Swimming lessons are set to undergo a revolution

Hermitage and Hood Park leisure centres, in Whitwick and Ashby respectively, will be adopting a new way of teaching people how to swim.

From September 27, children attending the North West Leicestershire Swim Academy will benefit from a new approach to learning.

They will be taught using the Amateur Swim Associations National Plan, which allows them to progress much quicker, rather than wait until the end of their 12-week course.

The change will also see youngsters get the chance to learn synchronized swimming and life-saving.

Councillor Alison Smith, deputy leader of the district council, said: "We're very excited about our new swim academy, with its excellent learning programme and improved technology, making things much better for the children learning to swim and the parents when monitoring progress, booking and paying."

For details, call the Hermitage on 01530 811215 or Hood Park on 01530 412181.

Youngsters about to pick up their GCSE and A-level results are being advised to contact Connexions Leicester City if they need advice.

The service, at 16 New Walk, will be providing a dedicated exam results advice service to help 16 and 18-year-olds decide their next move.

A-level results are released on August 14, with GCSEs a week later.

Connexions advisers will be on hand to help pupils reconsider their options for university if their results are not what they had hoped for.

Alternatively, students who have exceeded expectations may want help in submitting last-minute applications for courses they thought were out of their reach.

GCSE pupils can get help with sixth-form courses, apprenticeships, traineeships and other programmes.

Advisers will be on hand both at the Connexions centre and at some schools.

Connexions can be contacted on 0116 454 1770 from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, or in person, from 9am to 3.30pm.

Families can find out more about improving their health at a series of roadshows.

They are being hosted by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, which is responsible for mental and community health services, and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.

There will be fun activities, free health checks and leisure passes, as well as information and advice.

Amanda Measom, from the trust's health and wellbeing service, said: "I would encourage anyone living in or near Oadby and Wigston to come along to a Well Family Clinic.

"From the three-minute step test to cooking demonstrations, from stress tests to free health checks, it will be a great way for the whole family to learn more about improving their health. We will also be giving away fruit kebabs and leisure centre passes."

The events will include information about Change 4 Life, healthy eating, physical activity and weight management, stopping smoking, alcohol awareness, stress and mental wellbeing, Age UK, dementia, social inclusion, children's centre information and library services.

The roadshows will be held on Friday, August 22, at Brocks Hill Country Park, Oadby, from 10am to 4pm; Wednesday, August 27, at Oadby Community Centre from 10am to 4pm; and on Thursday, September 4, at Parklands Primary School, South Wigston, from 3pm to 6.30pm.

County Hall is to get £160,000 from the Government for projects to improve transport and tackle congestion.

The Department of Transport (DfT) grant to Leicestershire County Council will be used in Hinckley and Coalville to upgrade bus stops and install signs giving live service information to passengers.

Some of the cash will be used to provide mopeds that can be loaned to jobless people to help them get to interviews.

The DfT says £109,000 will go to Hinckley projects and £51,000 to Coalville schemes.

The cash comes from a £900,000 pot of Government cash being shared by a number of councils.

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said: "We're serious about making transport better for the environment, whether that is by cutting carbon or improving air quality.

"Encouraging more people to cycle or use public transport makes sense for local economies, because it reduces congestion and improves public health.

"That's why we're providing record levels of funding for communities wanting to make their transport networks cleaner and greener."

Leicestershire booked their place in the semi-finals of the Second XI Trophy with a crushing 102-run win over Yorkshire at Barnsley.

The victory also ensured the Foxes will have a home tie in the last four with the game pencilled in for August 26.

Skipper Rob Taylor led from the front as he put in excellent performances with both bat and ball.

He smacked 90 from 85 deliveries, including four sixes, as County made 258 in 48.4 overs. Aadil Ali added 51 and Neil Pinner 48 to give the visitors a solid-looking total.

Taylor then took his turn with the ball, returning figures of 3-38 as the White Rose men were skittled for 156 in 41.5 overs.

Fellow-seamer Alex Wyatt also had a productive day as he claimed 3-49, while there were a couple of wickets for Ollie Freckingham.

Leicestershire face Glamorgan in Cardiff on Monday as they round off their group matches, but they have already done enough to secure top spot with seven wins from their first eight games.

After 15 years at the helm, Professor Sir Robert Burgess is bowing out of his role at the University of Leicester.

