Leicester City eye first summer signing

July 22, 2013, 6:41 am

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Former Tranmere defender Zoumana Bakayogo is set to become Leicester City's first signing of the summer. The 26-year-old left-back became a free agent at the end of last season when he refused to sign a new contract at Prenton Park. It is understood the Ivorian full-back underwent a medical at the King Power Stadium today and is set to become the newest member of Nigel Pearson's squad. The former Millwall and Brighton player, a product of the Paris Saint-Germain youth system, made 146 appearances for Tranmere during his four-year spell at the League One club.

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Service remembers soldiers killed in Korean War

July 22, 2013, 8:54 am

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It was a conflict that cost more than 1,000 British lives, yet despite still being in living memory it is known as "The Forgotten War". This week marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the war in Korea, which even at the time never made as many headlines as it warranted. But, 60 years after it ended in a stalemate, civic dignitaries from around Leicestershire joined dozens of county veterans in an act of remembrance at County Hall today. More than 1,000 British soldiers died in hostilities on the Korean peninsula, which raged from 1950 to 1953. A ceasefire called six decades ago remains in place to this day, with South Korea and North Korea divided by a wide demilitarised zone.

Tony Stevens, 82, of Bushby, who was a signalman in the war and is now national treasurer of the British Korean Veterans Association, was at today's ceremony. He said: "It was rough. We lived in holes in the ground with rats crawling over us as we slept and temperatures going down to minus 40 in the winter and then getting incredibly high in the summer. "When we went out to fix signal lines, the enemy snipers would have a go. Luckily they weren't very good shots! "It was known as the Forgotten War but it's essential we don't forget – we lost 1,078 men over there." An 81-year-old, of Thurmaston, who did not want his name printed because he worked in the prison service, was an infantry corporal in the Duke of Wellington Regiment. He said: "It's a very good thing to mark this occasion because there were a lot of men killed and many more taken prisoner and injured. "There was a lot of things going on with Hillary getting to the top of Everest and the coronation in 1953. There was a battle in May 1953 where 35 were killed and 120 wounded and it hardly made the papers." He said he knew many men who died in battle. "At that time it was the Chinese we were fighting and we were told only half of them were armed and they were a rabble," he said. "But when they came for you, they brought all their mates with them." Derrick Hurst, 80, of Stadium Estate, Leicester, was in the Black Watch and remembers some good times. He said: "I remember some good football games and enjoyable times, but the summer was hotter than it was here last week and the winter was so cold even diesel froze." Peter Price, 82, of Anstey Lane, Leicester, said: "I was in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and it feels like every other war gets a good write-up except ours." The service was attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Jennifer, Lady Gretton, Leicestershire County Council chairman Rosita Page, the Lord Mayor of Leicester Mustafa Kamal and the High Sheriff, Sally Bowie. Councillor Page said: "It's important to remember comrades who lost their lives in the Korean War, as well as those who were injured, and those who returned safely." The 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice is on July 27. On that day Korean veterans from the county will join others from all over the country for a commemoration at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

"Would you pay more council tax to ease the cuts?" - asks Tory-run Leicestershire County Council

July 22, 2013, 10:04 am

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County Hall is to ask people if they would pay more council tax to try to fill a huge gap in its finances. Leicestershire County Council bosses say they will need to be saving £100 million a year by 2017/18 to meet a shortfall in their cash grant from the Government and to deal with the increased cost of providing the services it currently does. Today (Mon) the county council has launched a consultation to ask residents for their views on how the savings should be made. It is asking people to fill out an online survey. The Tory-run authority says another 1,500 jobs, on top of the 1,000 made in previous cuts of £63 million annually, will go. It has said that it intends to increase its share of council tax by 1.5 per cent for the next two years generating £16 million but the consultation asks people asks people if they would be prepared to meet rises of three per cent or more. If councillors choose to go down that route a referendum will be needed which could cost £1 million. An radical rise of five per cent could generate £40 million. Deputy council leader and cabinet member for finance councillor Byron Rhodes said: "We need to ask if people will be prepared to pay more to protect front line services. "It's a possibility because we need to look at every possibility. "The numbers we are talking about are huge. We are having to save a third of our budget. "That will have a profound effect on our services. "That's why it is important people take part in our consultation." County Hall's Liberal Democrat opposition leader coun Simon Galton said: "We're pleased that the consultation will provide an opportunity for residents to express their view on how the council should plan services over the next four years and how much council tax should be raised to protect services. "I hope the Tories will pay better attention to this consultation than they did to recent one on cuts to school transport. Despite 90% of respondents expressing opposition to the proposals, the cabinet ploughed on ahead regardless." The consultation, costing £30,000, runs until September 15. To take part visit www.leics.gov.uk/future

Micky Adams relishing visit of old club Leicester City

July 23, 2013, 1:49 am

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Port Vale manager Micky Adams is relishing the challenge of facing his former club.

