Firms in Somerset and Devon are to be charged if they repeatedly call the fire service for broken lift rescues.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue has said it costs £303 for a one-hour attendance using one appliance.
Neil Blackburn from the service said: "We will only take cost recovery on businesses where there are persistent problems."
The fire service said the move, which they aim to bring in from April, would save £30,000 a year.
There were 246 call-outs in Somerset and 1608 in Devon between 2011-15.
The fire service said by taking no action on lift rescues, it would cost £758,000 over three years, a figure it wants to reduce.
"We don't ever want to get to that position where we are charging businesses, the intention is we will work with the businesses and we will encourage them to take action," added Mr Blackburn.
The fire service said the recovery costs would be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances.
If repeated call-outs were made to the same firm, they could potentially be faced with paying for the £303 cost of sending out one appliance.


Thousands of people in the Republic of Ireland have participated in 30 demonstrations about water charges.

The events were organised by the Right2Water group.
RTÃ‰ reports that demonstrations were held in various parts of the country including Dublin, Cork and Galway.
The Right2Water campaign is made up of community groups, political groupings and trade unions.
Brendan Ogle of the Unite trade union said the demonstrations were the first step in a significant pre-election campaign by Right2Water.
"Water has been a catalyst in the fight against austerity but people are crying out for a change in how our country is run and that will be visible on the streets of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Donegal, among other counties today," he said.
The Irish Department of the Environment said three out of four people are now paying water bills.
This figure includes those on private schemes as well as those paying through Irish Water.
The department added that it did not think it prudent to advise people to get into debt by not paying their bills and urged them to engage with Irish Water.


The government planned to publish a broad outline of its Brexit negotiation aims, sources have told the BBC.

A "Green Paper" document was a "serious idea" but was dropped, sources told BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg.
Downing Street denied the publication of a Green Paper was ever part of its plan.
Ministers are facing pressure to set out what they want to achieve from the talks with the EU before formally triggering Brexit by the end of March.
Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly refused to give a "running commentary" on the talks.
But sources told the BBC the government had planned to produce a Green Paper - a consultation document setting out policy proposals - in the Autumn.
"We were told there would be one in October," one source said, adding that the financial sector had been asked to provide "a data dump and a shopping list" by the end of September in order to facilitate the process.
A separate source said they had been briefed by government officials that the Green Paper "was expected late September", while another added: "It's gone away - the only thing they agree on is so high level that there would only be one page...I'm not sure that there is a coherent plan."
But a Downing Street source said the claims were "tosh".
In July, shortly before he was appointed as Brexit secretary, Conservative Leave campaigner David Davis wrote an article calling on the government to publish a White Paper policy document before the negotiations had started.
In the Commons on Monday, Labour MPs asked Mr Davis what had happened to the "promised" publication, with the minister replying that he had been expressing his thoughts as a backbench MP.
"There will be plenty of debates on this matter," he said.
"What we will not do is lay out a detailed strategy and a detailed set of tactics before we engage with our opposite numbers in the negotiation."
MPs from across the House called for a Commons vote before the start of negotiations.
They included ex-Labour leader Ed Miliband, who said Parliament should be given a say because the referendum had not specified a "particular type of Brexit".
But their demands were rejected by the government, with Downing Street saying there would be no "vote to second-guess the will of the British people".
The UK voted to end its EU membership by 51.9% to 48.1% in a referendum on 23 June.


Boss Roy Hodgson wants to resurrect plans for a winter meeting for his England squad - an idea previously vetoed by Premier League clubs.

England beat France 2-0 in a friendly at Wembley on Tuesday but do not play again until March.
Hodgson wants to spend time with the players to keep the team spirit intact, after a run of 13 wins from 16 games since the 2014 World Cup.
"I would like an afternoon or early evening with the players," he said.
"We can go through a little bit of what we have done in the Spain game and the France game and see what we want to do going forward.
"I am hoping that the clubs will go along with that. To be honest there wasn't an enormous amount of opposition to it last time around.
"I guess with any luck we will get that afternoon but it will have to be discussed with the clubs to make sure they think it is an afternoon that is right for them because I and (assistant) Ray Lewington are full-timers and can go any time it suits them."
England will build up to next summer's European Championship with March friendlies against world champions Germany in Berlin and Netherlands at Wembley.
With injured players coming back into contention next year, Hodgson will add up to another four friendlies in the build-up to the tournament in France, which starts in June.
"We are hoping to have at least three warm-up games, possibly four, in addition to the two in March so we will have games," Hodgson added.


Protesters threw fake blood during a rush hour demonstration in support of migrants and refugees at one of London's busiest railway stations.

The Met Police and British Transport Police said they worked together to monitor the protest at St Pancras International Station between 17:00 and 20:30 BST.
The demonstrators held placards reading "borders kill" and "no-one is illegal".
One person was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.
MEP and leader of UKIP Scotland, David Coburn, was at the station having travelled on the Eurostar.
He said the protest had "frightened passengers, including children".
It was organised by three groups - The London Latinxs, a Latin-American anti-oppression activist group, Black Dissidents and Sisters Uncut, which campaigns for domestic violence services.


The Obama tartan specially commissioned for the former US president's recent visit to Edinburgh has been officially registered in the capital.

Barack Obama was gifted a kilt and a pair of trousers in his new family tartan when he attended a charity fund-raising dinner at the EICC in May.
It has navy blue to represent the flag of Hawaii where the 44th, and first African-American, president was born.
Green from the Kenyan flag, where his father was born, has also been used.
Sky blue and white are taken from the flag of Chicago where Mr Obama lives and works.
Tartan designer Brian Halley of Glasgow-based Slanj Kilts, who was asked to design the special tartan, said he had been "sworn to secrecy" over the project.
He told BBC Scotland: "When I received the email asking me if I could make a tartan quickly, and who it was for, I felt very excited and honoured.
"I don't think there is a more famous man and I think he has the second most Twitter followers in the world, so it was very exciting.
"I was sworn to secrecy at the time, it was all very hush-hush.
"Apparently, he loves the tartan and said he would wear the trousers rather than the kilt as he thinks his legs are too thin.
"I don't think his legs are too thin, anyone can wear a kilt."
Now that Mr Obama has officially registered the tartan under his name, he has the rights to it.
The charity fund-raising dinner raised Â£670,000 for charities taking part in the Kiltwalk campaign including the Maggie's Centres and Glasgow's Beatson Clinic.


Armed police are outside the house of a man who was shot dead by officers in Huddersfield on Monday.

3 January 2017 Last updated at 15:45 GMT
Yassar Yaqub. 27, of Rudding Street, Huddersfield, was killed during an operation on a slip road at junction 24 of the M62 at Ainley Top, Huddersfield.
Police are believed to have searched Mr Yaqub's home but have said the operation was not terrorism-related.


The US military says it has carried out air strikes against the al-Qaeda-linked Khorasan group in north-western Syria.

The US hit five targets related to the group, including several vehicles and buildings, near the border with Turkey.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the violence, said several militants and two children had died in the attack.
It is the second time US strikes have targeted Khorasan, whom it accuses of planning attacks on the US and Europe.
In a statement, the US Central Command (Centcom) said Thursday's strikes near the town of Sarmada had hit vehicles and buildings used for training and to produce explosive devices.
A senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that one of the targets was a French militant called David Drugeon, who had joined the group.
The official said it was unclear as to whether he had been killed in the strikes, but added: "We think we got him."
Little is known about Khorasan other than information released by US officials.
They say the group is made up of veteran fighters from the Afghanistan and Pakistan region who have embedded within al-Qaeda's Syria branch, the al-Nusra Front.
Centcom said the group was using Syria as a base to attack the West, rather than seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or helping the Syrian people.
The first strikes on the group were on 23 September during the US-led coalition's first raids against Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria.
At the time, Pentagon's operations chief Lt Gen William Mayville said Khorasan militants were in "the final stages of plans to execute major attacks".
The US-led coalition has launched several air strikes in Syria since September, mostly targeting IS fighters.
Syria's civil war, which is in its fourth year, has claimed more than 200,000 lives.
President Assad's government has been battling against an armed and increasingly fragmented uprising.
As well as fighting the government, rebel groups such as the Nusra Front and IS have also been fighting among themselves.


Champions Monaco wrapped up their Ligue 1 season with a 12th straight league victory to match Paris St-Germain's record of 30 wins in a single season.

