Ashington men - and believes Hall did not do them justice.
"I know that the Ashington Group were quite intelligent men and they wanted to be educated," he says.
"But I'm afraid the author took the mickey a bit, you know, and had us laughing at what the different people in the group would say.
"There were some bits that made me feel it was a bit of an insult to these lads - because they were bright lads, the best kind of working people who wanted to be educated.
"There was nothing silly about them. And I don't think he did them much favours turning them into... entertaining clowns. Well, they weren't."
Cornish himself is not ready to stop working, but is aware that many of the scenes that he depicted have long since changed beyond recognition.
"That's why I'm sometimes referred to as a sort of historian," he says. "I didn't mean to be. But the things that I was fascinated by, in many ways, have slowly disappeared."
The Narrow World of Norman Cornish is at the University Gallery, Northumbria University, until 8 October. The Pitmen Painters is at the Duchess Theatre, London, from 5 October.


Coventry Bees could be left with "no option" but to ground share - probably with Leicester - if plans to redevelop their current Brandon home go ahead, according to team owner Mick Horton.

Planning consultants have outlined proposals to build 250 new homes on the Rugby Road site.
"We've probably got about 18 months to find a new home," Horton said.
"We need to protect the club and we may have no choice but to ground share  - and Leicester's the ideal club."
The Lions race at Beaumont Park, some 27 miles from the Bees' current home, and, although plans for an alternative multi-purpose venue that could host speedway in Rugby have been mooted, Horton says he cannot afford to wait around.
"Yes, Brandon is tired and it does need money spending on it, however it's still one of the best speedway facilities in the country," Horton told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire.
"There have been meetings and there is a site they're looking at but, from a selfish point of view, I'm only really interested in speedway.
"It would be great if they find a piece of land and build on it and we join them, but I've got to keep our options open.
"We need to be in control of our own destiny - that's what we need to strive for."
The Bees ended the 2015 Elite League season in second place in the table but lost to eventual champions Poole Pirates over two legs in the semi-final of the play-offs.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are once again choosing the Lindo Wing, an exclusive private maternity facility attached to a leading London NHS hospital, for the birth of their child.

Having a baby there however, costs a little more than the seven guineas the first patients paid for a week's stay when it opened in 1937.
The basic cost, for 24 hours' care including a normal delivery stands at Â£5,215, rising to Â£6,745 for a Caesarean section, though the royal couple may be entitled to take up the hospital's offer of a 10% discount for returning parents.
Prince George was born at the Lindo Wing on 22 July 2013, weighing 8lb 6oz (3.8kg).
It is now the usual venue of choice for royal births. Princes William and Harry were born there, as were the children of Princess Anne, the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Michael of Kent.
The Lindo Wing, which is part of the St Mary's NHS Hospital in Paddington, west London, describes itself as having offered "leading private obstetric and neonatal care for 60 years".
Recently refurbished, each room has a satellite TV with major international channels, a radio, a safe, a bedside phone and a fridge.
The expectant or new mother and her visitors can access the internet on wi-fi, and there is a choice of a daily newspaper delivered to the room each morning.
All meals are freshly prepared by chefs in a dedicated kitchen and tea and coffee are provided for mothers and guests throughout the day.
And should new parents wish to celebrate their happy event, the wing also offers a "comprehensive wine list should you wish to enjoy a glass of champagne and toast your baby's arrival".
If Prince William wishes to stay, he will be provided with a fully reclining chair next to his wife's bedside, and breakfast in the morning.
But aside from these hotel-like luxuries, staff in the Lindo Wing are experienced in catering for complex pregnancies and deliveries.
It has the benefit of being attached to St Mary's, with access to top-notch hospital specialists and facilities for premature babies.
While modern royal parents have opted for the Lindo Wing, a home birth would be more in keeping with tradition.
The Queen was born at a home belonging to her mother's parents at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London.
The current heir to the throne, Prince Charles, was born at Buckingham Palace, while his sister was born at Clarence House.
Alan Farthing, the current surgeon-gynaecologist to the royal household and fellow obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston are believed to be set to lead the medical team who will deliver the baby.
The team who delivered Prince George was led by Mr Farthing's predecessor Marcus Setchell, who has since retired.
He helped save the lives of the Countess of Wessex and her elder child Lady Louise Windsor in 2003.
The countess was rushed to a hospital in Surrey after complaining of severe internal pains when she was eight months pregnant.
She was dangerously ill from blood loss and doctors performed an emergency Caesarean.
There may be less of a media scrum outside the hospital this time than occurred for Prince George's birth, when the world's press waited for weeks for the first glimpse of the future heir to the throne.
But there will still be many eager for the first sight of his new brother or sister when he or she emerges on to the steps of the Lindo Wing.


You might be surprised by this afternoon's news that British bombing killed British nationals in Syria in the last few weeks.

Didn't MPs vote against bombing Syria a couple of years ago? In the last few days haven't the prime minister and the chancellor made clear they would only take military action in Syria if there was a consensus here in the UK? In any case, isn't it entirely unusual, almost unheard of in modern times, for British military action to take the life of a British citizen?
The answer to all three of those questions is yes.
But just a couple of weeks ago, an unmanned British Reaper drone did drop a missile on a group of so-called IS fighters in Syria that killed two British citizens.
One, the target, Reyaad Khan, was according to David Cameron involved in plotting a barbaric attack on British soil. In the PM's view and, he says, the view of the government's most senior lawyer - the attorney general - that made the attack entirely proper and legal.
"There was a terrorist directing murder on our streets and no other means to stop him," the PM said. Although we've been told repeatedly British drones have been flying over Syria to carry out surveillance, in the small print the government always retained the right to act in extremis without specific permission from MPs.
For Number 10, that action is distinct from its decision on whether to take military action and have RAF pilots join US forces flying bombing missions over Syria. The prime minister still wants to persuade MPs to back that plan this autumn, although a vote is unlikely until after the party conference season wraps up.
But this strike does add a sense of urgency to those making the arguments for intervention - a reminder that so-called IS plan and plot in Syria, that the direct threat to the UK is real and getting more serious.
But there are calls tonight from opposition politicians for more information and reassurance on the particular circumstances around this attack, accusations already that the strike is evidence of British "mission creep".
As the operation appears to have been led by intelligence the truth is we may never know what really happened, what the precise circumstances were.
But the fact that we know a British plane has dropped a British bomb in Syria, on British citizens may mean, earlier than expected, the battle lines in this debate are drawn.


The first meeting between SDLP leader John Hume and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams on 11 January 1988 did not find favour with Mr Hume's senior colleagues in his party.

The evidence surfaces in a memo in declassified files from that year that have just been released in Belfast.
In a minute to officials dated 15 January 1988, Rosalind Earnshaw, private secretary to Brian Mawhinney, the Northern Ireland junior minister, reported on a conversation.
It was between Dr Mawhinney and SDLP MPs Seamus Mallon and Eddie McGrady.
"While the MPs used their leader's argument in defending the meeting, the minister was impressed with the lack of enthusiasm by which they put forward the argument and what appeared to him to be their embarrassment/discomforture."
Ms Earnshaw wrote: "In response to Dr Mawhinney saying to Mr McGrady that he found it difficult to reconcile his recent statement regarding the relationship of the SDLP and Sinn Féin with John Hume's meeting, Mr McGrady looked down at the table, said the two were not irreconcilable, but made no attempt to reconcile them."
SDLP deputy leader Mr Mallon said that "whatever else was the outcome of the Hume-Adams meeting", Mr Hume would "not allow himself to be wrong-footed".


It is an event which in recent times has only occurred once every 30 years or so, the birth of a child in direct line to the British throne.

