A kind-hearted five-year-old has donated all the money in her piggy bank to "help the poorly babies off the television".

Grace Hughes surprised her mum, Kaye, when she announced she wanted to donate the cash she had been saving for a toy to charity.

The girl from Woodgate, Leicester, insisted she wanted to donate all the money she had collected since her January birthday to Save the Children.

She even called the charity herself – with a bit of help from mum – to make the £10 donation.

"I wanted to do it because I saw people on the telly that were very poorly," said Grace, who learned about Save the Children through a television advert.

"The poorly babies were sad and had no money.

"I gave them £10.

"When they get the money, I think they will be able to buy lots of things.

"I was saving up the money for a toy.

"I got the money from my mummy."

The pupil at Christ the King School, in Western Park, Leicester, said she had been inspired by lessons at school about Easter.

"I learnt about the poorly children and I learnt that they don't have any money and we should be kind at Easter," she said.

Mum Kaye, 25, said she was proud of Grace's generosity. "I was just making the bed and she came up to me and said, 'I want to give some money to the poorly children off the television'," said Kaye.

"I was taken aback and I told her that we don't have that much and she said she could give the money from her piggy bank.

"I asked her if she was sure – she only had about £10 and she had been saving it to buy a toy in the summer.

"But she was quite sure and wanted to help the poorly babies. She even spoke to the man on the phone at Save the Children. I don't think he quite knew what to make of her."

Kaye said she thinks Grace was particularly affected by the charity advert which features malnourished youngsters, because she is very close to her eight-month-old baby brother, Ben.

"She's very protective of him and cuddles him all the time," said Kaye.

"She is the first person he wants to see in the morning.

"I am very proud of her because it was totally unprompted."

On-loan Leicester City striker Harry Kane said it will not affect him if he is targeted by Millwall's boo-boys tonight.

His team-mate Chris Wood is certain to get a red-hot reception from the Lions fans at the King Power Stadium after snubbing them to join City in January.

But Kane hopes the Millwall supporters will remember his contribution during his loan spell at the New Den more favourably.

The 19-year-old scored seven times as Kenny Jackett's team secured their Championship status last season during his loan spell from Tottenham Hotspur, but he turned down the opportunity to return to the New Den in February and joined City instead.

However, if he is targeted by the travelling supporters, Kane said it would not deter him from the task of getting City's play-off push back on track. I helped them to stay up and I like to think the fans will appreciate that," he said.

"But fans are fans and, if they want to boo me, then okay, and if they don't, they don't. It is part of football.

"It was a great experience for me. It was my first time in the Championship, and I thought it was a great opportunity and I could learn from it.

"The club were very good to me and the fans were very good to me. I am looking forward to it. It will be interesting to play against them.

"It makes it more exciting to play against former team-mates. It will be a tough game, we all know that.

"It will be good to see the mates I made there.

"They are a well-organised team, very physical, and will get in your face. They are not bad on the ball either. They are a good team and tough to play against."

Kane said City have returned refreshed after their warm-weather training camp in Portugal and are ready for the final eight games of the season.

"It was good to get away," he said. "We did some good training and had some fun as well.

"It has refuelled the lads a bit and now we are ready to come back and push on in the last eight games.

"We spoke about our form and what we need to work on.

"Now we want to get that win tonight, take each game as it comes and see where that takes us.

"The home games will be vital, but every game between now and the end of the season will be important. We have to keep our heads down because we know we have the ability to win matches. It is now a case of doing it."

The Government has given police £670,000 towards the cost of protests by the English Defence League (EDL) and its opponents.

The force spent up to £900,000 policing marches through Leicester by the EDL and Leicester Unite Against Fascism on February 4 last year.

The Home Office noted it was the second time in 18 months the EDL had staged a protest in the city centre.

The previous demonstration, in October 2010, cost the force an estimated £700,000.

On both occasions, the group's presence drew counter-protests by Leicester Unite Against Fascism.

