Search your attics, rummage through your rails and dust down your family treasures, antiques lovers – hit BBC show Flog It! is coming to town.

TV crews will be filming at De Montfort Hall next Saturday, and are inviting people to turn up with collectibles they are interested in selling.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend the event – and some might end up earning themselves a fortune.

Host Paul Martin, who has been the face of the popular daytime programme for 12 years, said he was looking forward to seeing what people in Leicestershire will bring to the Flog It! table.

"We'll be filming five episodes and we'll have three on-screen experts and four behind the scenes," he said.

"Hopefully, we'll get some items that will tell us a bit about the history of Leicestershire and the surrounding area, and bring the past to life.

"It's a chance for people to put our experts' knowledge to the test.

"So, come along. Bring whatever you can carry, or load the car up.

"We do love furniture but we don't see a lot of it because people can't carry it."

During 945 episodes of the BBC2 show, Paul said he had seen all sorts of weird and wonderful items.

"We see lots of things, from 1970s collectibles to 16th and 17th century items," he said.

"The strangest? A Victorian stuffed two-headed kitten in a glass case.

"That was quite a weird thing. I think it went for about £600, and that was 10 years ago.

"You could quadruple that, now.

"We also had a 17th century Chinese libation cup made from carved rhinoceros horn.

"The owner had been using it as an ashtray. He thought it might go for a few hundred pounds.

"We sold it at auction at Bonhams two years ago and it made £45,000.

"He was very pleased."

Paul will be joined on the valuation day by regular Flog It! on-screen experts Thomas Plant, Catherine Southon and Claire Rawle.

Crews will be filming between 9.30am and 4pm.

Once items have been valued, the owner and the experts decide whether it should go forward for auction.

Items selected will go under the hammer at Gildings Auctioneers, in Great Bowden Road, Market Harborough, on Tuesday, June 4.

"We see all sorts of things and every day is different on Flog It!," said Paul.

"That's why it's lasted such a long time. It's on all over the world – New Zealand, Australia, Dubai, Africa.

"It's an incredible little show. I love meeting all the people who come along, they always have a good story to tell."

With the discovery of Richard III's skeleton underneath a Leicester car park in August making international news, Paul said he was excited to be coming to the city.

"You never know what you might get, you just never know," he said. "What a find that was.

"We're just going to keep our fingers crossed and hopefully get a good turnout.

"There's always someone who comes along with something that's worth a small fortune and they never knew it. That's the beauty of the show."

Everyone who goes along to the valuation day will receive a free valuation – even if their antiques are not chosen to go forward for auction.

For more information, visit:

www.demontforthall.co.uk

What happened last week at Nottingham Forest, City fans will talk about to their children and grandchildren for generations.

I hoped my column last week wouldn't be my last of the season, but I knew we were up against it going into that game, with just an outside chance of making the play-offs.

It has been 41 years since we won a league game there and I was sick of being reminded of it, but at least the boys have got that monkey off their backs – and what a game in which to do it.

I, like every City fan, must have gone through the whole range of emotions last week, and at half-time I was struggling to pour myself a cup of tea because I was shaking.

It is a different type of nerves watching instead of playing. But Knockers popped up with the last-minute winner and a Walt Disney script couldn't have been better written than that.

That set us up for Thursday night's semi-final first leg against Watford at the King Power Stadium, and what an atmosphere with nearly 30,000 fans in the ground, making a fantastic noise for the lads. It was electric.

As I stood in the tunnel before the game I thought this is what it would be like every week in the Premier League.

Watford gave us a real battle and they are a good side, but the boys showed great resilience and commitment to give us an advantage going to Vicarage Road tomorrow.

The owners were in the dressing room before the game, wishing the boys all the best. They wished David Nugent good luck after his lean spell, and it certainly worked as he got us the winning goal and let's hope he has a few more in him tomorrow.

I still call it the Two Towers at Wembley and it has been a while since we have been there, but it would be a dream, not only for our supporters, but for the team, Nigel, his staff, everyone who works at the club and, of course, the owners, who have done such a magnificent job.

