Leicester City will not be selling captain Wes Morgan this summer – or any key players.

There were reports over the weekend that Nottingham Forest, who sold Morgan to City in January last year for £1million, had tabled an offer to re-sign Morgan, which was immediately rejected.

The Mercury understands City are adamant they will not sell their skipper.

It is also believed that Morgan has told City he has no interest in leaving King Power Stadium either.

Boss Nigel Pearson sees Morgan as vital to his plans for the new campaign after a tremendous season, which saw him named in the Championship team of the year. City will adopt the same hard-lined approach as they did with Hull's attempts to sign goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, when they rejected offers and refused to discuss the matter.

Morgan is entering the final year of his contract and is expected to be offered a new three-year contract.

Morgan will return to pre-season training today with the rest of his team-mates as they get back to work ahead of the new campaign.

The players underwent a day of fitness testing last week but officially return to start their preparations this morning at Belvoir Drive.

Pearson and his staff will put the players through their paces for a few days before taking them out to Austria for a training camp.

City then return and kick-off their pre-season friendly fixtures at Leamington Spa on Friday, July 12.

They then travel to Ilkeston, Port Vale and York City before entertaining Monaco on July 27 and finish their preparations away at Northampton on July 30 before they kick-off their campaign on Saturday, August 3, at Middlesbrough.

Do you know of a grotspot that spoils your neighbourhood? Are you tired of seeing piles of rubbish near beauty spots? Take a picture and e-mail it in to us.

Please include your name and telephone number, and a brief note about where the grotspot is. Send your e-mails to:

newsdesk@leicestermercury.co.uk

A town with a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer in every street has recruited garages in the area to fit security screws to vehicle number plates for free.

From today, 16 garages in Melton and neighbouring Asfordby will fit the tamper-proof screws in a bid to stop the plates being stolen and used on other vehicles to commit crime.

It follows a spate of number plate thefts in the town earlier this year.

Vehicles they are subsequently fitted to are used by criminals to drive away from petrol stations without paying for fuel, to avoid paying the London congestion charge, as well as in serious crime.

The £6,000 to fund the scheme has come from Leicestershire Police via local police commander, Inspector John Gray and the Safer Melton Partnership.

Eric Tindall, co-ordinator of Melton Neighbourhood Watch – staking the claim as the country's first Neighbourhood Watch town – said: "If you go to any garage in Melton, they will fit the screws for free.

"The 16 garages in and around Melton have been supplied with the screws and will either fit them for free if you turn up or when they're doing work on your car.

"Similar smaller schemes are being implemented elsewhere, but this is the most comprehensive, with virtually every garage in the town offering to fit the screws for free.

"People used to come to the police station to collect them but now garages, from those with a couple of people working in them to the national chains are in the scheme.

"With greater use by the police of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras criminals are aware they can be picked up. They will often take a number plate from a vehicle similar to the one they're using."

Mr Tindall said the scheme was ongoing and "hopefully, if we can run the scheme for about three years, it will enable us to get everybody's vehicle done".

He said: We also urge car manufacturers to think about fitting them in future because it only costs about £1 a car".

Chris Triggs, a partner of L&H Exhausts, in Charlotte Street, Melton, said: "We're happy to do it free of charge for people who come in.

"It only takes a couple of minutes to do and we're happy to help people out."

The garages are Asfordby Garage, 140 Main Street and, in Melton, Astons Vauxhall, Beler Way; Autostyle services, 44 Pate Road; BCI, Jubilee Street; Browning Suzuki, Norman Way; Dynamic Motor Co, North Street; Graham Skinner, Mill Lane; Kwik Fit, Park Road; L&H Exhausts, Charlotte Street; MARC, North Street; Melton MOT Centre, Kings Road; Sandicliffe, Leicester Road; Tanvic, Snow Hill; Ufton Automotive, Snow Hill; Wilsons Garage, Regent Street and Witham Garage, Beler Way.

An independent investigator has been hired by Leicester City Council to look into allegations that a councillor wrote an anonymous leaflet criticising another politician.

The authority has turned to Macclesfield-based investigations firm CH&I Associatiates to look into a complaint made by Aylestone's Labour councillor Adam Clarke against Liberal Democrat Nigel Porter, who represents the same ward.

