Leicestershire police boss in row over with county council over cash
Inquest into death of London Marathon runner Claire Squires
Lorry driver from Leicester dies after crash near Worksop in Nottinghamshire
Police have named him as Barry Hulbert.
Mr Hulbert, 56, was driving towards the town at around 6.50am when his vehicle left the road near to the roundabout junction with the Wilkinson depot entrance.
He was taken to Bassetlaw District Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
No other vehicle was involved and no one else was hurt.
Loughborough University science park expansion could create thousands of jobs
Three men in court over attempted robbery of NatWest in Lutterworth
Transfer window updates: January 30 morning
Leicestershire woman Claire Squires who died during London Marathon had taken supplement she bought online, inquest told
Claire Squires, 30, from Great Bowden, near Market Harborough, collapsed and died a mile from the finish line last April.
She had bought a supplement called Jack3D containing a substance called DMAA, which increases the heart rate, Southwark Coroner's Court, in London, was told. Her boyfriend, Simon Van Herrewege, told the hearing Claire put the supplement, which was "like strong caffeine", in her water bottle during the marathon.
Pathologist Dr John Van der Walt, who conducted the post mortem examination, concluded that "acute cardiac failure due to extreme physical exertion complicated by the presence of DMAA was the cause of death". Claire, a hairdresser, aimed to raise £500 for Samaritans but the total surged to more than £1.1m on news of her death.
She was one of 80 people running in support of the charity and had been a keen fundraiser for Samaritans in support of her mother, Cilla, who has been a volunteer with the organisation for the past 24 years.
The charity has since worked with Miss Squires' mother to develop The Claire Squires Fund - a programme of projects that reflect how she would have wanted the money to be used.
Friends and relatives have also set up the Squires Effect charity to aid people who need help.
The inquest continues.
Two more men arrested in connection with incident at Moghul Durbar restaurant, Leicester
Police have arrested two more people in connection with the disorder in a restaurant in East Park Road, Spinney Hills earlier this month.
Two men, aged 73 and 31-years-old, were arrested this morning, and are currently in police custody.
The incident of disorder happened at about 9pm on Monday January 14, when a large group of people smashed the windows at the Moghul Durbar restaurant. Once inside a number of people were assaulted and others were injured.
As a result six people were treated at Leicester Royal Infirmary for both minor and serious injuries.
In addition to the two arrested this morning, a further seven men, aged 20, 21, 24, 25, 25, 26 and 28, have been charged and appeared in court in connection with the incident.
They have all been charged with conspiracy to commit violent disorder and are due to appear at Leicester Crown Court on Friday February 1.
Local officers continue to work with community leaders and people living and working in the East Park Road area to offer reassurance.
Police are still urging people not to listen to rumours or get involved in speculation but to report any concerns to the police.
Woman injured in collision with car in Welland Park Road, Market Harborough
Best Valentine's Day gifts to buy in Market Harborough
With that in mind and taking into account that all the footwork has been done - Harborough men take note and look at our Valentine's Day picture gallery!
- Cakes: Gardeners Cakery is offering fabulous heart decorated cupcakes and a gorgeous two-tiered cake with a couple having fun a bubble bath.
- Underwear - The underwear at the Little Big Bra Shop is stunning – if you are brave enough and know what size your loved one is, the sets would make a wonderful present
- Jewellery - As you might expect, there is a vast choice of very pretty heart shaped jewellery at Halo and Staffans Jewellers and some quirky pieces available at Wistow Gallery.
- Artwork and Prints - Both Country Crafts and Wistow Gallery have a number of unusual and very attractive Valentine's Day themed prints on offer
- Flowers - You cannot go wrong with a beautiful bouquet of red roses from award winning florist No 10 - the ones in the big red bowl in our picture gallery are actually silk
- Homeware - Lavender Blue and Polka Dot have a good selection of mugs, jugs, picture frames, and Valentine cards
- Books - Waterstones has some Valentine themed novelty gifts and an amazing collection of love stories, from the classic to the comical. Thank you to Liz for the recommendations.
- Nik naks - There are some lovely paperweights, key rings, ribbons and cards available at Wistow Gallery and Lavender Blue.
Transfer window news: Charlton interested in Leicester City's Jeff Schlupp
Schlupp is currently training with Manchester United and Powell said if nothing came of it he would like to take Schlupp to the Valley.
