Inside Football: Pearson says Leicester will not waste owners' money
Chew silly dog! Emergency surgery for Jack Russell who swallowed plastic mouse, a pebble and peach stone
Charlie, the Jack Russell, has always had a strange taste for weird objects – but after his latest meal, he might be going back to plain old dog food.
Over the years, the 10-year-old pooch has chewed on nails, swallowed crisp packets and attempted to devour rubber balls.
But when he gobbled up a plastic mouse, a pebble and a peach stone on top of each other, it proved too much.
Charlie is now recovering after having emergency surgery to remove the unusual snacks.
Owner Paul Moore, 45, from Leicester, said: "Charlie suddenly went off his food and was bringing up what little he did eat. He really was not himself.
"I was so worried I contacted the PDSA in Leicester.
"They X-rayed him and found out what he had gulped down.
"They immediately rushed him into surgery and removed a peach stone, a plastic mouse and a pebble from his stomach."
Mr Moore said he would be taking action to stop Charlie chewing on things he shouldn't.
"It did cross our minds Charlie might have got his paws on something as he always tries to eat things that take his fancy," he said. "I have had to wrestle peach stones and pebbles out of his mouth before.
"He has chewed on nails, nuts and bolts and swallowed empty crisp packets. He has chewed on large rubber balls trying to eat them.
"We're really grateful to the PDSA for saving Charlie's life. He's a big part of our family and we'd be lost without him.
"We'll be keeping an even closer eye on him now. In future, Charlie will be wearing a muzzle when we go out to stop him eating things he shouldn't."
PDSA nurse Harriet Goulden, who works in the hospital off Hinckley Road, said: "An X-ray showed a pebble was lodged in his small intestine.
"Emergency surgery was carried out to remove the pebble, but vets were stunned to discover a peach stone and a plastic toy mouse inside him, too.
"If left for just a few days longer, it would have been fatal."
Harriet said they often treated dogs that had eaten odd things, such as socks and children's toys.
"But this case was rare in that a collection of objects had built up inside Charlie," she said.
Harriet said Mr Moore's swift action saved Charlie's life.
Leicester PDSA PetAid hospital provides free veterinary care for sick and injured pets of people in need.
Last year, the charity's vets and nurses in Leicester cared for more than 125 pets a day at a cost of nearly £1 million.
The charity receives no Government or lottery funding and relies on donations from supporters and the public. For more information about the charity, visit:
www.pdsa.org.uk
Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson will not rule out marquee signing
Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has not ruled out making a marquee signing this summer.
However, the City boss said reports the club are prepared to spend big in the Premier League are untrue.
Reports emanating from Thailand in May quoted owner and chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha as telling a press conference in Bangkok he wanted City to be challenging in the top six of the Premier League within three years, and that it would require an investment of £180million.
Pearson was also at the conference and said the reports were not true, and he was in no rush to spend big this summer.
So far, City have brought in three new faces in goalkeeper Ben Hamer, defender Matt Upson and midfielder Marc Albrighton, all on free transfers.
But Pearson said he could bring in two more this summer and would not rule out paying a big transfer fee.
City have had three bids rejected for Brighton striker Leonardo Ulloa, with the south coast club slapping a £10million price tag on their Argentine forward.
"Clearly for us the goal is to ensure that we can be competitive in the Premier League," said Pearson.
"To do that, you have to invest money and we have invested money.
"It may not always be as visible to people as they may like, but we will continue to do business in a way which we feel is right for us.
"That means if players are available that we feel are right for us, I know we have the ability to achieve a certain amount of success in that regard.
"I keep hearing about stories on how much money we have to spend, and there has been some real rubbish written about us and how much money we are going to throw at it.
"I was at the press conference and sat next to the owners. When they saw the transcript of what was quoted, they were as mystified as I was.
"We will invest our money into the squad in the way we always have.
"We have had one or two targets we have missed out on, but we have not broadcast that. One or two of those players may have cost us some money.
"The money won't burn a hole in our pockets. We will add the right players when the opportunity presents itself.
"I am not going to rule out us signing either a marquee player or a player who is going to cost us a lot of money, but it depends on the circumstances and the availability."
Public sector strikes: Mass preparations for multi-union action rally
Hundreds of public workers take to the streets of Leicester on Thursday joining a mass rally protesting changes to their pension, pay,and working hours.
Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Unison, GMB, Unite, Public and Commercial Services Union, and Fire Brigades Union will march from King Street at 11.45am towards Horsefair Street, on to Halford Street and Charles Street, taking in the new City Hall before ending up at Town Hall Square for for a rally.
Dozens of schools are expected to close or be partially shut throughout the city and county, while many council services are expected to be hit, including libraries, leisure centres, housing offices and museums.