There was Prince Charles in 1948; William in 1982, and now a so-far unnamed prince in 2013.
The birth of any baby is a moment which invites those around it to reflect, on their own lives and on the prospects for the life which has just begun.
In one sense, the future for baby Cambridge is already infinitely more mapped out than that of just about any other newborn child.
Barring revolution in Britain, the shape and trajectory of his life is, in every real sense, inescapable.
This is a child whose destiny is to inherit one of the oldest hereditary thrones in the world.
It will be a life which will be shielded from many of the pressures and frustrations that are everyday occurrences for the rest of us.
But the position brings its own, at times intense, challenges.
When so much is handed to you on a plate, any royal with any intellectual sensibilities - and that has not, it must be said, always included all of them - can be susceptible to debilitating self-doubt.
They have achieved a position at the apex of society in which they are surrounded by high-achievers of every sort, without ever having had to prove that they are worthy of such preferment.
It is perhaps the thing about a hereditary system that the meritocrats and republicans despise most of all.
Hence the importance - recognised by those around William and Harry - of giving young royals the opportunity to test themselves in the wider world and discover a sense of self-worth rooted in achievement rather than arrogant assumption.
The princes have done it through their military service - William as an RAF search and rescue pilot, and Harry through his deployments with the Army to Afghanistan.
In due course the same principles will need to be applied to the life of the Royal Family's newest member.
That baby Cambridge is "special" is something most people would acknowledge.
But in the world in which he will grow up it would surely be a mistake for him to believe that special automatically means "better".
As baby Cambridge's life progresses, he will need to do what his father, grandfather and great-grandmother have all attempted to do - that is to earn respect by the manner in which they have set about their respective roles.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps the best template to follow would be that of his great grandmother, who has brought both commitment and a sense of humility to her role as monarch.
All of this is for the future. However, one challenge that is likely to dawn on baby Cambridge at a comparatively early age is that he faces a lifetime of public scrutiny.
William is aware from his own childhood of just how intrusive and upsetting that can be.
It will be an absolute priority for him to try to ensure that his son enjoys a childhood as undisturbed as possible from an international news media who regard the younger British royals with the hard-headed commercial glee of business executives who have discovered a super-magnet for ratings and readers.
Catherine too knows a thing or two about dealing with the unquenchable curiosity of the media.
She will be equally as determined to surround her first-born child with as much "normality" as possible.
To that end she has the considerable advantage of a close and resourceful family of her own.
The Middletons have shown both single-minded determination in achieving their own family goals, and - by and large - an impressive discretion at finding themselves in such proximity to the Queen and her family. The one lingering question mark against that point remains Catherine's younger sister Pippa - but that is another, continuing story.
Much has been written already about how baby Cambridge will be the first front-rank British royal to be brought up imbued with the middle-class, Home Counties values of the kind that Kate herself seems to embody.
If that is the case, who can seriously argue that a Middleton-inspired dose of grounded self-discipline will not be beneficial for a young royal born to the pinnacle of privilege.
Kate's mother Carole will be the child's only grandmother and it seems reasonable to suppose that her influence will be significant, particularly given the closeness of her relationship with her elder daughter.
So baby Cambridge can expect to have a secure and loving environment in which to grow up and begin to understand what is expected of him.
At some point there may well be a younger sibling - but perhaps just the one, as the Royal Family appear to have understood the problems of producing too many young royals, all of whom require a role.
So what does the future hold for baby Cambridge?
In short, a lifetime of public curiosity and, in due course, the responsibility of refreshing and taking forward the ancient institution that is the world's best-known hereditary monarchy.
Much as it will set republican teeth grinding, there would seem to be every likelihood that in approximately 50 years from now the baby whose life has just begun will ride to Westminster Abbey in a golden coach to be crowned monarch in a line which can be traced back more than a thousand years to good King Egbert of Wessex.
So, with that thought baby Cambridge, welcome and - without sacrificing the objectivity that is expected of every BBC correspondent - good luck!


Often the news features the same old cast of characters.

Whether it's politicians, leaders from the world of business and finance, or tabloid celebrities - the faces keep coming around.
But every so often a new star makes it into the headlines and a relative unknown is propelled into the spotlight before quietly fading away again.
Let's celebrate the stand-out newcomers of 2014, the characters who made the day just that little bit different.
One minute you're on TV, talking about all the amazing science you've done to land a spacecraft on a comet, the next you're being given a telling-off for your shirt.
Matt Taylor later broke down during a press conference and apologised for his "big mistake".
Austrian drag act Conchita Wurst took first place at the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest.
Collecting her trophy on stage the singer said: "This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom."
England's head physio Gary Lewin suffered a dislocated ankle during the celebrations for Daniel Sturridge's goal against Italy during the World Cup.
Roy Hodgson described the incident, which resulted in Lewin being stretchered off the pitch, as a "sad moment".
Former baseball player Pete Frates inspired thousands of people around the world to film themselves tipping cold water over themselves.
An ALS sufferer himself, his ice bucket challenge helped to raise millions of dollars for charities which tackle the disease.
ALS is known as motor neurone disease in the UK.
Dean Farley caused a security alert when he bumped into the prime minister in Leeds.
He claimed he didn't recognise the PM.
A later investigation confirmed he had been jogging on his way to the gym.
Despite the fact that Amal Alamuddin did not feature regularly on chat shows and gossip websites before meeting and marrying "Hollywood's most eligible bachelor" (aka George Clooney), she did manage a few other accomplishments.
As many pointed out, these minor achievements included being a successful human rights lawyer, publishing books and working with the United Nations.
Jessie Helt, a homeless man from the US, was invited up on stage by Miley Cyrus when she won at the MTV VMAs.
He was later jailed for six months after violating his probation.
He handed himself into police having been spotted on national television with Miley.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube


The appointment of 31-year-old Mohammed bin Salman as Saudi Arabia's new crown prince has won considerable approval among social media users within the Gulf kingdom.

Wednesday's decree by his father, King Salman, was discussed under a number of hashtags, including: "I_pledge_allegiance_to_Mohammed_bin_Salman_as_crown_prince".
Prince Mohammed is popular among young Saudis and the country's middle classes. He is seen as a moderniser, albeit with more hawkish tendencies on foreign policy.
The prince is the architect of the "Vision 2030" initiative, which aims to end the kingdom's dependency on oil, and as defence minister he has overseen a two-year military campaign against the rebel Houthi movement in Yemen.
Many Saudis emphasised his standing as a statesman in their posts, using images of him superimposed against the Saudi flag or performing civic duties.
On Instagram, female user @ghram1516 called him the "prince of youth" - a phrase that was widely used in many posts.
"I would sacrifice myself for he who has become crown prince. I do not intend to calm down even if he becomes king," she wrote.
Another female Twitter user pledged "obedience" to the prince.
Also on Twitter, Salah al-Khalif wished the new crown prince luck and praised his "righteous victories" next to an image of him speaking to a soldier.
Also shared widely was a video of the prince kneeling before and kissing the hand of the man whom he replaced, his older cousin Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.
Many users expressed gratitude to the former crown prince and interior minister for his service to the country, particularly his efforts to combat terrorism.
"One hero leaves and another enters, and the nation remains proud and safe thanks primarily to God, our leaders and people," @fanan000 tweeted.
Another person, @m3a4_s3, posted a photo of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bearing the caption: "The destroyer of terrorism, you will remain in our hearts as long as we live."
However, not everyone welcomed the changes to the line of succession.
London-based Saudi scholar Madawi al-Rasheed posted the video of the two princes on Twitter, and wrote: "Aborted Attempt by MBS [Mohammed bin Salman] to kiss MBN's [Mohammed bin Nayef's] foot. So grateful for letting me jump Q."
Later, she tweeted an article she had written for Middle East Eye news website, in which she says the appointment "means a lot of things for the future of the kingdom - and all point to uncertainty brought about by the erratic Mohammed".
Describing the prince as "not a capable fire fighter or a tactical statesman", she warns that "he thinks only money solves problems but this has not enabled him to claim victories in the many wars and conflicts that he started."
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.


A Glasgow theatre production had to be cancelled after a power cut plunged the theatre into darkness.

Nicola Park was performing in The Real Hoosewives Fae Glesga: Wee Fat Glesga Wedding in the Pavilion Theatre when the outage happened on Friday night.
She stayed on stage and joked with the crowd, who could not see her, until all 1,389 theatregoers were evacuated.
Police believe a fire at an electricity substation, which caused the power cut, was started deliberately.
Ms Park was playing a character in the comedy show who is getting married. She is left on stage on her own after waving off her friends, who have left for America in search of stardom.
The lights went down as planned as Ms Park prepared to sing All By Myself.
She told the BBC Scotland news website: "I was standing there in the dark and nothing happened with the spotlight. Then I realised there was no microphone.
"I said to the audience 'I'm still here by the way' and I told them 'this is not part of the show'.
"I continued to talk to them. I said I was doing a wee dance and they couldn't see me. Then I started a wee jingle bells. Everyone was laughing. I was there for five to 10 minutes before we all left.
"I've worked on the stage for 20 years and I've never known anything like it."
Iain Gordon, manager of the theatre, said: "Around 35 minutes into the show, the lights went down when they were supposed to.
"Then we realised it was a problem and we had to evacuate the theatre. Once we talked to Scottish Power, we discovered it would be several hours until the power was back on."
The theatre has added an extra performance for Sunday after they were forced to cancel Friday's show.
Scottish Power said the fire at the electricity substation in Renfield Street, near the Herald newspaper building, left 200 properties without power.
About 20 firefighters attended the blaze just after 20:00.
A man and a woman were trapped for about 30 minutes in a lift in the Apex Hotel in Bath Street as a result of the power cut.
The fire was extinguished by 21:30 and firefighters remained in the area until midnight.
A spokesman for Scottish Power said the substation was completely destroyed and engineers have worked through the night to reconnect all properties.
He said: "By 21:30 we had reconnected approximately 150 properties, and the remaining 50 properties were all restored by 09:00 this morning (Saturday).
"We will work with Police Scotland to assist with their investigations."
A spokeswoman from Police Scotland said it is believed the fire was started deliberately and that officers were following a positive line of inquiry.


Fear of terror attacks tends to focus on the "spectaculars" - the big bomb plots that kill lots of people - but small-scale terror attacks are becoming increasingly common and have disturbing implications.