The vice-chancellor, 67, says his retirement comes at a watershed moment in terms of completed projects and the publication of research results soon, and just "felt right".

He says he will miss the "energy, enthusiasm, and vibrant university community" the most, but will still have a foot in the door of higher education.

Professor Burgess will continue as chairman of the group implementing Higher Education Achievement reports, a system for recording students' achievement alongside their degree certificate, along with his position as chairman of NatCen, the largest independent social research agency.

He will also chair the debate to change degree classes to an average point grade system and has accepted a position as patron of the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation.

Professor Burgess said he was leaving Leicester in a "healthy position" but said balancing the books for any university was one of the biggest challenges.

"When I first took on the job I thought the university had great potential, but I also thought it was punching below its weight," he said. "I set out to make sure everything we did, we did to the highest quality, so our institutions were areas for enhancement. I also set out to make sure we had a campus that looked good and staff and students were proud of.

"I wanted to open it up more and engage with the community through short courses, art exhibitions and our botanic gardens.

"It's not good enough to be known internationally for your expertise and to sing its praises at that level, when someone down the road in Oadby, doesn't know about it. I think the external judgments of the university show how well we've done – through the prizes, awards and accolades we've achieved.

"When I started, Leicester was in the middle of the league tables, now we're regularly in the top 20 in the UK and top 2 per cent in the world.''

Professor Burgess said the highlight of his time at Leicester had been raising the university's "self-confidence" and the legacy of major achievements, including the study of local history, hyper tension in medicine, mass communication in social science, DNA fingerprinting techniques, space science research and, of course, the discovery of King Richard III beneath a city centre car park.

"This year, three of our staff received national teaching fellowships – the highest accolade you can achieve for teaching. To have three out of the whole of the UK is testament to the quality of our staff.''

He also praised other members of staff. "Everyone here makes the university what it is, from the gardeners who keep our estate looking pristine, to our chefs who have won awards for their cuisine."

Professor Burgess, who was senior pro vice-chancellor at Warwick University before taking on his role at Leicester, said he had seen many changes in higher education, but the largest shift by far was the introduction of course fees of £9,000.

He said: "It changed the finances of all universities with over half of our income now generated by fees."

Professor Burgess said students had a right to high expectations in university facilities and that's why the university had invested in its estate, from a £32 million new library, £16 million refurbishment of the students' union, and £12.5 million in a cardiovascular research institute based at Glenfield Hospital, among others.

Professor Burgess will officially step down on September 30.

City Cricketers are the first winners of the Everards League T20 Shield.

They gained contrasting victories in their two matches on finals day at Leicester Ivanhoe.

Their semi-final was a tense contest as they chased University Staff of Leicester's total of 119-7.

Gauvrav Suraj, who hit 54 not out, clinched a three- wicket victory with a six in the final over.

Leicestershire Teachers & Mossdale beat Appleby Magna by the same margin in the other semi-final as they chased down a target of 134.

Hitansu Lal scored 66 in the final, guiding City Cricketers to 191-5 and they restricted Teachers to 152-3 in reply.

The winners have been having a fine season and are on course for promotion from Division Nine West, although they suffered their first league defeat of the season, by three wickets against Market Bosworth, on the day before the final.

That dropped them to second place, three points behind Leicester Lions, but 38 points clear of the pack with four matches to play.

Many of their players are from the Belgrave area of Leicester but their home matches are played at the Derby Road Playing Fields, Loughborough.

Secretary Mohan Patel said that was because they were unable to find a suitable venue in the city.

He added of the win: "This means a lot to the club and to the young players at the club."

Leicester City are champing at the bit to get back into action on home soil, says midfielder Andy King.

The last time City ran out at the King Power Stadium it ended with them lifting the Championship trophy in a carnival atmosphere.

Today, they face Werder Bremen in their final pre-season friendly and King said the players cannot wait to play in front of a home crowd again and were relishing the kick-off of the Premier League season a week today against Everton.

"As you get closer to the start of the season, the anticipation builds because it is something we have worked so hard for during the last few seasons, going close a couple of times," he said.

"To finally do it now, we are champing at the bit to get going and very excited.

"It will be interesting, and nice to get back and play in front of the fans again.

"I am sure it has been a long summer for them and they are looking forward to getting back into the action. We can't wait to get going again as well."

Facing a German club side will be a new experience for King, but he knows what to expect having played against the national under-19 side for Wales and he said it will be a stern test for City, both physically and technically.