Police drew on forces across the country to help it put 2,000 officers on the streets on both occasions.

Police minister Damian Green has now authorised a payment to the force of £671,000 in recognition it had been placed in "exceptional" circumstances by facing two protests in a short space of time.

Chief Constable Simon Cole and city MPs had lobbied the Home Office for a payment.

Mr Cole said: "The marches and demonstrations by the English Defence League and Leicester Unite Against Fascism in February 2012 were unplanned events which required a substantial policing operation with significant cost.

"I am pleased we have been able to recoup some of these costs by way of the Home Office grant."

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, who is chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "I am so glad the minister has listened to the concerns of the chief constable and others.

"At this time of cuts in the police budget, this grant will be most welcomed.

"My congratulations to the chief constable on making such an effective case and my thanks to the minister for understanding our needs."

Last year's march brought an estimated 700 EDL supporters to the city centre, while Leicester Unite Against Fascism staged a counter protest which's rally drew an estimated 400 supporters.

The bulk of the cost to police was officers' pay, travel and subsistence.

A number of mounted officers and other specialists were on duty

The police operation was credited with preventing a repeat of the violence which broke out when the EDL staged its previous major protest in the city, in October 2010.

Its supporters, who were held in a pen in Humberstone Gate East, pelted police officers with bricks, bottles and coins.

Up to 200 of its supporters later broke through police lines and engaged in running skirmishes with local youths, while another group attacked Asian diners in a restaurant.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Special grant procedures allow ministers to provide financial support where police forces face unexpected or exceptional costs which would otherwise threaten their financial stability."

Writing in a First Person column in the Mercury in the days after last year's protests, Mr Cole suggested the law could be changed to compel protest groups to pay towards the costs of demonstrations.

He wrote: "It is not for the police to set the laws, but I do think there needs to be some reflection about the costs and expectations placed on police forces as we are currently paying, on your behalf, the price of free speech.

"That price is significant and it is paid with the money paid in through taxes by us all."

Staff at the BBC in Leicester joined colleagues across the country yesterday in a mass walkout over the way the company is run.

National Union of Journalist (NUJ) members at Radio Leicester's news department protested over compulsory redundancies, excessive workloads and bullying and harassment within the corporation. The 12-hour strike saw about a dozen BBC workers picketing the Radio Leicester headquarters in St Nicolas Place, in the city centre.

Members of the broadcasting union Bectu, which represents technicians and cameramen, also joined the strike.

Yesterday's action followed a one-day strike by NUJ members at the BBC last month over compulsory redundancies. That action resulted in a range of programmes, including Radio 4's Today programme, being cancelled.

The BBC said it would cut about 2,000 jobs over five years as part of its Delivering Quality First programme.

A company which makes mini powerboats for lifeguards has been named best start-up in the Midlands heat of a national competition.

Asap Water Crafts, on the Loughborough University campus, picked up the accolade at the Lloyds TSB Enterprise Awards because of its determination to create a useful product which will help to save lives.

The one-person craft – an alternative to a jet ski – was developed to help lifeguards reach casualties more quickly after company founder Ross Kemp gained first-hand experience of the difficulties associated with water rescues.

As well picking up a £1,000 prize, the company received a two-year mentoring package from Lloyds Banking Group and is through to the national finals, in Edgbaston on April 23, with a chance to win £50,000 and two years of mentoring.

Mr Kemp, an industrial design and technology graduate at the university, said: "It was a shock to win.

"The mentoring prize is going to be amazing as it will allow me to create the business I want and achieve the goals I have.

"I'll be using the prize money to develop the product through to manufacturing stage and to get to a time where we can sell the products to lifeguards and rescue stations."

Hopefully, you'll see the rescue craft on a beach near you soon."

Andy Youngman, area director for Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking, said: "Seeing the calibre of businesses pitching at the regional heats has really demonstrated the wealth of entrepreneurial talent we have across the Midlands.

"From working with last year's winners, we've seen the tangible difference a mentoring programme can make to these young enterprises."