Coun Clarke has accused Coun Porter of criticising him in a leaflet, put out in January in Aylestone, about controversial plans for bus lanes along the A426.

However, Coun Porter told the Leicester Mercury he had nothing to do with the document and that he felt the accusation was politically-motivated.

Coun Porter is one of only two non-Labour councillors on the authority.

He said: "Adam Clarke's allegations are completely unfounded.

"This is Labour trying to shut me up because I am an opposition councillor. They want to silence me because I am often critical of they way they do things.

"If I wanted to be critical, I wouldn't do it anonymously.

"I have nothing to hide. I refute the allegation because there is no basis for it.

"The investigation will find no evidence that I did it, because there is no evidence.

"I am perfectly comfortable about that."

Coun Porter said he was concerned about the cost to the council of hiring an independent investigator.

He said the council's own officers could carry out the investigation or ask colleagues from another authority to take it on to ensure independence.

The council has refused to make any comment on the investigation and would not say how much CH&I are being paid to carry it out.

The Mercury spoke to CH&I investigator Belinda Shaw, who has been assigned the case, but she said she could not comment on it.

The council hired her colleague, Jon Wigmore, in 2011, to investigate former Lord Mayor Robert Wann when he was accused of using his position to get parking tickets quashed.

That investigation cost £375 a day for 15 days.

Coun Clarke declined to comment on the matter, saying: "It wouldn't be appropriate for a councillor to comment on an ongoing standards investigation."

Ms Shaw is also investigating alleged comments made by Coun Porter to Labour member and group chairman Patrick Kitterick in a discussion they had following a council meeting in March.

Coun Kitterick told the Mercury he could not comment but did say he had not intended for the matter to become part of an official complaint against Coun Porter.

A city council spokeswoman said: "We don't comment on investigations before they are complete as the subject member deserves to have the complaint against them carefully scrutinised before it is aired in a public forum.

"The vast majority of cases are resolved by the monitoring officer early on.

"However, the law is clear that in appropriate cases an investigation must be commissioned.

"Almost every local authority uses independent investigators to do this so that officers aren't accused of being biased in the interest of their own elected members.

"The cost of an investigation would depend on its length and the amount of work needed, and we would more likely be able to publish details of cost once an investigation was complete."

The Leicester Mercury is to submit an Freedom of Information request to find out how much the council has paid to private investigators to investigate complaints against councillors.

ABOUT 8,000 people visited a cultural festival of dance, cooking, entertainment and everything Indian in the city centre.

An Indian Summer Festival was held in Leicester's Cultural Quarter at the weekend.

There were stalls selling everything from food to clothing and jewellery, as well as dancing and tuk-tuk rides.

Visitor Pushpa Solanki, 54, of Evington, Leicester, said: "I only got to see half of it, but it was fantastic. It was very well organised.

"I liked the involvement of everybody from different communities. The tuk-tuk brought back memories of when I go to India – it's a form of transport I enjoy."

Festival director Bipin Anand said: "It was an absolutely awesome weekend! People were commenting on what a fantastic vibe there was and many said that the festival was so different from anything they had ever experienced in Leicester.

"When we started An Indian Summer more than two years ago we had a vision in mind on what we wanted the festival to be like, this year is the closest we have come to achieving that vision.

"Next year's festival will be bigger, better and take us even closer to achieving our initial vision."

The estimated 8,000 festival visitors over the weekendwas well up on last year's 3,500.

Police officers broke into a house to rescue a petrified woman whose angry lover was pinning her down by her throat, a court heard.

David Burnand (42) had already head-butted the woman three times and held a knife to her stomach, threatening to kill her.

When she tried to escape, he had dragged her back inside and threatened: "You're going to die in an hour."

Sentencing Burnand to two-and-a-half years in prison, Judge Simon Hammond said: "Heaven only knows what would have happened if the police hadn't responded and forced entry to save her. They may have saved her from a worse fate.

"This was a prolonged, brutal, pitiless assault on a woman who was vulnerable and much smaller than him," said the judge, who said officers in the case were to be congratulated.