"I played against Germany Under-19s for Wales and they were a bit too good for us," he said.

"This will be the first time I have faced a league team and German football is buoyant at the moment after they won the World Cup.

"They are always fit, strong and efficient, so it will be a good test for us.

"They had a good result last week against Chelsea which we have looked at.

"Competition for places is strong and we know this is our last chance to impress the manager and convince him to start us against Everton."

Leicester City Council will review how it places elderly people in private care homes after the arrests of four staff members at an establishment with which they had a contract.

The council paid for 21 residents to be looked after in Fosse Court, in Fosse Road North, but moved them out last month when police launched an investigation into reports of alleged ill-treatment.

The council is looking to see if any lessons can be learned from the matter.

When they meet on Thursday, councillors are to be briefed on what happened at the home and told about the proposed review.

A council spokesman said: "Leicester has a well-established safeguarding adults board, with an independent chair.

"As with any cases of this nature, it has been agreed that a full review will be undertaken.

"The timing of this is still to be agreed, pending the completion of the police investigation."

Leicestershire Police have said all four arrested members of staff – women aged 46, 47, 54 and 61 – remain on bail pending further investigations.

After the council removed the residents, home managers chose to close it down entirely but accused the authority and the care watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), of applying inappropriate pressure to the business following a recent inspection.

At the time, a spokeswoman for the home said: "As a responsible care provider, we have taken the very difficult decision to close Fosse Court.

"We do not believe there is an alternative course of action due to the overreaction and inappropriate pressure applied to the home by Leicester City Council and the CQC, which 42 days ago found the home to be compliant with most of the regulations inspected.

"The high standards of care we demand cannot be delivered while the concerns raised are looked into and a police investigation is ongoing.

"We have not taken this decision lightly as the welfare of our residents is paramount but we firmly believe this is the right thing to do.

"The home remains registered with the CQC and decisions will be taken by the provider on the reconfiguration and future path of Fosse Court.

"The decision to close Fosse Court was solely that of the provider."

A council report says the CQC took the decision to de-register the home on July 2, after the authority decided to terminate its contract with Fosse Court.

It said: "Clearly, this was a distressing time for the residents and their relatives.

"However, all residents were able to move to a home that would meet their needs, in some cases as an interim measure."

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has said he may spring a few selection surprises for today's final pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen.

City face the Bundesliga side at the King Power Stadium (3.0) just a week before the kick-off of their Premier League campaign against Everton.

But Pearson said he would not be using the fixture as a dress-rehearsal for the Toffees.

The Blue Army will look at how City line up against Bremen to see if there are any clues to the likely starting XI and the formation Pearson will adopt against Everton, but he warned they may be disappointed.

City have used different formations and combinations during pre-season and, while it is widely expected they will eventually adopt a 4-2-3-1 system in the Premier League, both sides that were fielded at MK Dons and Rotherham this week lined up in 4-4-2 formation.

Pearson will definitely be without defender Matt Upson today, who has missed nearly all of pre-season with a foot injury, while City will assess the fitness of striker Jamie Vardy (thigh) and winger Anthony Knockaert (ankle).

"People may think it is a dress-rehearsal but I may try something different," said Pearson.

"I will wait to see what type of condition the players are in after the games at MK Dons and Rotherham."

Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare was equally evasive about City's approach.

"We will discuss the team and then people can read into it what they like," he said earlier this week. "The players don't know how we are going to line up.

"I think it is fair to say we will start with four at the back but what formation in front of that we will wait and see.

"But it will be nice to be back on home soil. The last time we were at the King Power Stadium we were lifting the Championship trophy."

Bremen finished a disappointing 12th in the Bundesliga last season and manager Robin Dutt will be looking for an improvement.

They have injury concerns over striker Franco Di Santo, who will definitely miss today's game.

The Argentine picked up the injury in a friendly against Hannover on Wednesday, which Bremen lost.

Leicester City's first-ever encounter against German opposition was quite an illuminating affair.

City took on Dorussia Dortmund on October 23, 1957, in a fixture which was used to officially inaugarate the new floodlights at Filbert Street.

City would go on to face German opposition more than 30 times since that first encounter.

Willie Gardiner scored City's winner on that occasion to ensure the fans went home happy.

But Dortmund were to get their revenge in Germany less than a year later, in August 1958, with a 2-1 win, James Walsh scoring City's goal.

