Charlie Wilson was sentenced to 30 years in jail just four months ago

England have

A massive manhunt is under way across Britain after one of the so-called Great Train Robbers escaped from Winson Green Prison in Birmingham.

Charlie Wilson, 32, was apparently freed by a gang of three men who broke into the jail in the early hours of the morning.

They are believed to have stolen a ladder from a nearby builders' yard to break into the grounds of a mental hospital next to the prison, and then used a rope ladder to scale the 20ft (6.1 metre) high prison wall.

They coshed one of the two patrolling warders on duty and tied him up before opening Wilson's cell door and freeing him.

It is still not known how they got hold of the keys to Wilson's cell. Winson Green is a maximum security prison, and only one member of staff holds the keys to open cells at night.

At a news conference, the secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, F. Castell, said security arrangements at the prison should be enough to meet all normal requirements.

"But," he said, "today's happenings are abnormal. It seems likely that somehow or other a master key has been obtained which allowed these people to effect a simple entry to the prison after scaling the wall.

"This is so abnormal that you just cannot cater for it."

The Home Secretary, Henry Brooke, was on an official trip to the Channel Islands, but returned to London immediately.

He said he was "seriously concerned" by the escape, and ordered an inquiry to begin straight away.

Wilson is described as one of the masterminds behind the robbery last year. In the biggest heist of its kind, over 5 milloin pounds was stolen from a Royal Mail train.

Most of the money has never been recovered, and Wilson is believed to be the robber who knows where the missing money stolen in the raid is hidden.

He is reported to have told the police who arrested him two weeks after the robbery: "I don't see how you can make it stick without the poppy [money], and you won't find that."

He served just four months of his 30-year jail sentence before his escape.

Sarah's death has caused a national outrage

Sara and Michael Payne arrived at Guildford Cathedral with their children, Lee, Luke and Charlotte, to hear friends and family give readings and sing Sarah's favourite hymns .

Sarah's naked body was found dumped in a field in West Sussex in July more than two weeks after she disappeared from fields near her grandparents' home in East Preston.

The family insisted the service should be open to the public after the massive national outrage to the eight year old's murder in West Sussex last month.

Officers from Sussex Police also attended the service at the cathedral.

They included the man leading the murder hunt, Detective Superintendent Peter Kennet.

Sarah's uncle, Keith Payne, read a poem about his niece, describing "her warmth, her charm, her indomitable spark".

Her aunt Fiona Crook recalled when Sarah was her bridesmaid.

She said: "Our little Sarah has gone from us, but she will live in our hearts forever and will always be remembered as `Sarah, our little princess'."

After the service, Sarah's parents released 12 white doves outside the cathedral.

Mr Payne, 31, said: "I can't think of words to say. It was fantastic and a lovely turnout."

Members of the public wept as they formed a queue to offer their condolences .

A private funeral service is expected to be held for Sarah after her body is released by the West Sussex coroner.