Leicestershire County Council has pledged £250,000 towards creating a Cathedral Quarter around the final resting place of Richard III.

The contribution includes a new work of art which signifies the link between Bosworth Battlefield, the site of Richard III's death, and the cathedral – his proposed future resting place.

The £100,000 memorial will stand in Cathedral Gardens, at Leicester Cathedral, close to a relocated statue of Richard, which will be moved from nearby Castle Gardens.

A brief has been drawn up for sculptors and artists to use when designing their proposals, which are expected to be in the same vein as the Stand Easy statues, at County Hall.

County council leader Nick Rushton said: "This is the county's cathedral as well as the city's, so it's exceedingly important we work closely with others to develop tourism.

"We'll be working with partners to commission a work of art as it is important for the county council to invest in the legacy of Richard III."

The monument will make up part of the newly announced Cathedral Quarter – a combination of a number of projects including the Richard III visitor centre, Connecting Leicester scheme and St Martin's Cathedral.

An official agreement to support the project was signed at the cathedral yesterday, creating the Cathedral Quarter Partnership Board.

Among the signatories was The Right Reverend Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester; city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby; Leicestershire County Council leader Nick Rushton and the Dean of Leicester Cathedral, the Very Rev David Monteith.

Bishop Tim, co-chairman of the board, said: "I am delighted this partnership board will bring together the major institutions who share responsibility for taking forward all the plans that flow from the discovery of King Richard lll."

The Cathedral Quarter will include a large area of the city, including Guildhall Lane, St Martin's East, Peacock Lane and Applegate.

The aim is create an historic district, based around the discovery of Richard III, which will attract visitors.

The board's first aim will be to prepare the area for the proposed reinterment of Richard's remains, which were scheduled to take place next May.

However, a judicial review of the exhumation licence – called for by the Plantagenet Society, which wants him buried in York – could disrupt the city's reinterment plans.

Sir Peter said: "The review has caused a slight delay but I'm confident we will be reinterring Richard III in Leicester. In 1485, it was the city from which he rode out to Bosworth to meet his death before being brought back to Leicester and buried on the orders of King Henry."

A taxi driver has told how he was too scared to work for nine months after he was attacked by a group of passengers.

Harun Shah Zaman was attacked when he was working as a late-night cabbie in Leicester city centre in May last year.

Two of his attackers were sentenced at Leicester Crown Court last month.

Both admitted the attack and were ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community.

One was handed a suspended jail sentence.

Mr Zaman, who suffered two black eyes and bruises to his head, body, arms and legs in the attack, has only recently returned to the trade after nine months of unemployment.

A 33-year-old married father of two, Mr Zaman, of Humberstone, Leicester, said: "I still feel too scared to work nights, so I will carry on only working during the day.

"I didn't work at all for nine months because of what these people did to me. I was scared of having passengers in my vehicle, worried it would happen again.

"I have only just come back which means it has been a difficult time financially for me and my family.

"I don't think the punishments given by the court were enough. There have been a lot of attacks on taxi drivers and I don't think giving one of these two people a suspended sentence is a deterrent.

"I just hope they look back at what they did to me and realise the impact their actions had on me and my family."

Two people appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, August 16, to be sentenced for their roles in the attack, which happened in the early hours of Saturday, May 19.

The incident happened when Mr Zaman picked up two men and two women from Platinum Lace gentlemen's club, in Abbey Street. The group began arguing and bashing the partition window.

Mr Zaman pulled up at the corner of Millstone Lane and Pocklington's Walk, and told the group to leave. They got out of the car, but then opened the driver's door.

One man grabbed Mr Zaman in a headlock and headbutted him, while the other punched him in the face and head.

The girls joined in, hitting his body and arms, before the group stole his wallet, cash bag containing £80, mobile phone, car keys and satellite navigation unit – which they smashed on the street – and ran off down Pocklington's Walk.

Alexander Lewis Wardle (22), of Main Street, Bushby, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

He was given a nine-month prison sentence which was suspended for two years, ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work and to pay £500 compensation to the victim.

Starla Boyd (23), of Hill House, Court Road, Thurnby, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community work and to pay compensation of £250.

Church leaders are unsure where the £200,000 to remove the St Mary de Castro Church spire will come from.