Monaco won 3-2 at ninth-placed Rennes as Fabinho, Jemerson and Jorge scored.
Marseille pipped Bordeaux to fifth place - and the final Europa League spot - with a 1-0 win against Bastia.
Bastia were relegated to Ligue 2 as a result, while Lorient - who drew 1-1 with Bordeaux - finished third bottom and now face a relegation play-off.
Caen, who were one of four teams still concerned about automatic relegation on Saturday's final day, scored a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at runners-up PSG to move above Lorient and escape the threat of dropping into the second tier.
These results meant Dijon also preserved their top-flight place with a goalless draw at Toulouse.
Lorient will play Troyes, who finished third in Ligue 2, in a two-legged tie next week. The system was reintroduced this season by the French league bosses after being scrapped in 1993.
At the other end of the table, Monaco's players marked the title success by dying their hair in the club colours - red and white - for their final game at Rennes.
The principality club wrapped up their first Ligue 1 title since 2000 with a 2-0 home win against Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.
Match ends, Rennes 2, Monaco 3.
Second Half ends, Rennes 2, Monaco 3.
Goal!  Rennes 2, Monaco 3. Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
Attempt saved. Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Sanjin Prcic.
Offside, Rennes. Adrien Hunou tries a through ball, but Firmin Ndombe Mubele is caught offside.
Foul by Bernardo Silva (Monaco).
Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Djibril Sidibe (Monaco).
Adrien Hunou (Rennes) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Rennes. Nicolas Janvier replaces Benjamin André.
Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Firmin Ndombe Mubele.
Attempt blocked. Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Afonso Figueiredo with a cross.
Substitution, Monaco. Bernardo Silva replaces Andrea Raggi.
Goal!  Rennes 1, Monaco 3. Jorge (Monaco) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Djibril Sidibe.
Offside, Rennes. Benoit Costil tries a through ball, but Firmin Ndombe Mubele is caught offside.
Fabinho (Monaco) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mexer (Rennes).
Attempt missed. Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Sanjin Prcic.
Tiemoué Bakayoko (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sanjin Prcic (Rennes).
Substitution, Monaco. Djibril Sidibe replaces Thomas Lemar.
Attempt blocked. Firmin Ndombe Mubele (Rennes) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sanjin Prcic.
Goal!  Rennes 1, Monaco 2. Adama Diakhaby (Rennes) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Penalty Rennes. Firmin Ndombe Mubele draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Abdou Diallo (Monaco) after a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt missed. Joris Gnagnon (Rennes) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Sanjin Prcic with a cross following a corner.
Corner,  Rennes. Conceded by Abdou Diallo.
Corner,  Monaco. Conceded by Mexer.
Attempt missed. Fabinho (Monaco) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kylian Mbappe.
Offside, Monaco. Andrea Raggi tries a through ball, but Kylian Mbappe is caught offside.
Substitution, Rennes. Adama Diakhaby replaces Giovanni Sio.
Attempt saved. Giovanni Sio (Rennes) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt saved. Jorge (Monaco) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kylian Mbappe.
Corner,  Monaco. Conceded by Benoit Costil.
Attempt saved. Kylian Mbappe (Monaco) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Valère Germain.
Attempt blocked. Giovanni Sio (Rennes) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Sanjin Prcic (Rennes) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Firmin Ndombe Mubele.
Attempt saved. Sanjin Prcic (Rennes) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Foul by Tiemoué Bakayoko (Monaco).
Afonso Figueiredo (Rennes) wins a free kick in the attacking half.


A man who makes two million bottles of the popper recreational drug a year says he will fight plans to ban them.

John Addy, 67, who used to run a gay nightclub in Huddersfield, told Radio 4's You and Yours he was inspired by Tory MP Crispin Blunt's admission in a Commons debate that he uses poppers.
The drug, which is popular with gay men, is to be banned on 1 April under the Psychoactive Substances Bill.
Policing Minister Mike Penning said the medicines regulator was reviewing it.
Speaking about Mr Blunt's intervention in the Commons, Mr Addy, who runs the firm Liquid Gold, said: "Until now we've stayed in the background to see what was going to happen.
"But when he made that statement I thought we make the product and we should give him all the support we can."
Mr Addy, who previously ran the Gemini nightclub, said he noticed clubbers would bring the liquid in having got it from pharmacists.
When he sold the club in 1981 he went into business manufacturing them to other gay clubs, but now Liquid Gold trades across Europe to wholesalers.
What are poppers?
In 1999, the Medicines Control Agency brought a test case against manufacturers on the basis that poppers containing isobutyl nitrite were medicines, and therefore required a product licence for sale and supply in the UK.
The case was not successful and the defence sufficiently argued the products did not cause significant harm.
Mr Addy said: "This was an important test case and a five-day trial. The evidence was put forward to the jury.
"They came back with a sensible answer and that's why I'm surprised this has surfaced at the moment."
He has called on the government to consult with him, and is now in discussions with his lawyers over the April ban.
An amendment excluding poppers from the new Psychoactive Substances Bill was defeated in the House of Commons.
Policing Minister Mr Penning said poppers had been mentioned on 20 death certificates since 1993.
In a statement to Radio 4, Mr Penning added: "The landmark Psychoactive Substances Bill will fundamentally change the way we tackle new psychoactive substances - and put an end to the game of cat and mouse in which new drugs appear on the market more quickly than government can identify and ban them.
"We will work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and others on the evidence for the use of poppers and we intend to respond before the summer recess."


White House press officer Sean Spicer has sought to defend an apparently garbled tweet by President Donald Trump which baffled and amused the internet.

In a tweet posted just after midnight Mr Trump wrote "despite the constant negative press covfefe".
The tweet stayed up all night, trending worldwide to much merriment.
Asked by a reporter if people should be concerned, Mr Spicer said, "No, the president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant."
Mr Trump, who presumably had meant to write "press coverage" and failed to finish his sentence, later deleted it and, acknowledging the jokes, wrote, "Who can figure out the true meaning of "covfefe" ???  Enjoy!"
That follow-up appeared at 06:09 (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday, more than six hours after the original message (posted at 00:06).
"Do you think that people should be concerned that the president posted something of an incoherent tweet last night and that it then stayed up for hours?" a reporter asked Mr Spicer.
"Er, no," he replied.
"Why did it stay up so long? Is nobody watching this?" he was asked.
"No," Mr Spicer said before giving his cryptic explanation.
Others at the briefing simply asked, "What does 'covfefe' mean?" and "What is 'covfefe'?"  without getting an answer.
Mr Trump has continued tweeting from his personal account since becoming president in January, arguing that it helps him speak directly to Americans.
Aside from the frequently controversial content, the account is known for its spelling mistakes such as "unpresidented" for "unprecedented", and "honered" for "honored", as this Business Insider article recalls.
But few Trumpisms have spread like "covfefe"...
Beyond Twitter, rail operator Eurostar got in on the joke, suggesting passengers might enjoy a "covfefe" (and even a coffee too).
Hillary Clinton, who fought and lost the election against Mr Trump, joked in a speech to the annual Code Conference in California: "I thought it was a hidden message to the Russians."


The last surviving brother of the late Hollywood actor Richard Burton has died, his family has confirmed.

Graham Jenkins, who lived in Cwmafan, Port Talbot, died in his sleep aged 88 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease a number of years ago.
He was the youngest of the 13 children born to Burton's mother, Edith Jenkins. She died soon after he was born.
Mr Jenkins is survived by his wife Hilary, 86, and two sons Richard and Alun.
His funeral will be held at Margam Crematorium on Thursday.
Mr Jenkins's niece Sian Owen said: "We've had comments whether the crematorium will be big enough for the funeral.
"He was brilliant, kind hearted, a real gent."
Burton's daughter, Kate, is among those who will attend the funeral.
After the death of his mother, Mr Jenkins was brought up by one of his brothers, while Richard, who was the 12th-born child, was raised by his sister.
Mr Jenkins had worked as a market inspector in Port Talbot, manager of Afan Lido, and latterly as a sports organiser for the BBC in London.
He had also lived in Guernsey before moving back to south Wales.
On a local website, Mr Jenkins recalled competing against his famous brother in the Eisteddfod: "Rich won, even though I was told I had the sweeter voice, however Rich had the stage presence.
"I cried over this and Rich kindly shared his winnings with me.  "
He also wrote that he acted as a stage double for Burton, adding, "at one time I had to kiss Elizabeth Taylor".
Burton, who was famously married twice to film star Taylor, died in 1984.


Jamar Loza's second-half hat-trick inspired Maidstone to a come-from-behind 4-2 win at Woking which lifted them above their opponents into 19th place in the National League.

Delano Sam-York and Jamie Lucas put the home side 2-0 in front in the first half before Loza and Yemi Odubade earned Maidstone victory - and left the Cards a point above the relegation zone.
Maidstone goalkeeper Lee Worgan pulled off a fine save to deny Kane Ferdinand after 12 minutes but a minute later he could do nothing to stop Sam-Yorke's effort putting the home side ahead.
Lucas doubled their lead before Maidstone pulled one back shortly afterwards through a fine strike by Loza.
Maidstone's Jamie Coyle hit the inside of a post before Loza slotted in a second from close range.
He completed his treble after the hosts failed to clear Reece Prestedge's free-kick and Odubade fired in a fourth with seven minutes to go.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Woking 2, Maidstone United 4.
Second Half ends, Woking 2, Maidstone United 4.
Substitution, Maidstone United. George Oakley replaces Joe Pigott.
Substitution, Maidstone United. Harry Phipps replaces Jamar Loza.
Yemi Odubade (Maidstone United) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!  Woking 2, Maidstone United 4. Yemi Odubade (Maidstone United).
Substitution, Woking. Zak Ansah replaces Jake Caprice.
Goal!  Woking 2, Maidstone United 3. Jamar Loza (Maidstone United).
Goal!  Woking 2, Maidstone United 2. Jamar Loza (Maidstone United).
Substitution, Maidstone United. Yemi Odubade replaces Jack Paxman.
Substitution, Woking. Fabio Saraiva replaces Ismail Yakubu.
Substitution, Woking. Gozie Ugwu replaces Jamie Lucas.
Jake Caprice (Woking) is shown the yellow card.
Reece Prestedge (Maidstone United) is shown the yellow card.
Second Half begins Woking 2, Maidstone United 1.
First Half ends, Woking 2, Maidstone United 1.
Goal!  Woking 2, Maidstone United 1. Jamar Loza (Maidstone United).
Goal!  Woking 2, Maidstone United 0. Jamie Lucas (Woking).
Goal!  Woking 1, Maidstone United 0. Delano Sam-Yorke (Woking).
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


A football team is looking for a charity to donate post-match food to after the game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Hereford FC was due to play a fifth round FA Vase game at Hartley Wintney in Hampshire but it was called off.
The Hereford club tweeted in search of a good cause to give the surplus food to: "We've got pasta and rolls that were prepared for players food today.
"Does anyone know of any charities that can make use today or tomorrow?
"We'd hate the food to be thrown out, it can't be frozen and needs to be used by Monday."
Hartley Wintney FC shared players' disappointment that the match had been called off.
But it remained in high spirits by joking: "Contrary to popular reports; the ref arrived fully sober this morning!"
A statement on Hereford FC's website said: "Subject to FA approval, today's postponed FA Vase game against Hartley Wintney will be rescheduled for Saturday 6 February.
"As such, our scheduled Midland Football League Premier home game against Walsall Wood is likely to be postponed.
"We will confirm the above once we have confirmation from the FA."
Camberley Town FC in nearby Surrey invited fans of both teams to watch its home match against County Durham team Newton Aycliffe.
Southport's National League game against Boreham Wood was also postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Saturday's National League game between Altrincham and Dover Athletic at the J Davidson Stadium was called off for the same reason.


