Pakistan: Dozens Killed In Market Bomb Blast

A bomb blast has ripped through a crowded market in southern Pakistan, killing at least 64 people and wounding 180 others.

The blast left many victims buried under rubble. Police said many of those wounded in the explosion in Quetta remain in critical condition.

Senior police officer Wazir Khan Nasir said the bomb, set off in a residential suburb, was detonated by remote control.

Another officer, Samiullah Khan, said police were investigating whether the bomb was planted in a rickshaw parked in the crowded vegetable market.

He said the device was detonated while dozens of women and children were shopping.

Local residents rushed the victims to three different area hospitals.

The attack was the deadliest since bomb blasts in the same city killed 86 people in January and led to protests that eventually toppled the local government.

Shiites, a minority in the Sunni Muslim-dominated country, have been increasingly attacked by militant groups who view them as heretics and non-Muslims.

Most of the Shiites in the area are Hazaras, an ethnic group who migrated from Afghanistan over 100 years ago.

In recent years the Shiites have come under renewed attack, mostly at the hands of Laskher-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni militant group.

"This evil force is operating with the patronage of certain elements in the province," said Qayum Changezi, the chairman of a local Hazara organization.

After days of protests following the January attack, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf flew to the city to meet with protesters and sacked the chief minister and his cabinet.

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Burma Spitfire Mystery Is Solved

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

A group of archaeologists, historians and scientists have admitted defeat in a mystery which has spanned decades.

After just over a month of digging for lost World War Two Spitfire planes in Burma they have concluded that none exists.

"No Spitfires were delivered in crates and buried at RAF Mingaladon (in Burma) during 1945 and 1946," a statement from the company funding the search read.

Rather than discovering the iconic World War Two planes, the team uncovered evidence which suggested that it would have been impossible to have buried them.

Archaeologists have been left disappointed (Gavin Longhurst, Wargaming)

"(The) documents tell a story of appalling weather conditions at Mingaladon (airbase) and shortages of everything from heavy equipment to timber and labour all of which we believe suggests it would be almost impossible that the Royal Air Force could have buried aircraft thirty feet deep in wooden crates even if it had wanted to do so," a statement from the team said.

"The team now believes, based on clear documentary evidence, as well as the evidence from the fieldwork, that no Spitfires were delivered in crates and buried.

"Most significantly, the archival records show that the RAF unit that handled shipments through Rangoon docks – 41 Embarkation Unit – only received 37 aircraft in total from three transport ships between 1945 and 1946.

"None of the crates contained Spitfires and most appear to have been re-exported in the autumn of 1946," the statement concluded.

The group of experts flew out to Burma in January to begin digging at a site within the perimeter fence of Yangon international airport.

The trip had followed years of dedicated research by a farmer and aviation enthusiast from Lincolnshire.

David Cundall's life ambition was a determination to uncover the mystery of the lost Burma Spitfires.

His firm belief that the spitfires existed stemmed from rumours and indirect documentary evidence.

In 1996 he was told that the rare Mark XIV Spitfires had been declared surplus to requirements at the end of the war and buried in crates rather than being shipped home.

Evidence from the UK National Archives and other sources had supported the claim that surplus equipment was, on occasion, buried rather than repatriated.

Mr Cundall subsequently gathered eyewitness testimony from eight surviving servicemen who claimed they saw the burial.

Three separate sites were excavated by the aviation enthusiasts and archaeologists but nothing was found.

As many as 36 planes were believed to have been buried at the airport, which was under British occupation during World War Two and called RAF Mingaladon.

The team left the UK with 17 years of research and a firm belief that as many as 140 of the planes were buried in near pristine condition at various sites by American military engineers at the end of the war.

Until mid-January, the team remained confident and committed to the search.

A series of images from a specialist camera at one site promoted some early excitement.

"The images I have seen are not conclusive but it is very encouraging that we have found a wooden crate in the same area where the Americans buried the Spitfires," Mr Cundall said at the time.

"The water is muddy, it's causing problems, we can't see through the water and we will have to pump the water out before we can give more information."

By late January confusion surrounded the project with the team's spokesman forced to deny reports that the search had been called off.

"We haven't found any yet," Frazer Nash told Sky News at the end of January.

"We're still looking. Just because we haven't found them, it doesn't mean they are not here." he said.

However, just three weeks later the team has now conceded that none were ever buried in Burma.

