BBC Breakfast halted for 'terrible' news after death of 'very brave lady'

BBC Breakfast was halted for "terrible" news after the death of a "very brave lady" on Tuesday (November 11).

During today's edition of the hit morning programme, hosts Jon Kay and Sarah Campbell updated viewers with the latest news from across the UK and around the world.

They were joined in the studio by Emma Vardy, who shared jobs and wages updates, while Carol Kirkwood delivered regular weather forecasts throughout the show.

Later in the programme, Jon and Sarah paid tribute to Dorothy Lawrence, a journalist who disguised herself as a male soldier to get to the frontline during World War I.

"More than a century later, she's finally received a headstone at her grave in North London," Jon revealed, before an emotional clip was played.

"Dorothy Lawrence wasn't just forgotten about. A journalist determined to report from the trenches during the First World War, she was arrested, silenced and committed to an asylum for almost 40 years," correspondent Tim Muffett explained.

"During the First World War, women were not allowed to report from the frontline."

However, Dorothy wanted to change that. She bought a bicycle and crossed the Channel, making friends with British soldiers along the way. The journalist decided that the only way she'd successfully get to the Western Front was to disguise herself as a man.

After ten days in the trenches, Dorothy became "very ill" and had to reveal her true identity. She was arrested, sent back to Britain, and told not to talk about what she had done until after the war.

"She was gagged until the end of the Armistice, and in 1925, she was put in an asylum, deemed mad, and died there in 1964. That's not right. I think that's terrible," army veteran Steve Davies said.

Dorothy was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in what is now New Southgate Cemetery & Crematorium in North London, one of more than 40 owned and run by Westerleigh Group.

Dorothy's grave has since been restored, with a special ceremony taking place to honour the journalist and formerly unveil her headstone. As part of the project, relatives of Dorothy were tracked down.

"She's a trailblazer, isn't she? Frontline female journalist, brave. 40 years confined to a lunatic asylum and died there unrecognised and unknown, no visitors. Very sad and this will make up for it, I hope," said Dorothy's great niece, Gill Barber.

Former Royal Engineer Angus Donaldson added: "Amazing. She went to extremes to do what she did. We are eternally grateful for her service," with Cliff Belsey concluding: "[She was] a very brave lady. Great respect... Very emotional and extraordinary."

BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am