help gyms, pools, and sports centres survive the pandemic for the sake of the nation's health. and the famous wiltshire landmark which may have started life in wales. and coming up in sport on bbc news... as a snap five—day lockdown begins in melbourne, fans at the australian open are asked to leave during novak djokovic�*s five—set match in the third round. good evening. the uk economy shrank by 9.9% in 2020, according to officialfigures, more than in any other year on record. the contraction was more than twice as much as the previous largest recorded fall. but a recession was avoided, as growth did pick up towards the end of the year, when covid restrictions were loosened. with lockdown expected to stay in place until early spring, experts say the hit to the economy will continue at least until the effects of the vaccination programme kick in. our economics editor, faisal islam report from stevenage. cupid's arrow�*s being felt rather less than normal at what should be a bumper time forflorists, such as susan in stevenage. it caps the toughest of years. i'm not even going to do valentine's day. i can't preorder hundreds of roses and then not sell. it's been a really hard year. i've just had to sit and watch my weddings one by one postponed to the following year. what am i going to do if i can't do this? if my weddings keep postponing, if they start cancelling, i don't think i'll be here 2022. susan's just one of the stories that made 2020 the wrong sort of economic history, even compared to other large shocks, depressions and wars, last year the worst on record, in fact, in over three centuries. what's clear is right now many families and businesses are experiencing hardship. that's why we've put in place a comprehensive plan forjobs to support people through this crisis and we will set out the next stage of our economic response at our budget in early march. the pandemic and the shutdowns did hit a uk economy dependent on services more than other nations. we've had the worst death toll of any european country. - but we've also had the worst economic crisis of any- major economy as well. we really need public spending to be directed into the right places, - not have this level of waste - and mismanagement of public funds. this afternoon the chancellor chaired a meeting of the biggest economies�* finance ministers, the g7. different ways of measuring health and education explain some of the uk underperformance here. so the numbers for 2020 as a whole understandably stark. but that's history now. what matters is what's happening in the economy right now. and you can build a picture with alternative statistics on road traffic, for example, down 47% for cars on the same period last year. 0nline job adverts, they're down around a fifth. the number of people on the high street, the footfall, well, that's down two thirds across the united kingdom, with london, the east midlands and scotland the hardest hit. but not all of that spending has gone. the bank of england's internal credit card and debit card data showed a fall of 24% in sales with much shifting online. 0n the high street here in stevenage, brian's record shop has tried to switch online with help from government support and an understanding landlord. how much longer can you put up with this? we're 60% down on our overall revenue for the shop. at least for us we don't have to throw away our stock. you know, people will come back and that stuff will have the same value. so i think in retail terms we're better off than pubs and restaurants. i think the pubs and restaurants in the old town have been badly hit. the vaccine roll—out and eventual lifting of restrictions should lead to an economic bounce back from the 2020 pain. 2021 could yet be a rather better sounding record. faisal is here with me. it's a bleak picture but the chancellor is optimistic about the future. cautiously optimistic and that hit is historic, it's what people saw in the offices and high streets, emptying the middle of last year. it is also history, and refers to 2020. you heard from the chancellor that government is obviously waiting to give out its plan, the road out of restrictions, that will be in the last week of february. and then there is a further balancing act for there is a further balancing act for the chancellor in terms of continuing some level of support after the budget. but as he said to me, he wants to be open and honest about exactly what it will mean to bring the public finances back into some sort of sensible level of borrowing, as the record levels are right now. it seems to imply he will continue to import the economy in the immediate future over the next year or so there will be some form of tax rises, income tax thresholds, corporation tax, taxes on green things, but also in terms of digital sales. if we can get beyond this, obviously there is the opportunity, the chance, the possibility of a relatively rapid rebound in the second half of the year.