Leicester Crown Court was told shocked neighbours alerted police after hearing the woman's screams, in a quiet residential street in Anstey, Leicester, on December 2 last year.

Philip Gibbs, prosecuting, said: "The victim was in a relationship with the defendant for 12 months. She'd changed her mind about selling her home and moving in with him and he didn't take it well and threatened to kill himself."

On the day of the incident, they each drank several cans of alcohol and an argument flared up.

Mr Gibbs said: "The defendant suddenly got a crazed look on his face, eyes bulging. He grabbed her hair and head-butted her three times to the top of her head with real force.

"He pulled her on to the kitchen floor, causing her to bang her head. He said he was going to kill her and walked over to the knife block and pulled out a knife as she got up. He got close to her with the knife and threatened to kill her. She believed him and began screaming towards an open window.

"She ran from the house screaming for help and banged on a neighbour's door. He chased and caught her. Witnesses described him as seething. Back indoors, he pushed her against a fridge, prised her mouth open and forced a tea towel into her mouth.

"As he was roughing her up, officers forced an entry. They saw the defendant with his arm around the victim's throat, holding her down. They told him to let her go.

"He was silent and just stared at the officers, who had to repeat their demands before he complied. He had her mobile phone in his pocket and there was blood on his fingertips."

Burnand, formerly of Anstey, but recently of Mona Road, Nottingham, admitted causing actual bodily harm.

He was made the subject of a restraining order banning any future contact with the victim.

Mr Gibbs said a victim impact statement described her as being in "emotional turmoil", unable to cope and on anti-depressants.

Sally Bamford, mitigating, said Burnand was of previous good character and references handed in to the court spoke well of him.

She said he was ashamed of what he had done.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Gagandeep Singh (39), of Ivychurch Crescent, Netherhall, admitted causing criminal damage to packaging in a shop on April 27. He was fined £110 and ordered to pay £28 compensation.

Luxman Tailor (32), of Melton Road, Belgrave, Leicester, admitted racially aggravated threatening behaviour on April 27. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 court costs.

Shaun Deacon (49), of Conduit Street, Leicester, admitted one charge of stealing cheese and a charge of attempted theft of bacon on June 2. He was fined £70.

Shaun Bethell (26), of Bridge Street, Loughborough, admitted being drunk and disorderly on April 27. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Kelvin Clark (33), of Skipworth Street, Highfields, Leicester, admitted drink-driving on April 28. He was fined £110, ordered to pay £85 court costs and was banned from driving for 12 months.

William Freeman (37), of Park Street, Market Bosworth, admitted failing to provide police with a specimen. He was fined £300, ordered to pay £85 costs and banned from driving for a year.

John Taylor (51), of Narborough Road, Leicester, admitted failing to tell benefits authorities there had been a change in his ability to work. He was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £50 court costs.

About 10,000 people visited the Foxton Locks Festival at the weekend.

The event, held at the top of the famous incline of 13 locks, featured live music on three different stages.

There was also a Viking re-enactment, belly dancing, a bar for the dads and a funfair and pony rides for the youngsters.

Festival director Ann Bushby said: "It was a beautiful weekend and I think everybody was making the most of the good weather.

"We must have had 10,000 visitors.

"People were queuing back down the locks, I've never seen so many cars.

"The festival is organised entirely by volunteers from Foxton Inclined Plane Trust who regularly give their time for free.

"I think we have done quite well financially from the weekend and I would be happy if we have cleared £5,000 profit, which is good because it was rained off last year and we lost about £3,500."

The trust is trying to raise £11 million to restore the historic inclined plane.

For more information, visit:

www.fipt.org.uk

Hundreds of young performers were under the spotlight as they tried to win roles in De Montfort Hall's Christmas pantomime.

Almost double the expected number of young hopefuls turned up at the hall on Sunday, hoping for a part in the junior chorus of the show, the first pantomime at De Montfort for almost 20 years.

Children aged nine to 16 were invited to tread the boards, show off their fancy footwork and audition.

Among the young hopefuls was 11-year-old Millie Wrzyszcz, of Syston, who said: "I love acting and I just wanted to have a go to see how I got on."

