A runner from Oakham was just half-a-mile behind the deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon which claimed the lives of three people.

Two bombs tore through the crowd at the finish line of the sports event on Monday in what President Obama called "a terrorist act."

An eight-year-old boy was among those killed and more than 170 people were injured in the explosion, with several losing limbs.

President Obama told a press conference the FBI are treating the explosion as an act of terrorism – but said it was not yet known who was responsible or why they targeted the marathon.

Speaking to the BBC, Paul Rogerson, the president of Rutland Running and Triathlon Club, called the attack a "complete tragedy."

"We were half-a-mile from the finishing line, literally just two blocks away," he said.

"Police then closed the road in front of us. About an hour later some people from the Boston Marathon came along and told us that there had been an explosion.

"They assured us that all runners were okay and brought us some water and blankets, because of course after running and then standing around for an hour, it was quite cold.

"It is just a terrible tragedy. They were innocent spectators - including a child - that were hurt.

I would say Boston is a city in shock really.

"Everyone here is very reflective about what has gone on.

"It was such a tragedy at what is a fun sporting event."

Meanwhile, those preparing for the London Marathon said they would be thinking about the victims of the Boston attack while they ran on Sunday.

Organisers of the race said they would be reviewing security of the event, which attracts around 38,000 runners, in light of the Boston tragedy.

Peter Fowler is running for the Lullaby Trust, which supports families and funds research into cot death.

He said the explosions revealed the "best and worst" of people.

"You have enormous numbers of competitors running and competing with the support of their families and friends, raising millions for charity," said the 53-year-old head teacher at Granby Primary School in Aylestone, Leicester.

"Then there is the worst where a small group of people wanting to kill and maim, which sadly they have achieved.

"I am now approaching London with renewed determination, refusing to let the attempts of these misguided individuals squash the goodwill and good works emanating from these great events.

"I will run on Sunday, keeping the bereaved families and the injured spectators in my thoughts as I run the 26.6 miles around the our capital city."

Thomas Clarke, 26, from Countesthorpe, said he felt he owed it to those who had died or been injured in Boston to run on Sunday in London.

The news producer, who is working in London said: "I was forced to pull out through injury last year and have no intentions of giving up my spot which I have worked so hard to achieve."

He is running for Cure Rett – a charity working to find a cure for Rett Syndrome, a rare and severe neurological disorder.

"I won't be letting the events of Boston put me off as that would be giving into the fear that terrorists feed off.

"We shouldn't be forced to change our life to suit others.

"We owe it as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives in Boston, as well as those who have suffered terrible injuries, to run in their memory on Sunday."

Sophie Albert from Kibworth also said she would not let the attack stop her raising money for charity.

"Friends did ask me if I was still going to do it and I am a bit nervous about it, but you can't let other people who do terrible things like that stop you from living your life," she said.

The 26-year-old personal trainer worked in Maine last summer at a children's holiday camp, and travelled to Boston most weekends to pick up visiting youngsters.

"I have a picture of me next to the big Boston Marathon sign and I remember thinking that I would love to run it.

"It is such a lovely place where I felt so safe, so it was so sad and horrible to see the pictures and the news."

Nicky Morgan, the Loughborough MP, said she will still running the London Marathon.

When asked on Daily Politics yesterday morning what she thought when she heard about the bombs, she said it was "tragic".

"I think that, with a marathon, everyone says the atmosphere will be amazing with lots of people at the finish line, waiting for their friends and family to finish, very excited.

"That was completely ruined within a matter of seconds."

She said she is looking forward to running on Sunday and had raised £1,401, which will be split between Rethink Mental Illness and Home-Start Charnwood.

"I think now Sunday will have a lot more poignancy for all those running," Ms Morgan said.

Prayers were held for the victims of the attack at Leicester Cathedral yesterday.

Canon Barry Naylor, the acting Dean of Leicester Cathedral, said: "We are devastated by the news from Boston, when death and destruction struck people celebrating a wonderful sporting occasion, having a day of relaxation and enjoyment.

"Our prayers at Leicester Cathedral are with all those injured, those who are bereaved, with the traumatised, those who have died and those who have the responsibility for bringing care and healing to all those affected."

A nightclubber suffered permanent brain damage after being felled by a punch, causing him to bang his head on a kerb, a jury heard.

After Jamie Nethercott delivered the forceful haymaker blow, he skipped and jumped about "as if in celebration," it was alleged.

The victim underwent life-saving surgery, which involved having part of his skull and brain removed at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.