Mr Kemp had the idea for the craft during life-saving practice sessions in Loughborough.

He devoted his final year project to developing a prototype and in 2011 was chosen as one of the first graduates to be supported by The Studio, the university's initiative to help recent graduates' businesses.

The Studio provides a supportive environment for graduates taking their first steps in business, with professional office space, access to the university's resources and expertise and mentoring.

It invests financially in each graduate through a royalty agreement, with the graduate paying a percentage of sales turnover once they start trading.

Sean St Ledger will join Millwall on loan for the rest of the season – but not until after the Lions face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium tonight.

The Republic of Ireland international defender has recently returned after five months out of the game with a hamstring injury and City have decided to allow him out to gain valuable match fitness after such a lengthy lay-off.

With Michael Keane performing so well alongside captain Wes Morgan and Zak Whitbread fit again after a calf problem, manager Nigel Pearson has decided St Ledger will be better off getting game time elsewhere.

The deal was done late yesterday as the loan window closed and the 28-year-old will not be allowed to link-up with the Lions until after tonight's game, or have any contact with Kenny Jackett's outfit after taking part in City's preparations.

He will be available for Millwall's remaining league fixtures and their FA Cup semi-final with Wigan Athletic at Wembley.

At the end of the regular season, St Ledger will return to City and will be available for the play-offs .

Meanwhile, City manager Nigel Pearson has urged his players to handle the pressure of what has become an eight-game season, starting with tonight's visit of Millwall (7.45).

Pearson flew his troops out to Portugal during the international break for warm-weather training and frank talks about their recent form.

City have picked up just one win from their last nine league games and put their promotion chances in real jeopardy.

But Pearson said the time for talking was over and City must now deliver during the most pressurised period of the campaign.

"We are under pressure to perform, we know that, the players all know that, but I know we can deliver," he said.

"The game against Millwall is going to be a key game for us, there is no doubt about that.

"I think the break came at a good time for us. The most important thing was to go away and discuss what has happened previously, but also to draw a line under it.

"Now it is about going out and performing.

"It is a fine line between success and failure, and I would be the first to admit that some of our performances have not been the best.

"But also we have not had the rub of the green at times. You can't dwell on those negatives.

"We really have to make sure that, in these final eight games, we get back to playing as near to our best as possible.

"If we do that, then we are capable of beating anyone in the division.

"Unfortunately, on the back of the run we have had, it is clear we have to go out and change things pretty quickly."

A rare 500-year-old letter signed by Richard III is expected to fetch up to £82,500 when it is auctioned in Los Angeles next week.

The document dates back to the 1470s when Richard was still Duke of Gloucester and shows the future king intervening in a land dispute between the 2nd Earl of Westmorland and his tenants.

It will be auctioned by Los Angeles firm Nate D. Sanders on Tuesday and is expected to sell for between $75,000 and $125,000 (£49,500 and £82,500). Laura Yntema, from the US auctioneers, said: "The piece has been very popular, probably because of the new interest in Richard III and also because of its incredibly rarity. "We've had several bids from the United Kingdom, but I'm not sure if I should say what cities. "We've also had interest from all over the world, but no bids from outside the UK or US yet. "The auction is still early though. The signature is lovely - quite large and thankfully not deteriorated. It's an impressive document in person. "Where ever King Richard's remains wind up, it would be a nice addition for visitors to see I think."

The letter is among a number of Richard III-related historical items which have recently come to light following the discovery of the monarch's body in Leicester, in August. Last December, a gold coin bearing Richard's personal emblem (a boar's head) sold for three times its estimate at auction in London. A private collector paid £36,000 for the item, which was discovered at Claybrooke Magna, about 12 miles from Bosworth Battlefield in August 2012. Dickon Dearman, owner of Churchgate Auctions, in Scudamore Road, Leicester, said: "There's certainly been more interest following the discovery, but you'd expect that.

"When something like this comes into the public eye, people tend to get related items revalued and you find more items are put up for auction.

