TEN years ago, this week, protestors angered by proposals to increase university tuition fees brought chaos to the streets once again following days of violence.

The Northern Echo:

Organisers said the marches were an opportunity for protestors to make their voices heard peacefully, but after the Millbank riot two police officers and 11 people were injured.

At least 15 protestors were arrested for offences including violent disorder, theft and criminal damage as barriers were thrown and fires lit in the street.

Meanwhile, the North remained in the grip of Arctic conditions as the Met Office announced that cold temperatures and snow was expected to continue.

Much of the country was blanketed in snow, with the North-East and Scotland taking the brunt of Arctic conditions, recording 15in in places.

Police advised people to stay indoors for all but essential travel as severe weather warnings remained in place for the region, which was experiencing temperatures falling to minus 13.3C in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, and minus 5C in Durham.

Meanwhile, the Queen spoke of her sadness as it emerged that 29 miners, including two Britons, were presumed dead after two explosions in a New Zealand mine.

The Northern Echo:

Pete Rodger, 40, from Perthshire, and Malcolm Campbell, 25, from St Andrews, Fife, were among the men missing following the initial blast at the Pike River mine in Atarau on the country’s South Island.

Police said the miners would not have survived the second explosion and rescue teams were “now in recovery mode”.

The missing miners, aged 17 to 62, carried 30 minutes of oxygen, and more fresh air was stored in the mine, along with food and water, but all hope faded following news of the second blast.

Two workers stumbled out of the mine within hours of the initial explosion, but there was no contact with the remaining group of men, which included 24 New Zealanders, two Australians and a South African.

Rescue teams had been unable to go into the mine because of high levels of toxic gases.