But it is only 'half-time'. It will be tough tomorrow.

Watford will hit us with everything they have got. I hope the City fans there will get behind the lads in the same way as at Forest and on Thursday.

I would also like to congratulate Ed Mowe, our groundsman, for winning the groundsman of the year award for the Championship. It is a terrific surface to play on. A bit different to the ones I used to play on.

Don't forget, the Service of Remembrance will be on Sunday, June 2, from 1.30pm. I hope City fans can come along to remember those we have lost. Let's roll.

The pilot of a Second World War Spitfire pulled the wrong lever when it landed at East Midlands Airport, a crash investigation has revealed.

The plane's undercarriage collapsed as it was moving off the runway and its wooden propeller hit the ground and shattered. The 46-year-old pilot was uninjured.

He told investigators he wanted to control the flaps but pulled the wrong lever.

The incident occurred at about 3.20pm on January 7 and involved the vintage single-seater fighter which was based at the airport and belonged to Rolls Royce Heritage Trust.

The runway had to be closed for nearly three hours and flights were suspended or diverted.

A report by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the pilot, who has not been named, had more than 9,000 hours flying experience, including 89 on Spitfires.

He told investigators the aircraft had landed on Runway 27 at East Midlands Airport and was taxiing when the undercarriage retracted.

He said he "intended to retract the flaps but inadvertently selected the undercarriage to up".

The levers are on different sides of the cockpit.

The report said: "It is apparently a usual practice to retract the flaps as soon as possible after landing to minimise the effect they have on cooling radiator airflow."

The AAIB noted there was no safety mechanism fitted to the aircraft to prevent the undercarriage retracting while it was being used on either take-off or landing.

The aircraft, which was built in 1945, is used as an "ambassador" for Rolls-Royce, appearing at air displays and charity events.

The plane took to the sky again in October, following a 23-month "extensive refurbishment" which involved major systems and structures being dismantled, inspected, repaired and reassembled.

At the time of the incident, a spokeswoman for East Midlands Airport said: "The aircraft was met by the airport's fire service."

After the plane was removed, the runway was inspected before flights resumed.

Seven flights due to arrive at the airport – from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Tenerife, Aberdeen, Funchal and Rzeszow, in Poland – had to be diverted to Birmingham.

Police caught a dangerous dog after it attacked a man and ran amok in the city centre.

The Japanese akita growled and snarled at shoppers as it made its way through the city, at one stage rearing up and biting a man in Humberstone Gate.

It then ran off through Town Hall Square, past De Montfort University and into the grounds of Leicester Royal Infirmary, where it was chased into a cul-de-sac.

Police blocked its path with a van, opened a door and managed to get the animal inside.

The alarm had been raised by security company boss Karl Coyle, who spotted the dog in Market Square at 3pm on Thursday.

He managed to keep track of the animal by running alongside it as he contacted the police and CCTV control centre.

Mr Coyle, who has kept an akita, said "It was running through the city centre, snarling and growling at anyone near it."

"It approached a group of people in Humberstone Gate and went towards them.

"It reared up on its hind legs – it must have been 5ft 6in tall – in front of the man. It bit him on the hand and ran off."

Mr Coyle did not see what happened to the man as he was concerned for the safety of other members of the public and kept pace with the dog.

He said: "After it bit the man I was worried that it would attack and kill a child.

"They weigh over 100lb and are very powerful."

He said he was approached by two 14-year-old boys, one of whom said the dog belonged to his father.

Mr Coyle said the boy would not go near the animal himself.

Police want to trace the owner of the dog and to discover how it came to be running through the city streets unsupervised.

They also want to contact the injured man or anyone who saw the incident.

A police spokesman said: "It is believed the dog may have bitten a member of the public.

"It was followed by a security guard to Jarrom Street, where it was contained by officers and taken to kennels.

"The incident is being investigated to ascertain who the owner is and why it was loose."

Roberta Wright, chairman of the national Akita Association, said the breed was used as a guard or hunting dog in Japan.

She said: "It was obviously distressed having got out."

Tomorrow, the rollercoaster ride continues.