The Welsh Rugby Union has confirmed it intends to take "operational control" of Newport Gwent Dragons by 1 July.

The WRU has reached "heads of agreement" for a deal which includes the purchase of Rodney Parade.
A statement says the sale has been ratified by the boards of the WRU, Newport RFC and Dragons, but must be agreed by the Newport RFC shareholders.
"All parties recognise that it is now time to take a different approach," said WRU chief Martyn Phillips.
The WRU already owns 50% of the region, which was formed in 2003. The Rodney Parade ground is owned by Newport RFC and also used by Newport County AFC.
The announcement comes 11 months after the Dragons announced they were seeking investment.
As part of the deal, the WRU says it would:
It dismissed as "nonsense" rumours of plans to move the region to north Wales.
Newport Gwent Dragons have been struggling on the pitch and have long-standing financial problems.
WRU chairman Gareth Davies said the union has no choice other than to get involved.
"We felt as the governing body it was incumbent on us to step in," said WRU chairman Gareth Davies.
"It was drastic stage when the Dragons chairman emphasised without a rescue deal Rodney Parade would soon become a building site with the consequence of losing the Dragons in Newport and the threat of losing Newport RFC.
"We are doing his for rugby reasons. I have seen a lot of nonsense that this is a property deal, it's asset stripping, we are moving to north Wales. That's nonsense."
Phillips added: "We feel this is the right thing to do. We wanted to do the right thing for all the clubs in the catchment.
"We think Gwent has a proud history but we think there is a brighter future."
Newport RFC Supporters' Trust will call an extraordinary meeting which takes 21 days to organise.
Then 75% of the 1,000-plus members will have to agree to the takeover.
"I don't know if [Newport shareholders] will accept it. We are not here selling it. This is a sizeable investment that was not planned for," said Phillips.
"I hope they do but if they don't they don't, we will have done everything in our power.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"We want rugby to be here for years to come. But without this deal it will be weeks."
Stuart Davies, chairman of Newport Gwent Dragons, said: "This is an incredibly positive announcement and a huge moment for the Dragons but I understand now we need to work even harder to make sure that it is not a backlash."
Newport Rugby Club has played at Rodney Parade since 1877 and Phillips says the WRU wants that to continue.
"We are committed to Newport RFC and to them playing at Rodney Parade," he said.
"We know emotion is running high.
"There is no timeframe set for Newport or term for them playing at Rodney Parade. But we are not going to these lengths or making these investments other than for the long-term future of rugby in Gwent.
"We are investing millions in the facility so we are unlikely to walk away from it."
Yes. The name has been a controversial matter since the formation of the region, with a major faction resisting attempts to drop the word Newport.
"It is one of the big emotive topics at the moment and it's time to bring some clarity," said Phillips.
"Our sense is this team would be called the Dragons and that's not to punish Newport or set them up against the rest of Gwent.
"We need to get over the name thing quite quickly because there are a lot more fundamental things to be resolved."
Not according to Martyn Phillips, but the WRU is not ruling anything out.
"We are working very hard with the regions to make this work," he said.
"The regions have been fantastic and have been involved in this process. It's in their interests to have four regions and we need to make four work.
"I don't think there will be another transaction like this. If there is a property deal with the Blues we would try and help them because we want them to be a vibrant region."
Newport County are bottom of League Two and have played their home matches at the ground since 2012.
In 2013 the football club agreed a 10-year lease to use the stadium after gaining promotion to the Football League from the Conference (now the National League).
"I haven't spoken to Newport County. We are the union of [rugby] clubs and we have put several million [pounds] in," said Phillips.
"It is as rugby venue. We will have to talk to Newport County about where that leaves them.
"They have a licence to play there and we are aware about that. We would like to put a 4G pitch in.
"The fact we are putting a few million in means we get to call the shots."
The Football League does not allow teams to play on 4G pitches.
"To make this work we have to purchase the ground because it needs a lot of work," said Phillips.
"You couldn't make that investment if you were leasing the ground. There are lease and debts and the only way to clean it up was to buy the debt.
"Pro 12 have been putting pressure on us about the pitch. They say there have been things that are not acceptable and that is correct."


A man who discharged pepper spray in a woman's face after she spurned his advances in a night club has been jailed for six years and two months.

Simon Stuart, 30, attacked 19-year-old Jodie McKenna outside a McDonald's restaurant in Glasgow on 4 April.
At the city's high court, he admitted a string of charges, including assault and offences under the Firearms Act.
Judge Lord Turnbull told Stuart he was a "dangerous individual" that the public need protected from.
Stuart has a lengthy criminal record and was jailed for six years for assault in 2004.
He was on bail at the time of the pepper spray attack in connection with a breach of the peace.
Stuart's lawyer Sean Templeton said his client was sorry and told the court that Stuart claimed he had found the pepper spray before the assault.
But Lord Turnbull told Stuart: "That you simply found this item is simply preposterous and comes close to an insult to the court's intelligence.
"You possess an on-going willingness to resort to violence without provocation. You are a dangerous individual that the public requires to be protected from."
The court heard that Ms McKenna had been out with friends at Frampton's nightclub, in the Maryhill area, when she rebuffed Stuart's attempts to chat her up.
He then became abusive and threatened her by saying: "Just you wait and see what...happens outside."
Doormen were alerted to what had gone on and ordered Stuart out.
Later, Ms McKenna went to a nearby McDonald's restaurant with a friend after leaving the club.
Stuart, who by this time had changed clothes, suddenly re-appeared and approached Ms McKenna.
When she tried to ignore him he became aggravated and produced the pepper spray canister and discharged it in her face,
As Stuart fled, one of Ms McKenna's friends dragged her into the McDonald's and immediately washed her face.
The victim experienced problems with her breathing and eyesight and was treated in hospital. She suffered no lasting damage but continues to suffer from stress as a result of her ordeal.
Stuart was not traced until weeks later at his girlfriend's home after a warrant had been issued for his arrest.


The offensive to recapture Tikrit was announced with some fanfare by the Iraqi authorities, and state television carried footage of rockets being fired as the campaign got under way.

There were early claims of rapid advances being made as government forces pushed towards Tikrit from several directions.
But previous assaults on the militants there have been beaten back despite claims of victory by the state forces, so it will be some time before the fate of this latest offensive becomes clear.
It is a battle of great importance. Both the Iraqi prime minister and the Americans have been heralding an even more significant push in the coming months to recapture the biggest city in northern Iraq, Mosul, which also fell to IS last June.
That campaign would be thrown into doubt if the government fails at Tikrit, which controls the strategic highway linking the south with the north.
The attack on Tikrit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi who addressed his top officers on the eve of battle.
"Today we are launching a major and important campaign to liberate the citizens of Salahuddin province, which includes Tikrit and other areas, from the Islamic State terrorists," he said.
"So, I call upon you and all other commanders to deal with citizens well. We should protect the citizens and their properties."
That underlined one of the concerns raised by this thrust into mainly Sunni terrain.
Because the Iraqi army collapsed last June and is still shaky, much of the fighting is being done by Shia militias, backed by Iran.
They are thirsting for revenge for atrocities carried out by IS in June, when hundreds of Shia recruits were massacred.
In a neighbouring province where Sunni areas have been overrun by a similar combination of pro-government forces, there have been accusations of revenge killings and abuses inflicted on the Sunni population by the Shia militias.
The prime minister may be urging restraint but there is a question mark over how much control he has over the forces on the ground.
Their behaviour in Tikrit, if they win, will have major implications for what happens in Mosul and other mainly Sunni areas occupied by IS.


Supermarket chain Morrisons has been fined £55,000 for food hygiene offences, including selling mouldy pork pies.

Inspectors also found staff at the store in Fleet, Hampshire were handling bread while wearing dirty uniforms.
The firm pleaded guilty to four offences under food safety and hygiene regulations, at a hearing at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court.
The supermarket apologised and said it had improved food hygiene.
More on this and other stories from across the south of England.
The case arose after a customer found a pie contaminated with blue mould three hours after he bought it in February 2016, the council said.
Two days later, a council inspector found high-risk food being stored at up to 12.5C (54.5F), above the legal maximum of 8C (46.4F).
Environmental health officer Nicola Ramsey said: "The chiller was next to a hot cabinet with a warm air vent blowing down on it.
"The food may have been above the legal temperature for weeks, months or years."
The cabinet itself had been working properly, Ms Ramsey said.
She said Morrisons had been warned about the unit at previous inspections in 2008, 2011 and 2014.
Ms Ramsey warned that open chillers often "battle with the hot air outside", with the temperature of food affected by its position.
Inspectors also found a member of staff handling bread while wearing a dirty jacket, of the kind worn while loading lorries and handling waste.
Morrisons was fined a total of £55,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,396.
A spokeswoman for Morrisons said: "We are sorry about these issues that happened more than 12 months ago at our store in Fleet.
"Our new management team have made improvements that have restored our food hygiene rating to five, the highest rating available."