"I hope it goes well for him, but if it doesn't there is another team in red that he can always wear the shirt of," said Powell.
"We will just have to wait and see on that one. I have kept a close eye on Jeff. He played when I took the development team (at Leicester).
"He played a number of times and you could see him as a player there."
House cordoned off by police in Beaconsfield Road, Leicester
Transfer window updates: January 30 afternoon
Taxing times for residents
A replacement for council tax benefit will be introduced in a district on April 1.
Blaby District Council has developed the scheme after the Government abolished council tax benefit and cut £460,000 from the amount the authority receives to help those on low incomes with home charges.
The changes are part of a wider raft of welfare reforms, which also include changes to the way housing benefit is calculated.
For the 5,385 claimants in Blaby district, it means anyone of working age will have to pay up to 8.5 per cent of their council tax bill.
Pensioners will not be affected by the changes.
Councillor John Hudson said: "The challenge we faced was to design a scheme that would support the most vulnerable members of the community, but also provide value for money and protect other services for all our residents.
"We have taken on board the views of our residents and key stakeholders and used this to help develop the new scheme.
"We understand the changes will not be easy for some and we will be offering help and support to those affected by this and other welfare reforms."
For more information, call 0116 272 7510 or visit:
www.blaby.gov.uk/ advice-and-benefits
Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court
Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:
Alifia Samiwala (36), of Uppingham Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to driving at 38mph in a 30mph zone, in Humberstone Road, Leicester, on May 20.
She was given three penalty points and fined £45.
Thomas Woodward (26), of Avenue Road, Ashby, was found guilty in his absence of driving while holding a mobile phone, on May 20,in Ashby.
He was fined £200, given three penalty points and ordered to pay £85 costs.
Jacob Natzel (19), of Fosse Close, Braunstone Town, pleaded guilty to burgling and taking a £400 television from a house in Upperton Road, Leicester, on November 23.
He was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and to pay £85 costs. He was given a 12-month community order.
Rajshibhai Odedra (38), of no fixed abode, admitted being drunk and disorderly in a public place on January 7.
He was fined £50.
Vladimir Daniel (48), of Woodgreen Road, Northfields, Leicester, was banned from driving for 18 months.
He pleaded guilty to driving while holding a mobile phone, without third party insurance and while disqualified, in Catherine Street, Leicester, on November 29.
He was placed on a year-long community order and told to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
Braunstone man Mehran Falsafi made threat to stab his neighbour after noisy moped row
A man threatened to stab a neighbour following a row over a noisy moped.
Leicester Magistrates' Court was told Mehran Falsafi (52), of Lubbesthorpe Road, Braunstone, took exception when a noisy moped was ridden without an exhaust pipe.
He believed a neighbour owned it and, on September 27, confronted and threatened to stab one of the women from the family.
He also told a man he wanted to fight him.
Prosecutor Liz Dodds said over the next few days, he shouted at the family that they "were bad people" and told them to watch their step.
On October 16, Falsafi was overheard by one of his victims and her 12-year-old child telling a shop assistant they were a "horrible family".
Falsafi was found guilty of three charges of harassment and four public order offences.
He was given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 costs.
He received a two-year restraining order preventing him from using threatening words or behaviour towards three members of the family.
Stephen Morris, for Falsafi, said he continued to believe the family was to blame.
£1m investment will improve life for cyclists in Leicester
Cyclists are to benefit from more than £1 million of investment in the city.
Leicester railway station – the scene of several bike thefts – will be getting secure storage for 200 bikes, as well as changing rooms, thanks to £600,000 from the £15 million Linking Local Communities Fund.
East Midlands Trains will also use the money to install new lockers and build a bike shop at the station to turn it into a "high-capacity bike hub" for passengers.
The same fund is giving £217,000 to Leicester City Council to improve cycle paths, including the Great Central Way. The council will also be putting in £200,000 from its own funds.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "Only this week I was talking about cycling priorities with Leicester Cycle Campaign Group, so this announcement couldn't have come at a better time.
"This cash will help us to fill some of the missing links in the city's cycle network and allow us to make significant improvements to the routes – widening cycle-ways where necessary, cutting back vegetation, improving surfaces and generally raising the standard.
"I am determined to do even more to make cycling attractive and safe in Leicester."
According to the city council, the number of people cycling each day in Leicester has doubled over the past five years to about 13,000.