"It also has an effect on price – values tend to go up if things become more widely known."

Last Sunday, a rare coin bearing the face of Richard III was sold for £1,400.

The silver groat, a four pence piece in its day, went under the hammer at Suffolk auctioneers Lockdales. Experts estimated it would sell for between £1,000 and £1,500.

Auctioneer James Sadler, of Lockdales, in Ipswich, said: "This coin is so very rare in the market and, of course, it's so topical. In 20 years of auctioneering, I've never seen one before.

"It's been put into the auction by a private collector who has decided this might be the right time to sell, following the discovery of the body."

Colleague Chris Elmy said: "The estimate of the coin was £1,000 to £1,500 so it was within that range. The buyer was a collector of English medieval coins.

"The bidding was between this collector in the room and an anonymous bidder on the internet.

"This particular coin is likely to be added to future books about Richard III's coinage as it is an unpublished combination of designs."

The coin would have been made at the Tower of London Mint between 1484 to 1485 – but is very rare, as Richard reigned for just over two years.

It has Latin inscriptions on both sides. The first reads Ricard di Gra Rex Angl's Franc (Richard by the grace of God, King of England and France).

The other side reads Posui Deum Adiutore Meum (I have made God my helper) and Civitas London (City of London).

Leicester Tigers will be unchanged for tomorrow's crunch Aviva Premiership clash with Northampton Saints.
Director of rugby Richard Cockerill has named the same 23 players  for the derby encounter who were on duty for last week's narrow 12-9 win over Exeter Chiefs.
Fly-half Toby Flood will again captain the Tigers, who are looking for a seventh consecutive win over their neighbours and rivals.
Tom Wood will start at No.8 for Saints, one of two changes to the side that claimed a last-gasp 26-24 win at Wasps last week. The other sees centre Tom May coming in for Dominic Waldouck.
The match is being keenly anticipated in both camps and there is bound to be a rarified atmosphere at a sold-out Franklin's Gardens as both sides set about strengthening their play-off semi-final claims.

Tigers team:

15 Mathew Tait
14 Niall Morris
13 Manu Tuilagi
12 Anthony Allen
11 Adam Thompstone
10 Toby Flood (capt)
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Dan Cole
4 Ed Slater
5 Geoff Parling
6 Tom Croft
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Logovi'i Mulipola
18 Martin Castrogiovanni
19 Thomas Waldrom
20 Graham Kitchener
21 Sam Harrison
22 George Ford
23 Matt Smith

Northampton team:

15 Ben Foden
14 James Wilson
13 George Pisi
12 Tom May
11 Jamie Elliott
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
1 Soane Tonga'uiha
2 Dylan Hartley (capt)
3 Tom Mercey
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Christian Day
6 Samu Manoa
7 Phil Dowson
8 Tom Wood

Replacements
16 Ross McMillan
17 Alex Waller
18 Brian Mujati
19 GJ Van Velze
20 Ben Nutley
21 Martin Roberts
22 Ryan Lamb
23 Luther Burrell

COALVILLE'S RFU Intermediate Cup semi-final against Bridlington, which was due to be played tomorrow, has been postponed.
 
The pitch at the Memorial Ground, off Hall Lane, Whitwick, is still covered in snow and has been deemed unplayable.

The tie has now been rearranged for Saturday, April 6.

The winner of the tie will play in the competition's final at the home of rugby, Twickenham.

Leicester City battled in vain  after being down to 10 men for virtuallu the whole game after having Wes Morgan sent off after three minutes against Millwall last night.

Alan Dunne grabbed a late winner as Millwall  damaged City's play-off hopes with a 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium.

The home side were rocked by captain Morgan's early dismissal but held firm for 87 minutes before seeing their their winless run extended to six matches and with now only one win in 10 games.

Millwall were disappointingly conservative considering their numerical superiority but took the spoils when Irishman Dunne popped up three minutes from time to slot home Richard Chaplow's cut-back.