Millie, a pupil at St Michael and All Angels CE Primary School, in Rearsby, said: "I've done lots of performances at the Little Theatre, but it would be amazing to appear at De Montfort Hall."

Her mum, Sandie, 47, said: "The chance to be in something like this is a great opportunity. A panto is what Leicester needs and it's great children from the community are getting a chance to audition."

Jessica Rocks, 13, of Leicester Forest East, said: "I've just been in Whistle Down The Wind at the Little Theatre. It would be a great experience to do something on a bigger stage."

Mum Anne-Marie Rocks, 39, said: "It's a great opportunity to appear in a professional panto."

Steve Boden, managing director of Imagine Theatre, the company producing the show, said: "We had 180 children turn up to take part in the auditions, and that's amazing as we were expecting about 100.

"We're looking for two teams of eight to alternate between performances.

"This panto is being written and staged for the people of Leicester, so what could be better than having some local youngsters to take part in the show?

"The popularity of panto is clearly demonstrated by the huge turnout today. We're looking for youngsters with fantastic personalities, bags of energy and the ability to perform.

"Auditioning youngsters for the panto is always a lot of fun, but it's really tough as we see so much talent.

"We are looking for kids who are great dancers, are confident and have that extra little bit of sparkle that makes them stand out from the crowd."

"I can promise that Aladdin is going to be an absolutely spectacular show and I am very proud to be part of the team bringing such a huge Christmas tradition back to the De Montfort Hall."

Aladdin, starring comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli and TV soap star Tameka Empson, runs from Saturday, December 14, until Sunday January 5, 2014.

For more information or to book tickets for the show, call 0116 233 3111 or visit:

www.demontforthall.co.uk

Traders are concerned about plans to pedestrianise streets near their city centre shops.

The business owners from St Martin's Square fear the pedestrianisation of nearby Grey Friars, St Martin's and Hotel Street will have an adverse effect on their trade and deter shoppers from visiting the area.

The plans are part of the city council's £19 million Connecting Leicester project, which aims to make historic parts of the city more accessible and link them together.

Tamsin Straiton, the owner of St Martin's clothes store Pollys, said pedestrianising the roads would completely kill trade for the area

She said: "This area is dying anyway, it's on its knees. The council should be trying to help us, not make it worse.

"If we didn't have our lease then we would be gone – we have no future."

Dane Beesley, manager of St Martin's Tea & Coffee Merchants, is concerned that pedestrianisation will lead to less parking available for shoppers.

He said: "These proposals could cause big problems. It's taking away the convenience of being able to park your car."

Stuart and Lisa Delahoy, owners of neighbouring independent gift shops Set and 2Clear, which are soon moving from the area, are still worried about the proposed plans.

Lisa said: "This area needs people to be able to get here easily and making it pedestrianised will just be creating an obstacle.

"A lot of the businesses in this area, such as Cartridge World, depend on people who are able to park their cars and pop into the shops for five minutes.

"There are shops around here that sell big items such as pictures or flowers and people don't want to be walking across town with these – it's just awkward.

"I understand the reasoning behind the idea but we want the best of both worlds.

"We know it will connect the city but we still need people to be able to collect their shopping with ease. It is convenient to have a drop-off point and this will take away that option."

City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said that the proposed plans will help create a stronger trading environment for independent retailers.

"Linking Leicester's retail centre to our historic old town, and creating more attractive pedestrian routes between our shops and heritage attractions, will help encourage even more people to visit and explore our city centre and its fantastic arcades and lanes," he said.

"The project will have clear benefits for businesses in this part of the city centre and I am confident that a number of new operators will be moving into recently-vacated units in this area over the coming weeks."

A consultation on the pedestrianisation plans ended yesterday.

The Love Lanes Festival on Saturday, July 20, aims to promote the area around Loseby Lane, Carts Lane and St Martin's Square. It will feature shops, stalls, cafes, workshops, demonstrations and live music spilling out on to the streets from 10am to 5pm.

Young scientists pushed the limits of their ingenuity to triumph in a national technology competition for teenagers.

Youngsters from Loughborough Grammar School and Welland Park Academy, Market Harborough, are celebrating their success in Teen Tech 2013.