London Irish number eight Rob McCusker believes confidence can flourish among his team-mates after their crucial Premiership victory against Worcester.

Wales international McCusker, 30, has impressed in the back row since a return from injury last month.
Eleventh-placed Irish face Northampton on Saturday, looking for a first Premiership away win in almost a year.
"We'll be keen to stay in touch with them as much as possible," McCusker told BBC Radio Berkshire.
Irish sit level on points with fellow strugglers Newcastle ahead of the trip to Franklin's Gardens and will be keen to maintain the momentum of their recent home form.
"We've had some games recently where we've been in it or just behind at half-time," said McCusker.
"But in the second half we've had games where we've just capitulated and been a totally different team.
"If we let Northampton get too far ahead, they'll be buoyed by that."
The former Scarlets captain left the Pro 12 club in September by mutual agreement as he joined Irish on an initial one-year deal.
Capped six times by his country, McCusker admitted the decision was driven by a need to play more games.
"I didn't really know how I'd ever leave," he said. "But circumstances changed and it wasn't the place I had fallen in love with.
"So it made the decision a lot easier. It was probably the right time and felt like the right thing to do."


The Football Association says it is suspending support for Michel Platini in his bid to become Fifa president.

Uefa president Platini, a former France captain and manager, is being investigated over a £1.35m payment he received from Sepp Blatter in 2011.
Blatter, the outgoing president of world football's governing body, is under criminal investigation over the payment. Both men deny any wrongdoing.
The FA made its decision following a Uefa meeting on Thursday.
Blatter and Platini, along with secretary general Jerome Valcke, are serving 90-day suspensions imposed by Fifa's ethics committee, which is investigating the three over corruption allegations.
An FA statement read: "The FA wishes Mr Platini every success in fighting these charges and clearing his name, and has no interest in taking any action that jeopardises this process.
"However, notwithstanding the above, at the Uefa meeting on Thursday, the FA learned more information relating to the issues at the centre of this case from Mr Platini's lawyers.
"We have been instructed that the information must be kept confidential and therefore we cannot go into specifics.
"As a result of learning this information, the FA Board has this morning concluded that it must suspend its support for Mr Platini's candidature for the Fifa presidency until the legal process has been concluded and the position is clear.
"A decision can then be taken on who to support in the presidential election on 26 February 2016."
Platini says the money was an unpaid additional salary due from the time he served as Blatter's adviser between 1998 and 2002.
Uefa's 54 members met in Switzerland to discuss the issue and afterwards the association issued a statement saying Platini should have the chance "to clear his name".
It also called for investigators to "work rapidly" and decide "on the merits of the case by, at the latest, mid-November 2015".
The FA said it supported this statement, which also "expressed respect for the significant work" carried out by Platini at Uefa.
Meanwhile, a new contender has emerged in the race to lead Fifa - Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
The Bahrain sheikh is expected to announce next week that he intends to run for the Fifa presidency.


Sutton warmed up for Monday's FA Cup clash with Arsenal with a last-gasp defeat at struggling Guiseley.

Paul Doswell's men may have had one eye on next week's mouth-watering clash with the Premier League giants but they are now just four points better off than their opponents, who moved out of the relegation zone following the win.
Guiseley took an early lead when Jake Cassidy headed home a Kevan Hurst corner.
Derek Asamoah came close to a second for the home side, firing straight at goalkeeper Ross Worner, but Sutton were level before the break when Matt Tubbs slotted home from the penalty spot.
Cassidy saw another shot and then a firm header held by Worner but the Lions got the goal their pressure deserved in the third minute of time added on as John Rooney stabbed in a low cross from Marcus Williams.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Guiseley 2, Sutton United 1.
Second Half ends, Guiseley 2, Sutton United 1.
Goal!  Guiseley 2, Sutton United 1. John Rooney (Guiseley).
Substitution, Sutton United. Afolabi Coker replaces Roarie Deacon.
Substitution, Guiseley. Adam Boyes replaces Jake Cassidy.
Substitution, Sutton United. Dan Fitchett replaces Matt Tubbs.
Substitution, Sutton United. Jamie Smith replaces Gomis.
Substitution, Guiseley. Michael Rankine replaces Derek Asamoah.
Roarie Deacon (Sutton United) is shown the yellow card.
Connor Brown (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Guiseley. Jordan Preston replaces Kevan Hurst.
Second Half begins Guiseley 1, Sutton United 1.
First Half ends, Guiseley 1, Sutton United 1.
Goal!  Guiseley 1, Sutton United 1. Matt Tubbs (Sutton United) converts the penalty with a.
Goal!  Guiseley 1, Sutton United 0. Jake Cassidy (Guiseley).
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


A horse called Brian threatened with a change of name if he joined the police is up for sale.

Thames Valley Police sparked controversy when they said Brian would be given a more "godlike name" if he qualified for its mounted section.
The force backed down, but Brian failed to make the grade and has returned to his stables in Wilstead, Bedfordshire.
He is now up for sale, but owner Jo Samuel-Blackstock said he would keep his original name.
"Horses have passports with their name in and it is bad luck to change it," she said.
She said Brian would probably end up working in the countryside.
"He is a country boy and not a city boy," she said.
"He was taken to live in a concrete city and rode round Milton Keynes next to buses. It was completely different for him."
Brian is currently "knee deep in mud enjoying being a horse" at The Stables Equestrian Centre.
Miss Samuel-Blackstock said: "I have had emails saying I need Brian in my life, but I want him to go to a home that wants him as a horse."
Brian is likely to end up working in show jumping, cross country jumping or dressage.
Miss Samuel-Blackstock said police had been interested in Brian as the six-year-old cross breed is 17 hands two inches tall and has "quite a presence".
He had been considered for a name change more in keeping with police tradition, such as Hercules or Odin.
But there was a groundswell of support for the name from men called Brian, including Big Brother series eight winner Brian Belo.
The stables has now added the tagline "Home of Brian the Horse" to its website.
Asked if fame had gone to his head, his owner said: "It doesn't seem to. He is not sticking his mane up in the air at any of his old friends."


A US congresswoman has been shot in the head and six other people have been killed by a gunman in Arizona.

Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords, 40, was shot at close range during a public meeting in Tucson.
She is in a critical condition, but the doctor treating her said he was "very optimistic about her recove".
The dead included a nine-year-old girl and a federal judge. President Barack Obama said the shooting was a "tragedy for our entire country".
The Associated Press news agency reported that one of Ms Giffords' political aides was also killed in the shooting.
By Mark MardellBBC North America editor
Read Mark's thoughts in full
In addition to the six deaths, police said a total of 13 people - including Ms Giffords - had been shot and wounded in the attack.
A suspect named by US media as Arizona resident Jared Loughner, 22, was arrested after the incident.
Local police, who have not confirmed the suspect's name, said they were hunting a possible accomplice.
"[The suspect] has kind of a troubled past, and we're not convinced that he acted alone," said Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik.
"There is some reason to believe that he came to this location with another individual."
The attacker struck as Ms Giffords held one of her regular open-invitation meetings - which she called "Congress on your corner" - with her constituents outside a supermarket in Tucson. Ms Giffords was initially reported to have been killed at the scene.
An eyewitness to the killings, Steven Rayle, told AP he had played dead to escape.
"I had passed by the table, the congresswoman was standing there talking to several people, I went to the side of the table... and I looked up and I saw a man shoot her in the head," said Mr Rayle.
"Then he began just spraying gunfire everywhere. At that point I ducked behind the concrete post.
"The whole thing unfolded in maybe 12 or 15 seconds. As he came around [the post], I lay on the ground and acted as if I were shot."
The gunman was reportedly overpowered by members of the crowd, before being taken away by police.
In pictures: Gabrielle Giffords
The dead judge was named by officials as John Roll, who had spent more than 40 years on the federal bench. It is not thought that he was deliberately targeted.
Mr Obama urged the nation to "come together, and support each other".
"I ask all Americans to join me and Michelle in keeping all the victims and their families, including Gabby, in our thoughts and prayers," he said.
He described Ms Giffords as a personal friend and an "extraordinary public servant".
Mr Obama has tasked FBI director Robert Mueller with overseeing the investigation.
Ms Giffords, who represents the eighth district of Arizona in the House of Representatives, is married to space shuttle astronaut Mark Kelly.
She has served on several congressional committees, including those covering the armed services and foreign affairs, and is a member of the "blue dog" group of centrist Democrats.
Jeff Rogers, chairman of the local Democrats, told the BBC that Ms Giffords was "a rising star" in the Democrats with hopes of eventually winning the Arizona Senate seat.
She upset Arizona conservatives by supporting Mr Obama's healthcare reform bill last year.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, a conservative Republican, placed Ms Giffords on a list of politicians she wanted to remove from office in mid-term elections last November.
Ms Palin has issued a statement offering her condolences to the families of Ms Giffords and the other victims of the attack.
The House of Representatives majority leader Eric Cantor announced that all of next week's legislative debates would be postponed to allow politicians to "take whatever actions may be necessary in light of today's tragedy".


England's Tyrrell Hatton is four shots behind leader Rickie Fowler going into the final round of the Honda Classic.