When the 34-year-old victim's life-support machine was turned off, it was not known if he would live or die. He survived but has been left with "severe and life-changing injuries," said Rebecca Herbert, prosecuting.

CCTV footage of the incident, in the city centre, was shown to a jury at Leicester Crown Court yesterday.

Nethercot (19) earlier targeted the victim, attacking him on the dance floor of the Lamplighter's pub in the city centre.

When he saw the victim outside moments later he went across the road and floored him, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on a stone kerb or a step.

Nethercot, of Pollard Road, Braunstone, denies inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, in the early hours of July 21 last year.

He accepts causing the injury and admitted a lesser count of GBH, which was not accepted by the prosecution.

He also admits causing an affray on the pub dance floor.

Mrs Herbert said the only issue in the case was whether or not Nethercot intended to cause serious injury.

She said: "I'm not suggesting the defendant could have known he would have been injured in the terrible way he was. The question is, when he punched him did he mean to seriously hurt him.

"The prosecution say it was a punch directly to the face, a full force haymaker blow, intending to cause injury. "

The 34-year-old complainant, who was married and lived in Beaumont Leys – but now lives elsewhere – was on a night out with a friend.

The victim's friend was also assaulted on the dance floor by an associate of Nethercot, who was in a group of four.

Mrs Herbert said CCTV footage showed the defendant "jumping around" as he went off with his group leaving the victim unconscious.

Nethercot declined to give evidence in court.

His barrister, James Varley, told the jury late-night fights rarely resulted in such serious harm.

Nethercot delivered a single blow outside the pub, not intending serious harm and left.

He said: "You may think he (Nethercot) was violent and yobbish and he accepts that. He didn't go up and kick him in the head."

The jury, who were sent home overnight, are due to resume their deliberations today.

Next boss Simon Wolfson is giving away a £2.4 million thank-you to his staff.

The Tory peer has decided to gift a bonus he was due to get this summer to employees for helping make the Enderby business a multi-billion-pound success.

In a note to staff, Lord Wolfson, pictured, said: "Instead of accepting this reward, I have asked the board if they will share it out between all the people who have worked for the company during the three-year qualifying period.

"You, and all employees who have been working at Next since June 2010, will be included.

"The sum in question is £2.4 million and will be shared in proportion to your annual salary.

"This works out at about 1 per cent of salary and will be paid, as a one-off bonus, with your July pay.

"I hope you will accept this additional bonus as a gesture of thanks and appreciation from the company, for the hard work and commitment you have given to Next over the past three years and through some very tough times. I remain very grateful for the way in which everyone has helped to navigate our business through this recession."

Lord Wolfson was due the windfall from a share-based incentive scheme.

Despite sacrificing the extra millions, the 45-year-old still earned £4.6 million in the year to January, including £3.5 million in performance-related bonuses.

He has overseen years of record profits at the retailer.

Following the announcement, one staff member tweeted: "Thanks, boss! It's a thoughtful gesture!"

Blaby MP Andrew Robathan, whose constituency includes the Next headquarters and Fosse Park store, said: "Simon Wolfson has a very good track record with Next and I'm delighted he has decided to make such a generous gesture.

"I applaud the fact he recognises the fact his success relies on other people's hard work."

Martin Traynor, managing director of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said it was the first time he had heard of the boss of a major plc doing such a thing.

He said: "This is a very welcome initiative by Lord Wolfson, who clearly values his employees and I think this is an excellent example to many top-level chief executives.

"Next is out-performing the high street and the way he has run the company from day one has made a significant difference to its fortunes."

The chain has 540 stores in the UK and employs 3,500 people in Leicestershire.

Since June 2010, the company's value has risen by £3 billion to £7 billion, while the share price doubled from £21 to a recent record high of £44.35.

Police and crime commissioner Sir Clive Loader visited an inner-city estate yesterday as part of his efforts to get to know people across Leicestershire.

Sir Clive, the former RAF Air Chief Marshal who was elected to the post last November, dropped in on community projects and a school on Leicester's St Matthew's estate – one of the most deprived areas of the city.

Sir Clive said: "I always said that reaching out to communities and developing and maintaining a trust between them and myself would be a critical part of the success of this office.

"St Matthew's is a proud community and one which in many ways characterises what is best about Leicester.

"It's a rich mix of people and there is a determination for people to help each other."

Jean Williams, chair of the St Matthew's Tenants' Association, which is based in Manitoba Road, said: "We invited the police commissioner because we wanted him to see how people live down here.