Just three months before, City had taken on German amatuer side TUS Neuendorf, with Walsh again scoring in a 1-1 draw.

German opposition were proving to be regular tests for City as they faced Dortmund for a third time on October 29, 1958, and this time it was Joe O'Neill who scored twice in a 2-2 draw at Filbert Street.

City first faced Werder Bremen just a couple of months after England had famously beaten West Germany at Wembley to be crowd world champions, in 1966.

City continued the English dominance, putting Werder to the sword on August 13, 1966, in Bremen.

City ran out 3-1 winners with the goals coming from Mike Stringfellow, Bobby Roberts and John Sinclair.

In May 1967, City took on Bremen again, this time at Filbert Street, and Sinclair and Dominic Sharkey were on target in a 2-2 draw.

City have faced Hannover 96, Hannover SV, Hertha Berlin, Karlsruher, Saarbrucken, FC Nurnberg, Stuttgart, Eintracht Braunschweig, Schalke 04, Kaiserslautern and Borussia Monchengladbach over the years. The last time they took on German opposition on home soil was against Monchengladbach on August 6, 1992, when Alan Smith scored a consolation in a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Foals.

The game was also notable for David Lowe – who had just been signed – suffering a depressed fracture of the cheekbone.

It has been nearly 20 years since City faced German opposition.

They embarked on a tour of Germany in 1995 when they beat Eidar-Oberstein and Einbacht, drew with SSV Rantlingen and lost to FC Nurnberg.

City's record against German opposition reads: Home P10, W7, D2, L1; Away P25, W14, D5 L6.

The family of a 56-year-old woman say they rushed to her hospital bedside after being told she was dying – only to discover she was already dead when the call was made.

Cheryl Bacon said she received a call from Leicester Royal Infirmary at 6.06am on February 28 telling her she needed to get to the hospital quickly as her mother, Karen Bacon, had taken a turn for the worse.

However, when she arrived at the hospital 15 minutes later she discovered Mrs Bacon had died.

Ms Cheryl Bacon said she was later told that her mother had died at 6am.

Ms Bacon, of Bale Road, Northfields, Leicester, said she and her family felt they had been denied the chance to say a final farewell.

Ms Bacon, 35, said: "I promised my mother I would be there when she passed away.

"When I got the call to say she was fading fast I got to the hospital as soon as I could.

"I could not believe it when they told me she was already dead. I feel like I have let her down badly."

Ms Bacon said her mother was told she had terminal lung cancer on New Year's Eve.

She said: "We knew she only had 12 months or less to live but she fought on.

"She went into Leicester Royal Infirmary on February 21 as she was coughing up blood. She was in a lot of pain.

"I was with her on February 27 and left at about 9.30pm. I think the hospital could have kept me better informed of her condition."

Carole Ribbins, director of nursing at Leicester's Hospitals said: "We take every opportunity to be as open and honest as possible when delivering bad news, with an ultimate aim to be as sensitive to the care needs and emotions of not only the patient, but also their relatives.

"As part of national training, nurses are advised to deliver bad news face-to-face where possible. However, we continue to review this and offer advanced three-day communications training to our nurses with Loros, specifically around end-of-life care.

"We would like to send condolences to Cheryl and her family for the loss of Karen and welcome the opportunity to discuss her mother's care in person."

Last week we told how Sandra Vernon, who lives on the Saffron Lane estate, said her brother received a call at 2.22am from Leicester Royal Infirmary telling the family that their mother, Gertrude Walker, 93, did not have long to live.

When they arrived at the hospital learned their mother had died at 1.30am.

Today's visit of Werder Bremen may be billed as Leicester City's final warm-up game of pre-season, but defender Ritchie De Laet has vowed that the players will not be treating it as a friendly.

City are unbeaten in pre-season, with Bremen their final fixture before the Premier League kicks off a week today against Everton.

De Laet said it was important that City carried their winning momentum from last season's title success and pre-season into next week's curtain-raiser.

He also warned the German side that the City players know they are competing for starting places against Everton and will be holding nothing back this afternoon.

"There is no such thing as a friendly any more and you can't hold anything back," said the Belgian right-back.

"We are playing for our places as well. There is competition for every position so you have to play well in all these games. That doesn't make it friendly.

"We just want to keep that winning mentality as well and, although it is classed as a friendly, we want to win every game."

