STORM CHAOS TO RUIN NEW YEAR

THREE days of torrential rain and 80mph gales will bring a stormy end to the wettest year on record.

The entire country faces a New Year weekend washout with heavy downpours and strong winds, forecasters warned last night. And the seemingly never-ending rain will continue into next week, ruining the New Year’s Eve celebrations for many.

The heav­iest and most persistent rain is expected over higher ground on the western side of England and Wales.” Forecasters Netweather also said heavy rain over the next three days could be enough to break the record for the wettest year ever across the UK.

STORM CHAOS TO RUIN NEW YEAR

THREE days of torrential rain and 80mph gales will bring a stormy end to the wettest year on record.

The entire country faces a New Year weekend washout with heavy downpours and strong winds, forecasters warned last night. And the seemingly never-ending rain will continue into next week, ruining the New Year’s Eve celebrations for many.

The heav­iest and most persistent rain is expected over higher ground on the western side of England and Wales.” Forecasters Netweather also said heavy rain over the next three days could be enough to break the record for the wettest year ever across the UK.

Dash 'n' grab!

The frenzied scene at a London perfume counter was repeated around the country as shoppers besieged stores on the first day of the sales. Police were deployed to keep 'public order' yesterday with an estimated 10million customers spending nearly £3billion on what was thought to be the busiest Boxing Day in history. Many queued through the night to secure a prime position.

• Selfridges took £1.5m in first hour - most successful first 60 minutes ever
• Number of shoppers out across UK was up by a fifth compared to last year
• Boom has been fuelled by rich tourists from Middle East, China and Nigeria
• Retailers slash prices and opened as early as 6am to entice consumers
• Customers literally grab bargains as they are handed out by shop staff
• Next in Leeds operated ten in, ten out policy to control massive crowds
• Manchester's Trafford Centre enjoys 'biggest' Boxing Day sale in its history

Dash 'n' grab!

The frenzied scene at a London perfume counter was repeated around the country as shoppers besieged stores on the first day of the sales. Police were deployed to keep 'public order' yesterday with an estimated 10million customers spending nearly £3billion on what was thought to be the busiest Boxing Day in history. Many queued through the night to secure a prime position.

• Selfridges took £1.5m in first hour - most successful first 60 minutes ever
• Number of shoppers out across UK was up by a fifth compared to last year
• Boom has been fuelled by rich tourists from Middle East, China and Nigeria
• Retailers slash prices and opened as early as 6am to entice consumers
• Customers literally grab bargains as they are handed out by shop staff
• Next in Leeds operated ten in, ten out policy to control massive crowds
• Manchester's Trafford Centre enjoys 'biggest' Boxing Day sale in its history

Burning off the extra Christmas calories is an Olympic task and would take more than 2,000 laps of the velodrome.

Most people would expect to indulge a little over Christmas, but it might be surprising to hear the average person could have eaten a staggering 6,000 calories yesterday - nearly three times the recommended intake.

And festive revellers have been warned, they may not realise the Olympic lengths they need to go to compensate for their Christmas feasting.

A new study has shown you would have to exercise like a champion to burn off those extra festive calories.

Burning off the extra Christmas calories is an Olympic task and would take more than 2,000 laps of the velodrome.

Most people would expect to indulge a little over Christmas, but it might be surprising to hear the average person could have eaten a staggering 6,000 calories yesterday - nearly three times the recommended intake.

And festive revellers have been warned, they may not realise the Olympic lengths they need to go to compensate for their Christmas feasting.

A new study has shown you would have to exercise like a champion to burn off those extra festive calories.

Britain braced for bleak 2013

Three-quarters of Britain's families believe their lives will get harder in the new year thanks to Chancellor-turned-Scrooge George Osborne, economists revealed yesterday

Britain might not get a traditional white Christmas tomorrow but its economy is set to be frozen well into the new year.

Experts warn that energy bills, food prices and rent will all soar, stretching the salaries of Britain's workers even further.

Pensioners, public-sector workers and young people are all bracing themselves to feel the worst effects of government-imposed austerity.

Markit's household finance index exposed further evidence that the Tories will not turn the economy around.

Markit senior economist Tim Moore said: "The vast majority of households anticipate that their financial wellbeing will either worsen or stagnate next year."

The Tories hope the private sector will replace jobs they continue to cut from the public sector.

But Mr Moore said the Tories were killing their own plan for growth by strangling consumer demand.

"With three-quarters of all households not expecting any improvement in their finances, the latest survey suggests that domestic consumer demand will remain under pressure in the near term," he said.

"Especially since inflation perceptions remain elevated and job insecurities are prevalent across the UK."

And the Con-Dem coalition's complete mishandling of the economy could even scupper a standard seasonal boost.

Job security is at its worst in three-months, with workers in construction, education, health and social services most likely to be worried about their future.

But the gloom is certainly not limited to public-sector workers.

Over 30 per cent of all households said their finances were worse going into December - blunting their spending power.

Britain's economic future could also be damaged by news that the number of 19-to-24-year-olds deep in debt has to the highest level since Markit's studies began.

Anything above 50 in the Markit index is seen as growth but Britain's current score stands at just 36.8.

That's up fractionally on this time last year but half a point down on last month.