The crumbling structure has been branded an "imminent danger" by Leicester City Council and work to take it down safely is underway.

Six-metre cracks in four of the spire's eight sides means it is in danger of collapsing, but it was only after a survey carried out this week that the imminent danger became clear.

Now, the Parochial Church Council which runs the church, and council officers are adamant the spire must be removed as soon as possible.

However, the money needed to do so still needs to be found.

Archdeacon of Leicester Tim Stratford said a bid to English Heritage had been made.

He said: "If the funding from English Heritage doesn't come through, then we'll have to start looking to the Church, but it's not possible to say exactly where."

He said the money would not come from Leicester Cathedral, Leicester City Council or through chancel repair liability – a medieval law which means property owners near a Church of England building have a responsibility to pay for parish repairs.

Work to start building the scaffolding around the spire will begin in about two weeks.

The removal will then take up to six months.

A council spokesman said: "The work will means closing to the public the Castle Yard next to the church, and the pedestrian route known as Castle View which runs through it."

Youngsters carrying buckets raced to the rescue of fish dying in a dried-up brook.

A group of children had spotted the fish and frogs struggling in part of Syston Brook, which runs next to Deville Park, in Pembroke Avenue, on Wednesday evening.

They grabbed buckets from home and carried the creatures to deeper water.

Helen Walmsley, of Barkby Road, whose three children were at the brook, initially got in touch with the Mercury.

The eldest of her children, Thomas, 14, said he had been told by friends the brook had dried out because of the dry weather.

He said: "We live near to the park, so we go there a lot.

"When we got there on Wednesday, we saw little puddles of water – the fish couldn't do anything, they were just lying on their sides.

"We decided to collect as many, which were alive, as we could. At my best guess, I think we must have saved nearly 100 fish.

"We caught a few frogs, too."

He said that the majority of the fish in the dried out brook were dead.

"Seeing them like that was an absolute tragedy," said Thomas.

"It wasn't natural for them to die like that."

Thomas, who has two younger brothers, Robert, 12, and Christopher, nine, said he identified the fish as bullheads and sticklebacks. I was very pleased with myself, my brothers and my friends," he said.

The Environment Agency immediately visited the site after being contacted.

A spokeswoman said: "We discovered over 100 small fish had already died, as the water had naturally dried up due to the recent warm weather.

"There were a few shallow pools containing stickleback fish but as the water was so shallow, to try to rescue the fish would make the situation worse."

She said a site visit yesterday revealed some improvement in the flow of the brook following recent rainfall.

"With more rain expected over the weekend, we hope the brook will be replenished.

"The incident highlights how important it is for people to call us straight away when they see watercourses drying out, so that we can react quickly and help protect the resident wildlife."

If anybody does need to contact the Environment Agency, they should call the 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Leicester Tigers' new signing Ryan Lamb is plunged into the cauldron of tomorrow's Aviva Premiership opener.

The fly-half steps in to replace Toby Flood, who suffered a frightening injury in last weekend's pre-season clash with Ulster.

It puts a lot of pressure on the former Northampton Saints back, whose summer signing was controversial in some quarters.

But Tigers No.8 Jordan Crane has no doubts about Lamb's ability to handle the pressure against Worcester Warriors (2.0)

Crane has known Lamb since they were both part of the England age-group set-up.

Lamb is just 16 days older than Crane and the two have built up a good relationship over the years since their early days in the sport.

Since the controversial move, Lamb has settled in well and his performance against Ulster last week. when he came on for the injured Flood, showed how dangerous he can be in attack.

And Crane thinks that his fellow 27-year-old will be able to handle the big stage at Welford Road with the eyes of the nation on him in a game televised live by new broadcasters BT Sport.

"Ryan did very well last week and it won't be an issue for him to handle the pressure," said Crane.

"Make no mistake about it, he is not someone who will not just play back-up to Toby Flood, he is someone who can be challenging him for a place in the team.

"There will be good players around him, like Anthony Allen, who will help him out and he knows he has to get the balance right of when to throw the big pass and when not to.

"As you saw last weekend, his attacking ability is the best around and it's great to have him in there."

Crane says the introduction of Lamb for Flood, with another new signing Owen Williams waiting in the wings, shows just how many options Tigers have in the half-backs this season.