The last time City were at the King Power Stadium they were lifting the Championship trophy, and De Laet said they were looking forward to performing on home soil again.

"It is going to be great to see the fans again and I am sure they will be excited to see us in action again against a very good team," he said.

"They are a good team. They beat Chelsea 3-0 (last weekend) but you can't read too much into that. It is going to be a challenge but one we are all looking forward to."

De Laet is expected to be a key man for City this season and he has been pleased with how his preparations have gone.

"Pre-season has gone well for me," he said. "We have been away a couple of times and training has gone great.

"The games have gone well and now we have all had a 90 minutes, which was great.

"We feel ready for the season ahead and can't wait to get started."

Ever since the end of last season, Leicester City fans have been waiting for that one top-quality, head-turning signing to truly announce to the rest of the Premier League that they mean business.

Esteban Cambiasso certainly would fit the bill.

The 33-year-old has played for River Plate, Real Madrid and Inter Milan – three of the world's biggest clubs.

He has played for some of the top coaches in the world, such as Jose Mourinho, and with some of the best players on the planet.

He has won the Argentinian title with River Plate.

In Spain, he lifted the Spanish title, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid

During his decade at the San Siro with Inter, he won the Italian title five times, the Coppa Italia four times, the Supercoppa Italiana four times, the Champions League and the Fifa Club World Cup.

In short, he is a winner. Of course, he will not come cheap, even though he is now a free agent.

But the midfielder's experience would be invaluable and the impact he could have on the likes of Matty James, Danny Drinkwater and Andy King could stand City in good stead for years to come.

There is no question that City have a squad packed with young, exciting players who showed their potential during last season's Championship title success.

They have the ability to make the step up to the Premier League but, in the top flight, ability alone is not going to be enough.

They need the knowledge, the experience and tactical awareness to stay in tough, tight games if they are to take vital points.

Lose your head in the Premier League and you lose the game.

Cambiasso is a cool customer, calm in possession and an intelligent passer of the ball.

It was Cambiasso who was instrumental in Argentina's famous 24-touch goal, both during the build-up and applying the finish, in the 2006 World Cup against Serbia.

Cambiasso could play a vital role as City's midfield anchor and playmaker, shielding the back four and allowing the more forward-thinking players the licence to attack.

Not since Roberto Mancini's brief but memorable stint in a City shirt has a player with such a huge reputation and distinguished record been signed by the club.

Cambiasso's impact could be huge. He could make all the difference for City.

Leicester City are attempting to thrash out a deal to sign Esteban Cambiasso.

City officials are locked in talks with the Argentinian midfielder's representatives over a possible Bosman move to the King Power Stadium after he left Inter Milan.

The Mercury understands City are in the mix to sign the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan central midfielder, but the 33-year-old's situation is also being monitored by other clubs after his 10 trophy-laden years at the San Siro.

Other Premier League clubs and several European clubs, as well as his first club River Plate, have expressed an interest in signing Cambiasso, who has been capped 50 times by Argentina.

Cambiasso is reportedly keen on remaining in Europe and, having never played in England, a move to the Premier League is his preferred option.

To be successful, City will have to make Cambiasso the highest-paid player at the club and, at the very least, on a par with their current highest earners.

Cambiasso would be City's highest-profile signing since Roberto Mancini in 2001.

City boss Nigel Pearson has previously said he would not rule out a marquee signing.

"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, and whether deals are doable," he said earlier in pre-season.

"Our strategy will always be trying to add the right players at the right time. We will add the right players when the opportunity presents itself."

City, who play Werder Bremen at the King Power Stadium today (3.0) in the final game of pre-season, have already signed Leonardo Ulloa for a club-record fee of £8million, but the signing of Cambiasso would be seen as a major coup.

City have also brought in goalkeeper Ben Hamer, defender Matt Upson and midfielder Marc Albrighton this summer.

A prisoner held a razor to the throat of a fellow inmate, holding him hostage in a terrifying two-hour ordeal.

Nathan Batt (19) seized hold of the other prisoner in his cell at Glen Parva Young Offender Institution and told him: "If you try anything funny or move, I'll cut your throat."

During a hearing at Leicester Crown Court, Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said: "Batt held him in a headlock.

"In his other hand he held a razor, stuck on the end of a toothbrush, to his throat.

"He was very aggressive and the inmate believed the threat to kill him would be carried out.