They beat rivals from up to 300 other schools to be named among the 11 winners in a competition aimed at uncovering the innovators of tomorrow.

Celebrity physicist Brian Cox and Top Gear host James May were among those who cast an eye over the inventions of 32 grand finalists at The Royal Society, in London.

Loughborough Grammar pupils Sean McGuire, Gareth Owen and Joe Ross-Biddles won the education prize for an app designed to make the lives of teachers and fellow pupils easier.

Describing his eureka moment, Sean, 14, from Barrow upon Soar, said: "Last year, our teachers were all given school iPads.

"I'd already been looking into developing an app when my English teacher said she wished there was an app to help teachers and students.

"A light bulb lit up in my head and I thought, 'I can do this'."

So Project EAGLE (Educational App Geared to Learning Engagement) was born.

Sean learned how to programme the app using software developed for Apple products, with Gareth developing its look and graphics and Joe responsible for content.

The app's features include lesson planning, resources, revision sheets and homework plans for use on iPhones and iPads. Gareth, 14, from Loughborough, said: "My job was to make the app look professional, fresh and something that grabs your attention.

"It's been really enjoyable and we're all very excited to have won."

Sean said: "The main thing was that it works. We didn't dream we would win but it's fantastic we have."

The app is now being adapted for use by pupils and Google, which sponsored the prize, is also looking to develop the boys' idea.

IT teacher Daljit Kaur, who accompanied the team to the grand final, said: "It's been amazing to watch how the boys have progressed their idea and turned it into reality, with teachers now using the app.

"We are all very proud of them."

Welland pupils Cameron Franklin, Henry Linsell and Lloyd Hughes won the wearable technology prize for their pressure boot – a shoe which harnesses power while you walk to charge up a mobile device, such as an iPlayer.

Lloyd, 12, from Market Harborough, said: "People like to listen to music while they run, so this will mean they never run out of power, or the inspiration to keep on running!"

Cameron, 13, also from Market Harborough, said: "We've really enjoyed ourselves because as well as winning, we learnt about careful and thorough research and the market for products like ours."

Design and IT teacher Reece Roberts said: "It's been a great experience for the boys who were thrilled not only to win but to get the chance to explain their idea to the likes of Brian Cox and James May."

Today, both teams will demonstrate their ideas to Prince Andrew, patron of the awards, at Buckingham Palace.

A man has admitted using threats at a football game for under-15 year-olds.

Colin Francks (50) was due to stand trial yesterday after denying his role in the disturbance that followed a match between Blaby & Whetstone Boys Club and Leicester Nirvana in October.

Six prosecution witnesses who heard spectator Francks making threats after the match were preparing to give evidence at the trial, but the defendant changed his plea to guilty just before the case was due to begin.

He admitted one charge of using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress at the match on October 21 and was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Francks, of Linwood Lane, Leicester, did not speak during the hearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court except to confirm his name and address.

Kirk Master, chairman of Leicester Nirvana FC, based in Rushey Mead, said: "After a frustrating nine-month wait, the club are pleased that some justice for our youngsters has been achieved.

"I hope this sends a message to other people out there that behaviour in that manner isn't acceptable. I hope it encourages other clubs to pursue cases against spectators who behave like this."

The matter was reported to police by Leicester Nirvana FC, which has black and Asian players. Police were told that other spectators had made monkey noises and offensive gestures and threats during the game, which took place in Warwick Road, Whetstone.

Mr Master said: "During the match, some people were shouting racial slurs and making monkey chants. There was a racial element to what happened and although it's disappointing nobody was charged with a racially aggravated offence, we're pleased with the way this case was pursued by the police."

Leicestershire Football Association has brought its own charges against Blaby & Whetstone Boys Club since the incident last year. It put its action on hold while Francks's case was dealt with.

The county FA charged Blaby & Whetstone Boys Club FC with "failing to ensure supporters conducted themselves in an orderly fashion" and failing to keep them off the pitch.

An unnamed player from Blaby & Whetstone was charged with racially or religiously-aggravated abuse and making similar threatening comments on Twitter.

Two other players were charged with improper conduct for comments made on Facebook and the match referee was charged with failing to report the improper conduct.