The excavation had been given approval at the highest authority with UK Prime Minister David Cameron raising the issue with the Burmese Government on a visit to the country last year.

Years of military dictatorship in Burma had prevented the search from taking place earlier but political reforms over the past two years gave the team the go-ahead.

In a statement, the CEO of Wargaming, Victor Kisly, said: "We chose to support the Spitfire project because we found the story fascinating.

"We wanted to be a part of this unique archaeological investigation of an enduring mystery – whether we found planes or not.

"We are delighted our team has shown how good research can help tell a great story about not just the warplanes themselves, but the people who flew, maintained and care about them to this day." he said.

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Syria: The Growing Power Of Jihadist Groups

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

The number of Jihadist groups flooding into Syria two years after the start of the uprising is threatening to eclipse the power of mainstream opposition groups as well as the authority of the Free Syrian Army.

One of the increasingly influential groups, Jabah al Haq (The Front for Justice), told Sky News that Jihad is spreading across North Africa and the Middle East and will not stop at Syria but will include Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and even Israel.

The frontline in the Battle for Aleppo is constantly changing. You know when you are there; the people disappear.

In these parts of the city only fighters are on the streets, in battered buildings and destroyed alleyways.

There is nothing left anymore. It is a frightening kill-zone. The sounds of rockets crunching into buildings, the whistle of high velocity rounds passing a few feet above your head, the scream of men shot by snipers never stops, or if it does, it is not for long.

The fighters on the rebel side are made up of a mish-mash of defected soldiers, the Free Syrian Army and a growing number of Jihadists; some are from Syria many are from abroad.

Jabah al Haq men took us to their front weaving their truck passed blown up cars, and homes; passed streets with huge tarpaulin sheets strung across to give protection from government snipers.

Jabah al Haq jihadist fighters insist Jihad will not stop at Syria

They were worried about us filming their positions and arguments caused by our presence rumbled on for the whole time we were there.

Abu Obaeda, a former soldier with a sniper rifle hung over his back, described the front as 'cold' with little real fighting. But even as he spoke machine gun fire drowned him out. A man was hit and his comrades were organising a truck to speed him away while attacking the government forces.

When I asked how far away they were he laughed.

"In which direction?" he said. "They are 25 metres in front and 20 metres on either side. We can only go back; but we wont," he added.

They wouldn't say how many men they had but said they were fighting 200 government soldiers supported by as many government militia, the Shabiha.

The chaos of the front lines is now reflected in the make up of the groups doing the fighting.

Sheik al Homan: 'The West should learn their lesson and not fight Muslims'

Jabah al Haq is led by a charismatic young cleric called Sheik Abu al Homan.

I was taken to a secret location where a school was being used as a court to adjudicate on the many problems caused by the war raging across the city.

It is a strict Sharia court and he is advised by clerics and lawyers. That said, his word is law.

He was quiet and pleasant and his organisation is doing what every Jihad organisation from the Taliban to Hamas and al Qaeda has done: they are providing law and order and they are feeding and providing medicine for the people.

It works every time.

Locals tell us that the Free Syrian Army, who largely live amongst the populace, are becoming a problem. They lack discipline, they take things and of course they attract government fire.

Jihad groups live together. They are religious and they fight hard against the government not the people.

There is a takeover happening as every commander I have met in covering all of this revolution from the start has always predicted.

Abu Obaeda and his men refuse to retreat from the front line

If the Syrian revolution were not ended quickly then it would become a Jihadist nightmare for the whole region. It has.

Sheik Homan is not just fighting for Aleppo, or Syria but predicts a greater Jihad is underway from North Africa to the Middle East.

"I am very surprised at France's reaction in Mali. They have seen what happened to the US in Afghanistan and Iraq," he told me.

"The West should learn their lesson and not fight Muslims. The war in Afghanistan and Iraq has led to an increase in resistance to the west.

"So you see all the Jihadists waiting to come here because of its value to Muslims," he said.

Indeed the foreigners are coming. I have seen a steady increase from Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Algeria. Even the Free Syrian Army accepts that like it or not the Jihadists will play a future role in the make up of post-Assad Syria.

"The Jihadists arrived after we were let down by the UN Security Council," Hajji Marea, the FSA's leader in Aleppo, told me in an underground bunker.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"The UN let the government kill innocent people. It is a disgrace. The Jihadists saw what was happening and came and now they are here."