- second half of the year. faisal islam, second half of the year. faisal islam. thank _ second half of the year. faisal islam, thank you _ second half of the year. faisal islam, thank you very - second half of the year. faisal islam, thank you very much, i second half of the year. faisal i islam, thank you very much, our economics editor there. the head of nhs england, sir simon stevens, has said everyone in the four most vulnerable groups in england will have been offered at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by the end of this weekend. it comes as the reproduction number, otherwise known as the r number, fell below one for the first time since july. it's now estimated to be between 0.7 and 0.9 across all four nations of the uk. 0ur health editor hugh pym reports from coventry. it was a world first. margaret keenan receiving the pfizer vaccine from mae parsons, a matron at university hospital coventry in december. university hospital coventry in december-— university hospital coventry in - december._ thank december. congratulations. thank ou. december. congratulations. thank yom today — december. congratulations. thank yom today she — december. congratulations. thank you. today she met _ december. congratulations. thank you. today she met the _ december. congratulations. thank you. today she met the head - december. congratulations. thank you. today she met the head of i december. congratulations. thank. you. today she met the head of nhs encland, you. today she met the head of nhs england. so — you. today she met the head of nhs england, so simon _ you. today she met the head of nhs england, so simon stevens - you. today she met the head of nhs england, so simon stevens come - you. today she met the head of nhs england, so simon stevens come on| you. today she met the head of nhs. england, so simon stevens come on a visit to the hospital. how england, so simon stevens come on a visit to the hospital.— visit to the hospital. how are you? very well- — visit to the hospital. how are you? very well- execs — visit to the hospital. how are you? very well. execs jordan _ visit to the hospital. how are you? very well. execs jordan and - visit to the hospital. how are you? very well. execs jordan and it's . very well. execs jordan and it's only— very well. execs jordan and it's only been— very well. execs jordan and it's only been ten weeks. very well. execs jordan and it's only been ten weeks.- very well. execs jordan and it's only been ten weeks. looking back, how does she _ only been ten weeks. looking back, how does she see _ only been ten weeks. looking back, how does she see it _ only been ten weeks. looking back, how does she see it now? _ only been ten weeks. looking back, how does she see it now? the - only been ten weeks. looking back, l how does she see it now? the beacon of ho e, how does she see it now? the beacon of hepe. that's _ how does she see it now? the beacon of hope, that's how _ how does she see it now? the beacon of hope, that's how i _ how does she see it now? the beacon of hope, that's how i looked - how does she see it now? the beacon of hope, that's howl looked at - how does she see it now? the beacon of hope, that's howl looked at it, - of hope, that's how i looked at it, i think that little light is growing bigger and bigger as we go along to the vaccination programme. it feels as though finally we can see the reality of the new future. few would have believed _ reality of the new future. few would have believed in _ reality of the new future. few would have believed in the _ reality of the new future. few would have believed in the historic- reality of the new future. few would have believed in the historic day - have believed in the historic day backin have believed in the historic day back in december that at vaccination clinics like this one at the hospital they'd be getting up to 1000 jabs a day done. with the uk daily total reaching 500,000. the target is the main priority groups are jabbed by the middle of this month, those age 70 or over, care staff and clinically vulnerable people. staff and clinically vulnerable eo - le. ., . staff and clinically vulnerable --eole. ., , staff and clinically vulnerable n-eole. . , ., people. our goal has always been to ensure that — people. our goal has always been to ensure that by _ people. our goal has always been to ensure that by 15th _ people. our goal has always been to ensure that by 15th of— people. our goal has always been to ensure that by 15th of february, - ensure that by 15th of february, that's monday, everybody has had the offer and we have heard is high and uptake as we can possibly encourage people to do. we are clearly on track for that, 12.5 million vaccines just across england track for that, 12.5 million vaccinesjust across england in track for that, 12.5 million vaccines just across england in the last ten weeks, this has been an amazing team effort. so last ten weeks, this has been an amazing team effort.