Flags are lowered over Downing Street and borisjohnson describes captain sir tom as a National Inspiration, and a beacon of hope for the world. The uk variant of coronavirus has mutated again the Health Secretary says hes seen cases of concern in bristol and liverpool. Meanwhile, 80,000 people in england are tested to stop the spread of the Virus Variant from south africa. Scotland is to introduce Travel Quarantines for overseas arrivals and plans are put in place to open scottish schools later this month. Travel disruption in parts of the north of england and scotland as heavy snow brings chaos. Good afternoon. In the last hour, its been announced that captain sir tom moore has died. Captain tom, who was 100 years old, and had raised almost £33 million for the nhs, was taken to hospital earlier this week, with coronavirus. The army veteran, originally from keighley in West Yorkshire, came to prominence by walking 100 laps of his garden in bedfordshire, during the First National lockdown. He was knighted by the queen last summer. Buckingham palace has issued a Statement Saying the queen and the royal familys thoughts are with captain sir tom moores family, and she is sending a private message of condolence. Captain toms family have issued a Statement SayingDavid Sillito takes a look back at his life. It began as a Little Family challenge. 100 laps of the garden to mark a 100th Birthday and so began tom moores extraordinaryjourney. Born in keighley in 1920, hejoined the West Yorkshire regiment and served in burma. After the war, he ran a business, and before the virus the closest hed come to fame. And appearing this christmas. Was an appearance on blankety blank. Tom, have you got family or anybody i youd rather not be watching this . I yes, ive two girls. Coming up 16, coming up 1a. But everything changed when his family set up a Fundraising Page for captain tom. The hope was to raise £1,000 for Nhs Charities to support the nurses and doctors in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. Just over a week later, the total had passed £1 million. By the time he celebrated his 100th Birthday, it had topped 30 million. Walk on, through the wind, walk on through the rain. He also had a number one single, a duet with michael ball. Captain tom had become known Around The World. He received more than 140,000 cards. The regimental medal for your dedication. | he was made an honorary colonel, he received a knighthood, and the raf staged a birthday fly past. Im absolutely delighted with all the people like you who have come to wish me a very happy birthday. It really is absolutely awesome. In a time of illness, death, and global lockdown, captain toms optimism and determination truly was a little beacon of good cheer. I never, ever, anticipated, ever in my life, anything like this. It really is amazing, and i must say to everyone, thank you very much to everyone, wherever you are. Music swells youll never walk alone. Tom youll never walk alone. Captain sirtom captain sir tom moore, who has died at the age of 100. The Prime Minister has paid tribute. And the flags at Downing Street are at half mast this evening. 0ur reporterjon maguire is outside Bedford Hospital. Doctors were trying to save captain sir tom. Doctors were trying to save captain sirtom. He had pneumonia, he also had covid 19. He had not been able to have the Coronavirus Faxing because of that pneumonia, john . Yes, absolutely right. As we have been saying, he was obviously, he would have been right at the top of the list of people to receive a vaccine injection, partly because of the publicity that it would have engendered, and the support it would have given to the vaccine roll out. Could there be a more recognisable figure over the last ten months, really, than captain sir tom . But because of the new money and the medication he was receiving for it, the decision was made he could not have the vaccine, so that is basically the situation as it was over the last few weeks. I suppose we all thought over the last few weeks. I suppose we all thought we over the last few weeks. I suppose we all thought we knew over the last few weeks. I suppose we all thought we knew captain. Over the last few weeks. I suppose we all thought we knew captain sir tom because he was such a big part of our lives, such an inspiration during the pandemic, but you actually did know him pretty well because you filmed with him a lot from the beginning, just tell us your impressions of the man and what he was really like. I your impressions of the man and what he was really like. He was really like. I have been thinkin he was really like. I have been thinking about he was really like. I have been thinking about this he was really like. I have been thinking about this a he was really like. I have been thinking about this a lot, he was really like. I have been thinking about this a lot, actually, how do you describe him when there is so much hyperbole, so many superlatives, how to sum up a character like tom moore with mcbean on the planet for 100 years. The public hadnt heard of him until his 99th year until he embarked on that walk that was initially just a familyjoke, something to keep him busy, but ijust catapulted him into the most Extraordinary International fame. But he really was a great man, very kind man, optimistic, as we know, always had a pearl of wisdom, a word of advice. I remember one of the pieces that we did with him, because when he set up his foundation after the success of his initial fundraising, foundation after the success of his initialfundraising, one of foundation after the success of his initial fundraising, one of the ideas, one of the objectives of that foundation was to tackle loneliness. So he put together several people across the uk by a zoom calls who had