Two recent murders in Bangladesh show just how effective small-scale attacks can be at spreading fear and paralysing ordinary life.
On the evening of 28 September, a 50-year-old Italian aid worker, Cesare Tavella, was jogging along a road the upmarket Gulshan area of Dhaka. Gulshan is the Mayfair of the Bangladeshi capital: it's where the embassies, the posh hotels and the swanky restaurants are. Three men pulled up on a motorcycle. They shot Tavella from behind three times at close range and then drove off into the night.  He died of his wounds.
Five days later, another foreigner was targeted. Kunio Hoshi, a Japanese citizen who ran an agricultural project in Rangpur district of northern Bangladesh, was riding in a rickshaw when he was shot dead by masked men on a motorcycle.
It has been widely reported that the Islamic State (IS) group said it carried out the attacks, though this has not been confirmed. But Bangladesh has been struggling to deal with a recent rise in radical Islamist groups. This year four secular bloggers have been murdered in horrific assaults. But the latest attacks are likely to cause far more damage to the Bangladesh economy.
That's because the targets were seemingly randomly chosen foreigners: it means anyone who travels to Bangladesh could be a target. And sure enough, within hours of the attack on Tavella, embassies were put on high alert and travel warnings were issued.
There are reports that as many as two-thirds of tourist bookings have been cancelled, that NGOs are restricting staff movements and - perhaps most significant of all - that foreign buyers in Bangladesh's crucial garment trade are in a panic, with many cancelling trips to the country.  And, to cap it all, the Australian cricket team cancelled a planned trip to Bangladesh.
The scare was heightened on 5 October with news of a third - most probably unrelated - attack. Three men attempted to slit the throat of a Baptist pastor in his home in the Pabna district. The Rev Luke Sarker, a Bangladeshi convert to Christianity, escaped with minor injuries after his wife came to his rescue. Police have arrested a member of student wing of the Jamaat-e Islami party in connection with the attack.
The murders appear to be part of a wider international trend away from big, well-planned attacks to smaller commando-style operations.  Think of the attacks on the offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and on Fusilier Lee Rigby in the London suburb of Woolwich.
Governments around the world have long been braced for an increase in these kind of incidents. After Charlie Hebdo, MI5 warned that Britain is at risk of more of what it called "Paris-style" attacks.
They certainly pose a huge challenge to the authorities. They are much harder to disrupt because they are so easy to organise. The men who attacked Lee Rigby used knives instead of guns and didn't even have formal affiliation to a militant organisation. What's more, in Bangladesh the perpetrators didn't stick around to be "martyred", but vanished into the night, perhaps to prepare for further attacks.
And there is evidence that commando-style attacks are becoming more common. A UN Report in July 2014 found that the main reason for the increase in civilian casualties in the conflict in Afghanistan is because the Taliban has shifted away from using improvised explosives to attacks involving gun battles in heavily populated areas.
The government of Bangladesh denies that there is an IS presence in the country and insists the link between the group and these murders has not been proven.  But whoever is responsible, the attacks have done terrible damage to Bangladesh's reputation.
Bangladesh, officially a secular nation, had until this year been pretty much free of militant violence. The fear is that it could now begin to be bracketed along with the likes of Pakistan and Afghanistan. That would have terrible consequences the country's growing economy.
But let's be clear, the move towards commando-style attacks isn't just an issue for Bangladesh, it is something we should all be anxious about. The risk is that copycats will look at how effective the attacks in Bangladesh have been and replicate them around the world.


The number of people who use electronic cigarettes in the UK has tripled over the past two years to 2.1 million, a health charity estimates.

It says just over half of current or ex-smokers have now tried electronic cigarettes, compared with 8% in 2010.
Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) surveyed more than 12,000 adult smokers.
A separate study found that most e-cigarette users were using them to reduce smoking.
Use of e-cigarettes among people who have never smoked remains small at 1%, Ash said.
Ash has commissioned a series of surveys on electronic cigarette use since 2010, with the latest survey conducted in March.
Of those now estimated to be using electronic cigarettes, around 700,000 are thought to be ex-smokers and 1.3 million to be using them alongside normal cigarettes or tobacco.
Current smokers using the cigarettes regularly have risen from 2.7% in 2010 to 17.7% in 2014.
When ex-smokers were asked why they used electronic cigarettes, 71% said they wanted help giving up smoking. Among smokers, 48% said wanted to reduce the amount of tobacco they smoked and 37% said they used e-cigarettes to save money.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Ash, said: "The dramatic rise in use of electronic cigarettes over the past four years suggests that smokers are increasingly turning to these devices to help them cut down or quit smoking. Significantly, usage among non-smokers remains negligible."
Another study, The Smoking Toolkit Study, which covers England, has found that electronic cigarettes are overtaking the use of nicotine products such as patches and gum as an aid to quitting smoking.
It also found that the proportion of smokers who gave up smoking in the past year had increased and smoking rates in England were continuing to fall.
Study leader Prof Robert West said: "Despite claims that use of electronic cigarettes risks renormalising smoking, we found no evidence to support this view.
"On the contrary, electronic cigarettes may be helping to reduce smoking as more people use them as an aid to quitting."
Ms Arnott added: "While it is important to control the advertising of electronic cigarettes to make sure children and non-smokers are not being targeted, there is no evidence from our research that e-cigarettes are acting as a gateway into smoking."
Ash's survey suggests that most electronic cigarettes users, or "vapers", use a rechargeable product with replaceable cartridges or a reservoir.
Simon Clark, director of Forest, a group that supports smokers, said it welcomed the rise of e-cigarettes and was glad people had a choice of what to smoke.
But he suggested that most smokers using e-cigarettes were experimenting with them rather than using them to give up smoking altogether.
"We haven't seen a significant fall in smokers. Most smokers still find electronic cigarettes quite basic and it will take a few more years for the technology to improve."


Nine companies have applied for licences to carry out fracking operations beneath 1,900 sq km of land in Scotland, it has been revealed.

The information was given by the UK government in response to a freedom of information request by the Ferret investigative journalism website.
It did not disclose who the companies were or where they have applied to extract shale gas.
But Scotland's shale reserves are said to be focused in the central belt.
The UK government's Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has been offering exclusive rights to exploit onshore oil and gas resources under its 14th licensing round.
But a decision on who will be awarded the licences in Scotland, and whether they should be awarded at all, will not be taken until after full powers over fracking are devolved to Holyrood under the Scotland Bill.
The Scottish government placed a temporary moratorium on fracking in January while a study was carried out into is potential impact.
In its response to the Ferret, the DECC said a total of nine companies had applied for the rights to 19 blocks in Scotland, each covering 100 sq km.
But the DECC said it could not name the companies, or say where the blocks were, for commercial confidentiality reasons.
Stuart Haszeldine, a professor of geology at the University of Edinburgh, told the Ferret: "It is very likely most of the applications for shale exploitation by fracking will focus around east Glasgow, north Lanarkshire, the northwest corner of south Lanarkshire, West Lothian, Edinburgh city, southwest and south coastal Fife, Midlothian and the north west of East Lothian."
These areas were identified in a British Geological Survey (BGS) study of the Midland Valley - which runs across central Scotland - as having the greatest potential for shale extraction.
The BGS report suggested there was only a "modest" amount of shale oil and gas in place in the area, with its central estimate for shale gas put at 80 trillion cubic feet, and its central estimate for shale oil put at six billion barrels
Anti-fracking campaigners have raised concerns about the environmental impart of the controversial technique, which they argue is "dirty and dangerous".
But supporters accuse environmental groups of scaremongering on the issue, and say shale gas extraction is an important potential energy source that could become a major new industry for Scotland.
Find out more....


Planning permission is to be sought for a whisky distillery on the tiny island of Raasay off the Isle of Skye.

It would be one of Raasay's largest employers if it opens as planned in January 2017 with 11 jobs on an island with a population of 120 people.
R&B Distillers has proposed turning Borodale House, a derelict Victorian hotel, into a distillery and visitor centre.
The first batch of whisky could be produced by 2020.
A pre-planning application was submitted to Highland Council earlier this year.
In its work to secure full planning permission, R&B Distillers must carry out a protected species audit at the proposed site.
This study will check for the presence of bats, otters and the Raasay vole, a subspecies of the British bank vole.
A full planning application for the distillery and visitor centre could be submitted by September.
R&B Distillers was founded in 2014 by Bill Dobbie, a Scots entrepreneur and co-founder of online dating site Cupid, and business partner Alasdair Day who produces Tweeddale blended whisky in West Lothian.
Mr Day said: "It's incredible to think that there are still areas of Scotland completely 'forgotten' by whisky.
"The Isle of Raasay is one of those unique locations and the perfect home for R&B Distillers to handcraft whiskies of uncommon provenance."
He added: "We're now working hard to engineer a whisky destination unlike any other. From the magnificent views over to Skye, to experiencing craft distilling first hand, we can't wait for visitors to discover our whiskies, the island and the community here on Raasay."
Tourism and deer stalking provides the main employment on Raasay. But in the past, parts of the island were mined for iron ore.
The village of Inverarish was built for the miners, and a larger community grew around its original 64 terraced houses.
During World War One, German prisoners of war were kept at Inverarish and put to work at the nearby open cast mine.
Residents of Inverarish held a street party in July 2012 to mark the village's 100th anniversary.


The River Severn in Gloucestershire burst its banks after a combination of high tides and the Severn Bore.