Lamb himself is looking forward to coming face-to-face with the coach who helped him burst on to the professional – Worcester's new director of rugby Dean Ryan.

Ryan was in charge at Gloucester when Lamb made his debut back in 2006. The 47-year-old then nurtured the fly-half through his four years at Kingsholm, during which time, he played some electric rugby and played a big part in the Cherry & Whites reaching their only Premiership final, in 2007.

Lamb will be able to give his new team-mates plenty of information about what to expect from a Ryan outfit.

"Worcester have lots of new faces and have made lots of changes, so they will be raring to go and wanting to get stuck into us," said Lamb.

"They will have a lot of pragmatic play and they will be very collision-orientated. Dean Ryan's sides will have a few tricks up their sleeves and they will be well organised, especially in defence."

However, Lamb believes Tigers will begin the defence of their title in good shape.

"We have built nicely from an average performance against Montpellier and a better one in Jersey. We have got a lot more to come.

"There are a lot of things to work at and it was a decent performance against Ulster but we won't get carried away.

"If there are opportunities to play, we want to play and we scored a couple of good tries from our own half. If they come off, they look great. If not, you put pressure on yourself so you have to make the right decision as to when things are on.

"I have played with quite a few of the guys before during age group rugby and that has helped me settle in.

"At a club like this with so many good players around, it's good to know that if you make a call, you know someone is going to be there.

"It will be good to start our league programme at home and, hopefully, it will be a great atmosphere and a sell out.

"We are all champing at the bit to get involved."

The Leicester Masaya Link Group is asking for £20,000 to run Cultivating Communities, a project which will involve 500 residents in five of the city's most disadvantaged wards.

Development worker Claire Plumb said: "The focus will be on practical aspects of growing and cooking, understanding where our food comes from and what it represents in society."

The project is inspired by Leicester's link with Masaya, its twin city in Nicaragua, where people's lives are challenged by poverty on a daily basis.

"Families there grow food sustainably, developing self-reliance in order to deal with economic deprivation and food scarcity," said Claire.

"These are all issues which are important in Leicester, too.

"What's unique about Cultivating Communities is it helps to alleviate deprivation by empowering people in a host of positive, long-term ways.

"Participants will develop skills for growing and cooking fresh produce, improve their knowledge of the benefits of growing food locally and it encourages people across different communities to share Leicester's culinary diversity."

Seasonal food will be grown at a community allotment in Braunstone.

"Most importantly, the advantages participants gain from the project will last a lifetime," said Claire.

"These skills will benefit their families and the community."

The Bridge (Homelessness to Hope) charity, in Leicester, is applying to the fund for a grant of £29,280.

It plans to set up a new mentoring and advice service for homeless and vulnerable people in the city.

The money will pay for mentors to receive training and the employment of a part-time worker to supervise and coordinate the programme.

Project coordinator Liz Carney said: "We provide free meals and companionship, three times a week, in the city centre to people who are homeless or vulnerable.

"Up to 100 people attend each session and we provide winter night shelters across the city.

"But we want to do more. Our new mentoring service will help improve the physical and mental wellbeing of our guests, increase their confidence, improve budgeting skills, lessen their isolation and help motivate them to make changes and find a secure home.

"By voting for our project, Leicester Mercury readers will be helping a person who is homeless and vulnerable receive the regular, ongoing support of a one-to-one mentor – someone who is there to listen, befriend, motivate and help them make real changes to their lives."

Stuart Goosey, 62, who has moved into his own flat with the support of The Bridge after seven years of being homeless, said: "I think the mentoring project is a brilliant idea."

Read about two more of the projects in tomorrow's Mercury.

1.Action Homeless Leicester.£14,538 to transform a playroom into an interactive area.

2Apex Leicester Project Ltd.£13,350 to stage art courses and workshops improving prospects of young unemployed people.

3 Confederation of Indian Organisations, Belgrave.£10,207 to educate the South Asian population about heart disease risks.

4 Homestart Leicester.£28,500 to set up healthy eating groups for families.

5 Kibworth Grammar School Hall. £20,974 for a heating system, roof repairs and renovation of kitchen and toilets.

6 Leicester Masaya Link Group.£20,000 for residents' gardening, home-cooking and physical exercise project.

7 Leicestershire Carers' Choirs. £19,092 to set up choirs in Oadby and Wigston, and Bosworth for carers across the city and county.