Gary Garner, Leicester's Unison branch secretary, said: "We expect council services across Leicestershire to be disrupted as we take action with trade union colleagues. Our members educate our children and young people, look after our vulnerable people and save lives, but their pay has effectively been cut and that isn't fair.
"We'll be picketing numbers of council buildings such as schools, depots, children's centres and centrally located buildings."
Firefighters will strike from 10am and 7pm with a reduced service to deal with emergencies.
Ian Leaver, assistant secretary for Leicester's NUT branch said: "We're expecting most schools in the city to be shut or partially shut.
"We welcome the opportunity to take this strike alongside union colleagues who are facing the full force of the Government's austerity measures."
He added that some schools had already organised trips for the penultimate day of term, under circumstances where it had not been possible to alter these events, Leicester NUT has advised members that they may go into work as normal, but donate pay to the NUT's hardship fund.
Broughton Astley resident Martin Lee has two children, aged 13 and 11, who would normally be attending school.
He said: "I agree with the sentiment of the strike. They're doing it for all of us.
"It's an inconvenience for me because I have children at school, but I think this Government is woeful."
Philip Warrington, 75, from Sileby, said: "I support the strike. I think it's about taking the fight to the Government. The cost of living is going up and wages going down."
Councillor Byron Rhodes, deputy leader for Leicestershire County Council, said: "While we recognise staff have only had one pay award in the last four years, we're disappointed that Unison has decided to strike against the national pay offer of one per cent.
"This offer recognises the difficult budget situation facing Leicestershire and other councils, as a higher figure could lead to more service cuts.
"As always, our priority will be keeping essential services running for vulnerable people."
A message on Leicester City Council's website says: "Due to the planned industrial action, many of our services will not be operating as usual.
"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and are working to minimise disruption and run services whenever possible."
School closure list for Leicester and LeicestershireCity schools which will be closed by the strike action tomorrow:
Barley Croft Primary, Beaumont Leys; Buswells Lodge, Beaumont Leys; Caldecote Primary, Braunstone; Catherine Infants, Belgrave; Crown Hills, Spinney Hills; Dovelands Primary, Western Park; Fosse Primary, Woodgate; Heatherbrook Primary, Beaumont Leys; Inglehurst Infants and Junior schools, Newfoundpool; Judgemeadow Community College, Evington; Madani Girls and Boys schools, Evington Valley Road; Medway Primary, Stoneygate; Mellor Community Primary, Belgrave; New College, New Parks; Rushey Mead School, Rushey Mead; St Barnabas, Spinney Hills; St John the Baptist, Clarendon Park; St Paul's, Evington; Uplands Infants, Highfields; Wyvern Primary, Rushey Mead.
City schools partially closed:
Abbey Primary, Belgrave; Alderman Richard Hallam, Beaumont Leys; Beaumont Leys School, Beaumont Leys; Catherine Junior, Belgrave; Coleman Primary, Spinney Hills, Evington Valley, Evington; Folville Junior, Braunstone; Forest Lodge Primary, Hamilton Community College, Hamilton; New Parks; Glebelands Primary, Beaumont Leys; Green Lane Infants, Spinney Hills; Highfields Primary, Highfields; Imperial Avenue, Braunstone; King Richard III Infants, West End; Merrydale Infants, Humberstone; Millgate School, Knighton Fields; Mowmacre Hill Primary, Tedworth Green; Northfield House, Northfields; Shenton Primary, Spinney Hills; Soar Valley College; St Mary's Fields, Rowley Fields; The Lancaster School; Wolsey House Primary, Beaumont Leys.
County schools closed:
Birchwood Special School, Melton; Richard Hill Primary, Thurcaston; St Denys Infants, Ibstock.
County schools partially closed:
Newbold Verdon Primary, Newbold Verdon; Hind Leys Community College, Loughborough; St Margaret's Primary, Stoke Golding.
For more details on closures across the city and county, visit the Mercury website:
www.leicestermercury.co.uk
Madeleine McCann's kidnapper 'could strike again', say parents Kate and Gerry
Kate and Gerry McCann have said they fear Madeleine's kidnapper may "strike again".
The couple spoke to reporters after delivering personal statements at Lisbon's Palace of Justice as part of a libel case against former police chief Goncalo Amaral.
Mr Amaral made claims about their role in the disappearance of their daughter from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.
Mr McCann yesterday told reporters outside the court that the abductor "may strike again". He said: "There's an unsolved serious crime and there's a series of other crimes against children who have been on holiday, which have come to light, so at the very least these people need to be brought to justice."
The couple earlier told the court Mr Amaral's claims had done "severe damage" to their search for Madeleine.
