Barbie Reynolds and her husband Peter have told of their ordeal and how they feared they would never be released.

The Prime Minister is understood to have concluded the situation has deteriorated since he urged Israel to change course.

Meanwhile 500 Tasers will also be handed to trained-up staff in local response teams based in prisons, scaled up from 20 specialist officers in July.

The King has paid a special visit to see the world’s oldest person, who entertained him with her memories of how “all the girls were in love with you and wanted to marry you”.