8 Neighbourhood East Parent/Carer Forum. £16,100 to develop health project for families in Rowlatts Hill and North Evington, Leicester.

9 New Futures Project, Leicestershire & Rutland. £30,000 to employ a staff member to work with young people at risk of/or suffering from sexual exploitation.

10 Stigmaart Ltd, Wigston. £29,918 to staging arts events and exhibitions in Leicester city centre featuring work by people with mental health problems.

11The Bridge, Leicester.£29,280 for a new mentoring and advice service for homeless and vulnerable people attending The Bridge housing charity.

12The Centre for Fun and Families Limited, Leicester.£10,400 to set up groups helping parents manage troublesome teenagers, and supporting teens with mental health issues.

13 The Old School Hall, Barlestone. £15,000 overhaul replacing leaky roof of former Victorian school hall, now a community centre.

14Vista Leicester.£27,709 for photography competition, choir project, art workshop and sensory impairment awareness training during Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival.

15 Woodgate Residents' Association, Leicester. £12,500 to start up choir, run music workshops and stage concerts for under-18s.

16Work-Link Project, Hinckley. £24,606 for pilot scheme involving people with learning difficulties making furniture using reclaimed wood.

We just knew it didn't we! Not just one but two ex-City players – three if you include Charlton manager Chris Powell – inflicted a first defeat of the season on us, and both of them scored.

After the incident involving Matty James being sent off, how do you as a manager keep your cool these days?

These decisions can add up and make a difference at the end of the season. I am not saying we would have taken something from the game, but it was even more difficult with 10 men.

Over the years, I have advocated the introduction of goal-line technology and I am sure that will be a success now it has been brought in.

My other crusade is to fast-track ex-professional players to become referees. I am sure there are thousands of them who have had to stop playing but are still fit enough to do the job. I am not saying it would be the complete answer but it would help.

Well, I suppose I had better explain why there wasn't a column last week and why I haven't been around much lately. If any City fan has seen me limp around on my charity runs over the past couple of years, it is because I have had a back problem.

I have a disc in my back which has basically disappeared I think, and I have been controlling it with pain killers. Dave Rennie, the first-team physio, and our club doctor have done a tremendous job of getting me out there. I didn't want to give in.

However, I finally decided to take the plunge and go under the knife. I saw a specialist called Dr Oldham, who has a list of patients as long as your arm from the worlds of football, rugby and many other sports. He has got them back playing within weeks rather than months.

But, during the treatment, not only did they find my disc was disc-o-knacker-rated, I also needed a replacement hip. I call it a hip-op because I am trendy!

Every City fan will know I rather favoured my left foot, which meant all my weight was going through my right leg as 'The Claw' did its thing. So I had to get that done.

So, here I am, still in the early stages of my recovery, but I am sure I will come out the other end better for the treatment. It needed sorting.

Luckily for me, a young consultant Stuart Birtwhistle, was to have the pleasure of getting his digits on my body. Birtie tends to lean towards the Tigers but his wife Ali and all his family are big City fans, so he is as well.

He drinks with me in the Woodies and he was quite pleased because he said now I could get to the bar quicker to get my round in! I was quite pleased he wasn't in the Woodies the night before the op and that his hammer and chisel were sharp enough.

It is ironic that I have visited our local hospitals so many times over the years on charity work and now it was my turn. I have to thank every one of the staff for their superb care.

Now my target is to be well enough for our next game against Wigan Athletic. Over the last 33 years, I have only missed two games – when I represented the club in Goa as an ambassador. I don't want to miss another and I know the best medicine will be to see the lads win.

I would like to welcome Dean Hammond to the club and I know he will be a great addition to the squad after talking to Nigel and Shakey.

Also, congratulations to the newest City fan, David Nugent's new baby, who was born earlier this week.

Finally, the cheques have gone out to the Foundation charities after last season's efforts, more than £70,000. That is absolutely fantastic and that gives me the incentive to try and make my 34th run.

Shocked workers at Dominoes Toys spoke yesterday of their sadness at being told the business had gone into administration.