However, the station has stands for only about 20 bikes and more can be seen each day chained to nearby railings.
Cyclist Jane Salt, 39, of Knighton, said it would be good to have more places for people to secure their bikes.
She said: "It's a nightmare at the moment. I use the station but I don't feel confident leaving my bike there – it's hard to find anything to lock it to. It seems a lot of money, though."
William Swinford, 22, of Braunstone, said: "It's getting a bit better at the station since they did all the work there – at least there's CCTV pointing at the bikes now. If they can do even more, that would be good."
John Smith, 24, also from Braunstone, is pleased more cash is being spent on bike tracks around the city.
He said: "I ride along the Great Central Way quite a bit and it's good they are going to make it better along there.
"It would be good if they could put jumps in – there's only one decent bike park in Leicester and I'd like them to spend more on that sort of thing."
Jonny Wiseman, route manager for East Midlands Trains said: "The funding is great news for passengers and will allow us to build even further on the improvements already made at Leicester station.
"We have been working closely with the city council and Network Rail on our plans for a cycle hub and look forward to developing this in further detail.
"East Midlands Trains has already invested heavily in cycle facilities across the route with introduction of hundreds of additional cycle spaces."
Political row 'holding up plan for food bank' on Gilmorton estate, Leicester
A community group says its efforts to set up a scheme to distribute food parcels on a deprived estate is being hampered by a row between councillors.
Gilmorton Development Group hopes to start a food bank on Aylestone's Gilmorton estate because they say families are struggling to meet the rising cost of living.
The group has applied for £500 from a £16,000 city council community fund for the area.
Aylestone's Liberal Democrat ward councillor, Nigel Porter, says he would be happy for the food bank to be set up but wants to see the latest accounts of the charity Fareshare Leicester, which would provide the food.
However, his fellow ward councillor, Labour's Adam Clarke, has accused him of resisting the scheme because it would look bad for the Government policies which he says are hitting the poorest people in the pocket.
The chairman of Gilmorton Development Group, Alan Potter, said: "Without the £500 we can't do the scheme. It will pay for the food to be transported to us for a year so we can give it out."
He said he was hoping for the £500 grant to be approved at the last Aylestone Community meeting last week, but a decision was deferred on the say of Coun Porter, who chaired the meeting.
Mr Potter said: "I get on with both Nigel and Adam but I think there is a bit of politics in this.
"I think Adam is putting pressure on Nigel and he has the backing of the mayor and the deputy mayor. I think that's why Nigel is digging his heels in on this.
"It's a shame because until it gets sorted out, people are going hungry.
"On our estate we only have a second-hand shop and a newsagents. It costs £8 return for a mum and a child to get the bus into town which is a lot and if people can't afford that they don't eat. That's why we need a food bank."
Coun Porter said: "I have no problem with a food bank, but it is a reasonable thing to do to see FareShare Leicester's audited accounts before it is agreed and I haven't.
"I have seen the accounts for FareShare nationally and they have lots of money, so why do they need £500 from us?"
He said he thought the national FareShare could fund it.
He added: "I also know that food banks have been set up in other wards without grants.
"It's Labour claptrap to say I am blocking this or against it."
Coun Clarke said: "I don't understand it.
"I've had several conversations with assistant mayors, the deputy mayor and am convinced we should be working with FareShare but my fellow councillor keeps moving the goalposts."
FareShare Leicester project co-ordinator Simone Connelly said: "We do want to help set up the Gilmorton food bank. If Coun Porter wants to come and see us and find out what we do we would welcome him with open arms and answer any questions he has."
She said they were connected with the national charity but not supported by them financially and were responsible for their own funds.
Red Nose Day Community Cash 2013: Comic Relief can put your group in the swim!
Arthritis sufferers say money given to their self-help charity by Comic Relief has had a huge impact on their health and quality of life.
Community Leicester Arthritis Self Help (Clash), in Birstall, was one of 59 organisations in the city, county and Rutland to benefit from a £50,000 Red Nose Community Cash Fund two years ago.
Now, the Leicester Mercury has teamed up with Comic Relief once more to give away grants of between £500 and £1,000.
With just six weeks to go until Red Nose Day 2013 on Friday, March 15, small charities and community organisations are again invited to apply for cash.