Keith Murdoch, chief executive officer at the Leicestershire FA, said the FA's investigation would begin as soon as possible. He said: "We will be holding our own hearing, hopefully before the start of the new season.

"It is unusual for police involvement in a youth game like this but we give our full co-operation when it does happen."

The sudden death of a teenager has prompted a move to put potentially life-saving equipment in Leicester's main parks.

The city council is to install defibrillators in five of its biggest recreation grounds.

The devices will be used by trained parks staff to help revive people who have suffered heart failure, by delivering an electric charge to restart the organ.

The plan follows discussions between the council and the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, which was formed after 14-year-old Joe Humphries collapsed and died last year while jogging near his home in Rothley.

The teenager suffered sudden adult death syndrome (Sads), having previously shown no signs of ill health. An inquest heard Joe died from either a seizure or cardiac arrhythmia, an abnormal heart beat.

Evidence showed he might have lived if he had been treated within minutes of falling ill, in October.

Joe's dad Steve, a sports marketing officer at the council and a former Leicester City goalkeeper, said: "Getting defibrillators in parks is a very positive step.

"Every minute that passes without treatment reduces the chance of survival. A defibrillator can switch the heartbeat back on and that massively improves chances of survival.

"Nothing can bring my son back but we can learn lessons to reduce the chances of anything like this happening again.

"In 10 years, I think defibrillators will be as common as fire extinguishers. We have a long way to go, but we are learning from Joe's tragedy and making sure we are better prepared to deal with Sads."

The council has bought five defibrillators, costing a total of £5,980.

These will be based at Abbey, Evington, Braunstone, Victoria and Spinney Hill parks, where the authority has staff permanently based.

The machines could also be used at other events.

Training for 13 members of staff was carried out by St John Ambulance in May. More will be trained in the coming weeks.

Parks officer Andrew Dhillon, who is based at Spinney Hills Park, said: "I hope we never have to use these defibrillators, but I hope people will be reassured that they are here.

"We have lots of people who use the park for exercise, including people with heart complaints. If someone does collapse then we can be there quickly to help them and that could mean the difference between life and death."

Leicester deputy mayor Councillor Rory Palmer said: "We already have defibrillators in all our leisure centres with pools. One will be going into De Montfort Hall in the next few months.

"I have seen the great work the Joe Humphries Trust is doing and we want to support that."

The trust, set up by Joe's family, promotes research into, and awareness of, sudden unexpected death in young people and encourages training for young people in CPR and other life-saving techniques.

To find out more about the trust, visit:

http://www.jhmt.org.uk/

Leicester Airport is to offer visitors aerial tours of the county's Richard III sites.

The alternative sightseeing experience will include Bosworth Battlefield, the Greyfriars friary, where Richard's remains were uncovered, and Bow Bridge.

Tourists will get a bird's eye view of Leicestershire and its historic sites as well as a chance to take some mile-high photos of all the places related to the former Plantagenet king.

It comes as Guildhall visitor numbers are approaching the 100,000 mark, and bosses at Leicester Airport are keen to cash in on the interest.

Prices for the air tours have not been finalised, but are expected to cost about £195.

Airport manager Mac Clarke said: "The discovery of King Richard III's remains is not just exciting for Leicester but for the many people interested in this fascinating period of English history.

"The region has seen an increase in tourists which is likely to continue over the summer, so we decided to make it easier for people from further afield to visit the exhibition and the historic sites."

Since the temporary Guildhall exhibition opened, Leicester Aero Club, which flies out of the Stoughton airfield, has been approached by numerous people interested in seeing the Richard III sites from the air.

Mac said: "These special flights offer a new way to experience the battle and ultimate defeat.

"We can take passengers over the city and countryside on a route of their choosing, taking in the famous battlefield and the excavation site of the former Greyfriars Church, where he was buried."

Other locations include Leicester Cathedral, where Richard III's remains will be reintered in spring next year.

Passengers will also get to see the Bow Bridge which Richard historically rode across when leaving Leicester for Bosworth and the battlefield in Bosworth where he met his end in 1485.