He tried to grab the blade, but cut his thumb.

The defendant remained in the victim's cell, holding the blade to his throat, and demanded prison officers, who rushed in, to leave immediately.

They did because they thought their presence would make it worse for the inmate.

"They continued negotiations for about two hours, all the time while the victim was bent backwards, being gripped around the neck with the blade at his neck, until the incident came to an end."

The 19-year-old victim was treated to a cut on his neck, needing butterfly stitches, and to a minor cut to his thumb.

Batt admitted making a threat to kill on July 23 last year.

He also admitted witness intimidation towards one of the prison officers.

He said: "If you give evidence you're dead, and if I don't do it, one of my boys will."

Batt committed the offence because he wanted to move to a different institution to be closer to his relatives, who live in the north, so he could receive visits, the court heard.

He was given a two-year-and-eight-month detention sentence, to run consecutively to a term of three years and four-months for a robbery in Leeds.

Judge Robert Brown said: "It's a serious matter to use violence in a custodial institution. Prison officers have a very difficult job to do and are also vulnerable."

Helen Chapman, mitigating, said: "It was an act of foolishness. He'd been transferred to Glen Parva, which was too far for his family to travel, particularly his grandfather, who was ill.

"He had tried the appropriate channels to seek a transfer and nothing happened, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.

"He never intended to cause the inmate harm. He has now been moved to the north and he's been able to have visits."

Work on a £4 million revamp of Leicester's Belgrave Circle is now set to run into the new year.

Council bosses had originally hoped to have the scheme, which began with the demolition of the 1970s flyover, complete by October, but now it is expected to take until March.

However, they have said work will be stopped in October to allow the annual Diwali celebrations to take place.

The project is being entirely funded by Sainsbury's as part of a deal that saw the supermarket giant granted permission to relocate from its Belgrave store to a bigger outlet in Rushey Mead.

The council's head of highways, Martin Fletcher, admitted the project had taken "a little bit longer" than anticipated.

He said: "When the flyover was finished, we took stock. We decided to add some extra capacity and put in additional lanes.

"Belgrave Circle is not only a major traffic junction but also a major utilities junction.

"We have major sewers going out of Leicester to Wanlip. We have gas and water mains together with high-voltage electricity and telecommunications cables. It has been complicated."

Concerns have been raised that Diwali celebrations will take place in a building site, but Mr Fletcher said the works in the footprint of the flyover, on the main carriageway, would be complete by then.

Work will stop on October 10 for the Diwali lights switch-on, starting again on October 13.

There will be a further break from noon on October 22 until October 27 for the Diwali Day celebrations.

Mr Fletcher said: "There will be a bit of safety fencing around, but by the time Diwali arrives we will have new lighting columns down to the circle island in place carrying Diwali decorations. It will look great.

There will be some lane restrictions during the work, at times reducing to one lane in either direction, but there are no planned road closures. All work will take place between about 7.30am and 5.30pm.

After Diwali, the remaining work will be carried out at Belgrave Gate, to the south of Belgrave Circle.

This will include the creation of car parking, some alterations to footways on the Abbey Park Street side of Belgrave Circle and work on the central reservation to the south of the old flyover.

Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "This is a major project which is vastly improving this part of Belgrave and reconnecting the Golden Mile to the rest of the city.

"This latest stage of work will be done with the same attention to detail as the removal of the flyover earlier this year, where careful traffic management and planning helped it run smoothly with the minimum of disruption to motorists.

"The Diwali celebrations on the Golden Mile in October are among the best in the world, so we will ensure the majority of the works are complete by then, so that the festivities can take place as normal.

"The remaining works will then be completed afterwards and the entire project completed by spring 2015.

"We are very grateful to the businesses and residents in the area near the works for bearing with us, and can assure them the end result will be worth the wait."

Nearly a dozen residents have still been unable to return to their homes after a massive factory fire.

Damage from Thursday's fire on the corner of Woodbridge Road and Melton Road, in Belgrave, Leicester, meant people were forced to stay with their families for another night, until their homes are declared safe.

Firefighters were tackling the blaze from 7am on Thursday and did not leave the scene until 1pm yesterday.

Rajander Desai, who lives opposite the four-storey factory, which housed several businesses, said he did not even have time to collect his false teeth when police told him to evacuate his home.