Leicester's hopes of ending their barren run were dealt a severe blow after only three minutes when skipper Morgan clumsily bundled into Andy Keogh and, as the last man, left referee Stuart Attwell little choice but to send him off.

Kasper Schmeichel brilliantly kept out Shane Lowry's 20-yard effort from the subsequent free-kick but Leicester reorganised effectively and had their fair share of chances in the first half.

Millwall skipper Danny Shittu misjudged the bounce of a long ball in the 10th minute and David Nugent had support from Chris Wood and Anthony Knockaert against only two Millwall defenders but dallied on the ball and the chance evaporated.

Moments later the impressive Ritchie DeLaet's cross fell for Michael Keane but his point-blank header was somehow scrambled off the line by Lowry.

At the other end Schmeichel was alert to tip Jermaine Easter's 20-yard drive behind for a corner before a marauding run from inside his own half by Belgian DeLaet finished with Shittu hacking the full-back's shot off the line.

Millwall had neither the attacking inclination nor creativity to make their numerical advantage tell and it was Leicester who threatened again when Nugent burst down the right and flashed a powerful shot across goal.

When Millwall did look dangerous it was down to a lapse by Paul Konchesky - deployed as an emergency centre-half after Morgan's early exit. The former England defender was dispossessed on the edge of his own area by Rob Hulse, whose effort was kept out by Schmeichel's feet.

Attwell's hopes of endearing himself to the home fans who felt aggrieved at his earlier decision went awry when he failed to spot Hulse control the ball with his hand inside the penalty area but the former West Brom man was again denied by Schmeichel.

Hulse was not so lucky shortly after the half-hour mark though, when he converted Easter's low cross only to be ruled offside by assistant Wayne Barratt.

With chances at a premium after the interval the game quickly descended into a bad-tempered affair - Lions midfielder Liam Trotter particularly fortunate to escape with only a caution when he went in late on Jeff Schlupp.

Moments later Dunne mis-timed a challenge on Andy King and, after a brief fracas, both players saw yellow.

Trotter's luck continued when he inadvertently header Anthony Knockaert's free-kick towards his own goal, only for goalkeeper David Forde to spare his blushes with a fine save.

The game looked to be petering out into a goalless draw when former Saints midfielder Chaplow, who had bossed proceedings for much of the night, found space down the left and although his pull-back missed all of the visiting forwards, Dunne timed his run forward to perfection to settle matters.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Simon Thomas Beaumont (32), of Groby Road, Anstey, pleaded guilty to stealing: three packs of detergent, from Tesco Express, in Leicester on January 15; 19 packs of cheese worth £81.87 from Co-Op, Leicester, on January 16; meat worth £60 from Co-Op on January 27; four legs of lamb worth £60 from Co-Op on January 28; four legs of lamb from Co-Op on February 2; steaks worth £30 from Sainsbury's, Leicester, on February 3; six beef joints worth £60 from Co-Op on February 6; and four lamb joints and four steaks worth £100 from Co-Op Store on February 8.

He was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, ordered to have treatment for drug dependency and attend appointments with probation officers for 18 months.

Rebekah Marsh (27), of Biddle Road, New Parks, Leicester, pleaded guilty to failing to tell Leicester City Council she was living with another person, which she knew would affect her entitlement to housing and council tax benefit, between September 5, 2011 and February 26, 2012.

She also pleaded guilty to failing to tell the Department for Work and Pensions that she was living with another person which she knew would affect her entitlement to income support, between September 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

She was fined £200, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £100.

Politicians, business leaders and charity representatives will meet to discuss ways of tackling child poverty.

The city's Child Poverty Commission will hold its second annual conference in May.

About 200 people from public sector, voluntary and community organisations and the private sector attended the commission's inaugural conference held at De Montfort University last year.

This year's event will invite delegates to discuss what can be done in communities to help protect children from the worst impacts of poverty against a background of rising living costs and national welfare reforms.