— last ten weeks, this has been an amazing team effort. so what about the next goal. _ amazing team effort. so what about the next goal, vaccinating _ amazing team effort. so what about the next goal, vaccinating those - the next goal, vaccinating those aged 50 and over by early in may. looking forward, assuming vaccine supply continues as expected, then yes we should be on track to do that. ., w yes we should be on track to do that. ., ., , . yes we should be on track to do that. ., .,, . :: yes we should be on track to do that. ., .,, ., :: ., yes we should be on track to do that. ., ., :: ., ., , that. for those aged 70 and over up to february — that. for those aged 70 and over up to february seven, _ that. for those aged 70 and over up to february seven, 86% _ that. for those aged 70 and over up to february seven, 86% in - that. for those aged 70 and over up to february seven, 8696 in englandl to february seven, 86% in england had been given a first dose, in scotland it was 64%. in wales, 73% had the first dose and in northern ireland it was 61% of those aged 70 and over. the figures were calculated as of last sunday. since then the scottish government says there has been good progress. today there has been good progress. today the ambulance service was out doing vaccinations in the inverness area. ministers say they are on track to get the priority groups done on time but they warned there could be a dip in uk suppliers later this month. for all parts of the uk, the next phase will be more complex. as well as the 50 and over age bands, second doses for the first priority groups will also have to be administered. the latest survey on covid—i9 infection rates from the office of national statistics shows that they continue to fall across the uk. in england, the number of people testing positive in the week ending february sixth has fallen to i in 80, down from i in 65 the week before. in wales that number has fallen to i in 85. while in northern ireland it's also down to around i in 75 people. and in scotland it'si in 150. 0ur health editor hugh pym joins me now. this looks like good news but what does this mean for lifting restrictions? well, it is good news and health officials are saying that, never mind anybody else. that 0ns survey we have just been hearing about is particularly significant because it picks up the people out in the community who don't know they have got the virus, don't know they have any symptoms, and they are picked up by random testing. we have had the our number, the top end of the range falling below one for the first time. anything above one suggests that the virus is accelerating. but, there are always caveats here, briefings and discussions we have had today with senior officials lead us to think that they want it to be moved slowly, step—by—step, assessing each bit of easing and then going to the next one and that there may be some form of social distancing needed right through until the winter, face coverings, for example. matt hancock, the health secretary, has said in his view there is a long way to go to get things sorted. simon stevens has indicated that hospital numbers remain quite high. so caution is needed. , ., , remain quite high. so caution is needed. , . , ., the latest government figures show that there were 15,144 new infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. an average of 14,604 new cases were recorded per day in the last week. the number of people in hospital with coronavirus across the uk has fallen to just over 24,000 in the last 24 hours. 758 deaths have been recorded, that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid test. 718 deaths were announced on average every day in the past week. the total number is now 116,287. as for the vaccination programme, more than 500,000 people had a first dose of one of the three approved covid—19 vaccines in the latest 24—hour period. so more than 14 million people have now had theirfirstjab. the government has been defending its hotel quarantine plans for people coming into england from high risk countries. the policy comes into force on monday, and people will have to pay £1,750 to quarantine in a hotel for ten days. those failing to comply with the rules will face fines of up to £10,000. but there has been concern the system is not as strict as those in place elsewhere in the world, as david shukman reports. despite every effort, there have been coronavirus infections inside australia's quarantine hotels, and they have spread to the community. which is why melbourne is now back in lockdown for the third time. the australian open will continue, but not for spectators. they are banned for at least the next five days. if we wait for this theory that it might be out there, there might be more cases than we know about, if we wait for that to be proven correct it will be too late. it's not always easy to work out how people are becoming infected inside these quarantine hotels. in one case, there was a woman from singapore who tested negative twice, and in the room opposite a family of five from nigeria, who had no symptoms, but later tested positive. it's thought that they opened their doors at the same time to collect their meals, and it suggested that there was so much virus in the air in the family's room, that it was able to flow across the corridor. all we know is that the woman became infected with