The Valiants welcome Leicester City to Vale Park this evening for a pre-season friendly (7.30) ahead of the start of the new season on August 3.

Adams, the last man to take City to the Premier League, in 2003, also showed his worth last season as he sealed promotion with Vale to League One in the third automatic spot.

The 51-year-old, who made the shortlist of managers in the Mercury's search for the greatest-ever City side, due to his success during extremely turbulent times, believes Nigel Pearson's men will provide a good test for his players.

"I'd like to thank Nigel and the club for making this happen," said Adams.

"It's great for me with my connections to the club to be able to welcome them here.

"We won't be facing players of the calibre that Leicester have in League One, but it will be a good test for them.

"We can't go giving the ball away too much, otherwise we may well have a difficult job on our hands because Leicester have got players of real quality in the side.

"I want my players to relax, I want them to use it as a fitness exercise and I'm sure Leicester will be the same."

Adams said that despite everything that went on off the field, he still has fond memories of his time at City.

"I was fortunate enough to have a promotion with Leicester and probably at some of the worst times," he said.

"We went into administration, they were certainly dark days, but moving from Filbert Street into the then-Walkers Stadium was a big plus for us.

"My time there will always be clouded by the La Manga affair but, all in all, I was delighted with my achievements.

"I still live in Market Harborough so I see a lot of Leicester fans and still get a nice welcome from everybody.

"I think I can look back at my time there with a lot of happiness," added Adams, pictured above, who is hoping City get back to where he took them 10 years ago.

"They have got the players to do so, and I think they have got the manager to do so," he said.

"The infrastructure, the stadium, the supporters, it's all there for them to be successful.

"I want Leicester City to get back where they should be, and that's in the Premier League."

Adams has enjoyed four promotions during his managerial career, with Fulham, in 1997, and Brighton in 2001, as well as those at City and Vale.

"I'm not sure there is a secret," he said.

"It's about having good players enjoying their football, being organised and having a bit of luck along the way.

"It doesn't always go right for you, you've got to battle your way through the bad times and enjoy the good times.

"They have all been special ones and none more so than the one at Leicester, when we were in administration.

"I thought that was a great achievement."

VIDEO: 'Gallons of water being wasted'

July 23, 2013, 2:31 am

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A restaurant owner is angry that gallons of water are going to waste outside his premises.

A leak was discovered a week ago when an electricity cable to the Jungle Paprika takeaway, in Evington Road, Leicester, exploded.

Engineers from Western Power repaired the damage quickly but said there was also a water mains leak that needed to be fixed.

Restaurateur Aslam Moti said: "I called Severn Trent and they sent two people over on Wednesday.

"They commented saying it was only a 20-minute job and left without coming back to repair it.

"They promised they would be back the next day to carry out the work but they did not arrive."

Mr Moti, 29, said he had rung the water company on a number of occasions to find out what was happening but nobody had returned to repair the leak.

He said: "They told me they needed permission to dig up the pipe.

"But they do not need to get permission as there is a hole there already.

"The Western Power engineers said they could not fill in the hole while there was still a leak.

"I cannot understand why they have not repaired the leak and restored the pavement outside my restaurant.

"Severn Trent is urging people to save water during this heatwave as there is pressure on our reservoirs, but it is allowing all this water to run to waste.

"I don't know when the leak first happened and yet the water is still pouring into the ground."

Mr Moti said he was also losing business because he could not put chairs outside for customers who visit him in the evening after breaking their daily Ramadan fast.

"If my customers cannot sit down they are going elsewhere," he said

A Severn Trent spokeswoman added: "We would like to apologise to our customer for any inconvenience the water leak in Evington Road may be causing.