In 2011, Clash received £600 from the fund to pay for more than 100 members to travel to weekly hydrotherapy treatment sessions at Leicester's General Hospital.
Stella Bowley, 54, of Glenfield, who developed osteoarthritis in her 20s, said: "Hydrotherapy sessions are vital for my health and that of my fellow members.
"I walk using a stick, having had both knees and one hip replaced, but hydrotherapy, with the warm pool and water supporting my limbs, allows me to exercise freely once a week.
"It's the only real exercise I get and is so important to my daily life.
"It loosens you up for the rest of the week and I certainly know it when I miss a session.
"The pool we hire was based at the Infirmary but since its move to the General, it's harder to get to.
"The £600 we received to fund taxi fares and community transport when available was a godsend."
Margaret Green, one of the charity's fund-raisers, said: "The aim of our group is to live with our arthritis and not be ruled by it.
"Key factors include exercise and peer support and activities such as hydrotherapy and yoga make a real difference. Travel is not provided by the NHS but many of our members live in isolated, rural locations or cannot use public transport.
"Transport provision is the glue of our charity and with money from the fund we were able to introduce a transport project to support members and volunteers attend various activities, including hydrotherapy."
The charity, which spends £2,000 a year on transport, will be applying for further help from Red Nose Community Cash Fund this time around.
Applications will be decided by a panel which will include representatives from the Mercury, Comic Relief and Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation.
For more information on Clash, visit:
www.clashgroup.org.uk
Who, what and how to apply for Comic Relief cash Grants are between £500 and £1,000. Organisations need to be working with disadvantaged people or those living in deprived areas within Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. They must have an annual income of less than £50,000 (in the past year) and be run by local people. They also need to have been operating for at least 12 months. Registered charities and social enterprises qualify. Examples of the type of activities eligible, include: Parent and toddler groups. Lunch clubs. Volunteer and staff training. Community festivals. Equipment for youth groups or older people's groups. Dad and lads groups. Befriending for older, isolated people, and improving facilities for groups. For more details, visit: www.llrcommunityfoundation.org.ukLeicester Tigers won't risk big guns in crucial LV= Cup encounter against Llanelli Scarlets
Richard Cockerill has ruled out bringing in his big names to start Leicester Tigers' crunch LV= Cup pool game against Llanelli Scarlets.
Despite missing more than a dozen players to international duty, director of rugby Cockerill could name the likes of Marcos Ayerza, Anthony Allen, Louis Deacon, Julian Salvi and Matt Smith in his squad for Sunday's fixture at the Parc Y Scarlets.
Champions Tigers will face the Scarlets knowing that a win, coupled with a defeat for Sale at Wasps tomorrow, would book them a place in the semi-finals.
But the Aviva Premiership fixture against London Welsh next weekend has always been Cockerill's priority, and he says those players are vital towards the club's chances of remaining in the upper echelons of the league table.
"There are other guys available like Louis Deacon, Julian Salvi, Ant Allen and Matt Smith," he said.
"We could play them all but, if they get knocks, that puts us in the mire with selection the following week and we have to put our best side out against the Welsh because those games are massive for us.
"Those guys are really important for us going forward. I would be cursing myself if I played those guys and they were not fit for London Welsh after a six-day turnaround.
"Last season, we won the competition because of the depth of our squad and, if we do that again this year, it will be great."
Tigers will name their team for the trip to South Wales today, with many of the squad that beat Wasps at Welford Road last weekend, such as Dan Bowden and Michael Noone, likely to feature.
The Scarlets, meanwhile, have struggled throughout their LV= Cup and Rabo Direct Pro12 campaign.
They having nothing to play for but pride on Sunday and Cockerill thinks that situation will provide his team with a good test.
"The Scarlets have had a tough season and have had lots of injuries," he said.
"With their Welsh internationals and under-20s, they will be shorn of most of their best players but they will still play an expansive style.
"It will be a good test for us with the long journey and, with it being a Test weekend, there will be a bit of a muted atmosphere because there are more important things going on.
"It will be interesting to see how we react to that."
Former Tigers back-rower Craig Newby has become a coach at Cambridge in National League One.
The 33-year-old was forced to retire at the start of the season with persistent knee problems.
Newby said the position was "just the kind of thing he was looking for" and, despite Cambridge's lowly position in the table, the former All Black said all was not lost.
"It is not impossible to stay up," he said.