Answering questions from judge Maria Emilia Castro during the hearing, Mrs McCann said their young son, Sean, had asked her about the allegations.
"Sean asked me in October, 'Mr Amaral said you hid Madeleine'. I just said he said a lot of silly things," she said.
Sean and his twin sister, Amelie, were just two when Madeleine went missing.
Mrs McCann said the couple made efforts to keep information about the abduction away from the twins.
"We try to anticipate if there is going to be any media coverage so they don't get any shocks and are prepared and confident to handle it," she told the court. "It is very distressing to us as adults so for a child it would be very distressing."
She also told the court the children were now old enough to use computers at school and home and had to be supervised.
The couple told the court former detective Mr Amaral's claims "enhanced" their "vilification" at the hands of those who questioned whether Madeleine had been abducted.
Mrs McCann, 46, said it had "added fuel to the fire".
Her husband told the court one group distributed a leaflet entitled 60 Reasons Why Madeleine McCann Was Not Abducted around their village and to their neighbours in Leicestershire.
Mr Amaral, who led the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, released his book, The Truth Of The Lie, three days after the case was closed in 2008.
"We have had many sleepless nights over this book and... it caused distress and a lack of appetite," Mr McCann said.
A date for the next stage of the hearing is yet to be set.
Teenager attacked for challenging man who urinated on war memorial
Police are searching for a man who attacked a teenager after he challenged him for urinating on a war memorial.
The man, thought to be aged 35 to 40, was caught committing the offence on the memorial in Ratby Road, Groby.
The victim, who is 18, challenged the man, pointing out that the memorial is to those who lost their lives in conflicts.
The man then turned on the youngster and assaulted him, leaving him with a split lip and bruising to his head.
Groby Parish Council created the area earlier this summer to honour the war dead and to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.
Jim Coley, chairman of the parish council, said: "We put flowers, crosses and a plaque there as a mark of respect.
"It is very sad that someone would urinate on it. The reaction to being asked to stop makes a bad thing even worse. I hope the young man concerned is okay and that the police find the man who did this to him.
"The village's police officer knows this community very well, including the element which would be capable of this kind of crime."
Neil Clapham, secretary of Groby Ex-Servicemen's Club, also condemned the man and praised the teenager.
The Leicester Road club's own memorial is the focus of the village's annual remembrance service.
Mr Clapham said: "For a teenager to challenge an older man for urinating on a war memorial shows that the young haven't forgotten that so many people gave their lives for us.
"If he wants to come into the club and make himself known to us he can have a drink on me.
"The man who urinated on the memorial and attacked the lad can have no excuse for what he did. I hope he now realises what he has done and is full of remorse.
"I hope he is caught and named and shamed."
The incident happened at 12.30am on Saturday, June 28. Police released details yesterday and urged the public to help them trace the man.
Pc Kevin Kelly, who is investigating the incident, said: "We are interested in hearing from anyone who may have witnessed the attack or anyone who recognises the suspect from the description."
The attacker is white, aged 35 to 40, and is about 6ft 2ins tall. He was described as muscular and has black hair. Police believe he lives locally.
Anyone with information should contact Pc Kelly on 101, or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.
Traffic and travel updates for Leicester and Leicestershire
9.15am: The A46 has been re-opened after the earlier accident south of the Six Hills turn.
7.40am: The southbound side of the A46 is closed at Six Hills, after an accident near to the Thrussington turn.
7am: No reported incidents on the main routes and motorways in Leicester and Leicestershire.
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 for Leicester and Leicestershire
CONTACT NEWSDESK: Send us your news and pictures. Tweet us @Leicester_Merc or email newsdesk@leicestermercury.co.uk
Parts of Leicester's new £2.5 million Cathedral Gardens closed off to the public again
Sections of Leicester's recently opened Cathedral Gardens have been fenced off to the public again "for safety and insurance reasons" after it was officially opened at the weekend.
The new £2.5 million public gardens were unveiled by city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby and Bishop of Leicester Rt Rev Tim Stevens on Saturday with the occasion marked by a weekend of activities.
However visitors hoping to have a look round the new public space on Monday afternoon found the fences back up and the workmen back on site.
Parts of the gardens were open yesterday though sections were again closed off because the work had not finished.
A Leicester City Council spokeswoman said: "The contractors need to work in certain areas, but part of the gardens are open and people are using them and walking through them.
"Over the next couple of weeks they will close sections whilst they work on areas, for site safety and insurance reasons."
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Van driver airlifted to hospital after crash in Thrussington
A van driver has been airlifted to hospital after a car crash in Thrussington.
Firefighters were called to an accident in Fosse Way, outside the Rafee Hotel, just after 7am this morning.
A car and van had collided and both vehicles were in a ditch, with the van on its roof.