"Following our visit, we have scheduled repair work and we are speaking with the council and other utilities companies to make sure we keep disruption to a minimum."

• Read the updated article: Gushing water main leak fixed after a week

Houses struck by lightning as storms hit Leicestershire

July 23, 2013, 2:37 am

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Three houses have been struck by lightning as violent thunder storms hit the county overnight. Firefighters were called to a home in Battram Road, Ellistown after a chimney stack was hit and collapsed. They managed to restrict fire damage to the ceiling space at 8.43pm yesterday. A house in Western Park was badly damaged after it was also hit by lightning at 4.40am today. The fire service said a fifth of the roof was damaged and there was servere damage to the rest of the property. Fire crews were also called to a home in Brook Crescent in Asfordby Valley shortly before 5am. The strike damaged electrical and television sockets and the small fire caused by the incident was out by the time the fire crews arrived. No-one was injured. A fire service spokeswoman said: "We received a large number of calls over night due to the thunderstorm and lightning strikes." RELATED ARTICLES: PICTURES: Storms light up the skies in LeicestershireStorms follow heatwave

Sex assault on bus in Leicester

July 23, 2013, 3:36 am

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Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to after a woman was sexually assaulted on a bus in Leicester. The attack happened on a bus that was leaving St Margaret's bus station, when the 52-year-old victim was touched inappropriately on her leg. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. The suspect is white, about 5ft 10in and aged 28 to 35 years old. He is described as being built like a body builder with short shaved but slightly grown back in sandy to medium brown hair and was wearing a grass coloured green tracksuit top, possibly Adidas, and faded blue jeans. Det Con Pete Edge said: "I would ask people to take a moment to look at this image and see if you recognise the man? If it is you, or you know who it is, please get in touch." The incident happened at about 8.15am on Friday, April 26 on the number 47 bus. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Con Edge on 101 and follow the instructions to leave a message for an officer. When prompted, key in her identification number 1617. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, which is free and anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

VIDEO: Man in hospital with stab wounds

July 23, 2013, 4:17 am

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A man was taken to hospital this morning with stab wounds. The man was found injured at a house in Keyham Lane West, Hamilton, Leicester shortly before 1am. A woman has been arrested on suspicion of assault. The scene of the assault remained behind a police cordon this morning, guarded by a police community support officer. A scene of crime officer was also present. A resident said he had heard raised voices at the property from 10.30pm. Police and paramedics were called shortly before 1am when neighbours saw that the man had been injured, apparently in the terraced house's back garden. The resident added: "He staggered down the side entry and collapsed in the front garden. "I could not see any blood but police said there was a lot of blood at the site. "I called the police and the ambulance and he was taken off to hospital." Police have arrested a woman in connection with the assault. She remained in police custody this morning, a force spokeswoman said. She said: "Police were called to a property in Keyham Lane West, Leicester at about 12.55am this morning following a report of an assault. "A man was found with stab wounds and was taken to the Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he is recovering well. "A 30-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody. "The scene has been cordoned off to allow for a forensic examination to take place at the location." Contact Detective Constable Mark Brennan on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

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Jack Adcock inquest: Little boy died at hospital after mix-up

July 23, 2013, 4:29 am

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A little boy died in hospital after he was confused with another youngster who had been discharged, a doctor admitted at an inquest this morning. Jack Adcock died of pneumonia at Leicester Royal Infirmary on February 18, 2011. An inquest at Leicester Town Hall this morning heard from paediatric registrar Dr Bawa-Garba, who said she had interrupted attempts to resuscitate six-year-old Jack because she believed the child was another boy, who was not identified. The boy, who had since been sent home, had been subject to a "do not resuscitate" order during his time at the hospital. Dr Bawa-Garba had dealt with both boys on the hospital's admissions unit but then ceased to be responsible for either. She was 12 hours into her shift when she saw staff trying to resuscitate Jack and told them to stop. Coroner Catherine Mason asked if she actually saw the boy's face before ordering staff to stop. Dr Bawa-Garba said: "There were a lot of people in the room and I can't remember if I saw a face or not. "But what was important to me was not to resuscitate a child that was not to be resuscitated. "As soon as I was told it was Jack I said 'no, he has everything'. "I was not aware Jack had gone to Ward 28 or that the other boy had been discharged." Jack, of Glen Parva, had Down's syndrome and other health problems. He had been referred to the hospital earlier the same day after he started suffering from sickness and diarrhoea. The inquest continues.