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Pistorius Told Friend: 'I've Killed My Baba'

The best friend of Oscar Pistorius has told how the athlete rang him the night his girlfriend was shot and said: "I've killed my Baba. God take me away."

Justin Divaris, who introduced Reeva Steenkamp to the South African gold medallist, said Pistorius was crying down the phone and admitted he had shot the 29-year-old model.

Mr Divaris, 27, said: "Oscar called me at 3.55am saying that Reeva had been shot. I said to him, 'What are you talking about? I don't understand you'.

"He then repeated himself - 'There has been a terrible accident. I shot Reeva'."

Mr Divaris told the Sunday People that he then spoke to a neighbour who was also in the house, who warned: "She's not OK. You need to get here."

By the time he arrived at Pistorius' house on a gated estate in Pretoria, the double amputee was already being held by police.

He could see Miss Steenkamp's body inside the house at the bottom of the stairs, covered in blankets and towels.

Pistorius - nicknamed the Blade Runner due to his high-tech artificial limbs - was being detained in the garage, and was crying and repeating himself incoherently.

Reeva Steenkamp in Tropika Island of Treasure

The 26-year-old appeared in court on Friday accused of premeditated murder over the shooting on Valentine's Day.

He is being held in custody and his family has said he denies murder in the strongest possible terms.

Miss Steenkamp's father Barry has also now spoken publicly for the first time and said he does not hate Pistorius for what happened.

He told The Mail on Sunday he was struggling "to find some reason why this happened to our lovely daughter".

Talking about Pistorius, he said: "He must be going through things that we don't know about. There is no hatred in our hearts."

He said he and his wife June were "at a complete loss," adding: "June is inconsolable. We just need to find some answers.

"Reeva was the most beautiful, kind girl in the world. She had love for everyone and was loved by everyone who knew her."

Mr Steenkamp said he had never met Pistorius but his wife had occasionally spoken to him on the phone.

Henke Pistorius trying to comfort his son as he leaves court

The athlete's own father Henke has also spoken out, saying his son must have acted "on instinct".

Mr Pistorius said he has "zero doubt" that it was a tragic accident and said he believes she was mistaken for an intruder.

His family is behind him "heart and soul" and will do "whatever needs to be done" to help him clear his name, he told The Sunday Telegraph.

Their comments came after a reality show featuring Miss Steenkamp was broadcast despite controversy over its airing.

Tropika Island of Treasures showed the model laughing and joking with her fellow contestants and swimming with dolphins.

In an interview, the model - who was also the face of cosmetics giant Avon in South Africa - spoke about the importance of leaving a positive mark in life.

She said: "I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and the way you make your exit is so important.

"You either made an impact in a positive or a negative way, but just maintain integrity and maintain class and just remain true to yourself."

Pistorius became an international icon after becoming the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics last year. He also won a gold medal in the Paralympics.

He had both of his legs amputated below the knee when he was less than a year old and had campaigned for years to be allowed to compete on an equal level.

The athlete will be back in court on Tuesday when his lawyers are expected to attempt to get his charge downgrade and argue for his release on bail.

His girlfriend's funeral is scheduled for the same day.

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Pistorius: Girlfriend's TV Show Goes Ahead

A reality show featuring the dead girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius has aired, as his family says the paralympian is numb with grief over her death.

Tropika Island of Treasure, showing Reeva Steenkamp on location in Jamaica last year, was broadcast on Saturday night despite her shocking death on St Valentine's Day.

Miss Steenkamp, who had been going out with Pistorius since November, was shot four times at his house in a heavily guarded complex in Pretoria on Thursday.

Local media have reported that she was shot through a bathroom door. A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.

Pistorius broke down in court at the mention of premeditated murder

The decision to air the show emerged as Pistorius' uncle said the athlete was "numb with shock, as well as grief" as he remained in custody facing charges of premeditated murder.

In the family's first public comments since the shooting, Arnold Pistorius said they were "in total shock" by what he called an "unimaginable human tragedy".

Tropika Island of Treasure producers said Miss Steenkamp's family wanted her appearance on the reality show for South Africa's national broadcaster to be aired as a tribute.

Before the programme aired a poignant pre-recorded interview with Miss Steenkamp was released in which the 29-year-old talked about the importance of leaving a positive mark in life.