"Everything is in my house – all of my clothes, belongings and my teeth," said the 61-year-old. "I haven't been allowed to go in and get anything."

Mr Desai stayed in a city centre hotel on Thursday night and was planning to stay with his daughter last night.

Puspha Mistry, 74, who lives in a rented flat opposite the factory, has been staying with her son since the fire.

"I'm still in shock," she said. "I don't know when I'll be allowed back in."

Ms Mistry said when she looked out of her window on Thursday morning all she could see was fire.

Her landlord, Josh Ramji, owns Josh's Hair and Beauty, on the ground floor.

Ms Ramji said she had been forced to board up the windows of the business.

She did not yet know when she would be able to reopen.

"All of the windows of the flats and business are shattered. It's devastating," she said.

Majid Kassam, whose family owns Sizzling Grill House, in Melton Road, said the front of the restaurant was "destroyed".

"All of the windows are smashed but we can't go and see what's happened," he said.

Shiraz Mulla, whose partner owns New Holok Chinese take-away, in Melton Road, said he felt "helpless".

"All of our things are in the restaurant, our laptops and mobile phones, because we had to just leave them in there when the police told us to get out," he said.

"We have no idea when we will be allowed back in."

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes on Thursday.

Dozens took refuge at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, with many staying there until 10pm on Thursday night.

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "I will be working with Leicester City Council to ensure the damage is repaired as soon as possible so people can go back to their homes and businesses. It is essential disruption to people's lives is kept to a minimum."

Mr Vaz has advised anybody who has been affected by the fire to contact him, if necessary. His constituency office number is 0116 246 0163.

Melton Road remained closed yesterday. Police said it could reopen at any point over the weekend or Monday.

A police spokeswoman said the remaining residents would be able to return home when their properties ere safe.

Fire crews were damping down hotspots at the scene until 1pm yesterday while the remainder of the building was demolished.

A spokesman from Leicestershire Fire Service said firefighters were returning to check on the scene every two hours.

Nearly a dozen residents have still been unable to return to their homes after a massive factory fire.

Damage from Thursday's fire on the corner of Woodbridge Road and Melton Road, in Belgrave, Leicester, meant people were forced to stay with their families for another night, until their homes are declared safe.

Firefighters were tackling the blaze from 7am on Thursday and did not leave the scene until 1pm yesterday.

Rajander Desai, who lives opposite the four-storey factory, which housed several businesses, said he did not even have time to collect his false teeth when police told him to evacuate his home.

"Everything is in my house – all of my clothes, belongings and my teeth," said the 61-year-old. "I haven't been allowed to go in and get anything."

Mr Desai stayed in a city centre hotel on Thursday night and was planning to stay with his daughter last night.

Puspha Mistry, 74, who lives in a rented flat opposite the factory, has been staying with her son since the fire.

"I'm still in shock," she said. "I don't know when I'll be allowed back in."

Ms Mistry said when she looked out of her window on Thursday morning all she could see was fire.

Her landlord, Josh Ramji, owns Josh's Hair and Beauty, on the ground floor.

Ms Ramji said she had been forced to board up the windows of the business.

She did not yet know when she would be able to reopen.

"All of the windows of the flats and business are shattered. It's devastating," she said.

Majid Kassam, whose family owns Sizzling Grill House, in Melton Road, said the front of the restaurant was "destroyed".

"All of the windows are smashed but we can't go and see what's happened," he said.

Shiraz Mulla, whose partner owns New Holok Chinese take-away, in Melton Road, said he felt "helpless".

"All of our things are in the restaurant, our laptops and mobile phones, because we had to just leave them in there when the police told us to get out," he said.

"We have no idea when we will be allowed back in."

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes on Thursday.

Dozens took refuge at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, with many staying there until 10pm on Thursday night.

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "I will be working with Leicester City Council to ensure the damage is repaired as soon as possible so people can go back to their homes and businesses. It is essential disruption to people's lives is kept to a minimum."

Mr Vaz has advised anybody who has been affected by the fire to contact him, if necessary. His constituency office number is 0116 246 0163.

Melton Road remained closed yesterday. Police said it could reopen at any point over the weekend or Monday.

A police spokeswoman said the remaining residents would be able to return home when their properties ere safe.

Fire crews were damping down hotspots at the scene until 1pm yesterday while the remainder of the building was demolished.

A spokesman from Leicestershire Fire Service said firefighters were returning to check on the scene every two hours.