Leicestershire family who own London Hippodrome

July 23, 2013, 4:30 am

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A father and son from Leicestershire have turned one of London's most iconic buildings into a glamorous casino. They spoke to Business Editor Ian Griffin. Includes video. See bottom of page.

It is one of those stories which is likely to have been embellished over the years, but you cannot help forgive the showmanship. An ambitious businessman goes to see a show in one of the most famous venues in London and has such a good time, he vows one day he will buy it. The building in question is the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, right at the heart of the world-famous West End, and the businessman is Jimmy Thomas, who half a century later does indeed own it. The Leicester-born gambling entrepreneur and his son Simon – who went to Uppingham School – spent £45 million turning what had become a tired grade II listed building into an opulent casino after acquiring it in 2007. The venue reopened a year ago this month. I went to talk to them there. "I came here to see the Andrews Sisters in the 1960s," said Jimmy, 79. "It was a fabulous show, but I couldn't afford to eat here. "So I went across the road for a bacon sandwich. A friend asked what I thought about the show. I said it was all right, but I didn't like the building and I would buy it one day and do it up." The redevelopment project was an enormous undertaking mainly because of issues over planning consent, licensing and a determination to restore the 113-year-old building back to its former glory. "The first thing we did was to reduce the building down to its shell," said Jimmy. "We also took the cellar floor down by 6ft, which was a very big thing to do to a building in the centre of London." The family are best known in Leicestershire for running a string of amusement arcades such as the Showboat chain and bingo halls, including Beacon Bingo in Loughborough. They realised things were about to change radically thanks to the twin impact of new gambling laws and the smoking ban. They sold their Leicestershire business Thomas Holdings for a reported £80 million in 2006 – although Jimmy still has a house in Nanpantan. "We knew the Gambling Act would change things and the second thing was the smoking ban," explained Simon. "Bingo was particularly affected because you make most of your money in the intervals and people were outside smoking instead of buying food and drink at the bar." Looking around for another project, they realised the Hippodrome, which at that stage was a slightly grubby nightclub previously owned by strip club boss Peter Stringfellow, was a potential gold mine, particularly with the introduction of more liberal gambling rules which meant punters could now walk in off the street and into a casino. "The footpath outside is the busiest in Europe," said Jimmy. "Around 250,000 people walk past the building every day." Simon, 48, said: "The building is known about by 60 per cent of people in London. "It's one of the most iconic buildings in the West End. "It's almost as if the DNA of the West End goes through it. It's always been world class." However, gaining planning consent and a gambling licence took two years, partly because of historical anti-social issues relating to the venue and partly because of objections from rival casino owners. "We had to prove we were going to use it for something different," said Jimmy. "We had to prove there was the demand." "This is a game-changer for casinos," pointed out Simon. "Up until the 2005 Gambling Act you couldn't do anything. The act has changed the regulation. Most of the other casinos are stuck in basements because they couldn't put on entertainment." The 90,000 sq ft of floorspace – 25 per cent of which came from a decision to knock through into an adjacent building – certainly provides enough room for quality entertainment, with capacity for up to 2,000 people. The stage has also been restored so that the venue can put on shows, taking it back to its heyday of the first half of the 20th century, when Charlie Chaplin and Harry Houdini performed there and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake made its UK debut. Since its reopening, the venue has already hosted a number of glamorous events, including the after-party for the premiere of The Expendables 2, where the guests included Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone and Jason, right. "We were projecting 2,000 admissions a day," said Simon. "Last week we got 29,800, which is over 4,000 a day on average. People have such a strong pre-conception of a casino based on the 1970s. "We want to provide the best food, the best gaming, the best entertainment and the most bars. It's about going back to the showmanship days."