The 25-year-old world number 18 is on nine under after a four-under round of 66, while Fowler made two birdies in the last three holes in a 65 for a 13-under total in Florida.
The American has not won on the PGA Tour since the Deutsche Bank Championship in September 2015.
Germany's Martin Kaymer is in a group two behind Hatton.
It is the third straight week that someone has built a big lead on the PGA Tour after 54 holes. Jordan Spieth was six shots clear at Pebble Beach, while Dustin Johnson was up by five shots at Riviera, both going on to win.
Buckinghamshire's Hatton climbed into the world's top 20 with a tie for third at the Dubai Desert Classic.
READ MORE: England's Hatton keeping it simple on US mission


A council has praised the response of a volunteer community group that helped to "minimise the impact" of flooding in a Borders town following summer storms.

Heavy rainfall moved across the Borders on Wednesday with Eyemouth particularly badly affected.
The local resilient communities group notified residents and helped put out sandbags and put up floodgates.
Scottish Borders Council said its efforts had "undoubtedly" helped reduce the impact of the incident.
Emergency Planning Officer Jim Fraser said: "The response in Eyemouth to the potential for flooding, and after the extremely heavy rainfall, has once again highlighted the value of having locally trained and equipped volunteers in these situations.
"There is no doubt that their efforts, and those of local residents and business owners, helped to minimise the impact of this event."
Scottish Water is continuing to work with the council on a solution to sewerage issues in the town.
Regional community team manager Bill Elliot said the rainfall had been "exceptional" and had led to foul water flooding affecting a small number of streets and some properties.
"We are progressing with a permanent solution to the underlying issue in Church Street and are continuing to liaise closely with Scottish Borders Council and shortly SEPA to move towards implementing the required engineering solution," he said.


Germany's Silvana Koch-Mehrin has resigned as a vice-president of the European Parliament, after claims that she plagiarised her university thesis.

Ms Koch-Mehrin, aged 40, also stepped down from the board of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP).
The University of Heidelberg is re-examining Ms Koch-Mehrin's academic work on currency unions.
In March, German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg was forced to quit over plagiarism charges.
Mr Guttenberg, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), was also stripped of his PhD by the University of Bayreuth.
On Wednesday, Ms Koch-Mehrin said in a statement that she also resigned as chairwoman of the FDP in the European parliament.
"I hope to make it easier for my party to make a fresh start with a new leadership team," she said.
The move comes after an investigative website - VroniPlag Wiki - raised doubts about the liberal politician's 2001 thesis, called Historical Currency Unions between the Economy and Politics.
Ms Koch-Mehrin allegedly failed to source the 227-page document properly.
She has not publicly commented on the allegations.
The resignation is seen by some German analysts as a fresh blow to the FDP - the junior party in Mrs Merkel's coalition - which is trying to recover from plunging popularity ratings.
Last month, party leader Guido Westerwelle was forced to step aside. A new head is expected to be chosen later this week.


There is a risk public services in Wales could "fall off a cliff" unless more is done to prevent people from falling ill, the future generations commissioner has said.

Sophie Howe said all public bodies need to work more closely together to tackle the causes of ill health.
There are also concerns services like housing and leisure - which help keep people healthy - are losing out.
More money is having to be switched to the NHS as demands rise.
The Welsh Government said it recognised "health is more than the NHS".
Public health experts are spending a second day in Cardiff debating long-term challenges with colleagues from across the world.
Life expectancy is increasing, while serious heart conditions and numbers of smokers are falling.
But the bad news is, we are getting fatter and more of us are getting diabetes.
Ms Howe, who started work earlier this year, is charged under Wales' new Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, with encouraging 44 public bodies to work much more closely together in making sustainable decisions.
This includes preventing problems like poor health getting worse.
The aim is to build attractive, safe and supportive communities, with healthy lifestyles and environment promoted.
"This is about a nurse thinking it's as much her responsibility to identify an issue of domestic abuse as a police officer," said Ms Howe.
"It's about a health board thinking it's as much its responsibility to think about carbon emissions coming from its estate than the environmental protection people in the council; it's about our economy minister thinking its as much his responsibility to deal with well being, health and poverty.
"It's incredibly tough but something we have got to do. Quite simply if we carry on the way we are, our services are going to fall off a cliff."
A growing and aging population means more of us live with long-term illnesses and the NHS is under more pressure than ever before.
Two weeks ago, the Welsh Government allocated an extra Â£240m to its budget next year, to help the health service cope.
But the Welsh Local Government Association is concerned that, if the NHS continues to consume an ever-increasing proportion of the Welsh budget, services that help people stay healthy could lose out.
If that happens it is argued it could store-up even more problems for the NHS in the future.
Steve Thomas, chief executive of the Welsh Local Government Association said: "If we carry on the same route, especially if austerity continues and deepens in this next period, the public sector will be schools and hospitals and very little else."
Meanwhile, a leading international health expert has told BBC Wales that the Future Generations Act could be the model for other countries across the world in meeting the "biggest challenge" of health inequalities.
Dr Piroska Ostlin, director of policy and governance for health and well-being at the World Health Organization (WHO) said: "If you do it right, if you implement the act, you can make your vision for a healthier Wales, a more prosperous, more resilient, more equal Wales a reality. Or you don't manage to do that, health inequities will increase and maybe life expectancy decreases."
A spokesman for Welsh Government's said its draft budget provided stability for core services and the goals of the Well-being of Future Generations Act had underpinned its approach.
"The budget delivers the first increase in the settlement for local government since 2013-14, including additional funding to recognise the importance of social services to the long term success of the health service," they added.


Relegated Bolton Wanderers need to make changes throughout the club, including looking at the whole squad for next season, says captain Darren Pratley.

Saturday's 4-1 loss at Derby confirmed their fall into League One.
It will be the first time that Bolton have played in the third tier of English football since 1992-93.
"Every day there is something negative coming out of the club and it needs a whole new change, probably a whole new squad," said 30-year-old Pratley.
He told BBC Radio Manchester: "Upstairs the finances seem like they're sorted now and there needs to be a positive vibe around the whole club as the last couple of years have been negative.
"Everything that has been going on, obviously it has been in the changing room whether you want it to or not - you can come out and say it doesn't affect you but it does."
Bolton have spent most of the season with financial problems looming over them, with former owner Eddie Davies withdrawing his financial support given their debts of £172.9m.
After three winding-up orders, Dean Holdsworth's Sports Shield consortium and Ken Anderson's Inner Circle completed a takeover of the club in March, and shortly after parted company with manager Neil Lennon.
"It's been a terrible season on and off the pitch, not good enough and we're going down," added Pratley.
"We have to take responsibility as players. On the pitch it's not been good enough, off the pitch as well people have to take responsibility upstairs.
"Lets not kid ourselves - this has been going on for a couple of years now. Serious changes and things need to be made next season if there is any change of getting out of League One."
Interim manager Jimmy Phillips has not improved results since Lennon left the club, as they have registered just four wins in the Championship all season.
Anderson, Bolton's chairman, has confirmed they are in the process of searching for a new manager.
"We have had over 50 applications, which shows just in how much high regard our club is held," Anderson told the club website.
"That list has been whittled down to single figures and our process of interviewing the candidates is already well under way.
"We're working tirelessly to try to get the transfer embargo lifted - that is obviously paramount in our planning. We also have a number of key relationships and agreements in place with teams in the top flight with an eye on what we can possibly do in the loan market.
"This is a fresh start for us all. We've been working on this plan for some time - we're now in the process of putting it into action."


Sadio Mane's 93rd-minute winner moved Southampton up to third in the Premier League as managerless QPR suffered a fifth straight defeat.

The Senegal midfielder turned Nedum Onuoha to fire into the top corner.
QPR, led by academy coach Chris Ramsey after boss Harry Redknapp resigned on Tuesday, remain in the bottom three.
Jose Fonte hit the bar in the first half for Southampton, whose left-back Matt Targett was taken to hospital with a head injury.
The England Under-20 defender, in the starting line-up because Ryan Bertrand was suspended, needed seven minutes of treatment on the pitch after being left motionless an aerial collision with QPR winger Matty Phillips.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Manager Ronald Koeman, though, later confirmed that Targett had suffered no serious damage.
Koeman's side were good value for their fifth successive away victory, against a Rangers side who created few clear chances, although substitute Mauro Zarate had a goal disallowed after Mane scored.
Tim Sherwood, who is expected to be Redknapp's permanent replacement, was not at Loftus Road to witness a game that suggested QPR have a lot of work to do if they are to remain in the Premier League.
Stand-in boss Ramsey attempted to freshen up QPR's side by giving Adel Taarabt - dismissed as not fit enough to play by Redknapp earlier this season - only his second league start of the campaign.
The Moroccan midfielder showed some neat touches, including a clever nutmegging of James Ward-Prowse, but was largely well policed by Victor Wanyama and was substituted after an hour.
Eljero Elia, who scored his first two Southampton goals when they won their last away game at Newcastle on 17 January, nearly embarrassed Rob Green early on, chipping wide from Wanyama's pass with the Rangers keeper out of position.
The visitors had the best first-half chances, with Fonte coming closest as he volleyed Ward-Prowse's corner against the bar from eight yards.
Mane had tested Green before that, and steered a shot wide after running in behind Clint Hill later in the half.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Rangers created more openings in the second half, with Zarate steering a shot straight at Fraser Forster after Nathaniel Clyne failed to clear Phillips' cross.
Forster then reacted superbly to flick over a Joey Barton shot that was deflected off QPR's 13-goal top scorer Charlie Austin.
But Mane, playing his second Saints game since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, capped an excellent performance with a stylish winner.
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman on Matt Target's head injury: "Everything is now under control. He will have a headache but nothing more. That's good news."
On his side's performance: "I think we played well. We played good football and we had the best chances in the game. We were maybe lucky that Fraser Forster made that great save 10 minutes before the end, but I think the better team won today."
QPR caretaker-manager Chris Ramsey: "If I'm honest, I felt we rode our luck a bit in the first half. But the defeat was very difficult to take.
"It gives a lot of hope to the owners and fans to see that the players are trying their best to keep us in the division. We had some good spells of play, but we really need to tighten up on the quality of our passing and our creativity in the final third."
Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 0, Southampton 1.
Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 0, Southampton 1.
Fraser Forster (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Mauro Z??rate tries a through ball, but Nedum Onuoha is caught offside.
Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!  Queens Park Rangers 0, Southampton 1. Sadio Man?? (Southampton) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Maya Yoshida.
Graziano Pell?? (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers).
Foul by Sadio Man?? (Southampton).
Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Graziano Pell?? (Southampton).
Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Mauro Z??rate (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Clint Hill.
Offside, Southampton. Maya Yoshida tries a through ball, but Dusan Tadic is caught offside.
Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Nedum Onuoha tries a through ball, but Charlie Austin is caught offside.
Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jose Fonte (Southampton).
Mauro Z??rate (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Eduardo Vargas replaces Richard Dunne.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Richard Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Steven Davis (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Southampton. Dusan Tadic replaces Eljero Elia.
Delay in match Steven Caulker (Queens Park Rangers) because of an injury.
Attempt blocked. Sadio Man?? (Southampton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Eljero Elia.
Foul by Maya Yoshida (Southampton).
Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sadio Man?? (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nedum Onuoha (Queens Park Rangers).
Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
Graziano Pell?? (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Richard Dunne (Queens Park Rangers).
Corner,  Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Fraser Forster.
Attempt saved. Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joey Barton.
Attempt blocked. Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Steven Caulker with a headed pass.
Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Mauricio Isla replaces Armand Traore.
Corner,  Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Maya Yoshida.