Several homes were flooded, but The Environment Agency said "things could have been a lot worse".
A spokesman said water had come within a few inches of overtopping significant flood defences.
More high tides were set to affect the area on Friday evening and on Saturday morning and three severe flood warnings remain in force in the county.
Places affected included Minsterworth, Maisemore, Elmore and Newnham.
Dave Throup from the Environment Agency said it had been a "very close shave".
"The levels here do rise remarkably quickly. The locals haven't seen anything like this since 1999.
"It is an unusual set of circumstances with the surge as it was.
"[The water] was within a few inches of overtopping some significant defences."
Earlier police urged sightseers to stay away from the river.
A Gloucestershire Police spokesman warned motorists the situation could change rapidly.
River Severn expert Chris Witts said although the bore wave was "fairly small", it was to be expected because of the large amount of fresh water coming down the river.
"The tide had to push against that and had to overcome the bore - it's reversed the flow and is looking quite spectacular and that flow's fast," he added.
Rest centres in Tewkesbury and the Forest of Dean have opened while those in Stroud and Gloucester remain on standby.
The Severn Bore occurs when a large tidal surge pushes sea water up the Severn Estuary and into the River Severn.
It can travel as far upstream as Gloucester.
In Bristol, part of the A4, The Portway - which runs beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge - was partially blocked by flooding.
A number of other roads flooded in the city, including Cattle Market Road and Cumberland Road, which caused delays to morning rush hour commuters.
A flood barrier was used for the first time protecting homes in Avon Crescent.
In Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon debris has been cleared from roads after earlier high tides.
In Somerset people called the BBC to report hailstones "bigger than the size of two pence pieces" falling over much of the county.
Several homes were flooded close to Porlock Weir but the Environment Agency said the county had escaped widespread flooding because winds had not been as strong as expected.
Bristol Rovers's football match against Crawley, due to be played on Saturday at Broadfield Stadium, has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch.


World number eight Milos Raonic has withdrawn from the World Tour Finals at London's O2 Arena with a quad injury.

Spain's David Ferrer, who is the first alternate, will step in to play Japan's Kei Nishikori on Thursday afternoon.
The change means Britain's Andy Murray, who is also in Group B, will be eliminated if he loses to Roger Federer this evening.
"You, the fans deserve a great show and I wouldn't step out if I couldn't," tweeted Canadian Raonic.
"I am sorry for the fans. I will do everything to be here next year."
Raonic confirmed in a press conference that he had suffered the injury in the first set of his defeat to Murray on Wednesday evening.
He added: "If I was to step out on court, I'd be walking a tightrope where I can play obviously not at 100%, but with a significant risk of losing up to six to eight weeks if things go badly."
Raonic also lost his opening match in Group B against Roger Federer.
World number 10 Ferrer has appeared in the last four Tour Finals and only narrowly failed to qualify for this year's edition, suffering a decisive defeat to Nishikori in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters.


Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is coming under pressure behind the scenes to pick Michelin rather than Pirelli as the sport's next tyre supplier.

Pirelli's deal began in 2011 but it is in competition with Michelin for the new contract that runs from 2017-19.
Several leading teams have expressed a preference for a change because of concerns about Pirelli after a series of problems.
Governing body the FIA is also said to have doubts about the Italian company.
The FIA had approved both bids on technical and sporting grounds, leaving the decision in the hands of Ecclestone, who puts together the commercial aspects of the deal.
But it has now has gone back to Pirelli with further questions following the company's reaction to two high-speed failures at last month's Belgian Grand Prix.
Leading teams' and drivers' faith in Pirelli has diminished in recent months and there is a widespread concern about whether it is the right company for F1.
"There is a number of people making that position clear to Bernie," one leading figure said, wishing to remain anonymous.
Pirelli had a meeting at the Italian Grand Prix earlier this month with Ecclestone, leading team bosses and four of the most successful drivers - Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and McLaren's Fernando Alonso.
It expressed discomfort at the public criticism from drivers in the wake of the 200mph blow-outs suffered by Rosberg and Vettel in Belgium.
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One source at the meeting said Pirelli was told that "none of these drivers have any faith in your capabilities as F1's tyre supplier". The drivers were asked not to express their concerns in public.
Pirelli blamed both incidents at Spa on cuts to the tyre surface and significantly raised minimum tyre pressures, which reduces vulnerability to such failures, for the Italian and Japanese Grands Prix.
This means the tyres were run at higher pressures than would be typical or ideal at those races - but teams have argued the tyres should be robust enough to survive the high loads created on those fast circuits without needing to be compromised in that way.
Following his failure in Belgium, Vettel said he thought drivers' concerns were taken seriously, but added: "What is the answer? Same as every time: 'There was a cut, debris, there may be something wrong with the bodywork, the driver went wide.' Rubbish."
Disquiet about the integrity of the tyre - and Pirelli's response to failures - is combined with the fact most current drivers also dislike the characteristics of the tyres, which cannot be driven on the limit for more than two or three laps at a time.
Instead, drivers have to manage the rubber carefully to ensure it makes it to the end of the required stint length for the optimum race strategy.
Pirelli says it is producing what F1 has asked for following Ecclestone's request for high-degradation tyres that promote multiple pit stops.
It has promised to discuss with drivers, teams and officials whether this remains the right approach.
One top driver told BBC Sport: "We agreed to carry on talking to Pirelli, but that's not the main question. The question is could they produce the tyres we want even if they were asked to?"
Many leading engineers told Ecclestone in a meeting earlier this year they believed the current tyres were the best Pirelli could provide.
Michelin's bid to become the new tyre supplier is based on producing rubber on which drivers can push to the limit throughout the tyre's life.
It says it has told Ecclestone it is "not against" multiple pit stops or "using technology to increase the show".
Insiders are sceptical as to whether pressure on Ecclestone, who has expressed strong public support for Pirelli, will have any effect.
"The contract will go to the highest bidder - that's the way the world works," one team boss said.
Pirelli declined to comment.


British high jumper Isobel Pooley is currently working towards a place in Team GB's squad for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The 22-year-old, who won a silver medal for England at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, set a new British record in outdoor competition of 1.97m earlier this year.
In her first column for the BBC Sport website she discusses her "job" as an athlete, family festivities and positive thinking.
My job as a full-time athlete is far more immersive than a normal nine-to-five job - it's an entire lifestyle.
My sporting ambitions shape almost every decision as I strive to build and maintain the ultimate physique for jumping high. It's my responsibility to nurture, protect and respect my body so that it can reward me with world-class performances.
However, an equally vital aspect that often gets overlooked is the mental and emotional excellence required in order to truly fulfil one's potential. Just as I can't detach myself from my physical body and its needs, nor can I live anywhere but inside my own head and within my own set of emotions.
Thus it's essential for my wellbeing that I learn to channel my thoughts and feelings in a positive and empowering direction so that success becomes more and more inevitable.
At the moment we are in the middle of winter training, which is when we lay down the foundations for the next year in terms of fitness, strength and technique. It's the toughest part of the whole year and involves the highest volume of training and requires a diligent and steadfast approach.
It's useful to have short and long-term goals and to keep them in mind as much as you can. In my case a short-term goal might be just to survive the next set of exercises and execute them to a great standard.
Alternatively, I might focus on training as hard as possible for the next week, knowing that I have a recovery period coming up afterwards. This keeps my mind on the task in hand and stops me from getting lost in the sheer volume of training I have to contend with.
Since high jump is very technical, it's imperative to keep the quality as high as possible, so this approach helps me to concentrate my effort rather than just getting through it and diluting the overall standard of work.
In the long term, it's easy to imagine what my motivation is, with the World Indoor Championships, European Championships and Olympic Games just around the corner. I am so grateful that I have these incredible opportunities open to me and I am determined to make the absolute most of them.
I also like to look back on past successes - and disappointments - to galvanise myself for future challenges.
I make a conscious effort to see the positives in any situation and to take delight in even the simplest pleasures and the smallest successes. Every evening I also mentally run through the day's events and re-live the best moments in order to feel uplifted and energised for the next day.
Small steps like this help to keep me habitually optimistic, resilient and grateful, which makes life a pleasure and in many ways feels like a success in itself, even without the sporting benefits.
I am learning to appreciate that my body and mind are one integrated system and I need to listen to them both and cherish them equally. Think of it this way - it's hard to jump high if you have a grumbly ankle, but equally tough with a heavy heart.
With the belief that anything is possible I feel empowered to pursue my dreams with everything I have got.
I am really looking forward to spending some time with my family in a couple of weeks' time as they are so dear to me and I always miss them while I am in the Midlands training.
The following month, it will be great to relax and recuperate a little over Christmas, secure in the knowledge that I will have conquered the toughest training challenges in the October-December period.
In the new year, I have indoor competitions starting in January, which I am very excited about as they will be a chance to reap the benefits of all this hard work!


A young woman politician who attacked sexism in Germany's governing Christian Democrat (CDU) party has won praise from many fellow politicians but some have also questioned her motives.