There are 26,000 children from families in poverty in the city, according to the Government's definition of their income being less than 60 per cent of the national median income.

That is about £357 a week for a couple with two children.

Deputy city mayor and chairman of the Leicester Child Poverty Commission councillor Rory Palmer said: "It is vital that we continue to discuss the challenges around child poverty and work together to find ways to protect children from its worst impact.

"I am confident that our next conference will help shape practical action in our communities that will help tackle child poverty and the devastating impact it can have on people's lives."

The conference will take place at St Martin's House, near Leicester Cathedral, on May 17.

The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, said: "The Diocese of Leicester and I feel St Martins House is a very appropriate venue for an event discussing issues around child poverty and how a city like Leicester can help combat this growing issue.

"We look forward to the positive actions that will come from the conference and to establishing closer links with the work of the Leicester Child Poverty Commission."

www.leicester.gov.uk/childpovertycommission

A woman was seriously injured when she was hit by a car as she crossed the road.

Police partially closed the A47 ring road as the casualty was treated by paramedics before she was taken to hospital.

The collision occurred at about 11.30am yesterday at the Vaughan Way junction with the High Street, Leicester. Traffic was delayed in both directions for an hour.

Only one car was involved and the driver was not injured but the vehicle was damaged.

A police spokeswoman said: "It appears the woman was crossing the road when she decided to turn back and the collision occurred. She suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries."

Call police on 101.

Forty minutes – that is all that separates Leicester Riders from a place in history.

Just one more win will see the squad achieve something none of their predecessors have come anywhere near doing in almost 46 years of trying.

Cups and play-offs can be won in a handful of games, to win the league requires a level of relentless consistency that hitherto Leicester basketball has never even been close to.

But now the title is just one victory away and they have five opportunities to claim it, starting with tonight's visit of Durham Wildcats (7.30).

To be crowned champions of Britain in front of their own supporters at John Sandford Sports Centre is very much Plan A, but the fallback will be tomorrow's trip to bottom side Mersey Tigers (4.00).

Rob Paternostro is already the club's greatest ever coach by pretty much any measure, but this achievement will etch him into immortality for the Riders faithful. As ever, he is trying to play things down ahead of the game.

"For me it's business as usual," he insisted. "We've had a successful run over the past couple of weeks and that was important, but until anything is decided we look at it as a game that we have to go out and win.

"We've been very good at doing that this season.

"We're looking forward to tonight, we understand the implications of the game, but this is a group that is used to these types of games and we're expecting a special atmosphere," said Paternostro.

"This season we've fed off the energy in that building and it's an opportunity for us to play in front of those great fans and do something special."

Riders haven't lost a league game in 2013, a club record 14 consecutive top-flight victories, but while the first eight were spread over two months, the last six of them came in only 11 days.

Paternostro has been keen to laud his players, who shrugged off injury and adversity during that spell to put themselves on the brink of greatness.

"Going into that stretch I knew we had a special group, but to go through that with all that we've had to deal with and come out of there with six wins just reinforces my belief that this group is a team you don't see that often.

"They are not only talented, but also committed and with the ability to rise to the occasion." Almost forgotten by most in the build-up to the game are the visitors, but Paternostro is concerned by the challenge the Wildcats present.

"They've won on the road against Plymouth and Worcester and they are playing for their play-off lives."

If Riders don't finish the job tonight, they have another chance tomorrow against a team who are battling to avoid becoming the first team in BBL history to go through an entire season without winning.

Riders: Okoro, Couisnard, Stewart, Sullivan, Calvo, Hopkins, Taylor, Anderson, Washington, Lamble, Haggith, Gould, Dawes, Maynard, Losonsky, Rowe.

Wildcats: Attah, Bohannon, Johnson, Page, Elderkin, Reynolds, Guinane, Baldarelli, Chambers, Bucci, Keister, Fowler.

Tigers: Allerston, Lockett, Wait, Hudson, Semi, McGinn, Hulsen, Calvo, Bigley, Pilkington, Gallagher.