the same variant of the virus that the family had, and that was proved by genetic testing. now british hotels like these are about to start a quarantine system. and the government says they will be covid secure. so given the risks, how does australia's policy compare with what's planned for england? we are waiting to hear from scotland, wales and northern ireland. are people allowed to leave their rooms? no in australia, but yes here for exercise, though not to smoke. are hotel staff tested? yes, every day in australia, it is planned here but the scheme is still being developed. and what about protection? in the state of victoria, they are using high—grade masks. here, it will be thinner surgical ones. the government says its measures will be effective. if someone travels in from a red list country, they will be escorted with security guards to a government facilitated hotel, and they will be required to stay in that room with the occasional gulps of fresh air that you have referred to, but they are required to stay in that room for ten days. but many scientists are wondering if the quarantine system will be tough enough to keep new variants out of the country. australia is struggling with the virus in its hotels, and it will be a challenge here. david shukman, bbc news. the welsh government says it's met its target of offering a covid vaccine to the top four priority groups — with the vast majority of people taking up the jab. the first minister mark drakeford says discussions with tourism and hospitality industries are now taking place about the possibility of easing lockdown around easter. 0ur wales correspondent hywel griffith reports from tenby in pembrokeshire. picture postcard views on the pembrokeshire coast. tenby depends on the town filling up with tourists every year. but for now, it's stuck in shutdown. it's hard to gloss over the financial impact. at this b&b they don't know when they'll get to welcome their first paying guest of the year. it's tough. it's a bit of a guessing game. it's trying to balance what we spend now for when we will be able to get the money back in and how much work we can do. another year, another start of the year not knowing when we'll be able to open. forjane and many others today brought a dose of good news. vaccinations are ahead of schedule in wales. coronavirus cases are continuing to fall. there is growing confidence that the spring will be a season of reopening. that's it. that was it. we've got easter at the beginning of april this year. it's always a very important moment for our tourism and hospitality industry. we are talking with them about what might be possible around the easter period. as with any long—range forecast, there are plenty of ifs and maybes. progress could quickly be blown off course. but at a time when ministers in other parts of the uk are advising even against booking a holiday, here there seems to be a bit more optimism. got an outdoor shower, a compost toilet... it's something charles has already seen in his bookings. last summer his hobbit houses and lakeside lodges sold out. with so much uncertainty about foreign travel, he thinks this year will see even more people planning to stay in the uk. we've probably had about 150 bookings in the last four days alone. this has been the busiest time of the year now everyone's got the confidence, britain's going to be the place to go this year on their holidays and we want people coming to pembrokeshire. forget going to cornwall, pembrokeshire is the place to be. if it's spring or summer, at home or abroad, any holidays this year will still need to be socially distanced. restrictions won'tjust melt away as we start a long goodbye to the pandemic. hywel griffith, bbc news. the time is 18.17. our top story this evening... the uk economy suffered a record annual slump of 9.9% in 2020, with output severely hit by covid restrictions. and coming up, some end—of—term cheerfor the pupils of this primary school, after weeks of lockdown schooling. coming up on sportsday on bbc news... it's a big derby night in the women's superleague title race as manchester city take on manchester united, with both looking to narrow the gap on the league leaders chelsea. dozens of health charities, sports stars, and celebrities have written to the prime minister asking for extra support for gyms, pools and leisure centres which have been forced to close during lockdown. the letter warns of the risk of physical inactivity to people's overall health and well—being, and it says that preserving sports facilities will be essential to the national recovery. this report is from our sports editor, dan roan. with community facilities remaining closed and grassroots sports suspended, the impact of this winter lockdown on activity levels is causing mounting concern and today the prime minister was asked to intervene. a coalition of more than 50 0lympians, celebrity health champions and charities writing to seek his assurance that gyms, pools and leisure centres are given the fullest possible support to survive, saying they were deeply concerned that thousands were