Sarah Thompson, who has been a manager at the shop for nine years, said: "It's a very sad day. I'm just so upset.

"It's a traditional, lovely toy shop. I've loved working here. It's been a great experience.

"I know calling in the administrators was a very hard decision for the owners to make. I think the customers are upset, too.

"But nowadays everyone is shopping online.

"It will be such a loss to the High Street."

Manroop Dhillon, 25, has been a full-time floor manager at the store for three years.

She said: "Nobody knew about this, we all found out today. It is very sad news, it's a sad day. It's been really bad for everyone.

"I think we've done quite well to hold on as long as we have done – it's tough out there. We've done the best we can.

"It's not often an independent store can hold its ground in a big city.

"It's our customers who have kept us here and we are grateful to them. Some have become so used to coming here for so many years, I think they will be shocked when we just disappear."

Tom Grace, 33, has been full-time sales assistant at the store for seven years.

He said: "It came as a bit of shock, but we've known we've been in trouble for a while because so many other places on the High Street have closed – but I wasn't expecting it, not today.

"Over the years, there has been a decrease in customers and I think it's because of internet shopping.

"I had a lot of friends here and it was quite upsetting to see them go this morning. I don't know whether I will have a job tomorrow or not.

"I've absolutely loved working here – I'm a grown man in a toy shop, what more could I ask for?"

Pat Cook, 69, of Shepshed, was shopping in the store yesterday.

She said: "It's such a shame. I used to come here when my daughter was younger, so I've grown up with the store. It was always a popular place to come, but it was a lot more busy then than now."

Davina Wilson, 35, of Leicester city centre, was shopping for a present with her two-year-old daughter.

She said: "It's so sad. Dominoes is one of the flagship stores on the High Street. We come in here fairly often, especially at Christmas time.

"I don't know where else we'll go now – there isn't really anything else like this in the city."

Fellow shopper Emma Richards, 21, of Birstall, said: "This is a brilliant store. Every time we come into town, my four-year-old wants to go to Dominoes.

"We buy a lot of stuff here, everything is at a good price and of good quality.

"When I was younger, I remember being brought here. Even now, we have toys I bought as a kid, that my daughter plays with.

"It's going to be weird not being able to come here."

Customers also took to Facebook to comment on the stores closure.

Tina Godrich posted on the social networking site: "So sad. Another one bites the dust."

Glenn Sykes wrote that he had "fond memories" of the store "back in the '80s and '90s", which he said was a "kids' wonderland back then".

Firefighters tackling a blaze at a disused factory found cannabis plants worth up to half a million pounds.

Police were called to the two-storey building in Brazil Street, off Aylestone Road, in Leicester, following the find.

Two fire crews from Central station had gone to the building shortly after 5.30am on Thursday after receiving reports an entrance door was on fire.

Once inside, they found several seats of fire, thought to have been caused by hydroponic lighting, used to grow the plants, having short circuited.

The firefighters called for reinforcements from the city's Western station. The fires were out by 7am.

Police sealed off the road between Burnmoor Street and Newbridge Street while officers arrived to take 1,000 cannabis plants away to be destroyed.

A business owner in the area, who asked not to be named, said: "When I came to work at about 6.15am there were three fire engines and a police car blocking the top of the street.

"More police came later and taped off both sides of the road. I drive past the building two or three times a day and never notice anyone going in or out."

A resident, who has lived in the area for 18 years, said: "I didn't expect anything like this. I'm surprised to hear it. I haven't noticed anything suspicious going on."

Another resident said:"I walk past the building regularly, but I couldn't smell anything."

Another, who also asked not to be named, said: "It makes you wonder, this is normally such a quiet part of the city, but I suppose you just never know."

Kash Jethwa, who runs Ray London garment manufacturers in Newbridge Street, said: "The building has been empty for about five years, it's a busy area for people coming and going, but there was nothing to catch your eye."

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called by the fire service at 5.40am. The road was closed but no evacuation was necessary as the buildings in the immediate area are commercial premises.

"Once inside, officers discovered 1,000 cannabis plants which have been taken away and will be destroyed.

"No arrests have been made.

"It is a large, empty factory. We are trying to make contact with the owner who is abroad. It's believed electrics used to grow the plants had blown."