In an open letter Jenna Behrends, a newly elected CDU politician in Berlin, complained that sexism was rife in the party. She felt insulted when a senator called her a "sweet mouse".
Minister for Families Manuela Schwesig said sexist jokes were "unacceptable".
A Green MP also backed Ms Behrends.
Gesine Agena, the Greens' spokesperson on women's issues, said she had also heard "daft language" from male politicians. Sexism "is experienced by many women politicians", she said - though the Greens, unlike the CDU, have a 50-50 quota rule for men and women on their party lists.
Ms Behrends, a 26-year-old lawyer, said she had experienced "party-wide solidarity" since publishing her "Dear Party" letter on her blog (in German) on 23 September.
Dear party, we need to talk... about how you treat women and how you're gambling away your future
However, she lashed out at the CDU's Women's Union for "shutting itself off" and addressing her complaint "internally, at senior level". The union deals with women's issues in the party.
According to Ms Behrends, some of the CDU women members characterised her as "hungry for promotion" and "ambitious to get elected to chair the Women's Union herself".
The union's leader, Sandra Cegla, was quoted as saying Ms Behrends was intimate with Peter Tauber, the CDU's Secretary General and a top aide to Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Quoted by German news website Der Spiegel, Mr Tauber said "I got acquainted with Jenna Behrends and we flirted, but quickly I realised that we would remain friends, no more than that".
Several commentators say Ms Behrends has revived a sexism debate triggered in 2013 by journalist Laura Himmelreich, who complained of harassment by a senior Free Democrat (FDP) politician at the time, Rainer Bruederle.
Ms Behrends criticised a party which "enjoys malicious gossip over a few beers". "Women willing to sleep their way to a top local position exist only in your dirty fantasies," she added, in her open letter.
The senator at the centre of Ms Behrends' complaint has been identified as Frank Henkel, a Berlin CDU politician.
He allegedly called Ms Behrends "sweet big mouse" after calling her daughter "a sweet little mouse". And he was said to have inquired about Jenna Behrends' sex life.
The CDU's local mayoral candidate in Berlin-Mitte district, Carsten Spallek, said those involved in the sexism row had had a "frank discussion" on Monday night and agreed that the issue "should henceforth be discussed calmly, in various forums, and only inside the party".
Ms Behrends endorsed that statement, posting it on her Facebook page.
The conservative CDU rules Germany in coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).
Despite the current row, the CDU has appointed women to some prominent posts, not least Mrs Merkel, who overturned decades of tradition by becoming leader in 2000.
The CDU's Ursula von der Leyen is defence minister, Nadine Schoen is deputy head of the CDU group in parliament and Julia Kloeckner has been tipped as a possible successor to Chancellor Merkel.
Mrs Merkel said recently that Germany had to act more resolutely to tackle sexism.
"It is deplorable that in more than 65 years of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Dax-30 companies haven't managed to get a few more women onto supervisory boards on a voluntary basis," she complained.
"For a long time I opposed statutory quotas. But at times we heard so many hollow promises that it was clear - this isn't working."


Saturday's FA Cup final between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Wembley will be watched by half a billion viewers in more than 120 countries.

Close to 90,000 fans will be at Wembley for the 134th final of the world's oldest cup competition as two teams of elite, millionaire sportsmen battle it out for glory.
But what exactly was the scene at the original final way back in 1872?
An estimated crowd of 2,000 were there to see 22 amateurs play on a cricket pitch, with no nets, as Wanderers beat Royal Engineers 1-0 thanks to a goal from Morton Betts.
BBC Sport, with the help of Matthew Taylor, professor of history at De Montfort University, look at the first final 143 years ago...
Prior to the 1872 FA Cup, there were no regular competitive games being played in England. Football Association secretary Charles Alcock drew up plans for the first FA Cup which saw 15 teams enter the first round of November 1871.
Step forward Barnes, Civil Service, Hitchin, Crystal Palace (confusingly not the present-day Palace but their precursors who were dissolved in 1876), Maidenhead, Marlow, Queen's Park, Donington School, Upton Park, Clapham Rovers, Royal Engineers, Reigate Priory, Wanderers, Harrow Chequers and Hampstead Heathens, who were given a bye.
Teething problems and the logistical headaches of scheduling football matches across Britain in the era of steam meant that Scottish side Queen's Park advanced to the semi-finals without actually playing a game.
The semi-finals - both goalless draws - were played at the Kennington Oval. The Royal Engineers booked their place in the final with a 3-0 replay win over Crystal Palace, while Wanderers made it through when Queen's Park decided they could not afford another costly trip to London for the replay and withdrew.
The historian's view: "The general consensus is that the FA Cup was based on the knockout competitions between 'Houses' at major public schools such as Harrow. But Alcock may also have taken inspiration from existing competitions in the provinces, such as Sheffield's Youdon Cup, launched in 1867.
"Certainly football was equally, if not more, established and popular in Sheffield as it was in London at this time, and the elite ex-public schoolboys based in the capital knew and played against teams from Sheffield, Nottingham and elsewhere."
Alcock - the brains behind the whole idea - played in defence for Wanderers.
Formed in 1859 as Forest Football Club, the side mainly consisted of former Harrow public schoolboys and took the name 'Wanderers' because they played their matches at different grounds. But by 1869 the club was based at the Kennington Oval, where Alcock also happened to be the secretary of Surrey cricket club.
The Royal Engineers were founded in 1863 by Major Francis Marindin - an extraordinary man. Having served in the Crimean war, he would go on to play in the 1872 final, become president of the FA in 1874 and then referee eight further FA Cup finals.
The 1872 final was held at Kennington Oval, also the venue for the first international football match between England and Scotland in 1870.
The Oval would go on to host 20 of the next 21 FA Cup finals, with the 1873 final played at Lillie Bridge - close to Chelsea's modern home at Stamford Bridge.
The historian's view: "Many football clubs played on cricket grounds in the late 19th century. Football clubs often emerged from existing cricket clubs, as a way of the players keeping fit in the winter. Purpose-built football grounds did not emerge in significant numbers until the 1880s and 1890s."
While fans at this year's final will have to battle through the crowds at Wembley, it was a more sedate affair in 1872. Football had yet to catch on and around 2,000 are said to have been at the Oval.
Much has changed beyond recognition in football but the cost of attending remains an issue...
The historian's view: "Attendances for football matches were not large in the early 1870s, with one reason for the relatively low attendance the price of tickets, which at one shilling (five pence in today's money) was higher than for most matches at the time.
"The Oval crowd was said to be 'very fashionable', so presumably made up of the well-to-do and the upper middle-class, as well as those connected with the 'old boys' public school network that ran the Football Association at this time."
The Royal Engineers could lay claim to being the Barcelona of their day, with their revolutionary tactic of 'passing' the ball to a team-mate at odds with the usual approach of chasing the ball into space.
The only goal of the final came after 15 minutes when Betts, playing under the pseudonym "A H Chequer", derived from his membership of the Harrow Chequers club, collected the ball after a long dribble from Walpole Vidal and slammed home.
Goalkeeper was not yet a specialist position, with keepers regularly playing outfield.
The historian's view: "It was not unusual for teams to line up with six or seven forwards in the early 1870s. Most teams at this time still relied primarily on individual dribbling, with team-mates backing up the dribbler in an effort to move the ball towards the opponents' goal.
"Some authorities have claimed that the Royal Engineers were the first team to develop a passing game, and were doing so at around the time of the first FA Cup final."
It's fair to say that the footballers of Oscar Wilde's age were a different breed to today's sporting stars.
The Wanderers' band of ex-public schoolboys and the aristocratic elite produced some notable sportsmen. As well as the pioneering Alcock the team contained several men who played first-class cricket, a goalkeeper who was capped by England as a defender and a forward who was capped by England in goal.
Forward Edward Bowen was noted for walking the 90 miles between Cambridge and Oxford in 26 hours in between his football and playing cricket for Hampshire; full-back Edgar Lubbock went on to become the deputy governor of the Bank of England and wing-wizard Walpole Vidal - known as the "prince of dribblers" - would later become a vicar.
As you would expect, the Royal Engineers side had all seen military service from across the world, with experiences branching from India to the Crimea, Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Zulu war.
Forward Henry Waugh Renny-Tailyour played football and rugby union for Scotland as well as cricket for Kent and would still find time to become a managing director of Guinness, while half-back Alfred Goodwyn would suffer the unfortunate fate of being the first international footballer to be killed in a riding accident in India two years after the final.
The historian's view: "Most of the players in the first final had learnt the game in elite public schools and at university. The Wanderers was open only to those who had attended leading public schools and Oxbridge. Three of the Cup final line-up had attended Eton and four had gone to Harrow."
The early rules were very different. In a nod to cricket, players had to appeal for a goal and changed ends after each goal, not at half-time. This once allowed Walpole Vidal to score three times without the opposition touching the ball.
The historian's view: "Modern fans would be surprised by some of the features of football in 1872. Rather than a crossbar, a tape was pitched between two posts eight feet above the ground.
"Throw-ins were not determined by the team whose player had kicked the ball off the pitch but by the first player to reach the ball. But these rules were not consistent across the country. Variations existed in different areas and it was not until 10 years later, in 1882, that a uniform set of rules was established by the FA."
The 2015 final will be refereed by Jon Moss, who can expect some grief from the stands. It was a different story for civil servant Alfred Stair, the referee chosen for the first three FA Cup finals. Stair was the head of the Inland Revenue - presumably seen as a trustworthy gentleman of his day - and also played football for Upton Park.
The historian's view: "In the earliest days of football, referees were literally peripheral figures. They stood outside the playing area and were only called upon to adjudicate if the umpires (who were appointed by each club and stood in either half of the pitch) could not reach agreement."
For winners Wanderers it was the start of a golden - if brief - era of success. They retained the trophy in 1873 by beating Oxford University 2-0 and added three more trophies before the end of the decade. Their haul of five FA Cups has only been bettered by Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal.
But by 1881 Wanderers could not field a side as players left to play for some of the newer clubs springing up across the country and the team folded in 1887. A reformed side was founded in 2009 and the club currently play in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. In fact they are looking for a new manager to get the club back in the FA Cup by 2022.
The Engineers reached four finals and won the Cup in 1875. They continue to play on and are currently managed by Capt Simon Mayers, who has a 25-man squad to select from around 8,000 men based around the world.
The historian's view: "Football became increasingly popular over the next decade or so, as it became embedded in British working-class culture. Its popularity was helped by entrepreneurs who realised the opportunities that existed in enclosing playing fields and charging the public for entry.
"The next step from this, as teams began to act as representatives of their localities, was for ambitious club committees to 'poach' the best players and pay for them to play for their teams. Within less than a decade of the first FA Cup final, professional football had emerged in England, though it was not legalised by the FA until 1885."