Nigeria's government has said it is "outraged and deeply saddened" after militants attacked a remote village and reportedly kidnapped about 200 people.

The attack was carried out by suspected Boko Haram gunmen.
A government spokesman said the Islamist group was spreading terror by targeting civilians.
Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency since 2009 and is seeking to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
The attack happened on Sunday but news only emerged on Thursday after survivors reached the city of Maiduguri.
So far there has been no official claim of responsibility from any group.
Government spokesman Mike Omeri released a statement condemning the "deplorable act" late on Thursday.
"It is impossible to verify the number of those missing at this early stage because it is presumed that many civilians fled during the attack," he said.
One witness, who said he helped bury 33 bodies, told the BBC that about 200 women and children had been kidnapped from Gumsuri village in the north-eastern Borno state.
There have been an increasing number of attacks in Nigeria since three states - Borno, Adamawa and Yobe - were put under emergency rule more than 18 months ago.
The kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in April from the town of Chibok in Borno state sparked international outrage.
Who are Boko Haram?
Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau


An A-Level student from north London has been removed from the country and has flown back to Mauritius after a last ditch legal challenge failed.

Earlier a High Court judge refused to grant an injunction to block the removal of Yashika Bageerathi.
The 19-year-old's lawyers had wanted her to remain in the UK so she could take her case to the Court of Appeal.
Her cause sparked a petition which has 175,000 signatures as well as a protest through London.
The student, who has been in the UK since 2011, left on an Air Mauritius flight which took off from Heathrow Airport at 21:00 BST.
Ms Bageerathi, who was two months away from taking her A-Level exams at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, told the BBC it was unfair to force her to leave.
Speaking from the immigration service van taking her to the airport, the student had said she and her family would be prepared to leave the UK for a "safe place" once she had completed her studies.
She told the BBC's home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds it was unfair she was being forced to leave the UK.
The Home Office said it had received assurances the student would be able to complete her tuition in Mauritius.
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, wrote to the Home Secretary asking her to "urgently reconsider" the "needlessly cruel" decision to deport the student.
Ms Bageerathi's school principal Lynne Dawes said the student was "petrified".
By Dominic CascianiHome affairs correspondent, BBC News
Ms Dawes, who said she had spoken to Ms Bageerathi at 14:00 BST, said: "I just cannot believe they would send her back six weeks from her exams."
Speaking to BBC News, she added: "Why can't there just be some compassion and humanity to allow her to stay and do those A-Levels?
"I know there are laws but I just cannot get why, in effect, what is a few more months. It wouldn't hurt anyone over here, but it would make such a massive difference to her life."
She said there was "no compassion being shown" and that she was "embarrassed to be British".
Air Mauritius said it had refused to take her last Sunday because all of the administrative and security conditions had not been met. It said as these had now been fulfilled, it had no choice other than to fly her.
It said it regretted "this situation, but as all airline companies cannot but abide by decisions taken by relevant authorities".
On Tuesday, Ms Bageerathi's mother, Sowbhagyawatee, had asked the Home Affairs Committee to release her.
In the letter to the Home Secretary, Mr Vaz said that neither a senior immigration official nor Immigration Minister James Brokenshire had offered a "compelling reason" why the student should be deported before being allowed to sit her examinations next month.
"It is a hardship enough for this young woman to be separated from her family and returned to Mauritius where she claims she fears persecution," he wrote.
"To interrupt her education at this late stage in order to do so seems needlessly cruel.
"It is within your gift as Home Secretary to defer Yashika's deportation and I strongly urge you to do so."
A Home Office spokesman said: "We consider every claim for asylum on its individual merits and in this case the applicant was not considered to be in need of protection.
"The case has gone through the proper legal process and our decision has been supported by the courts on five separate occasions."
Ms Bageerathi has been held in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire since 19 March.
Her school friends held a protest in Parliament Square on Saturday.
She had come to the UK with her mother and younger brother and sister from Mauritius in 2011 to escape a relative who was physically abusive.
The family claimed asylum last summer. Her mother and siblings also face removal from the UK.
Owing to Ms Bageerathi's age, her application was considered separately and she was forced to return to Mauritius alone.


One of the largest open water and shoreline searches in Irish state history has taken place for two men missing since a helicopter crash, the Irish Coast Guard has said.

About 110 boats, including civilian vessels, took part in the search for Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith.
Both men have been missing since Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 crashed on 14 March.
Four people were on board the helicopter when it came down.
Capt Dara Fitzpatrick died after she was rescued from the sea hours after the crash.
The body of her co-pilot, Capt Mark Duffy, was later recovered from the wreckage.
Last Sunday, the wreckage of the helicopter was lifted from the Irish Sea from where it crashed near Blackrock Island, off the County Mayo coast, but the two missing crew members were not found.
Saturday's search involved the Irish Coast Guard, RNLI, Irish Air Corps, Irish Naval Service and Irish Civil Defence, along with more than 80 civilian boats.
The search stretched along the west coast, from County Donegal to County Mayo.
It is estimated that the boats covered around 1,000 square miles.
The search zone, co-ordinated by the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI, was divided into grids, with inshore boats working close to the coastline and larger vessels further out to sea.
Previously, the sister of Ciarán Smith had appealed for fishermen along the Irish coast to join the search
Orla Smith said that local knowledge could be crucial in finding the two men.
An investigation into what happened to the helicopter is continuing.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit has said there was no indication of any mechanical problems in the seconds before the impact.
It is thought the inquiry into the cause of the crash on 14 March will now focus on operational issues.


A life-size model of an embankment planned to protect part of Dumfries from flooding has gone on display.

The five-metre mound has been built at the Whitesands, which is regularly inundated by the River Nith.
Officials behind the Â£15m river defence and regeneration programme hope it will demonstrate the scale of their plans.
Critics of the flood prevention scheme claim there are cheaper and less intrusive alternatives.
They have raised fears that it will result in a loss of car parking spaces but Dumfries and Galloway Council has pledged to create more on-street parking.
Colin Smith, who chairs the council's economy, environment and infrastructure committee, said the blueprint had been drawn up after careful consideration.
The model is part of a wider public exhibition at the former Baker's Oven in High Street, Dumfries.


The US justice department has told North Carolina that its law limiting protections for LGBT people violates national civil rights laws and must not be implemented.

The law invalidated several local anti-discrimination measures that protected gay and transgender people.
It also requires people to use public toilets that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates.
The governor has responded by accusing the justice department of "overreach".
His office must confirm by Monday that the law will not be implemented, the department said.
Governor Pat McCrory said the threat of legal action and the risk of losing federal funds represented new ground in the powers of the federal agency.
The state could lose millions in federal funding for education if it upholds the law, known as House Bill 2.
"The right and expectation of privacy in one of the most private areas of our personal lives is now in jeopardy," Mr McCrory said.
"We will be reviewing to determine the next steps."
House Bill 2, approved in March, sparked a huge backlash.
Bruce Springsteen was among many musicians who cancelled concerts and major businesses pulled out of the state.
Companies like Bank of America and Apple have criticised the law.
A justice department letter states that the law violates part of the Civil Rights Act banning discrimination based on sex.
The letter is not legally binding but essentially warns the state it is at risk of being sued.
Supporters of the law said allowing transgender people to choose their restroom could lead to women and children being attacked.
They said they feared that men could pose as transgender people and use legal protections as a cover.
Mr McCrory has made some small adjustments to the law but kept firm on the restrictions on public toilets.


A man who went to a love interest's home armed with two homemade bombs and a knife has been jailed.