Live: Traffic and travel updates

July 23, 2013, 5:00 am

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12.58pm: A 47 at Uppingham closed both ways by an accident between the A6003 and Leicester Road junctions.12.01pm: A14 westbound blocked between J1 at Welford and the Catthorpe Interchange with the M1/M6. 9.37am: Accident is causing queueing traffic on M1 southbound between J19, M6 Catthorpe Interchange and J18, A5 at Rugby. All lanes have been re-opened but ccongestion is backing to J20, A4303 atLutterworth.8.53am: Area Traffic Control reports long delays at emergency electricity works on the B582 in Whetstone. Temporary lights will operate until Wednesday at least. b>8.40am: East Midlands Trains‏ said services between Leicester and Kettering are being disrupted due to signalling problems in the Desborough area.7.00am: An accident has closed one lane northbound on the A42 between J13, A511 at Ashby and the A453 Ashby Road junction at Isley Walton.For more local and national travel information and weather updates see the links below:MOTORWAY UPDATES: For traffic updates on UK motorways and other key roads - CLICK HERE.LIVE CAMERAS: Check the M1 through Leicestershire with our live traffic cameras - CLICK HERE.NATIONAL RAIL: For live UK train updates - CLICK HERE. FLIGHT INFORMATION: For East Midlands Airport visit: CLICK HERE.WEATHER: See the latest five-day weather report at: www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/weather.CONTACT NEWSDESK: Send us your news and pictures. Tweet us @Leicester_Merc or email newsdesk@leicestermercury.co.uk

Culture Secretary "immensely impressed" with Leicester's City of Culture bid

July 23, 2013, 5:15 am

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Culture Secretary Maria Miller said she was "immensely impressed" by what she saw during a visit to Leicester to find out more about its bid to become UK City of Culture 2017. The Tory Cabinet minister is visiting all four of the areas which have been shortlisted for the Government-run contest. Today she made her first stop in Leicester before trips to rivals Dundee, Hull and Swansea Bay. Ms Miller was given a tour of the city's flagship Curve theatre, where she watched the opening scenes of the upcoming Sweeney Todd musical, being rehearsed. She also toured the Richard III visitor centre at the Guildhall and met members of the consortium behind the city's bid. She told the Mercury: "How can you fail to be amazed by a place like Curve? "The Sweeney Todd performers were brilliant. "If Leicester was to become the next UK City of Culture it would be a fantastic opportunity to showcase the investment that has already gone into the city." Ms Miller confirmed that she would play no part herself in determining which city would succeed Londonderry - the current UK City of Culture. The decision will be made by an independent panel of judges. She also confirmed the winning city could expect no Government financial support to stage a year long programme of events in 2017. She said: "I have looked at Leicester's initial bid and an impressive part of it is how it is using alliances with universities and other partners to attract funding. "In other times it would be very easy to make money part of the package but times are difficult . "The winning city can expect great rewards to the local economy as a result of increased tourism and visitors as well as raising the profile of the city." Each bidding city has been told by the Government to expect to have to spend £10 million of public money on its 2017 cultural programme. Some money will come from the Arts Council and Lottery cash but city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby. has agreed to underwrite the cost. Curve chief executive Fiona Allan, who sits on the bidding consortium, said: "We were pleased to welcome Maria Miller, to the city and to Curve and to Leicester Her visit gave us the opportunity to introduce her to one of the UK's foremost producing theatres, and to demonstrate the vital role regional theatres play in their support of the local communities they serve." Ms Miller said she was looking forward to visiting the other contending cities but slipped up during a radio interview by mistaking Dundee for Durham - which has not entered the competition. Each city will submit its final bid in September and the winner will be announced in November.

PICTURES: Storms light up the night skies in Leicestershire

July 23, 2013, 5:43 am

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Storms brought a dramatic end to two weeks of sunshine last night as lightning lit up the skies over Leicestershire.

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The dramatic weather was caught on camera by readers including Nathan Skeemer who snapped a great shot of the lightning over Braunstone. Photographer Glen Tillyard took this photo (below) and several others at about midnight last Monday in Smeeton Westerby, Leicestershire. And @HamzahWaraich uploaded these lightning pictures via Twitter...

Lightning strike, take 1... @Leicester_Mercpic.twitter.com/QQsKlUFwcW

— Wolverine (@HamzahWaraich) July 23, 2013

Lightning strike, take 2... @Leicester_Mercpic.twitter.com/iIzC1nB8yE

— Wolverine (@HamzahWaraich) July 23, 2013

RELATED ARTICLES: House hit by lightning Storms follow heatwave

Gushing water main leak fixed after a week

July 23, 2013, 6:41 am

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A mains leak that has gushed gallons of water for a week has been repaired by Severn Trent. Aslam Moti, owner of the Jungle Paprika restaurant, in Evington Road, Leicester, had complained that there was a hole in the pavement outside his business after engineers working on an electrical fault had discovered the leak. The water company apologised for the delays and said it was in a programme of repairs. Mr Moti said he would like to thank the Leicester Mercury for raising the delay with the company.• See the original story: 'Gallons of water being wasted'

Roadworks on the rise in Leicester

July 23, 2013, 6:50 am

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Highways chiefs have explained why there are more than a dozen sets of roadworks taking place across Leicester over the next few weeks.