at risk of permanent closure and by a deep drop in activity across all ages and backgrounds. two of the signatories told me why they felt the need to act. i think this is absolutely the perfect storm of a health crisis which will last for generations. this is not a short—term issue, this is something that will impact this population for generations to come. seven years ago, whyte trained tv presenter davina mccall for a gruelling sport relief challenge. the exercise enthusiast told me even she had struggled with fitness during lockdown. it is a hard time. we are all over eating and, you know, obesity and being overweight, covid loves that. you know, this is what we are trying to avoid. we've got to get this nation fit, moving, healthy, making the right choices. and, you know, this is how we are going to do it, through fitness and through education and people enjoying themselves again, and team sports are so important. 0utside exercise with someone from another household is still permitted and some forms of indoor fitness have proved popular. but with experts claiming that for every pound the government spends on physical activity it gets almost four in return, the sector says 100,000 jobs are at risk with businesses like this missing out on the traditional new year boost in membership. instead they are empty and shut along with thousands of sports clubs, leisure centres and swimming pools across the country. and the fear is that the crisis is having a devastating impact not only on the industry but also on people's physical and mental health, at the worst possible time. having that one hour away from the kids, away from family, away from work, where you can go and relieve some stress, it helps with sleep, and for gyms to just be close, especially when they are so well—controlled in of hygiene, yeah, i'd say people's mental health and physical health has taken a massive hit. the government says the sector has already benefited from significant financial support and that reopening sport is a priority once restrictions can be eased. but for many the loss of such activity comes at a huge cost. dan roan, bbc news. the man who raped and murdered the hull university student libby squire has beenjailed for at least 27 years. serial sex offender pawel relowicz killed the 21—year—old before dumping her body in a river in february 2019. thejudge said libby's parents had suffered an "unimaginable loss" and praised them for their "quiet dignity" throughout the trial. the former chief executive and directors of the children's charity kids company, which collapsed in 2015, have been cleared of any wrongdoing. camila batmanghelidjh and seven former trustees of the charity, including alan yentob, were accused of failing to run it on a financially sustainable basis. in the run—up to its collapse, a plan to restructure the charity's finances was in place. but it closed its doors, after the metropolitan police launched an investigation into sexual assault allegations, following the broadcast of a bbc newsnight report. 0ur legal affairs correspondent, dominic casciani is here. really serious allegations five years ago. what did thejudge in this case have to say? really serious allegations. particularly around the kind of organisation that camila batmanghelidjh was running, along with the trustees and chairman, alan yentob. she was a figure who commanded the respect of prime minister david cameron and other ministers and they backed her for a long time. the rescue package for the charity, which was spending about £20 million a year at the point of collapse, it fell apart because of the sexual assault allegations and other donors backed out. thejudge allegations and other donors backed out. the judge said today that while aspects of the charity work amongst some of the poorest in london and elsewhere were high—risk, the business model was not sustainable and the charity would have —— not unsustainable and the charity would have survived had it not been for the allegations. camila batmanghelidjh says she feels vindicated under thejudgment batmanghelidjh says she feels vindicated under the judgment is the first step in refuting lies and myths about her organisation and she said that many thousands of children she wanted to support were left unassisted and thousands more got no support at all. the judge said the trustees were good people and the public didn't need to be protected from them. it's half—term for many schools in england and wales next week, with most pupils having been home—schooled since christmas. it's been a lonely and isolating time for many children, who've been unable to see their friends. but one school has been reaching out and trying to bring some end—of—term cheer, with an online party for all their pupils — as our education correspondent elaine dunkley reports. we've done our maths and english. for many parents and pupils, it has been a tough term. here in wallasey, joanne has been home—schooling faith and blake. some days it is like pulling teeth. it is like being a one—on—one teacher. you have to sit with them and read through everything. i am well and truly ready for half term. it is notjust lost learning but broken friendships which has made life in lockdown hard. my friends, my teachers, it's like i haven't played with them in a while so it's like ijust want to play with them. she created this bond and the fact that that was broken so quickly, she struggled. no, 0k. 0k. deep breath. 