Lee Selby's defence of his world IBF featherweight title against Jonathan Barros has been confirmed for 28 January Las Vegas' MGM Grand Hotel.

The Welshman's third mandatory title defence will be on a bill topped by Carl Frampton's WBA world featherweight title rematch with Leo Santa Cruz.
Selby wants to emulate UK fighters Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Amir Khan in Las Vegas.
"I always knew that's where I wanted to fight," said the 29-year-old.
"My mandatory challenger is experienced, dangerous and I will not take him lightly.
"I've had a strong training camp and I am 100 % focused on putting on a show for the American fans and the travelling fans."
Selby, from Barry in south Wales, is being lined-up to fight the winner of Frampton v Santa Cruz in 2017.
Northern Irishman Frampton claimed a points win over Santa Cruz of Mexico in July.
Montenegrin Dejan Zlaticanin defends his WBC lightweight title against Mikey Garcia of the United States in the third world title fight scheduled for the bill in January.
Selby had previously told the BBC he expected his next title defence to be in the USA.
Find out how to get into boxing with our special guide.


Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has sold Coutts International, the overseas arm of the private bank, to Switzerland's Union Bancaire Privee (UBP).

A spokesperson for Coutts International said both parties had agreed not to disclose the price of the deal.
The bank has been owned by RBS since 2000, managing assets of more than $30bn (??20.2bn).
The sale is part of RBS's policy of selling international assets to create a UK-focused bank.
The Financial Times reported that UBP would pay between $600m and $800m for the business.
For Geneva-based private bank UBP, this is its first major deal since it bought Lloyds Banking Group's international private banking arm in May 2013.
UBP's assets almost halved during the financial crisis.
UBP's chief executive said in a statement: "This acquisition confirms our commitment in further developing our wealth management business and represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy."
RBS will keep Coutts' UK arm, which has the British royal family amongst its customers.
"Last year we set out a clear strategy to create a truly UK-focused bank," said Alison Rose, chief executive of RBS's commercial and private banking unit.
"This announcement is another important step in that process. Following an extensive review, it was clear that the bank we are building would not be the most appropriate owner of the business being sold."
Earlier this week, RBS cut its stake in its US bank Citizens to less than half in deal that raised gross proceeds of $3.2bn.


Satellites could soon be launched into space from Snowdonia.

B2Space and Snowdonia Aerospace Centre want to create 93 specialist jobs at Llanbedr airfield, Gwynedd.
The number is based on it launching 30 satellites a year by 2020 for purposes including tracking changes to the environment and coastlines.
The former military airfield is also one of eight shortlisted by the UK government to launch commercial space flights.
B2Space's Valentin Canales said about 3,000 micro satellites will need launching in the next five years as we "use space in a way that hasn't been considered before".
His firm and the aerospace centre have bid for grants totalling £10m to make the field, near Harlech, a key UK site for this.
Other possible uses for them include providing communications to remote areas or for natural disaster management.
"Wales is already a centre of excellence for aerospace manufacturing and has the physical and intellectual infrastructure to support the growing space market," said Mr Canales.
His firm will relocate from Bristol to Llanbedr if the project is successful in providing people, companies and organisations with access to small satellites.
A spokesman for the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre said the development of a low-cost satellite launch operation will be a catalyst for innovation and jobs.
"The project has the potential to attract technology, research, and investment from around the world," added John Idris Jones, chairman of Snowdonia Enterprise Zone.
"The development means lots of opportunities for the north Wales supply chain and will provide a real boost to the wider Wales space sector."
Llanbedr has also bid to become the UK's first commercial passenger spaceport and bids for £10m funding were submitted to the UK Space Agency in April.


Swansea City boss Paul Clement wants to sign a player with "presence and leadership" qualities before the end of the January transfer window.

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He highlighted Chelsea's John Terry and Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos as the type of character he would like to bring in to the Premier League strugglers.
Clement admits that those sorts of players are hard to find.
He would also not be drawn on speculation linking them with a move for Everton defender Phil Jagielka.
Former captain Ashley Williams was sold to Everton in the summer and the Swans have struggled in defence since.
Former Sheffield United skipper Jagielka has played only twice since the Toffees' defeat at Southampton in November with Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori preferred in the centre of defence.
Alfie Mawson, 22, joined Swans from Barnsley at the end of August and has been part of a defence that has conceded 49 league goals.
That is the highest number conceded by a top-flight team this season and Swansea are bottom of the table as they travel to face Liverpool on Saturday.
"That is an important area," said Clement. "To have someone that's got presence, leadership qualities both from a psychological point from a view and from an organisational point of view.
"But you could say the same that that's important in a goalkeeper, that's important in a central midfield player and you'd like to think that you'd have 11 leaders out there, but you don't."
Clement highlighted Terry and Ramos at the type of player he admires along with Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"It's becoming more rare in football as well that you have these characters like a John Terry for example, a Sergio Ramos," said Clement.
"I've worked at lots of big clubs, they're the two stand-out ones for me. Zlatan is another example.
"They're not easy to find these kind of players that have this confidence and ability to not only do their own job, but help others around them as well.
"There's a big demand on a player like that."
Clement expects his January recruitment to continue right up to the 31 January deadline day when they play Southampton at Liberty Stadium.
But he refused to be drawn on speculation linking them with a move for Everton defender Phil Jagielka.
Swansea's relegation rivals Sunderland have also been linked with Jagielka might leave.
When asked of Jagielka might leave, Everton boss Ronald Koeman said: "I don't know.
"It's all about if there is interest for Jag.
"Of course the last few weeks he did not start but he is important, he is the captain of the team.
"He is not happy because he is not starting and that's a good signal.
"What you need to do as a player is fight and make it difficult for the manager."


A search and rescue helicopter base at Prestwick Airport was the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's busiest in Scotland between October and December last year.

New statistics also show that Prestwick, along with a base at Caernarfon in Wales, was the busiest in the UK over that period.
Crews at the Ayrshire and Welsh bases each responded to 72 taskings, or call-outs to incidents.
However, Prestwick's taskings took longer than Caernarfon's.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency assumed responsibility for helicopter search and rescue in 2016,  taking over the role from the Royal Navy and RAF.
Scotland has three other coastguard helicopter bases.
Between October and December last year, Inverness responded to 44 taskings, Stornoway on Lewis 16 and Sumburgh in Shetland 24.


An E. coli infection affecting children in Angus may be linked to the national outbreak, NHS Scotland has confirmed.

A "small number" of children in Angus have fallen ill from the bug and a playgroup has been temporarily closed.
NHS Scotland said initial information suggested there may be a link to an outbreak associated with Dunsyre Blue cheese, made by Errington Cheese Ltd.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has issued a ban on all cheese made by the South Lanarkshire-based producer.
Errington Cheese has previously been linked to the E. coli outbreak, in which a three-year-old girl has died.
The company has disputed the evidence and insists its cheese is safe.
The ban involves Dunsyre Blue, Dunsyre Baby, Lanark Blue, Lanark White, Maisie's Kebbuck and Corra Linn.
People have been advised not to eat the cheese, and to return it to the seller.
Two cases with the same outbreak strain were confirmed on Thursday, bringing the total to 22 since July.
The outbreak was initially declared over on 5 September, but the incident management team (IMT) monitoring the outbreak was reconvened when new cases were identified.
The chairman of the team, Dr Alison Smith-Palmer, said: "Our epidemiological investigations have identified Dunsyre Blue cheese as the most likely cause of the outbreak.
"To date, the IMT has established that 19 of the 22 confirmed cases had eaten blue cheese prior to becoming ill. Of these, 15 are known to have eaten Dunsyre Blue while others cannot be certain about the brand of blue cheese they have consumed. Investigations are ongoing on the other cases."
Dr Smith-Palmer said a large number of cheese samples had been taken as part of the investigations being carried out by South Lanarkshire Council and Food Standards Scotland.
"These have identified a number of different cheeses produced by Errington Cheese Ltd containing organisms with the potential to cause serious illness including O157 E. coli and toxin producing non-O157 E. coli," she added.
The outbreak in Angus is being investigated by NHS Tayside Health Protection Team and Angus Council.
In a statement, NHS Scotlandsaid: "The IMT are in contact with those managing this investigation and initial information suggests that there may be a link to the national outbreak and investigations are ongoing."
Errington Cheese has issued a statement on its website, re-confirming its position that its own testing found "no trace" of E. coli O157.
"We have used micro-testing laboratories in the UK and Europe and found no trace of pathogens, we have shown results of all our testing and all local authority testing to date to various microbiological experts which has enabled us to come to this decision," it said.
Food Standards Scotland said it was "fully aware" of the impact of issuing a food alert, but the agency has disputed Errington Cheese's claims that it has found no trace of E. coli in its products.
An FSS spokesman said: "Errington Cheese Ltd has publically commented that E. coli O157 has not been found in its cheese. This is inaccurate.
"Some samples submitted for testing by SLC [South Lanarkshire Council] have tested positive for E. coli O157 and for another (non-O157) strain of E. coli. These organisms are considered a serious risk to public health."