Work starting yesterday included a £2.7 million road safety project at the Fosse Park Asda roundabout, a lane closure at Southgates underpass, in the city, and overnight closures of a section of the A6 in Oadby.

These are in addition to the closure of the A426 Lutterworth Road, in Aylestone, for a bus lane project, which started last week.

Managers at Leicester City Council's highways department said one of the main reasons work was taking place now was that there is up to 30 per cent less traffic on the roads during the school holidays.

Nick Weston, operations manager, spoke out as drivers in the city faced 10 sets of roadworks, plus eight more due to start yesterday.

Mr Weston said: "We generally try to carry out roadworks on the major city routes during the school holidays because of the drop-off in traffic.

"There is such a drop-off the rush-hours are shortened.

"What this means is we cause less disruption by using these weeks to carry out roadworks.

"The daylight hours are longer, too, so that extends our working days.

"Moreover, the warmer weather allows to us get better finish results with the materials we use, as opposed to trying to use them in colder, freezing conditions at other times of the year."

The work at the Asda Fosse Park roundabout includes adding traffic lights to make the area safer.

Forty-two people have been injured in road accidents there in the past three years. Work will continue until early next year but will pause from late November to early January to avoid disrupting Christmas trade.

Councillor Peter Osborne, Leicestershire County Council transport spokesman, said: "These roadworks and road closure have been planned to take place when traffic volumes are traditionally lighter.

"The immediate diversion route for the A426 work is via Saffron Lane, Pork Pie roundabout and Glenhills Way, although we appreciate an amount of traffic will be using the Fosse Park roundabout as this is an alternative route for traffic travelling from further afield.

"We are doing all we can to keep any disruption on the Fosse Park roundabout to a minimum.

"For the first few weeks the contractor will be setting up and preliminary work will take place, with some construction beginning in the vicinity.

"However, we will endeavour to keep two lanes on every approach to the roundabout open during peak times."

Motorists have been suffering since last Saturday, when workers shut Lutterworth Road, through Aylestone, Leicester, to begin six weeks of work to install a bus lane on the busy commuter route.

Engineers are also demolishing a 12-metre section of wall near the Southgates underpass, in the city centre, which will require one eastbound lane to be shut for up to five days. Work began at 9.30am yesterday.

Jane McClaren, 41, of Clarendon Park, Leicester, said: "It seems you can't drive very far without hitting roadworks."

Charlie Pickering, 19, of Scraptoft, said: "I have just learned how to drive but am not getting very far in the roadworks. There seem to be many more in the holidays."

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Transfer news: Richie Wellens leaves Leicester City

July 23, 2013, 6:54 am

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Richie Wellens has left Leicester City by mutual consent. The 33-year-old had a year left to run on his City contract, but has reached an agreement with City to be released and he is now free to join another club. The midfielder made 149 appearances for City, scoring six goals, after being signed by manager Nigel Pearson in July, 2009 for an undisclosed fee from Doncaster Rovers. However, he made only two appearances last season as he battled back from a knee ligament injury and spent a spell out on loan at Ipswich Town.

VIDEO: Couple's twins joy on royal baby day

July 23, 2013, 7:08 am

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While William and Kate were celebrating their royal arrival, a couple in Leicester were celebrating their own little miracles. Twins Max and Alfie Goodrich were born at the city's General Hospital on Monday afternoon, just minutes after the future king. After going into labour at 8am, mum Laura, of Scraptoft Lane, Leicester, gave birth to non-identical twins. Max Deejay was the first to arrive at 4.37pm, weighing 6lb 7oz. Brother Alfie Gray followed shortly after at 5.08pm, weighing 5lb 5oz. Proud dad Martin, 32, said it was "a big part of history". He said: "My boys will stand out from everybody else," and joked that their birthday would never be forgotten. Laura, 30, said she was looking forward to getting her sons home.