Firefighters released a man who was trapped in the van. He was suffering with injuries to his shoulder.
A spokesman from Leicester Fire Service said that the man was then taken to Queens Medical Centre, in Nottingham, by air ambulance.
No information about the condition of the patient has yet been released.
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Leicester City striker David Nugent signs new two-year contract
Leicester City striker David Nugent has committed his future to the club by signing a new two-year contract.
The 29-year-old will form part of Nigel Pearson's squad for this season's Premier League campaign after finally putting pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the King Power Stadium until 2016.
Contract talks between the club and Nugent's representatives have been described as "ongoing" for weeks after it was believed the former England striker had been holding out for a three-year deal.
Nugent said he was "delighted" to have finally signed his new contract. "I'm really looking forward to testing myself with the rest of the squad in the best league in the world," he said.
"Last season was the best of my career in terms of goals and assists, but I wouldn't have managed it without the lads around me so I'm really pleased the squad has been kept together. I think we have got a great chance of doing well in the Premier League."
Nugent was the club's leading goalscorer last season as City romped to the Championship title, netting 22 goals in all competitions and breaking the 20-goal barrier in the league for the first time in his career.
"David's contribution to the squad goes a lot further than the goals he scores or the assists he provides," said City boss Pearson.
"He's a striker that works incredibly hard for the team and helps us to set a tempo that other teams found difficult to cope with last season.
"He's a hugely popular, infectious character in the dressing room and a really important part of this group, so I'm delighted that he'll be staying with us in the Premier League."
Nugent is the last of City's out-of-contract players to sign new deals, following in the footsteps of Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, Marcin Wasilewski and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, while Danny Drinkwater and Matty James have also extended their stay at the King Power Stadium.
Richard III tomb preparation work due to start at Leicester Cathedral next month
Work to prepare Leicester Cathedral for re-interment of King Richard III will start next month.
Senior clergy have appointed Huntingdon-based firm FWA Conservation as main contractor for the job of readying the cathedral to take the mortal remains of the last Plantagenet monarch next Spring.
The work is due to begin at the beginning of August and continue until late January to reorder the east end of the historic building to create a special place of honour for the King's tomb.
That work will not include the tomb itself, which will be managed by a separate contract but overall the projects will cost some £2.5 million.
Dean of Leicester The Very Revd David Monteith said: "This month we have completed the gardens outside the cathedral.
"Now work can begin in earnest to prepare the interior of this special place to provide the permanent resting place of Britain's last Plantagenet King.
"We're delighted to be working with a firm of the experience and calibre of FWA to make that happen."
The cathedral will remain open throughout the works, but the east end will be sealed with a special partition allowing works to be carried out securely and with the minimum of disruption to prayer and running of the building.
FWA has previously worked on royal palaces, Ely Cathedral, Birmingham Cathedral, Chatsworth House and Audley End House.
Conservation director Matt Webster said: "To be working at Leicester Cathedral and fully appreciating its fabric and those who worked on it in the past is as poignant as being part of its future, particularly with the unique events surrounding the internment of Richard III."
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Two taken to hospital after crash closes A47 near Uppingham
One person had to be airlifted to hospital after a two-car crash on the A47 near Uppingham this afternoon.
Fire crews had to free the injured person from their vehicle before they were taken away.
A person in the other car was also injured and taken to hospital in a land ambulance.
A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "We were called to a collision at 2.45pm on the A47 between Uppingham and Moorcott.
"Crews from Uppingham and Oakham attended and we had to extricate a trapped person from one of the vehicles."
She said the casualty was airlifted to hospital and a second casualty was also taken to hospital.
The extent of their injuries is not known.
The fire service then made the vehicles safe.
But the A47 was closed both ways between A6003 and A6121 Stamford Road was for several hours.
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House builder Barratt sees profits double to £390m
House builder Barratt said annual profits have doubled to about £390 million on the back of strong customer demand.
The company, based in Bardon, near Coalville, was helped by a 44.7 per cent surge in sales to £1.2 billion in the year to June 30.
The group, which owns David Wilson Homes, announced its average selling price had risen by 13 per cent to £220,000, reflecting a shift towards the higher end of the market.
Barratt said it completed 14,838 sales over the period, up 8.6 per cent on last year.
Chief executive Mark Clare said: "The market remains positive with strong demand for new homes across the country."
House builders such as Barratt are benefiting from the multi- billion-pound Government-backed Help To Buy scheme, which allows people to buy a newly-built home with a five per cent deposit.
Mr Clare has previously said about a quarter of the £1.26 billion worth of orders received by Barratt in the second half of 2013 were via Help To Buy.
Barratt directly employs about 430 people in Leicestershire, but also uses many sub-contractors.