City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "This sounds like a great initiative. It will give people the chance of a different view of some of the many wonderful sights the city and county have to offer. It's another example of what an impact this amazing discovery is having on tourism."

Former Blue Badge guide Diana Courtney took tourists on Richard III walks through the city for more than 20 years before retiring in 2011.

She said: "I think it's a fantastic idea, it's something a bit different. If the planes are able to fly low enough you could probably pick out specific things, such as the statue in Castle Gardens."

For more information about the air tours, call Leicester Airport on 0116 259 2360 or visit:

www.leicesterairport.com

The Everards League title race gets tighter by the week with only 12 points separating the top four teams.

Kibworth and Market Harborough have gone joint top of the Premier Division after both claimed maximum 24-point hauls in their latest outings.

Kibworth demolished bottom-of-the-table Stoughton & Thurnby by seven wickets.

They put in the home side and bowled them out for 83, with left-arm spinner Joe Cuthbert taking 4-10 and seamer Darren Shaw 3-12. Saif Bhojani was 42 not out as Kibworth raced to their target in 24 overs.

Joe Gordon had a fine game as Harborough won by six wickets at Syston.

He took 3-34 with his seamers as the home side were bowled out in the last of their 50 overs for 198, despite Carl Fourie continuing his fine season with 86 and Will Edwards and Charlie Taylor scoring 42 apiece.

Gordon then made 32 opening the batting and, with Kevin Innes hitting an unbeaten 81, Harborough took charge.

Luke Gale added a quick 41 and George Clarke was 25 not out as Harborough won with three overs to spare.

Leicester Ivanhoe stay fourth after a four-wicket win at Broomleys.

Rob Cook's 45 helped the hosts to 191-7 with off-spinner Janak Valand taking 3-25.

Ivanhoe lost early wickets in their run-chase but Steve Punchard (66 not out) and captain Trevor Ward (55) shared a 91-run stand for the sixth wicket to put them in control, despite Teddy Read taking 3-33.

Ivanhoe are right in the running this time, having faced relegation battles at the end of the last couple of seasons, and Ward said: "It's nice not to have that pressure, we're playing with smiles on our faces.

"But I think our lack of seam-bowling options might hurt us."

Loughborough Town move up to sixth place after thrashing Sileby by nine wickets.

There were three wickets apiece for Ashley Scott-Williams and Leicestershire paceman Ollie Freckingham, as Sileby crashed to 105 all out in 30 overs.

Sunny Patel (48 not out) and Shelvin Gumbs (36 not out) made sure for Loughborough.

The Leicester City squad that began pre-season training yesterday is virtually the same as the one that ended the last campaign – and that may surprise a lot of fans.

Usually, there are at least one or two fresh faces meeting up with their new team-mates on the first day of training. But not this year.

While they have not been as active in the transfer market under Nigel Pearson as they were under Sven-Goran Eriksson, it would appear strange that City have not completed a single transaction, in or out of the club, by the first day of pre-season.

But one glance around the Championship and it is clear City aren't the only club keeping quiet.

There has been a real dearth of transfer dealings so far across the division, with only a handful of clubs actually doing any business.

There have been a few free transfers done, especially at Blackburn, Derby Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield and Burnley, while Bolton, who are in talks with Jermaine Beckford about completing his move from City, have added a couple of players too.

But there have been only half-a-dozen or so deals confirmed involving transfer fees paid by a Championship club.

Derby have paid £750,000 for Dundee United's Johnny Russell, Barnsley have shelled out £250,000 to Bayern Munich for Dale Jennings and an undisclosed fee for Sheffield Wednesday's former City striker Chris O'Grady.

Reading have paid an undisclosed fee for Dutchman Royston Drenthe from Russian club Alania Vladikavkaz, and another undisclosed fee for American Daniel Williams from German outfit 1899 Hoffenheim.

Huddersfield have paid an undisclosed fee for Adam Hammill from Wolves. And that is about that.

Of course, the window didn't officially open until July 1, but that doesn't stop clubs doing deals and simply ratifying them when the paperwork can be filed, but there has been very little of that.

There simply isn't the same amount of cash exchanging hands in the division and it is all down to the impact of Financial Fair Play.

