Councillors are unhappy that promised road signs warning motorists of ducks using a village pool have been dropped.

Burbage Parish Council says the local ducks near the Horsepool, in Church Street, will have to continue dodging drivers.

The county's highways authority claims there aren't enough ducks to justify the expense and that more road signs would clutter the road.

The parish council says duck families take up residence on the Horsepool and, at least in the summer nesting season, are incautious when the youngsters go walkabout.

After one recent collision, a duck was left with a broken wing.

It was rescued and is now being cared for, but will never fly in the wild again.

Highways bosses maintain the route isn't heavily used by through traffic, which is disputed by the parish council. And anyway, say the county experts, signs picturing a duck family waddling over the road probably wouldn't do much to save the feathers from flying and would only distract drivers.

The county councillor for the area, Keith Lynch, who also sits on the parish council, said he had a positive response when he first asked County Hall bosses for signs.

He said: "I had an e-mail from officers saying it was not a problem. But, in June, I had another e-mail saying that, in effect, they wouldn't be putting them up because of the cost involved, saying it would clutter the area with signs and because there were hardly any ducks there.

"Admittedly, the issue is mainly around the spring and summer when the ducks are there and you often see a column of ducklings wandering down the road."

Coun Lynch checked and found just two road signs near the Horsepool, one 20 yards away and the other 40 yards away.

He said: "But when I e-mailed them again in November, they said the same thing and added that there was no guarantee motorists would pay attention to the signs

"The parish council has even offered to pay for the signs and I asked what it would cost if the county council supplied and fitted the signs.

"It's a very silly situation and I can't believe the bureaucratic nonsense behind the refusal."

A county council spokesman said: "We are under a lot of pressure from the Government and others to reduce signs clutter and are resisting signs that serve no purpose, no matter who pays for them. There is no evidence that these ducks crossing present a hazard to traffic or that people will take any notice of the signs and therefore do not believe that they should be added to the street scene."

Kasper Schmeichel believes there is no cause for concern after Leicester City suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season last week.

The goalkeeper also said everyone in the City camp is relishing a trio of terrific fixtures coming up.

City suffered defeats at Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton, and now face the top two in the Championship – Burnley and QPR.

There is also a visit from Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup in the space of just eight days.

Schmeichel believes City will soon return to winning ways and said the players were feeling positive ahead of the fixtures.

"Some people are getting a bit bogged down with things," said Schmeichel.

"Being a point off top spot is a good position. If anyone had said we would be going into the Christmas period being one point off the leaders, we would have bitten their hand off.

"We are still in a great position and we have some great games coming up that everyone is buzzing for.

"Everyone knows we didn't play well at Brighton and there is no point dressing that up, but we were a little unlucky at Sheffield Wednesday.

"Their keeper made some really good saves and had a really good game. On another day, he doesn't save those and we win.

"We have been finding ways to win this season and that is a good strength of ours.

"We have been grinding out wins and we will get back to that, I am sure."

Manager Nigel Pearson had promised to "liven up" his squad in training and Schmeichel said he had been true to his word.

"He is a good manager for that sort of thing," he added. "When things need to be sharpened up he is good at shaking it up.

"We had a really tough session on Tuesday and everyone worked hard, then we went on the hospital visits trying to put smiles on people's faces and it was a really good day.

"These types of games are what we play football for. We have eight days of great games coming up and everyone is looking forward to it.

"We have put ourselves in a really good position to make these three games big matches. We haven't really done badly except for last week."

Schmeichel added: "We have looked very solid and we have been grinding out wins we may not have picked up last season.

"These two league games are great for us."

The death of a 14-month-old boy who swallowed a battery prompted a change in the way pre-school age children are examined in Leicester's hospitals, an inquest heard.

Wsam Noorwali died from internal bleeding on August 19 last year, nine hours after being taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary by his parents, who had found him vomiting blood at the family home.

The three-volt disc battery had corroded an artery wall, causing the fatal haemorrhage.

However, it was not until a post-mortem examination was carried out that the battery, the size of a two pence piece, was discovered in the boy's stomach.

Giving evidence at Leicester Town Hall, yesterday, Timothy Coates, professor in emergency care at the hospital, said: "Because of the high impact of this case, we now do an X-ray of all pre-school age children who present with vomiting blood, regardless of the suspected cause."

He also alerted emergency clinicians across the NHS through national professional bodies.

Wsam, of Hamilton, Leicester, was first assessed by acute care trainee Dr Thomas Wright in accident and emergency at about 10.30pm on August 18, before being moved to the hospital's children's ward after consultation with Prof Coates.