Hackers have managed to decode more than 11 million encrypted passwords stolen from the Ashley Madison website, shining fresh light on the importance of password security.

On Tuesday, the UK government agency GCHQ published new password guidance designed to "improve security, while improving the usability of systems".
Its report challenged some common ideas about passwords and security. So how do you choose, and just as importantly remember, the perfect password?
Many websites demand complex passwords with a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
The GCHQ report suggested complex passwords may actually be counterproductive, because people often write them down or reuse the same one on many websites.
"Talking about a good password suggests that choosing a long or complex password offers better protection. That is not necessarily the case," said Dr Steven Murdoch from the Department of Computer Science at University College London.
"Secure systems should not just rely on a single password, but have additional technical controls which the system owner can use to detect abnormal behaviour and protect the user's account."
Using symbols and punctuation is also a nuisance for people using mobile devices.
"Complex passwords are hard to type on touchscreens, since you have to toggle between keyboards," said Dr Angela Sasse, UCL's head of information security research.
Some security experts have recommended the adoption of "passphrases", such as "Iown50%ofSClub7albums".
They are easier for people to remember and provide more protection from "brute force" attacks, where a computer tries countless combinations of passwords until the right one is found by chance.
"A longer password is preferable overall, but that has its own problems," Dr Sasse told the BBC.
"More than 50% of passwords are now entered on touchscreen devices, and longer passphrases create a significant burden on touchscreen users.
"Passwords are rarely cracked by brute force. They are mostly captured through phishing and malware, and with those attacks it does not matter how long or complex your password is."
Many companies force you to change your password frequently - some every 30 days - so that any leaked passwords would only be temporarily useful to attackers.
But the GCHQ report suggests this leads people to choose incremental passwords and reuse the same password on a number of sites.
It said enforcing regular changes "imposes burdens on the user" and "carries no real benefits as stolen passwords are generally exploited immediately".
"Regular password changing harms rather than improves security."
Some people use a dedicated app or website to store all their passwords, so they can easily retrieve one if they forget it.
The downside? The app is password protected - so you end up with another password to remember.
An app hoping to tackle that problem is being developed in the US. Rather than storing your secret codes, Password Chef stores 'recipes' instead, which can remind you of your password.
The maker says it wants to help people generate more complex passwords that are also easy to remember.
However, no password manager is infallible.
"This app offers extra protection by storing memory cues about the password, rather than the password itself," said Dr Sasse.
"It can help to reconstruct passwords you rarely use, but research has shown that even when people remember something such as the name of their school, they can't reproduce the name exactly as they used it in their password.
"Plus if I manage to steal your phone, I could look up your recipes and find the information they reference, as it is probably on your Facebook page."
Many websites now offer two-factor authentication. In addition to entering your password, you also enter a single-use code, typically sent to your mobile phone.
Facebook, Google and Twitter already offer the feature for free.
"This offers a substantial improvement in security, so if it is available you should definitely consider it. Many banks insist their customers use it," said Dr Murdoch.
The Ashley Madison leak shows you can never be certain that a website is entirely secure, so it makes sense not to reuse passwords across multiple sites.
The GCHQ report said people in the UK typically use the same password across four online accounts.
"Never reuse important passwords (like for online banking) on other websites," said Dr Sasse.
"Not all websites protect their passwords properly, or your password may be captured by malware. Use unique passwords with a password manager to keep track of them."


Anna Signeul says Scotland must strive to be at an even higher level once Euro 2017 comes round next summer, following Tuesday's 2-1 win over Iceland.

The Scots had already qualified but showed their appetite for success had not dissipated with an impressive showing against the group winners.
But Signeul hopes it simply marks another step on an upward trajectory.
"We're not happy with this. We want to improve and be even better," the Swede told BBC Scotland.
"But this is a really good start on our journey towards Rotterdam.
"Hopefully we'll have a game against very good opposition in October and every game now will be important for us to improve, to get high intensity, fast decisions and to play really physically."
But the victory did go some way towards making up for the 4-0 defeat at the hands of Iceland in June - Scotland's only defeat of the campaign.
"We were so disappointed after that because we thought we could win that game. We have rectified it now," added Signeul.
"I'm so proud of them and most of all they're proud of themselves. They really stepped up to the plate and showed what they are about. Everyone took huge responsibility and it was a great team effort."
Jane Ross scored both of Scotland's goals and she too believes the team can get better before Euro 2017 kicks off in the Netherlands next July, with the draw taking place on 8 November.
"Our preparations for the tournament have already started so to come here and put in the performance we did, we can only take confidence from that and hopefully build on that," she told BBC Scotland.
"Every game's going to be challenging when you go to a tournament but as we showed today we're capable of putting in good performances, both defensively and attacking-wise.
"Anna's brought the team forward in leaps and bounds. We have a very good, strong squad at the moment, not just a strong starting XI, and we've got competition for places all over the park and there's obviously improvements to be made.
"We want to go there to show Europe and the world we're able to compete with these teams, so we want to get out the group once we get there."


Mobile phone footage of a Taliban encounter on one of Afghanistan's safest highways has given a rare glimpse of the risks travellers face in the country.

A young student was travelling from her home in Mazar-e Sharif back to university in Kabul when her coach was stopped at an insurgent road block.
Hiding her phone from view, she filmed the brief conversation between a Taliban gunman and other passengers, later posting it on social media.
The student, Miss Sadat (not her full name), started the eight-hour trip to Kabul at dawn, despite warnings that the road might be dangerous following the recent fighting in the northern city of Kunduz.
The route from Balkh province to the capital leads through open plains as well as mountain areas, including the famous Salang pass. It is deemed one of the safest in the country, unlike roads in the south and east.
The highway is often busy with about 20 passenger buses making the trip every day.  It is a cheaper alternative to flights, costing about a 10th of the price of an air ticket.
About half way into the trip, in Baghlan province, Miss Sadat says she noticed that the road appeared to be busy ahead.
"I was expecting that something [was] going to happen," she told the BBC during an interview later in Kabul, citing a "sixth sense".  She started filming on her mobile phone.
Miss Sadat, who grew up abroad while the Taliban were in government, says she had never seen or met a single member of the group or even dreamed of ever seeing one.
But that was about to change as the coach was stopped at an improvised insurgent road block.
The student says the checkpoint was surrounded by fighters with what seemed like big weapons on their shoulders. One of the armed men then boarded the bus and started chatting to the passengers, partly in Persian, partly in Pashto, the country's two main languages.
Miss Sadat recorded the entire exchange.
The area of Chashmaye-Shir where the bus was stopped is close to a fork in the road with one branch heading north-east towards Kunduz, the city recently taken and held for several days by insurgents.
The phone camera catches the Taliban fighter's face from below as Miss Sadat moved the mobile on her lap, but the entire conversation is recorded.
The tone is polite with the fighter saying he hopes the passengers are well  - they in turn wish him well.
A conversation ensues with a female passenger who does not wear a burqa, the full body veil that was a requirement for women when the Taliban were in power.
Asked whether he is Pashtun - the ethnic group most Taliban belong to - the man says ethnicity is not important.
"It doesn't make any difference. There's no Pashto or Farsi or Uzbek or Turkmen. I'm a countryman," he is heard saying to approving noises from some of the passengers.
"All Muslims are brothers, even if one is Russian, as long as he's Muslim he's our brother. No problem."
The gunman then asks whether there are any army or government militia on board.
A woman's voice denies this and assures him they all are civilians, with some seeking medical treatment in Kabul.
The Taliban fighter is then heard saying that people working for the government should leave their jobs and will be unharmed if they do so.
As he leaves the coach he says that claims the Taliban are brutal are not true.
"Some people say the Taliban are cannibals," he says as passengers laugh nervously. "I'm a Talib, and not a cannibal."
But he adds: "I'd eat the heads of Americans."
It's only when the man leaves the coach that one of the passengers is heard saying, "Thank goodness he's gone."
Miss Sadat says there was a sense of relief among the travellers, but it lasted for only a few seconds - then the coach was stopped again.
The student says she was now very afraid, thinking that maybe the Taliban gunman had seen her filming the encounter.
"Another gunman got on the bus and came towards me," she recalls. "But then he pointed to a rug which was in front of me in the drivers' area and asked for it to be  removed."
She says the rug had a picture of a half-naked woman on it.
Eventually the bus continued its journey and Miss Sadat made it safely to Kabul.
After posting the video, she received many messages, some praising her, others critical.
"Some say well-done, you are brave, good luck, we are proud of you and things like this," she says.
"But some others say, you took a risk, you put the life of passengers in danger, don't do this again."
She says she just filmed because the situation was interesting and she wanted to share it with family and friends.
"The Taliban want to show to people that they have become good, they want to win people's hearts," she says, adding she remains unconvinced.
The Taliban leadership has repeatedly said that the movement will attack only government officials, security forces and foreign troops, but will leave civilians unharmed.
During the seizure of Kunduz, a statement from Taliban leader Mullah Mansour asked fighters to respect the lives and property of citizens.
But UN reports regularly blame the insurgent movement for the majority of deaths amongst ordinary Afghans.
A spokesman for the transport company running services on the Kabul-Mazar highway told the BBC that their buses had been stopped by Taliban on that road several times.
"The insecurity on the highways, especially after Kunduz fell [to the Taliban], affects all our lives," said the driver, who did not want to be named.