Craig Cooke was arrested in Huyton, Merseyside, on 15 December 2015.
The 24-year-old claimed he had intended to use the Molotov cocktails to "scare" a man who rejected his advances after they met online, prosecutors said.
Cooke, of Hartsbourne Avenue in Belle Vale, admitted making and possessing an explosive and possession of a bladed article at Liverpool Crown Court.
He was jailed for three years four months on Thursday.
After the sentencing, Det Con Ian Young said "a quick-thinking member of the public" had alerted police to Cooke "acting in a suspicious manner", and he was arrested at the scene".
"We don't know what would have happened that night if Cooke hadn't been detained," he said.
"Thankfully, no-one was injured and this man has now been taken from our streets."


Prince Philip was once described by the Queen as "my strength and stay all these years" and his lifetime of public service is testimony to that.

When the Duke of Edinburgh does finally stand down from his royal duties this autumn, it will bring to a close the decades of him being at Her Majesty's side at all kinds of events at home and abroad.
And that is not to mention the 22,191 solo engagements he has undertaken in his role as the longest-serving consort in British history.
He is involved with more than 780 different organisations. When he reached the grand old age of 90, his only concession to his passing years was that he gave up his connections to about a dozen of them.
One of the most successful associations has been with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a youth self-improvement scheme, which began in 1956.
But in an interview with the BBC's Fiona Bruce when he turned 90, the Duke said he could not take credit for the highly successful scheme.
"I don't run it - I've said it's all fairly second-hand the whole business. I mean, I eventually got landed with the responsibility or the credit for it.
"I've got no reason to be proud of it. It's satisfying that we've set up a formula that works - that's it."
His reluctance to claim credit for that scheme resonates with what the Queen said of him in a speech when celebrating their golden wedding anniversary in 1997.
She described him as "someone who doesn't take easily to compliments, but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I and his whole family, in this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know".
In 1961 the duke became the first president of the World Wildlife Fund UK, but then faced criticism over his shooting of a tiger while in India that same year.
He eventually became the organisation's international president in 1981.
The Greek-born prince's life of service to the UK began when he joined up with the Royal Navy in 1939.
He saw active service in World War Two, from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, being mentioned in despatches for his service on battleship HMS Valiant in 1941.
By that time he had met his distant cousin, Princess Elizabeth. Their friendship blossomed into love and they married in 1947, at which point he renounced his Greek title to become a naturalised British subject, and was made Duke of Edinburgh by King George VI.
Prince Philip's naval career, which saw the newly-married couple stationed in Malta,  ended when George VI died in February 1952, and the princess became Queen.
Now Prince Philip had a new role, accompanying Her Majesty around the world, on Commonwealth tours, state visits and trips across the UK.
That globetrotting has seen him visit 143 countries in an official capacity in the decades that followed.
And the prince is credited with helping to save engineering in Britain in the 1970s, being described as playing a vital role in creating a national engineering academy.
In 2015 he told the BBC that after World War Two the UK was "completely skint - it seemed to me that the only way we were going to recover was through engineering".
When talking about a footman training programme which he began at the Palace, he said: "I tried to find useful things to do."
And he oversaw the modernisation of Buckingham Palace, as well as reorganising the Balmoral and Sandringham estates and becoming ranger of Windsor Great Park.
He played polo regularly until 1971 and then took up four-in-hand carriage driving, representing Britain at several European and world championships. He competed at international level carriage events until the age of 85.
And he became a qualified pilot, gaining his RAF wings in 1953, helicopter wings in 1956 and private pilot's licence in 1959. He also kept up his love for the sea, competing regularly at Cowes Regatta.
His public statements have been rare over the years and even rarer has been any direct dealings with the media.
When he did agree to take part in an ITV documentary last year to mark 60 years of the Duke of Edinburgh's award, he only spent a very small amount of time on screen with host Phillip Schofield and famously asked ahead of their last meeting "How many more times have we got to do this?".
Christopher Lee, a historian who wrote the radio documentary series This Sceptred Isle, said the prince was the first man in Buckingham Palace to put computers in his office.
"He will want to know about the big issues. He will know every single touch, nuance on Brexit, for example. He is briefed on everybody he is likely to meet, even people he will never meet and he takes it in.
"I think he's never stopped being an admiral. Admirals are like that, they have to be, and admirals never retire."


Six young voters from Wales who took part in an election debate geared around young people have described it as "brilliant" to "a lot of hot air".

More than 100 18-24 year olds took on five politicians in the debate organised by BBC's Newsbeat.
Trust was the main issue but tuition fees, gender equality and the voting age also dominated.
Voters were joined by politicians from five major parties at Leeds City Museum on Tuesday evening.
Sam Gyimah, from the Conservatives, Sadiq Khan of Labour, Sal Brinton from the Liberal Democrats, Mhairi Black of the SNP and Rhun ap Iorwerth, from Plaid Cymru were all in the line of fire.
BBC Wales followed six Welsh audience members to hear their views on the debate.
Guto Gwilym, 21, Lampeter
"It was brilliant to have that one hour that was purely focused on young people and the issues we have.  It was very much a night where politicians heard what we have to say and I very much hope that they've been taking notes.
"For me - one thing we do need to tackle urgently now is diversity among MPs."
Aled Illtud, 20, Aberystwyth
"It was nice to see a different kind of debate - it was much more energetic.
"I did feel like there were more questions than there were answers but that maybe reflects how passionate the audience members were.
"We seemed to have a battalion of questions thrown at the politicians.  It was beautiful to see but I would have liked more answers from the politicians."
Peter Gillibrand, 18, Carmarthen
"I think the debate concentrated too much on tuition fees. I would have liked to hear more about what politicians would do for disabled people like my brother. He's severely autistic but the funding for lots of the services he uses has been cut.
"I'm a Plaid Cymru voter but I think the real people who won this debate were the SNP and Lib Dems.
"The SNP lady was really inspirational and the lady from the Lib Dems came across well too.  She said 'look we made a mistake on tuition fees' but you felt she did really care about young people."
Robyn Holley, 21, Cwmbran
"It was everything I expected it to be - people shouting, lots of opinions whirling around and politicians just being politicians. I wasn't impressed by what they had to say - it was just a lot of hot air.
"I have considered not voting but I think I will probably turn out if only to try and change things."
Gwion Dafydd, 20, Pembrokeshire
"I think a couple of politicians said the right things. I liked that Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems all supported lowering the voting age for 16 and 17 year olds.  It shows they care about what young people have to say.
"I have more respect for some of the parties now."
Rhys Taylor, 21, Bangor
"I stood up and made a comment during the discussion on tuition fees. I think it's important that politicians admit when they've made a mistake and apologise if they can't carry through with their promises.
"It's not often that we hear politicians apologising but the more we can get them to own up to their mistakes the more we will be able to trust them."


American banker Robert Sarver has pulled out of takeover talks with Rangers after his second offer for the club was rejected.

The 53-year-old had offered £20m for a majority stake in the Championship club.
But Rangers rejected the deal, saying they did not believe it would receive the backing of enough shareholders
"Clearly the current directors have a different path they want to go down," Sarver said in a statement.
"I'm disappointed the Rangers board has rejected my revised offer, which addressed the club's immediate and long-term needs," added Sarver, who owns the Phoenix Suns basketball team.
"I hope for the sake of the club and the fans, who've been very warm and supportive towards me, that it works out. I wish the club and fans the best of luck.
"If they want my support in the future, then they only have to ask."
Sarver's original £18m offer was turned down on 6 January, with the Rangers board insisting the bid undervalued the club.
In rejecting Sarver's latest offer, a Rangers statement to the Stock Exchange emphasised the same problems it raised with the first offer.
"The revised proposal by Mr Sarver was similar to his first proposal in the respect that it sought a placing of 100 million shares (to be priced at 20p in this proposal) which would require the approval of shareholders (at least a 75% majority) at a general meeting," it said.
"The board of Rangers rejected the first proposal from Mr Sarver on 6 January on the basis that the board felt it unlikely that the approval of shareholders holding sufficient shares would be forthcoming."
A survey of the views of "a number of major shareholders" on the revised proposal had suggested it too was unlikely to receive the backing required, the club added.
As part of Sarver's £20m offer, he was willing to hand the club an emergency £6.5m loan to help alleviate their cash-flow problems.
Sarver has owned the Phoenix Suns since 2004 and is chief executive officer of the Western Alliance Bancorporation.
He says he was alerted to the situation at Ibrox by former Rangers left-back David Robertson, who now coaches his three sons.
Craig Houston, spokesman for the Sons Of Struth fans group, thought that Sarver's bid was doomed because of recent share purchases by parties also interested in taking power at Ibrox.
"I didn't think that the Sarver bid, whether it was a good bid or a bad bid for Rangers Football Club, was totally relevant in my eyes," he told BBC Scotland. "It just wasn't going to happen.
"We're actually no further forward than we were at the turn of the new year. The situation remains the same.
"There are men involved at boardroom level at Rangers that the majority of fans aren't happy with.
"I'm not optimistic and I won't be until the day we have a full regime change at Ibrox."


Southport produced a superb fightback from two goals down to earn a well-deserved point at home to Woking.

Teenager Matt Butcher opened the scoring with a fine drive from outside the box, before doubling the lead - and his personal tally - with a left-footed effort early in the second half.
Jonathon Margetts pulled one back for the hosts to set up a tense finale.
Craig Westcarr equalised from six yards out, finding the top corner to leave both sides with a point.
Woking have not won a league game since they beat Wrexham 3-1 on 9 January.
Woking boss Garry Hill told BBC Surrey:
Media playback is not supported on this device
"Jake Cole has made some good saves today and when they scored with 10 minutes to go it gave them a big incentive where we are low in confidence. Everyone was expecting the equaliser.
"From being 2-0 up we are disappointed that we haven't won the game but what do we look at? Do we say to ourselves is it 'we haven't had a win in 12 games?' or do we say to ourselves 'that's two results out of the last three games?'
"I know they might be draws but we've got to take the positives. We've got a squad in there which is very mixed in confidence and age."


