A huge land and sea search has been launched after Harriet Harman, the Labour Party Deputy leader, was reported missing after taking a canoe out to sea from Blackpool beach. Fears for her safety are rising with the discovery of a broken canoe which has been washed up on the beach at Lytham. Her family say she is an excellent canoeist and was wearing all the necessary life support equipment, and had in fact only last month bought an extremely expensive new state-of-the-art boat from Panama. They do concede however that the finding of a smashed canoe on Lytham beach is not a good sign.
     Meanwhile Gordon Brown has asked to be  kept fully informed of any developments but stresses that Blackpool is one of Britain`s favourite holiday resorts and no one should be put off going to see the fantastic illuminations...