• Royal baby video by Raissa Gomez "If you open the wardrobe, there is two of everything - I've been a bit obsessed," she said. "We've got a baby blue nursery to go home to. "They're our two little miracles." After having fertility treatment, Laura fell pregnant on the couple's sixth attempt. Martin said: "We're lucky, very lucky. It's been difficult, but it has been well worth it." The couple also have a three-year-old, Zak, who they said was excited about becoming a big brother. Martin, who is a Leicester Tigers fan, said: "It seems a bit surreal, I can't believe we've got three boys. "I can't wait to get them all kitted out and take them down to the stadium." To their surprise, the family were presented with a hamper full of baby goodies from Natures Purest, in Kibworth, as a congratulations on their royal arrival. Melissa Davis, from the store, said: "We wanted to do something to celebrate the arrival of the new prince. "We knew he would get lots of gifts, so we wanted to give our present to somebody local, so that it had special meaning. And this is even more special because they are twins." Max and Alfie were among 12 babies - 10 boys and two girls - who were born at the General on Monday. Zeba Shamir, 27, and Shamir Ganimia, 33, of Highfields, Leicester, became first-time parents to a 7lb baby boy at 7.30am. Shortly after, Sally Chadwick and Steve Harris became parents to Jake Harris, who weighed 9lb 3oz. Sally, 36, said she knew Jake, who was 12 days late, was waiting for the royal baby to arrive. Emila and Kizysztof Szeremeta, of North Humberstone, Leicester, welcomed their newborn, 7lb 9oz Bartosz, into the world at 9.30pm. Kizysztof, 30, said: "I knew it all along, I was sure he was going to be our little prince." For the midwifery team, it was just another day in the office, although they could not help but get excited about the arrival of the royal baby. Senior midwife Joan Morrissey said: "We knew what Kate would be going through on the ward, so there was a real buzz in the place. "All of our babies are gorgeous - everyday we have a new prince or princess arrive."

• Royal baby video by Raissa Gomez

Fatal crash on A47 at Uppingham (UPDATED)

July 23, 2013, 7:45 am

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Motorists are being advised to avoid the A47 in Uppingham following a fatal collision between a car and an HGV. The collision was reported at 12.11pm this afternoon on the A47 in Uppingham, close to the roundabout at the junction of the A6003 and involved a car and a HGV. Police said that the driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene and is yet to be formally identified. Emergency services have put diversions in place and motorists are being advised to seek an alternative route or expect delays. Detective Sergeant Mark Watling of the serious collision investigation unit, said: "We anticipate that the road will remain closed for sometime whist the emergency services deal with the incident. "If anyone witnessed the collision they are advised to speak to the police." Anyone with any information is asked to contact Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Photo of robbery suspect who might be in Leicestershire

July 23, 2013, 9:08 am

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Police investigating a violent street robbery in Northampton have released a photograph of a suspect who they believe could be in Leicestershire. Detectives want to question Siavusas Jablonskis about the attack which happened in the town on Friday, April 19 when a 48-year-old man was knocked unconscious and his wallet and phone stolen. Northamptonshire Police today released a photograph of Siavusas Jablonskis and said they were keen to trace him in connection with the robbery. Mr Jablonskis is also thought to have links with the West Midlands.

First glimpse of Royal baby

July 23, 2013, 11:20 am

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge proudly showed the world their baby son, a future king, before taking him home tonight. William and Kate began their new lives as parents, cradling their baby prince and posing for pictures on the steps of the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London. The Duchess held her son first and the couple looked relaxed and smiled broadly as the world's media captured the moment. William later held his son and walked forward with his wife to answer a few questions. He began by joking: "He's got a good pair of lungs on him, that's for sure. He's a big boy, he's quite heavy. We are still working on a name so we will have that as soon as we can." He added: "It's the first time we have seen him really so we are having a proper chance to catch up." The Duchess, who still had a bump under her summer dress, said: "It's very emotional, it's such a special time. I think any parent will know what this feeling feels like." Her husband agreed: "It's very special." He added: "I'll remind him of his tardiness when he's a bit older. I know how long you've all been standing here so hopefully the hospital and you guys can all go back to normal now and we can go and look after him."