A Star Trek fanatic Anthony Alleyne who turned his flat into a replica of the Starship Enterprise has been jailed for child pornography offences.

Divorced Alleyne (60) spent "thousands of man hours" transforming his home into a shrine to the sci-fi programme.

However, he became lonely, isolated and depressed – which led to him accessing more than 5,000 sickening images of youngsters being abused, Leicester Crown Court heard.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said that on September 4 last year, police received information which resulted in them raiding Alleyne's home in Granville Gardens, Hinckley.

Miss Rose said: "His whole flat was decked out as the Starship Enterprise."

Alleyne refused to give police his online passwords for his seized computer equipment.

He later deleted all the content from another device.

However, experts were still able to analyse his illegal internet activity.

The court heard when interviewed for a pre-sentence report, Alleyne said the possibility of him going to prison was "ridiculous" and remarked: "What's the world coming to?"

Paul Tubb, mitigating, told the judge: "My client's words weren't the most sensible."

Alleyne admitted 10 counts of downloading 5,083 indecent images of children, between January 2010 and September 2012.

They relate to 1,400 at level one, the least serious level, 269 at level two, 979 at level three, 2,256 at level four and 99 in the most serious category, level five.

Alleyne also admitted 10 counts of distributing 135 images at all levels to at least one other person, between April and November 2011.

He also admitted two counts of possessing extreme pornography involving bestiality.

Sentencing Alleyne to two years and 10 months in prison, Judge Philip Head said: "Without people like you consuming such material, there would be no market for it and poor desperate children wouldn't be treated in that way by depraved people.

"You've no real regret, save for being caught."

Mr Tubb said Alleyne, single since his divorce in 1995, was too ill with depression to work for 17 years.

He spent "thousands of hours" transforming his flat.

His main contact with the outside world was through his computer and he initially "inadvertently" downloaded illegal images.

Mr Tubb said: "He sees his arrest as a positive step and it has made him change direction, including getting employment."

Alleyne will have to enlist on a sex offenders register for life.

He was made the subject of a 10-year sexual offences prevention order restricting his computer use, which will be monitored by the authorities.

Alleyne began transforming his flat when his marriage broke down, spending tens of thousands of pounds on it.

In 2003, he put it up for sale on the American eBay website for £1.25 million, but it failed to sell.

Leicester Tigers centre Anthony Allen admits Worcester will bring an air of the unknown to Welford Road tomorrow.

The reigning champions kick of the defence of their title against a Warriors side that slumped at an alarming rate last season and only just avoided relegation.

That performance sparked a raft of changes in the Warriors set-up with players leaving and head coach Richard Hill losing his job.

Former Gloucester man Dean Ryan has taken charge and, although Allen worked closely with the 47-year-old during their time together at Worcester, he says it is hard to predict what sort of tactics the Warriors will bring with them.

"They have good ball carriers and a good pack too but it is hard to tell what sort of game they will bring," said Allen.

"Will they play conservatively or will they chuck it around a bit?

"One thing for sure is that the team's discipline is of paramount importance for a Ryan team. He will bring more structure to their game.

"The couple of years that Dean has had out of the game (working for Sky Sports) will have helped him and he has always been good at getting players ready for the big games.

"It might take some time for his plans to bed down at Worcester, with new coaches and players, but I have always thought they would be a useful underdog this season.

"It's a potential banana skin, so we will be treating it like they are a top-four team."

Allen's return to fitness from a summer knee operation has been a huge boost for a Leicester side that are reeling under an incredible early-season injury list.

The club's vice-captain though believes the strength of Tigers' squad has got them through many a sticky situation in the past and tomorrow will be no different.

"Injuries are part of the game but the depth is fantastic at this club," said Allen.

"It's important for us to get off to a winning start because it gives everyone momentum and it is never easy to defend a title.

"There are a few sore bodies around but there are enough good players to get us off to a winning start."

Leicester Tigers have received a late injury boost ahead of the opening game in the defence of their Aviva Premiership title.

British & Irish Lions duo Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs both looked likely to miss tomorrow's game against Worcester with nerve damage to their shoulders.

But both have recovered in time to make the bench in a 23-man squad that includes all six of Tigers' triumphant Lions stars with Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Geoff Parling and Tom Croft all starting in the pack.

Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill had hit out at the Lions management after claiming Youngs and Tuilagi had continued playing with injuries on tour in Australia.

Cockerill had said it was "very frustrating" that he was going into the clash unsure of whether the key duo were going to be fit.

So their inclusion will come as great relief to Cockerill, whose squad has already been marred with injuries, especially in the backs.

Scott Hamilton has a small tear in his hamstring, while Matt Smith has broken and dislocated his thumb.

Mat Tait and Miles Benjamin are still not fit after undergoing surgery.

New signing Gonzalo Camacho is away with Argentina, while Sam Harrison is out with a back problem.

There are also four new faces in the squad for tomorrow.

Half-backs David Mele and Ryan Lamb are both in the starting line-up and will make their club debuts at No.9 and No.10 respectively, while Neil Briggs and Owen Williams are named among the replacements.

Cockerill, who is banned from any match-day involvement with the squad, said while he is disappointed to have so many players out, he still feels they have enough quality to win.

"I am obviously disappointed that so many guys are missing and all at the same time," said Cockerill.

"We just have to do our best to get them back as soon as we can.

"Until then, we will get on with it and we can still put a good side out.

"If we play as well as we can, there is no doubt that we can win.

"The team we have named is full of very good players."

With club captain Toby Flood hospitalised after the pre-season match against Ulster last week, Louis Deacon will lead out the team in his 250th appearance for the club.

There is set to be excitement both on and off the pitch with the Red Arrows, the RAF aerobatics team, set to make an appearance with a fly-past at 1.25pm.

A much-loved toy shop is set to disappear from the city centre, the latest victim of intense competition from online and supermarket rivals.

Dominoes Toys yesterday lost its struggle to stay afloat after suffering heavy financial losses.

The business, which has gone into administration, has been put up for sale.

However, owner Steve Sansom said the business was unlikely to find a buyer within the two-week deadline given by the administrators.

More than half of the store's 28 staff were made redundant yesterday.

Mr Sansom said the remaining staff, including himself, were likely to be made redundant within two weeks.

"Yes, there's a chance someone could come in and buy it," he said. "But I have done everything I can do, so it's not very likely.

"I've been like King Canute, but I couldn't hold back the tide any longer."

Two years ago, Dominoes, in High Street, was named best independent toy store in Britain at the Toy Industry Awards. It is the biggest independent toy store in the Midlands.

Mr Sansom, whose father, Leonard, founded the business 30 years ago, said: "It's simply not sustainable in the current economic climate to have a shop that sells 60 per cent of its products in the three months leading up to Christmas.

"At the same time, you've got supermarkets able to offer half price and three-for-two sales and online operators who are cheaper.

"I've had a very difficult two years. I've been up in the middle of the night, not sleeping."

In recent years, the store upgraded its online arm and even completed a tie-up with internet giant Amazon. However, the business was too small to compete, said Mr Sansom.

He said that in a bid to keep the company afloat, he and wife Yvette, the firm's human resources manager, took a 40 per cent wage cut and he had put his own money into the business. At the same time, the shop halved in size.

"It's got more and more competitive," said Mr Sansom.

"We just couldn't reduce the prices any further, so the best thing was to do this now.

"Even if we had continued until Christmas, we'd have ended up doing this in January. We thought the run-up to Christmas would be a better time for our staff to find jobs."

One of the 18 staff made redundant yesterday included Mr Sansom's daughter, Charlotte, 18, a part-time sales assistant. His son Duncan, 20, is also an employee.

Administrator Tyrone Courtman, a partner at accountants Cooper Parry, in Leicester, said: "It's a very sad day.

"In the past couple of years, the business has lost in excess of £1 million and in the past four to five months it has lost in the order of £150,000."

Sports store Withers Intersport and the Crumblin' Cookie cafe, which are based in the same building as Dominoes, are unaffected by the administration because the property is owned by a separate company.

Steve Brett, owner of Withers Intersport, which relocated from Market Street last year, said: "I'm in a state of shock.

"This will be a big blow to everybody in the vicinity."

Keith Cooper, vice-chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses' Leicester branch, said: "This is a major blow to the city. Independent stores are going to struggle because of the way retail is changing."

Martin Traynor, chief executive of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is sad news for both the Sansom family and the employees."