"He came along and he listened to us and I was impressed by him.

"He seems to be a very approachable and down-to-earth person. He also spoke to the children at Taylor Road Primary School and I think they had a lot to say to him.

"We have low crime here and we want to keep it that way. If we had any concerns about police I think Sir Clive would listen to us."

The force is making savings across the board as it seeks to cut about £20 million from its £175 million budget during the next three years.

Sir Clive said: "We are going to have to make difficult decisions. We will make those decisions in a way that does not compromise public safety in areas like St Matthew's."

The visit to the estate is the latest in a series of trips across the city and county.

In recent weeks, Sir Clive has visited Barwell to find out more about work being carried out there to address anti-social behaviour and the Carpenter's Arms, in Loughborough, which helps people overcome addiction to drugs or alcohol.

Also, last month he held a meeting at Leicester's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre, in Wellington Street, to talk about how the police force deals with reports of "hate'' crimes.

Information about Sir Clive's office and his work can be found at:

www.leics.pcc.police.uk

Leicester Royal Infirmary faces losing funding for ambulance handovers which take too long.

A new penalty will see the hospital docked £200 every time it takes the accident and emergency department more than 30 minutes – double the target time of 15 minutes – to take on a patient from an ambulance crew.

If the delay is 60 minutes or more, the penalty will increase to £1,000 per patient.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (Emas) also faces a £20 penalty every time it takes a crew more than 30 minutes to get back on the road after they have handed over their patient.

The financial penalties will be taken from funding provided by the Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which oversees performance at the city hospitals.

Simon Freeman, Leicester CCG managing director, said: "Too many patients experience unnecessary delays in receiving the care they need when arriving at hospital in an ambulance.

"That cannot be right. It is distressing for patients and lacks essential standards of care.

"We are working with NHS partners to make the necessary improvements to address the issues, so these penalties do not become an issue.

"These potential contractual penalties will hopefully act as a further incentive to make changes now for the benefit of patients."

A working group comprising the county's three CCGs, Leicester's hospitals and Emas has been set up to come up with a plan to meet the target.

Leicester's hospitals have three months to improve performance before the penalties are imposed.

Phil Walmsley, head of operations at Leicester's hospitals, said: "We are no worse than a lot of places and are doing better than a lot.

"We have also changed a lot of our processes."

It is estimated that if the penalties had been imposed in the past year, Leicester's hospitals would have missed out on about £1 million.

Special sensors are due to be fitted on doors to the accident and emergency doors at the infirmary to give an accurate monitoring of waiting times.

Latest figures from Emas show the Infirmary kept 138 patients waiting more than an hour during February – the highest number in the region.

Customers are tuning in at a Leicester store to stare in wide-eyed admiration at the world's first ever 84-inch Ultra High Definition TV.

Staff at Marks Electrical shop, in the West End, say people are spellbound by the giant £19,999 3D TV screen.

The HD TV is one of only 10 on display in England.

Edmund Berry, a salesman at Marks Electrical, said: "Just having this unique TV here is a coup not only for this shop, but also for Leicester.

"If anyone wants to see the very latest in high specification TV then this is where it's at. There is nothing like it.

"When people come in and see the 84-inch TV they are mesmerised.''

Edmund, who has nine TVs at his house in Glen Parva, said the TV had to be carried in by three men.

"This is a TV for people who have the resources to invest in the very latest in home entertainment systems. We have had some inquiries over the phone but no-one has come in and bought one yet.

"The TV comes with seven pairs of 3D glasses so a large family or gathering of friends can enjoy the same visual cinema-style experience. It can be linked to games systems, too."

Edmund said the quality of the picture was unrivalled.

"It is the first-ever ultra 3D HD TV and looks so real you feel you can reach out and touch what is on screen. It's so life-like it's scary.

"I have got a 51-inch screen in my lounge and I thought that was big. Now when I go home and settle down it feels so small.

"The 84-inch TV is beautiful and I am sure it is only a matter of time before we sell one from this store.

"There is enough money in Leicester and enough big houses to accommodate this beauty."

A spokeswoman for South Korean manufacturers LG said they had sold some 84-inch TVs to celebrity customers but were not prepared to divulge the names.

She said: "There are LG 84-inch Ultra HD TVs on display placed in a variety of hand-picked retailers, including London's Harrods.

"LG has seen encouraging sales of this product to date.

"Marks Electricals in Leicester presented a great opportunity to display the 84-inch Ultra HD TV in a premium environment."

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