FFP has been the big topic of discussion this summer and supporters must get sick to death of hearing about it. But it has had a huge impact in the game.

While the principle of FFP is good, to control the amount of expenditure at clubs to avoid more of them following in the footsteps of Portsmouth and facing financial ruin, it is going to take a few years for clubs to get in line with its rulings and adopt a working practice where they can, once again, start doing business with confidence.

But the days of big fees being paid outside the Premier League are over.

No-one is going to start spending the cash like they once did, City being the last club to really spend big under Eriksson in the hope of reaching the Premier League.

Only the clubs coming down at the end of this campaign will be reasonably equipped, courtesy of the £63million parachute payments they will get, and they may be tempted to gamble, ignore FFP and take the consequences.

FFP has frozen the transfer market outside of the top flight. To fall into line with its guidelines, clubs have prioritised getting players off their books first before recruiting.

Clubs are reluctant to add to their wage bill before they move players on in the fear that they will be unsuccessful and be lumbered with an even bigger wage bill.

And everyone is in the same boat. No-one is buying until they have sold, but they can't sell because no-one is buying. Stalemate.

Once the Beckford deal goes through, City fans might see manager Pearson making a move in the window and, don't forget, there are still two months to go until the window shuts.

If he can move several more players on who he has identified for transfer, he will have even more freedom, but even then he will not be splashing the cash.

The loan market may be the best option for City to strengthen ahead of another promotion push.

Leicester City players reported back for the first day of pre-season training yesterday with striker Chris Wood admitting it is a day he dreads.

Apart from Kasper Schmeichel and Sean St Ledger, who were given extra time off after international duty prolonged their season, the players were put through their paces with some gruelling running tests by manager Nigel Pearson and his staff.

Wood said he always finds the running sessions tough. However, the players, who all passed a fitness test last week to assess their condition after their summer break, did get to enjoy a second session with the balls in the afternoon at Belvoir Drive.

"Nobody likes the running work and if anyone tells you they do, then they're lying," said New Zealander Wood.

"They're not nice, but you just get on with them and do them.

"Even on the training pitch you can't hide behind other players or anything like that, because you have got the GPS on and they are making sure that you're working up to the right standards."

Wood said the players were already in good shape having followed their fitness programmes during the summer, but the key was to rest and recover after last season's exploits.

Wood said he had returned raring to go, and added: "It's been a good month off to rest and recover mentally more than anything, and we've all come back in good physical shape, and it's good to see all the lads.

"We spend every day with each other for 11 months, so a month away from everything can be much-needed at the end of it. But they're all good lads and they have come back looking good.

"We've all had our programmes to stick to over the summer and it showed with the lads coming in (yesterday) in good form. We have all been doing our work and we'll be pushing on towards the start of the season.

"I think it's a bit too early to start setting targets. I think first we've got to come in and do the business and get the team working well, then we will all have to fight for places."

City begin their pre-season fixtures at Leamington Spa on Friday, July 12.

A driver died from his injuries when the car he was driving overturned.

The crash happened in Narborough Road, Huncote, near its junction with Denman Lane, on Sunday night.

The driver has not been named by police.

However, the Leicester Mercury understands he is a father-of-two, in his late 20s, who lived with his partner in Blaby.

It is also understood the man had moved to Blaby from the New Parks area of the city.

Police have not said whether anyone else was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, which happened just after 6.30pm.

They said the man was in a blue Ford Mondeo which was travelling towards Huncote when the crash occurred.

Emergency services were called, but a police spokesman said the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Crash investigators are calling on anyone who witnessed the crash, which involved just the one vehicle, to get in touch with them.

Detective Constable Ady Keeble said: "We would like to appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision or saw the vehicle beforehand to contact us as soon as possible."

The collision happened near The Red Lion pub, in Huncote.

Owner Steve McMullan said the driver had visited the pub in the past, but he did not know him well enough to comment further.

A spokesman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said two fire engines were sent to the scene of the accident, but he said the casualty had already been removed from the vehicle.

The clerk of Huncote Parish Council, Stuart Bacon, said the road was not known for being dangerous.

He said: "We're waiting for further details from the police."

Anyone with any information about the crash is asked to contact the police by ringing 101.