Two private firms that assess people claiming disability benefits will get nearly £200m more than officials had originally expected, figures suggest.

The UK government had estimated that Atos and Capita would earn £512m for Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) assessments between 2013 and 2017.
But analysis by the Press Association suggests they will actually get £700m.
Labour said the deals were "rewarding failure", but the government said effective assessments were vital.
PIPs are payments for people aged between 16 and 64 who have ill health or a disability, and since 2013 have been gradually replacing the Disability Living Allowance.
Money is allocated according to a points system and a person's eligibility is kept under regular review.
Atos and Capita assess PIPs in England, Scotland and Wales, with tests devolved in Northern Ireland.
Payments averaged £19m a month in the past two years, according to monthly spending data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
If kept at current levels, this could land the DWP with a total bill of more than £700m.
Former Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, made a U-turn on plans to cut PIPs payments when in office in 2016, said officials had underestimated the number of claimants and therefore the cost of the contracts.
"I think that is probably a fair criticism that could be levelled at the DWP," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "It hasn't been very good at getting its forecasts right."
He added that there had been "operational problems" with the way the contracts were carried out.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams said: "It is beyond belief that this Tory government is rewarding failure.
"The PIP process is in disarray and these private companies are receiving huge payouts in a time of extreme austerity. It is clear that these costs are spiralling out of control."
A DWP spokeswoman said the department worked to ensure disability payments offered "best value" for taxpayers.
She said: "We routinely review our work to make sure that we focus our resources on the most viable options and deliver the most effective support for the most vulnerable in society."
Capita said it had been selected to carry out the tests via a "rigorous procurement process".
"We are paid according to the number of quality controlled assessments we complete for DWP," a spokeswoman said.


Milton Keynes Dons goalkeeper David Martin has fractured his hand in a training ground incident.

The club have yet to learn of the extent of the injury, but Martin is due to see a specialist for assessment.
The 30-year-old, who has made 38 league appearances for the Dons this season, is set to be replaced by reserve goalkeeper Cody Cropper.
Meanwhile, Karl Robinson says his relegation-threatened team are putting maximum effort into every match.
The Dons are 22nd in the Championship - the final relegation spot - one place below Fulham, who they host on Saturday.
"If people think we can raise our game for Fulham, then we've let people down," 35-year-old Robinson told BBC Three Counties Radio.
"When you put as much detail in as my players do it's physically impossible we could put any more into the games."
Robinson's side have scored the fewest goals in the Championship with 32 in 38 games and only won once in their last seven matches.
"I don't want the season to be over if I'm honest," added Robinson. "I'm really excited and enjoying it, but we're going to have to find something special on Saturday.
"I don't ever put less than 100% into any game. It is what drives me to anxiety and stress. I can't put 101% effort into football."
And, although the Dons face a Fulham side winless in their last six league games, Robinson refused to underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead.
"Their two strikers are probably double my whole squad financially," he added. "When you see the players they could choose on Saturday, it's frightening.
"It shouldn't really be a contest - we'll make it one though."


Aberdeen City Council is offering to pay the tuition fees of staff who want to become primary school teachers in a bid to tackle a shortage.

The authority has emailed all of its workers offering to pay their way through an 18-month diploma course at the University of Aberdeen.
They would do this while continuing in their existing job.
The council has a severe shortage of primary teachers, which has already seen it offer incentives in past years.


Police searching for missing toddler Ben Needham on the Greek island of Kos have started analysing 20 piles of rubble at a second site.

Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991.
Samples at the second site 750m (820yd) from where he was last seen are being tested for a match with soil close to where the dig started last month.
Police are investigating claims Ben may have been accidentally run over by a digger driver 25 years ago.
Officers are working on the theory that Konstantinos Barkas, who died of cancer in 2015, might be responsible for Ben's death.
Read more about this story and others from across Sheffield and South Yorkshire
Ben vanished from a farmhouse, which his grandfather was renovating, in the village of Iraklis.
Det Insp Jon Cousins said he believed "some material may have have been moved" from the property area and "could well be here".
Forensics experts were trying to establish whether soil at both locations matched, a spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said.
On Wednesday, Ben's grandfather Eddie Needham spent about two hours with police touring the area when the toddler was last seen.
Detectives hoped he would be able to explain how the site looked at the time.
An extension of the building, added since Ben's disappearance, was demolished on Tuesday.
A team of 19 South Yorkshire Police officers, forensic specialists and an archaeologist have been excavating the area for nearly two weeks as a result of a television appeal in May, which brought the theory about Mr Barkas to the attention of the force.


A new police chief has been installed in the Afghan capital, Kabul, ending days of confusion over the fate of incumbent Gen Zahir Zahir.

The interior ministry confirmed his replacement as Abdul Rahman Rahimi, former police chief in Balkh province.
Gen Zahir resigned last week after presiding over a dramatic rise in militant attacks in recent months.
His spokesman sparked confusion days later by claiming his resignation had been rejected.
Interior ministry spokesman Sidiq Sidiqi said: "Abdul Rahman Rahimi, the former police chief of Balkh, is appointed as Kabul police chief and General Zahir is appointed as the head of the counter crime department.
"So far no-one is appointed as Balkh police chief and soon another general will be appointed there."
Gen Zahir gave no reason for his resignation, but he had faced increasing pressure, with insurgents carrying out nine deadly attacks in Kabul in the past two weeks.
The latest in a string of attacks targeted a compound used by a US-based charity on Saturday, killing three South Africans.
Last week, two American soldiers and two British embassy workers were killed in separate attacks, with dozens of Afghans also killed and injured.
Gen Zahir was himself the target of an attack in early November, when a suicide bomber infiltrated his offices and killed his deputy.
Afghan troops are preparing to take over national security before the withdrawal of foreign combat troops at the end of the month.
The Taliban stepped up attacks against foreign nationals, civilians and Afghan soldiers in recent months, raising concerns over the Afghan army's ability to protect the country from insurgents.
President Ashraf Ghani, who took power in September, has vowed to bring peace after decades of conflict.
On Sunday, he ratified security deals allowing some 12,000 Nato soldiers to remain for training and advisory purposes, after the withdrawal of foreign combat troops on 31 December.
A separate US-led force will assist Afghan troops in some operations against the Taliban.


Australia is suspending the export of live cattle to Egypt after video emerged showing extreme cruelty to animals in Egyptian abattoirs.

The Australian Livestock Exporters' Council said the footage, released by animal rights group Animals Australia, was "horrific".
Animals Australia said it had been filmed inside the two abattoirs approved to process Australian cattle.
Exports to Egypt were halted in 2006 for four years over similar concerns.
And in 2011, livestock exports to Indonesia were suspended after evidence of cruelty emerged there.
The Egyptian videos have not been made public, but Animals Australia said they showed cattle believed to have come from Australia being treated in a "vicious, cruel and clumsy" way.
The group is campaigning for a full ban on livestock exports.
"The way that these animals are treated are quite horrific," said spokeswoman Glenys Oogjes.
In one instance, a cow fell off the processing line and was chased through the abattoir before having its legs cut and being stabbed to death, she said.
"It is quite terrible and it shows systemic problems in these abattoirs for our animals. And how Australia ever sent animals back there after a suspension in 2006 is beyond us."
The chief executive of the Livestock Exporters' Council, Alison Penfold, said the acts shown in the footage were "exceptionally distressing" and "completely unacceptable to the industry and to Australians".
She told the BBC the trade was undertaken under a memorandum of understanding between the Australian and the Egyptian governments.
The industry was investigating, she said, and working with the Egyptian authorities to ensure the welfare of animals already at the facilities.
Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said in a statement it was "pleased with the level of co-operation" from the Egyptian authorities.
Australia exports more than 700,000 cattle each year, and the industry is worth about A$1bn ($1.03bn: Â£0.7bn) a year.
But pressure is growing for a total ban on live exports amid a series of cruelty scandals.
Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said he backed the industry's voluntary suspension.
He said the export industry had "bright future" but that it had to "maintain animal welfare outcomes", The Australian newspaper reports.