Pistorius (right) after his arrest on Thursday

"I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and the way you make your exit is so important," Miss Steenkamp said in the video.

"You either made an impact in a positive or a negative way, but just maintain integrity and maintain class and just remain true to yourself.

"I'm going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much."

Tropika Island of Treasure sees celebrities paired with contestants and put through a series of challenges as they compete for a cash prize.

Executive producer Samantha Moon said: "This is how they want to remember her. This is what she would have wanted. She was happy, healthy, beautiful and vibrant and that's the way she should be remembered."

Spokesman for broadcaster SABA, Kaizer Kganyago, said: "The mother agreed that we should go ahead and we are free to go ahead. We are working on how to pay tribute to her."

Miss Steenkamp's cousin, Sharon Steenkamp, said she "was proud of being in the show".

"Her last words to us personally was that she wants us to watch it," she said.

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, with Pistorius last November

Production company Stimulii said it was "devastated" by the model's death and described her as a "wonderful human being" with a "zest for life".

Pistorius, who made history by competing in both the Olympics and Paralympics last year, sobbed through his first court appearance on Friday.

He is being held in a police cell ahead of a new hearing on February 19, when prosecutors are set to oppose any request for bail.

The chief magistrate delayed the bail hearing until next week at the request of the defence, who asked for more time.

A statement issued by Pistorius' family and management following the initial hearing said: "The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms."

And in Saturday's statement, Arnold Pistorius insisted there was "no substance" to the allegation of premeditated murder "or indeed any murder at all" as he spoke of his nephew's happiness with the model and rising star.

"They had plans together and Oscar was happier in his private life than he had been for a long time," he told the Associated Press.

"Words cannot adequately describe our feelings. The lives of our entire family have been turned upside down forever by this unimaginable human tragedy and Reeva's family have suffered a terrible loss.

"As a family we are trying to be strong and supportive to Oscar as any close family would be in these dreadful circumstances.

"We deeply regret the allegation of premeditated murder. We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the State's own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all."

Premeditated murder carries a mandatory life sentence in South Africa. If found guilty, Pistorius would not be eligible for parole for 25 years.

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Moonies Marry In South Korean Mass Wedding

Some 3,500 identically-dressed couples from 70 countries have tied the knot in a so-called "Moonie" mass wedding in South Korea.

The couples were members of the Unification Church and many were of mixed nationality who had met just days earlier and did not speak the same language.

The wedding was the first since their "messiah" and controversial church founder Sun Myung Moon died five months ago aged 92, of complications from pneumonia.

The latest ceremony carried a special resonance, with Mr Moon's 70-year-old widow Hak Ja Han presiding for the first time without her husband.

It took place in a stadium at the church's global headquarters in Gapyeong, east of the capital Seoul, where Mr Moon's elaborate funeral was held on September 15.

Such mass weddings, including some held in giant sports stadiums, have long been a feature of the church and one that "Moonie" critics have suggested is evidence of cult leanings.

Some of the couples who tied the knot in the ceremony

In recent years, matchmaking responsibilities have shifted towards parents.

But 400 of the latest church members to be married had chosen to be paired off a few days before at an "engagement ceremony" presided over by Mr Moon's widow.

"Yeah, I was pretty nervous," admitted Jin Davidson, a 21-year-old student from the United States, whose Australian father and Japanese mother were matched by Mr Moon.

"Then all of a sudden she popped up in front of me, and I said okay," Mr Davidson said of his Japanese bride-to-be, Kotona Shimizu, also 21.

"We struggle a little to communicate right now, as I speak no Japanese at all, and she only speaks a little English, but we see it as an exciting challenge and proof of our faith," he said.

Hak Ja Han presided for the first time without her husband

Nineteen-year-old Swedish-Italian Anna Misook, who married to Congolese-Brazilian bridegroom, said: "It feels very great. We get along very well.

"We met four days ago by True Mother's matching. And we are happy to be here and, yeah, looking forward to life together and yeah It's a good life, good, we're happy. We're really happy."

Lisa, from Trinidad and Tobago, first met her bridegroom, Hubert from Poland, on Skype after being put in contact by family and church friends.

Hubert visited her family in December and the couple decided to attend the event in South Korea to receive the blessing of "mother Moon".

"I've been waiting for him all my life," Lisa said. "Language isn't such an issue. We're connected by the church."