experienced quite severe loneliness, and their excitement at getting to meet, you know, a range of ages from a range of different backgrounds, and he spent as much time as we were allowed with them, talked to them, listened to them, for a 100 year old man to have a conversation with someone via zoom is impressive but he was very giving of his time and his advice, and they really lift that conversation with a spring in their step, just that twinkle in his eye, those pearls of wisdom, just made a real difference to those lucky enough to have that personal contact with him. To those lucky enough to have that personal contact with him. Thank you so much. Personal contact with him. Thank you so much an personal contact with him. Thank you so much. An hour personal contact with him. Thank you so much. An hour thanks personal contact with him. Thank you so much. An hour thanks to personal contact with him. Thank you so much. An hour thanks to you personal contact with him. Thank you so much. An hour thanks to you for. So much. An hour thanks to you for bringing his amazing achievements and him to our screens. And thanks to you. Well, Buckingham Palace has led the tributes to sir captain tom moore, saying the queen is sending a private message of condolence to his family. The Health Secretary matt hancock said the singer michael ball, who recorded a Charity Single with sir tom that reached number one, wrote on twitter the bbc breakfast presenter dan walker said and the fitness coach, joe wicks said just a flavour of some of the tributes that are coming in. Adam larkum was the illustrator of captain toms picture book for young readers, � 0ne hundred steps. Hejoins me now. Thanks for being with us. Tell us a bit about the book. Its thanks for being with us. Tell us a bit about the book. Thanks for being with us. Tell us a bit about the book. Its a wonderful roect to bit about the book. Its a wonderful project to work bit about the book. Its a wonderful project to work on, bit about the book. Its a wonderful project to work on, it bit about the book. Its a wonderful project to work on, it seemed bit about the book. Its a wonderful project to work on, it seemed to i project to work on, it seemed to come out of the blue. 0ne project to work on, it seemed to come out of the blue. One minute i was watching a channel 4 come out of the blue. One minute i was watching a channel a documentary about captain tom, thinking, these pictures look so interesting, i would love to draw this. Not really thinking much about it and then i got this e mail about the commission and it wasjust like got this e mail about the commission and it was just like a dream got this e mail about the commission and it wasjust like a dream come true. A wonderful chance to do something really good. So true. A wonderful chance to do something really good. True. A wonderful chance to do something really good. So tell us about what something really good. So tell us about what we something really good. So tell us about what we see something really good. So tell us about what we see in something really good. So tell us about what we see in the something really good. So tell us about what we see in the book, l something really good. So tell us i about what we see in the book, tell us about. It is for young children, so its a picture book, explain a bit more about it. So the icture explain a bit more about it. So the picture book. Explain a bit more about it. So the picture book. I explain a bit more about it. So the picture book, i loved explain a bit more about it. So the picture book, i loved all explain a bit more about it. So the picture book, i loved all the picture book, i loved all the photographs of the 1920s and wartime images and things like that, so doing that kind of thing is great for me so i did lots of sketches, and actually finding out that vera lynn had entertained his troops, and the publisher hadnt realised, so they researched about vera lynn being there and i got to draw vera lynn. Being there and i got to draw vera l nn. ,. ,. Being there and i got to draw vera lnn. , being there and i got to draw vera lnn. , being there and i got to draw vera lnn. ,� lynn. Fantastic pictures. And he was such an inspiration, lynn. Fantastic pictures. And he was such an inspiration, wasnt lynn. Fantastic pictures. And he was such an inspiration, wasnt he, such an inspiration, wasnt he, during such a difficult time for the whole country because mckee brought a lot of inspiration to people at a difficult, painfultime. Because he brought. Difficult, painfultime. Because he brought difficult, painfultime. Because he brought. Positivity is something we really need he brought. Positivity is something we really need right he brought. Positivity is something we really need right now he brought. Positivity is something we really need right now and he brought. Positivity is something we really need right now and we i he brought. Positivity is something i we really need right now and we have needed all the way through this and then captain tom came along and it wasjust then captain tom came along and it was just like, then captain tom came along and it wasjust like, wow, here comes a little bit of british eccentricity but its what we need, we needed someone like him and he led the way to kind of get feeling positive about how we can get through this, he was amazing. D0 about how we can get through this, he was amazing. He was amazing. Do you think children have he was amazing. Do you think children have related he was amazing. Do you think children have related to he was amazing. Do you think children have related to him l he was amazing. Do you thinkl children have related to him as he was amazing. Do you think children have related to him as well for his positivity, as well as adults . I