0h, third eye! this is a really tough job and we're really proud of your efforts with that. forjoanne, a day of online learning followed by a virtual parents' evening. you are doing what you are not paid to do. the head teacher at egremont primary has a surprise — an end—of—term party to say thank you to parents. get dressed up. let's give ourselves a little clap. we are having a party. and we are dancing to music. the children of critical workers and those classed as vulnerable are in school. party bags have been sent to children's homes and it is a chance for all families to celebrate. it would be amazing to have them all together, and only time will tell if that's going to be the case. we are up to 170 when they come back from our 300 children that we have on roll, so we just need to carry on doing what we are doing. we get to see all our. friends and that's great because we really miss them. it was lovely that even though we are all at home, sometimes people do just need that little pat on the back to say well done, you are doing all right. the party has been a success. hello, mr lucas here. and a few celebrities even popped in. morning, hello, everyone. it is ricky here from cbbc. the school holiday, for many parents, will feel like a much—needed break from the demands home learning. many will be hoping that during the rest of term, their children will also return to classrooms. elaine dunkley, bbc news, wallasey. archaeologists say they've found evidence to suggest that stonehenge may originally have been built elsewhere. a team from university college london say they now believe that the blue stone circle was first erected in wales, before being dismantled and transported to salisbury plain, where it was re—built. the findings are revealed in a bbc documentary tonight. duncan kennedy reports. stonehenge, standing here since 2500 bc. but around 500 years earlier it looked very different. 0riginally it was a circle of blue stones but the question has always been where did they come from? they are really like a pack of cards that has slipped. professor mike parker pearson who found the blue stones quarry in west wales believes stonehenge may have been built before it was moved to wiltshire. the question was where? the mood was sombre. for three years his team searched. it is extreme archaeology. in rain and gales. the wind never stops. until finally they tried a place called waun mawn. the lost circle had been found. there were three key pieces of evidence. first, the dimension of the welsh circle is exactly the same as stonehenge. the second piece of evidence concerns this particular bluestone at stonehenge. the team say the shape of the base of this rock exactly fits a hole they found at the dig site in wales. in the words of one expert, it was like a key in a lock. and third, the team say ancient soil samples helped confirm stonehenge was prebuilt. stonehenge was a second—hand monument. it began in a very different part of britain and lifted and moved wholesale to become really the iconic and quintessential prehistoric circle. the idea of a prebuilt stonehenge has stunned fellow academics. it is a very different story and i think it is about an even stronger connection between west wales and the community in salisbury plain as well. from wales to wiltshire, it seems the pre—building of prehistory is now changing our preconceptions. duncan kennedy, bbc news. as parts of the uk experience their coldest temperatures in decades, we have also been treated to some dazzling natural architecture. you have been sending us some stunning pictures of icicles. these form when the air temperature is just below freezing but the temperature of a surface, such as a tree branch or a roof, rises just above zero. but they have caused some problems, especially for network rail, who sent a special train with hot air blowers to help staff remove these icicles from a tunnel in north yorkshire. time for a look at the weather. it has certainly felt cold today in the stronger weapons and it remains windy through the weekend. max stronger winds. windy through the weekend. max strongerwinds. it windy through the weekend. max stronger winds. it will turn milder from the west, the milder air is in the atlantic. we will have wetter weather tomorrow in western areas. we are seeing the back of snow showers in the north—east, leaving some icy patches. clearer skies ahead and advancing cloud means temperatures will fall quite widely, not quite as cold as lately. the wetter weather in northern ireland, it will be snowing for most of the day, 5—10 centimetres particularly in the hills, blizzards and drifting. wet weather moves east, a mix of rain and snow in south—west england, into wales, and western scotland, not too much