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Knut Model Goes On Display In Germany

Knut, the polar bear who became famous when his mother rejected him and he was reared by a zookeeper, has gone on display as a life-sized model.

The sculpture is based on his skeleton in one of his favourite poses, and is covered in the animal's real fur in a procedure known as dermoplasty.

But Berlin's natural history museum, which is housing Knut in its foyer for a month, is keen to stress he has not been stuffed.

The building's entrance has been modified for the rush of visitors expected to see the model, which director Johannes Vogel said has expressive eyes and a damp nose.

The bear, who died suddenly of an epileptic fit in March 2011, was the star attraction at Berlin zoo during his four-year life.

Thousands of visitors queued for hours to watch him frolic in his enclosure, and he inspired an array of merchandise.

Knut was brought up by a zookeeper

One of his many fans was Karin Gude-Kohl who came to see her favourite animal, wearing three Knut photographs on her jacket.

"The fur is the only original part that remains of him. Now he is on display here and as a big Knut fan, I would like to underline that this exhibition was not created out of a sensation but to remember him," said Ms Gude-Kohl.

"It was a unique animal. Knut was a world-renowned star and to us, Knut was the eighth wonder of the world."

Pensioner Inge Berg and her husband Klaus were among the first visitors to see the model when the museum doors opened to the public.

"We witnessed his upbringing from his birth and how he then grew older," Mr Berg said.

"Through television, we had a very close relationship with him. We have three films about him," he added.

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Resigning Pope Asks Crowds To Pray For Him

Pope Benedict XVI has asked the faithful to pray for him and for his successor as he spoke to crowds in his penultimate Sunday address before he resigns.

More than 50,000 supporters were estimated to have been in the Vatican's St Peter's Square to watch the Angelus, where he thanked them in several languages.

Benedict announced last Monday that he would be the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to resign in 600 years, due to his "deteriorating" health.

He will step down at the end of this month after almost eight years in the post, having been elected in April 2005.

On Sunday, onlookers chanted "long live the Pope", waved banners and applauded as the 85-year-old pontiff spoke from his window.

Speaking in Spanish, he told the crowd: "I beg you to continue praying for me and for the next pope."

It was not clear why the Pope chose Spanish to make the only specific reference to his forthcoming resignation on February 28.

In part of his address about Lent, the pontiff spoke in Italian about the difficulty of making important decisions.

"In decisive moments of life, or, on closer inspection, at every moment in life, we are at a crossroads: do we want to follow the 'I' or God? The individual interest or the real good, that which is really good?" he said.

The Pope also spoke in English, French, German, and Polish, and after his address, he retired into the Vatican's Apostolic Palace for a scheduled, week-long spiritual retreat.

He will not make any more public appearances until next Sunday.

A number of cardinals have said they would be open to the possibility of a pope from the developing world, be it Latin America, Africa or Asia, rather than another from Europe.

Some 117 cardinals under the age of 80 will be eligible to enter the secretive conclave to elect Benedict's successor.

Church rules say it has to start between 15 and 20 days after the papacy becomes vacant.

The Vatican appears to be aiming to have a new pope elected and then formally installed before Palm Sunday on March 24 so he can preside at Holy Week services leading to Easter.

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British Worker Feared Kidnapped In Nigeria

Gunmen in northern Nigeria have kidnapped a group of foreign workers including one Briton, according to the local authorities.

The group attacked a construction company camp, killing a guard and then abducting seven foreigners, police said.

"From the report we have received, the hostages are seven in all. They include four Lebanese, an Italian, a Briton and a Greek," Bauchi state police spokesman Hassan Auyo said.

This would make it the biggest kidnapping yet in a region that is under attack from Islamic extremists.

Greece, Lebanon and Italy have all confirmed their citizens are involved. Britain's foreign office has yet to confirm a Briton is among those being held.

The kidnapping on Saturday night happened in Jama'are, a town in a rural portion of Bauchi state.

The gunmen attacked a local prison first, burning two police trucks, another Bauchi state police spokesman Hassan Muhammed told The Associated Press.

Then they targeted a workers' camp for a construction company called Setraco, which is in the area building a road, Mr Muhammed said.

The gunmen shot dead a guard at the camp before kidnapping the foreign workers, the spokesman said.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office in Britain said: "We are aware of the reports and are making inquiries with local authorities."

Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north has been under attack by the radical Islamic sect known as Boko Haram in the last year and a half.