for his positivity, as well as adults . , for his positivity, as well as adults . ~ ,. , for his positivity, as well as adults . ~ ,. ,. , ~ adults . I think everybody has taken on board what adults . I think everybody has taken on board what hes adults . I think everybody has taken on board what hes said. Adults . I think everybody has taken on board what hes said. We adults . I think everybody has taken on board what hes said. We see. Adults . I think everybody has taken on board what hes said. We see so | on board what hes said. We see so many people also going and doing their own kind of charity runs and different things, and he has been such an inspiration to so many people. He has been what the nation has needed, hes been fantastic. And has needed, hes been fantastic. And a National Treasure, maybe that is an overused term but in his case definitely not. He achieved that National Treasure status in just a short period of a few months. I think we bandy that term around but in his case he is a one off. There is Nobody Macro Else that deserves that as much as him. There is no one else that deserves. That as much as him. There is no one else that deserves. One else that deserves. Thank you for talkin one else that deserves. Thank you for talking to one else that deserves. Thank you for talking to us. One else that deserves. Thank you for talking to us. Lovely one else that deserves. Thank you for talking to us. Lovely to one else that deserves. Thank you for talking to us. Lovely to see one else that deserves. Thank you j for talking to us. Lovely to see the book as well, many thanks. In parliament, the house of Commons Deputy speaker nigel evans announced the news of captain sir tom moores passing. Lets listen back to that. Some very sad news has broken that captain sir tom moore has sadly died. On behalf of the house of commons, can i pass our deepest condolences to his family . He brought joy to the nation. He was an inspiration to everybody in this country and his achievement was properly recognised by a knighthood, which was movingly presented by her majesty the queen in person at a special ceremony, and i know that the entire nation will mourn his passing. Mike kane. Well, mr deputy speaker, that is very sad news indeed. Some people are born great, some people achieve greatness, and some have Greatness Thrust upon them, and i think sir tom probably was all three of those things, and im sure the minister and im sure the minister will concur when he comes back a little later. An inspiration to the whole nation at a time of crisis, a real candle in the gloom for the british people and i wholeheartedly concur with your comments, mr speaker. Tributes in the house of commons, as there have been around the country. Lets talk to our Political Correspondent damian grammaticas. We have heard tributes led by the perimeter and flags at Downing Street at half mast this afternoon. Thats right. They have lowered the flag that flies above number ten downing st to have mastered this afternoon. He read out the Prime Ministers statement earlier, and weve heard the same thing echoed by the leader of the opposition, sir keir starmer and this is one of those moments, and there have been others in the pandemic, where all sides come together, the Prime Minister had talked about sir tom being a National Inspiration and a beacon of hope who cheered us all up. Sir keir starmer reflecting that as well, also calling him a beacon of hope for millions. He said Captain Tom Put others first at a time of national crisis, this is incredibly sad news. Tributes also from the chancellor, rishi sunak, who described him as a proud yorkshireman, dedicated army officer, a tireless fundraiser and above all an inspiration to us all. And from matt hancock, the Health Secretary, captain tom did so much to raise money for the nhs, and the focus on those working on the nhs. Matt hancock saying, im so sorry to hear captain tom has passed away, he was a Great British air that showed the best of our country. So, tributes all round. The best of our country. So, tributes all round. Thank you very much indeed. Tributes all round. Thank you very much indeed. Just tributes all round. Thank you very much indeed. Just seeing tributes all round. Thank you very much indeed. Just seeing those. Much indeed. Just seeing those pictures of the flags in Downing Street at half half mast at this evening for we are also hearing that wembley is being lit up this evening in tribute. Earlier i spoke to ellie 0rton, chief executive of the Nhs Charities together. Captain sir tom moore is and was an absolute inspiration to all of us. Particularly at Nhs Charities together, you know, in the matter of weeks, he fundraised and raised nearly £40 million, including gift aid for our covid 19 appeal. That is just unheard of and has never been done before and it is not just the funds that he raised, it is the inspiration that he has been to so many people throughout the country and that he inspired them to take on their own challenges, whether that was walking just a few steps every single day, or whether that was running hundreds of miles or more, and it is because he had this attitude of you are never too old, you are never too anything to care, to help, and to make a difference, and his legacy will be and is felt throughout the whole of the nhs, throughout the whole of the country. How much of a surprise was it when he ended up Raising Notjust £1,000, which was the original, very modest plan, although that would have been quite an achievement in itself, but to end up with £32. 7 million . Utterly extraordinary achievement. Absolutely incredible. Record breaking, quite literally, and i dont think any of us saw it coming. I certainly know the family didnt see it coming and we didnt see it coming,