A man who "lived like a king" had no idea his wife was defrauding a youth football league out of tens of thousands of pounds, a court has heard.

Kevin Prictor's wife Karen and Margaret Rivers have admitted taking £200,000 from the North Wiltshire and District Minor League.
The court heard the Prictors took trips abroad including a 10-day holiday in Florida, which cost more than £7,000.
Mr Prictor, from Swindon, denies a charge of possessing criminal property.
The youth league is one of the country's largest, with 360 teams of seven to 18 year olds competing across 40 divisions.
Between 2009 and 2013, more than £196,000 was deposited or transferred into the Prictors' joint account by league treasurer Karen Prictor, Swindon Crown Court has heard.
Over that period, the couple - with a joint income of between £36,000 and £44,000 - "lived like kings", travelling to Florida, New York and Spain and buying televisions, white goods and computers.
While Karen Prictor and the league's secretary Rivers admit fraud, and Rivers's husband Andrew admits possessing criminal property, Mr Prictor denies any wrongdoing.
Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told the court: "We are not talking about small amounts, these are large chunks of money.
"Kevin Prictor benefited from his wife's fraud; not the odd meal out or gift, but by thousands of pounds."
She said Mr Prictor, of Beverly, Toothill, had been "one of the main beneficiaries" and dismissed his claims that "he had no interest in family finances" and "asked no questions".
"Nobody is that daft or unquestioning about family finances," she said.
"It took a household to spend this money: the shopping, the holidays, the cash."
The trial continues.


Four years ago, Helen Glover was an aspiring hockey player and Heather Stanning was embarking on a career in the army.

But their decision to take up rowing - and winning Olympic gold at their first attempt - has sealed their place in British sporting history.
Glover, 26, and Stanning, 27, took victory in the women's pair at Eton Dorney on Wednesday to win the first gold medal for Britain at London 2012.
More remarkably, they become the first British female rowers to achieve the feat since the sport was added to the Olympics in 1976.
Born in Truro, Glover was a cross-country runner and hockey player, competing internationally, before burying her head in books and gaining a teaching qualification.
It wasn't until she heard about Sporting Giants, a scheme to find the Olympians of the future, in 2008 that she stepped into a boat and picked up an oar for the first time. From there, she was chosen for the Great Britain's rowing talent programme, two years after Stanning joined the same initiative, and two years later the dream team was formed.
Stanning, who was born in Yeovil, took a different route, taking up rowing at 19 after her friends suggested she try it because she was tall. Two years later she was on the rowing talent programme but switched her focus to the army, where she was commissioned in 2008.
Four years ago, she decided to focus on rowing, taking a break from the Royal Artillery, and heading back to the water. There she teamed up with Glover and started on the road to London.
The pair narrowly missed out on gold to New Zealand at last year's World Championships, but that defeat was their last as they upped the stroke rate in 2012 to remain unbeaten in all three World Cups.
They were barely mentioned in the build-up to London as three-time Olympic silver medallist Katherine Grainger and her chase for that elusive gold dominated the headlines along with the men's four - Britain's flagship boat - which has won gold in the last three Olympics.
But an Olympic record in the first race of the regatta sparked interest - and their performance in the final in front of a partisan home crowd - was the perfect way to end what could be their last race together.
Before the regatta, Stanning said she would return to the army, with a posting in Afghanistan a possibility. Regardless of whether she sticks to her decision or decides to add to her medal collection, their achievement will forever be engraved on London 2012 - because everyone remembers the first.


Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of a 45-year-old man was found in a flat in Lurgan, County Armagh.

The death, which happened on Victoria Street, was reported to police shortly after 14:15 BST on Sunday.
A 45-year-old man, understood to be the victim's twin brother, was arrested at the scene.
Police have been given extra time to question him on suspicion of murder.
The MLA for Upper Bann, Carla Lockhart, described the man's death as "horrendous news".
"My thoughts are with those now mourning the loss of a loved one," she said.
"I have spoken with the police and been briefed about their lines of inquiry.
"I would encourage anyone who has any information to come forward."


Detectives say they are trying to trace a child's buggy being pushed by the gunman who shot a man outside a Glasgow school on Monday.

Ross Monaghan, 35, was shot after dropping his child off at St George's Primary, Penilee, at about 09:05.
He was treated in hospital for a shoulder wound but has been discharged.
The buggy was a new collapsible model with four wheels and had a rain hood attached. The gunman was pushing it as he approached his victim, police said.
The attacker is thought to have been in the area with the buggy on Friday.
Mr Monaghan was acquitted of a gangland murder in 2012. He was cleared of killing Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict him.
Forensic officers are still examining the scene of Monday's shooting and police are also carrying out door-to-door inquiries.
Det Ch Insp John Kennedy said: "There's no doubt that this incident has shocked local people and the wider community, but people can be assured that every effort is being made to trace whoever is responsible for this crime.
"Our inquiries so far have shown that the suspect is believed to have been in the area, outside the school, on Friday 13 January 2017, with the buggy, so I'm appealing to parents, local residents, or anyone who was in the area that day and who may have seen something to contact us.
"It's possible the suspect made off in a vehicle and I'm asking people in the surrounding areas to think back and consider if they noticed anything unusual or suspicious.
"Did you see the man with the buggy, did you see him get into a vehicle?  Any small detail could prove significant to our inquiries so please do pass it on."
Police said they would continue extra patrols in the local area.


A prospective buyer has yet to be found to take over a Borders knitwear firm as a going concern.

Blair Nimmo, of administrators KPMG, confirmed no party had been prepared to buy the business and assets at Hawick Knitwear in their current format.
The company called in administrators nearly six weeks ago after experiencing "difficult trading conditions".
More than 100 staff were made redundant immediately with just 56 workers retained to complete remaining orders.
Mr Nimmo said discussions were continuing with various parties who had offered to acquire the assets of the company and may at some point start production from the Hawick Knitwear premises.
He added: "However until a formal agreement is concluded we are not in a position to provide further information."


No-one will be prosecuted over the death of a firefighter who died in a blaze in Manchester, police have said.

Stephen Hunt, 38, from Bury, was unlawfully killed in the fire at a salon in the Northern Quarter in 2013.
His mother and stepfather insist the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service "sends out the wrong message".
An inquest jury found it was probable that two 15-year-old girls deliberately started the fire after smoking cigarettes outside the building.
After a review of the inquest's findings, Greater Manchester Police said "no further action" would be taken.
Mr Hunt's mother Susan Veevers and stepfather Wilf Veevers said they were "disappointed".
In a statement, they said: "We, as a family, have suffered this catastrophic loss, the loss of a hard working, honest, caring family man.
"And having heard the evidence and outcome of the coroner's inquest, it seems the irresponsible actions that caused the tragedy will just go unpunished.
"We firmly believe that this is sending out completely the wrong message."
The two girls were arrested after the blaze and one was charged with arson, but the charges were later dropped.
Fire Brigades Union executive council member Kevin Brown said: "We respect the decision of the CPS and police.
"We hope that lessons will be learnt from Stephen's death to make all firefighters safer across the country."
A statement from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "Following the findings from the coroner's inquest the Crown Prosecution Service and GMP reviewed the case and it has been determined that no further action will be taken."


A memorial plaque has been unveiled in memory of 13 black youngsters who died in a fire at a flat in south-east London 30 years ago.

What is the legacy of the New Cross fire?
The victims, aged between 14 and 22, were killed in the blaze as they attended a 16th birthday party at 439 New Cross Road, Deptford, in 1981.
London Fire Brigade also held a guard of honour for the young victims.
Up to 300 people listened to a poetry reading and observed a two-minute silence as the plaque was unveiled.
On the night of the fire more than 100 guests had gathered at the flat for Yvonne Ruddock's birthday party. She was among those who died in the blaze.
In addition to the 13 youngsters who were killed in the fire Anthony Burbeck, who was at the party, died two years later.
Many people believe Antony took his own life as a result of what he saw that night and losing several of his friends and the plaque refers to 14 deaths, including his.
The original inquest, which began within months of the incident, returned open verdicts.
The investigation into the fire was reopened in 1997, following lobbying by members of the victims' families, and a second inquest was ordered in 2002.
That inquest also recorded an open verdict in 2004.


Six crew members of a Pakistani helicopter that was forced to land in a part of Afghanistan where the Taliban are active have been released, Pakistan's foreign ministry says.

The five Pakistani crew and a Russian navigator made an emergency landing after a technical failure on 4 August.
They were transferred from Afghanistan to Pakistan at the border after what the foreign ministry called an "inter-tribe exchange".
They are said to be "in good health".
The crew were reported to have been taken captive by the Taliban, but the Pakistani government did not confirm this.
The Russian-built Mi-17, which belongs to the Punjab provincial government, was on its way from Peshawar to Russia where it was due to undergo maintenance. It came down in Afghanistan's Logar province.
The Pakistani, Afghan and Russian governments were all reported to be working to free the captive crew. The Afghan authorities are said to have made contact with tribal elders, suggesting they may have mediated the release.


A man has been charged with sex offences after a woman was attacked while walking her dog.

The 58-year-old also suffered serious head injuries during what Cumbria Police described as a "serious assault" in Workington on Friday night.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with a number of offences in relation to sexual assault, rape and assault.
He will appear before West Cumbria Magistrates' Court on Monday.