His condition at first improved, but at 2.30am and again at 4am he suffered further bouts of vomiting blood.

With his condition deteriorating, Wsam was transferred to the children's intensive care unit and underwent two blood transfusions.

By that point, however, doctors said he was too weak for emergency surgery.

When Wsam's heart stopped they were unable to revive him and he died an hour later, at just after 7am.

Dr Wright said initial tests in A&E had indicated Wsam had an elevated heart rate but he was in no obvious distress.

"He was on his father's lap and playing, he was not crying," he said.

Further observations and tests failed to identify the cause of the vomiting blood.

Paediatric doctor Sarah Clarke, who was involved in Wsam's care on the ward, said tests did reveal "elevated urea" levels in the blood which could have been caused by "dehydration" or "internal bleeding". But she told the inquest that apart from when medical staff had tried to take blood from the child and he become distressed, he had appeared "settled" and his general demeanour and was "calm", even after the first bout of vomiting on the ward.

Earlier this week, dad Ammar, told the inquest he had repeatedly told medical staff that he was convinced his son had swallowed something.

He said that from the outset he had also pleaded with them to take an X-ray or investigate by putting a small camera down Wsam's throat – but to no avail.

Dr Wright said: "I have no recollection of having any discussion about him swallowing a foreign object, or of a request for an X-ray.

"I would have remembered if that had been the case."

Dr Clarke said she was also unaware of any such conversations with either Wsam's father or mother.

Prof Coates said medical staff had followed established procedures in place at the time to investigate the cause of Wsam's symptoms given the information available to them.

Earlier in the week the boy's parents said they had not seen him swallow anything, but he was prone to putting things in his mouth.

They believed Wsam could have swallowed the battery at the nursery he attended, but nursery owner James Stafford said that would not have been possible.

The inquest continues.

Triumph Motorcycles has sold more than 50,000 bikes in a year for the first time since the brand's rebirth three decades ago.

The Hinckley company, bought out of liquidation in 1983 by builder John Bloor, shifted 52,089 bikes in its last financial year, up from 48,957 in the previous 12 months.

The 111-year-old marque also made a record turnover of £368 million for the year to June 30, up 7.6 per cent on the previous 12 months.

However, Triumph made a £95,000 operating loss in the same period, down from a £15 million operating profit.

Bosses blamed the deficit on foreign currency changes and the cost of setting up major operations in India and Brazil.

They said sales from the firm's three Thailand factories totalled £225.5 million, accounting for 61 per cent of Triumph's overall turnover. It was previously 54 per cent.

The proportion of bikes sold outside the UK rose from 84.9 per cent to 85.8 per cent.

The company retained its title as the UK's leading big bike manufacturer.

The marque sells 24 models, including the Bonneville and Street Triple.

A Triumph spokesman said the operating loss was in line with expectations.

"Triumph Motorcycles has achieved a record turnover, reflecting a rise in unit sales," he said. "During the 12 months to November, the company's global share of the 500cc and above market has increased to 6 per cent from 5.7 per cent.

"In the UK, Triumph has continued to maintain its market position as the UK's top seller of motorcycles in the 500cc and above market in 2013, retaining a 20 per cent market share.

"The marque has also captured a 3.4 per cent share in Brazil in its first year trading in the 500cc and above market."

Triumph's latest financial figures were revealed in documents filed with Companies' House by Bloor Holdings, of Measham, which owns both Triumph and house-builder Bloor Homes.

The house-building business made an operating profit of £38 million for the year to June 30, up 19 per cent.

Turnover was £378 million, up from £373 million.

A 5 per cent rise in house prices helped offset a 5.1 per cent fall in the number of houses built, which totalled 1,908.

Triumph opened an assembly plant in Brazil this year and has just opened a plant in Manesar, in the north Indian state of Haryana.

The motorcycle maker, founded in Coventry in the late 19th century, plans to enter more emerging markets, including China and Indonesia.

More 11-year-olds in the city are getting good results in key subjects than ever before.

Figures released today by the Department for Education show in Leicester, 75 per cent of pupils are achieving the appropriate level for their age in reading, writing and maths.

That is an increase of four points on last year, when the figure was 71 per cent.

The figures are based on the proportion of pupils who hit the required level – level four – or above in their Sats tests in the three subjects.

In Leicestershire, 74 per cent of pupils achieved the appropriate level this year, compared to 76 per cent in 2012.

The percentage of youngsters nationally whose results in the three subjects hit the mark is 75 per cent.

The news of Leicester's success has delighted education bosses at the city council.

Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for schools, said: "It's fantastic to see our results for the city continue to improve year on year.

"We are now firmly in line with national levels of achievement and the strong partnership between city schools and the local authority puts us in an excellent position to continue to improve upon that."

At Slater Primary, in Leicester's Frog Island, where 100 per cent of youngsters achieved level four in the key subjects, there was cause for celebration.

Its results put the school, which was only lifted out of special measures in February last year, in top place in the city.

Head teacher Cheryl Henderson has been credited with turning it around but was unavailable to comment.

Taylor Road Primary, in St Matthew's, where pupils speak more than 50 different languages, was also among the city's top schools, with 92 per cent of pupils reaching the benchmark.

Head teacher Chris Hassall said: "We maintain our good results year after year, despite being in one of the most disadvantaged areas. We couldn't do it without our high quality staff, parental support, and our highly motivated children.

"So my question is, if we can do it, why can't other schools?"

At Charnwood Primary, off Humberstone Road, Leicester, 90 per cent of youngsters achieved the benchmark, putting it in the city's top 10.

Head teacher Alli Bahadur said: "We were rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2009 and have maintained our high standards. I have the fullest admiration for our staff, who work extremely hard.

"The school has a great ethos and communicates well with parents and governors."

The Sats tests, which also include science and English, are largely carried out by external assessment. Science and writing are by teacher assessment.

In recent years, the Government has introduced a grammar, punctuation and spelling test.

Despite more pupils getting good results overall, there was a rise in the number of schools which failed to hit the Government benchmark of 60 per cent of pupils reaching level four in their reading, writing and maths tests.

In Leicester, 11 schools were below the threshold, compared to three last year. Northfield House Primary, in Northfields, was ranked lowest with 33 per cent of pupils reaching the benchmark.

In Leicestershire, 12 schools were below the threshold, compared to four last year. Among these was Shelthorpe Primary, in Loughborough, where 27 per cent reached the standard.

Burton-on-the-Wolds Primary, in Loughborough, along with Hallaton Church of England Primary, in Market Harborough, were among the county's successes, with every 11-year-old at both schools achieving the benchmark.

A spokesman for the county council said: "Four of the 12 schools below 60 per cent are academies, but we are working with them to raise standards.

"Overall, performance in reading, writing and maths has remained relatively stable and is our strongest performance, along with the grammar, punctuation and spelling test."

Leicester City Council has spent £6,000 hiring celebrities to appear at events, it has emerged.

The authority has revealed a list of public figures it has paid over the past three years to host, compere or perform at its functions.

They include children's television presenter Floella Benjamin and ex-Hollyoaks actor Jeremy Edwards.

Former BBC weatherman, singer and presenter Des Coleman was hired five times.

X factor contestants MK1, Apprentice hopeful Melody Hossaini and basketball player Cory McGee were also taken on for events.

A Freedom of Information inquiry prompted the council to release some details of celebrity appearances but it declined to say how much each individual was paid per event.

The authority did, however, say the cost of hiring them for eight functions was about £6,000.

The Leicester City Council-funded appearances were largely at awards ceremonies, such as the annual Celebrating Success events to recognise the achievements of children in care.

A city council spokesman said: "Seven were awards ceremonies to celebrate the achievements of Leicester's looked-after children.

"Celebrities are brought on board as presenters, comperes, guest speakers and performers – and co-present and perform alongside with our looked after children.

"This helps ensure events are memorable and inspiring occasions for the young people taking part.

"The city council organises these annual events as part of our corporate parenting responsibility."

The council said Floella Benjamin, now Baroness Benjamin - a Liberal Democrat peer, visited Leicester as part of Black History Month in October.

She gave talks at Highfields library and to classes of children from nearby Uplands Junior and Bridge Primary schools.

The city council spokesman said: "It would not be appropriate to release the amount paid to individuals, as this is personal and commercially sensitive information.

"However, we can confirm the overall cost for all eight appearances listed – which covers three years – was in the region of £6,000."

In October, Kasabian appeared at a city centre event staged by the council to see off the ultimately unsuccessful document bidding for the Leicester to be crowned UK City of Culture 2017. The band was not paid.

Similar Freedom of Information requests were submitted to other authorities.

Responses revealed Nottingham City Council had not spent anything hiring celebrities since May 2010, while Derby City Council spent £8,500.

That included £2,350 to former Pop Idol contestant Gareth Gates to switch on the city's Christmas lights in 2011.

In Leicester, that task is traditionally performed by the city's lord mayor as part of his ceremonial duties.