The country's weak central government has been unable to stop the group's bloody guerrilla campaign of shootings and bombings.

The sect is blamed for killing at least 729 people in 2012 alone, according to an AP count.

Foreigners have been frequently abducted by militant groups and criminal gangs for ransom in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta and have become increasingly targeted in Nigeria's north as the violence has grown.

Sky News Special Correspondent Alex Crawford said: "Nigeria, particularly the north of Nigeria, has got a big problem. It's the scourge of the country and has been for many years now.

"Local Islamist groups called Boko Haram have been largely responsible for carrying out the kidnappings.

"This is one of the militant groups who have operating inside Mali. They are one of five extremist groups who are believed to have been running operations inside Mali and around the Sahel."

Gunmen who authorities say have links to Boko Haram also kidnapped an Italian and a British man last year in northern Kebbi State.

They were later killed during a rescue operation by Nigerian soldiers backed up by British special forces. The sect later denied taking part in that abduction.

Chinese construction workers have also been killed by gunmen around Maiduguri, the northeastern city in Nigeria where Boko Haram first began.

Setraco Nigeria, a construction and civil engineering company, is a subsidiary of Setraco International Holding group.

The Nigerian company, which was established in 1977, is currently working on expanding a major road in the north of the country.

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Brit Backpacker: I Feel Lucky To Be Alive

A British backpacker missing in the scorching Australian outback for three days has told of how he did everything he could to survive - including drink his own urine and contact lens solution.

Sam Woodhead, 18, became lost after he set out for a jog from the remote Queensland cattle station where he had worked for less than two weeks.

But the chance discovery of packets of lenses in his rucksack - put there by his father, Peter - helped to keep him going for 72 hours in blistering temperatures of around 40C (104F).

Sam Woodhead was a keen long distance runner

The former Brighton College student, from Richmond upon Thames, London, also used his rugby shorts and other items of clothing to create an SOS sign that led to his rescue.

He was found about three miles away from the ranch by rescuers in a helicopter. He had lost two stones in weight and was just hours from death.

He told Sky News: "I feel very fortunate to be alive and to be standing here.

"I know that so many people helped out ... and I genuinely believe that if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here today.

"It was a really amazing feeling to be actually picked up and realise that I was actually going to make it through ... and it wasn't going to be the end."

His mother, Claire Derry, has visited him in hospital in Longreach, about 50 miles away from where he was discovered. She said he had lost weight and his kidneys were not working properly due to dehydration.

Mr Woodhead with his mother and sister Rebacca before the ordeal

She said: "His birth was one of the best moments of my life, and this is pretty close to it, getting him back again, because I was pretty convinced it was touch and go. I did an awful lot of praying during that flight.

"He looks fantastic, he's suntanned, his mouth isn't blistered, he looks great, he's thinner and questionably a lot thinner than when I last saw him.

"The only concern is that his kidneys are not quite functioning normally and his blood's not normal. But that, the doctor says, is completely typical of somebody who's been completely dehydrated."

Ms Derry added: "He  tried to drink his own urine. He said he'd run out of the contact lens fluid and the contact lens capsules said they were 69% water. But they'd all gone so the urine had become very, very concentrated.

"So he said he couldn't stomach it, so he had nothing, he had nothing to keep him going, by the time the helicopter crew got to him."

She told Sky News: "Sam is an amazingly cool guy and he said 'hi mum' and I said 'Sam I didn't think I would be holding you in my arms again frankly'.

Mr Woodhead is helped by medical personnel after his helicopter rescue

"But he didn't cry and didn't show very much emotion at all. He just said I'm really happy to see you."

Mr Woodhead, who is set on joining the Armed Forces and is a keen long distance runner, is expected to leave hospital on Sunday.

Mike Curtin from Queensland State Police said: "He was quite disorientated but, you know, his body seemed to bounce back fairly quickly once he knew that obviously he was located and so forth and he was quite happy of the fact that someone had found him."

Mr Curtin warned of the harsh Australian climate and called on young people to be careful when travelling or working in the remote Australian Outback.

He said: "It's one of those things and I think there's a lesson to be learned here from any of these young fellows who do take, or young boys and girls, who take jobs in areas like this isolated part of the state, to be careful, to be safe, and prepare.

"And never take the harshest Australian environment and our climatic conditions here for granted."

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