It is round two of Leicester City against Watford, with a trip to Wembley for the winner and a shot at promotion. Our message to the Foxes is simple. We believe.

Little more than a week ago, City's season looked all but over with only the slimmest of chances of making the play-offs.

All that changed in spectacular fashion last Saturday with their first league victory at Nottingham Forest in 41 years.

The flickering promotion bid was reignited in the most dramatic fashion imaginable as Anthony Knockaert fired in the winning goal during injury time.

Meanwhile, rivals Bolton were held to a draw by Blackpool, allowing City to squeak into the final play-off place by the narrowest of margins.

The drama continued on Thursday in the first leg of the play-off semi-final at the King Power Stadium, as David Nugent scored with only eight minutes remaining to give the Foxes a slender 1-0 advantage going into tomorrow's return leg at Vicarage Road.

In this most topsy-turvy of seasons, City have managed to scrap their way back into genuine contention.

They should take great heart from their fighting spirit. There are two matches between them and the Premier League. Can they do it? You bet.

Nigel Pearson is backing striker David Nugent to go on a goal run that could fire Leicester City to Wembley after he broke his goal drought on Thursday night.

City take a one-goal advantage into their play-off semi-final second leg against Watford at Vicarage Road tomorrow after Nugent's late winner at King Power Stadium, which ended his 16-game barren run.

It was the longest run of games without a goal Nugent has experienced in his career, but now Pearson believes the dam could be broken and Nugent could get on a roll as City bid to reach the Wembley final and ultimately the Premier League.

"Hopefully that will give him that extra confidence," he said.

"He always gives you a lot of enthusiasm and work-rate. He can affect the game, and normally when he gets one he gets two, three, four.

"It has been a while but I think with him around you always feel he is capable of scoring.

"He is not a player who you would necessarily observe that he is going through a difficult time as a striker.

"He always works hard. I am pleased for him but more importantly he has got us that narrow lead."

Nugent admits his goal drought has been tough but said he always remained positive he would be back amongst the goals again.

"It has been 16 games since scoring but I always held my head up and kept smiling," he said.

"It is difficult because it is my job to score goals as a striker. That is what I get paid for. But I just try to stay in a positive mindset.

"Sometimes it is hard going home knowing you haven't scored for a number of games. But I keep my head up and I know I will get my chances. If I miss it then I know there will be another one. It is my job to put the next one in.

"Once I get one I usually go on a spell where I get a few."

After reaching 14 goals for the end of January, Nugent had targeted breaking the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his career, but feels he jinxed himself.

"I have 15 for the season now but I should have more," he said.

"I said 15 at the start of the season and when I reached 14 in January I said I wanted to get 20. Then I stopped scoring. I will never say that again. Perhaps I jinxed myself.

"I would settle for one a game now and hopefully get to Wembley and into the Premier League."

If history is anything to go by, Nugent is well-placed to add to his tally.

The 28-year-old has been a frequent thorn in the side of the Hornets throughout his career and he plans to continue his role as Watford's bogey man in their return leg at Vicarage Road tomorrow.

In the 10 games Nugent has played against Watford during his career he has scored seven times, and his late winner on Thursday night was his fifth in his last five games against them in the past two seasons.

His record at Vicarage Road is equally impressive with five goals in five games at the home of the Hornets, and Nugent has his sights set on more goals after finally getting back on the goal trail.

"I have a good record against Watford," he said.

"Ipswich and Watford are the two teams I tend to score against so I am really happy we have got them in the next game.

"I have scored their for Preston, Portsmouth and Leicester. I might be a bogeyman for them and I hope that is the case on Sunday."

It hasn't just been Nugent who has appeared rejuvenated in the last two games, the City striker admits the whole team have been lifted by the unlikely way in which they broke into the play-offs. Now they are determined to make the most of the opportunity.

"After the Peterborough game, when we conceded two goals in the last ten minutes, we went on a horrible run," he said.

"We couldn't buy a victory, but we managed to get in by the skin of our teeth.

"We are determined to take the chance we have been given. We shouldn't be in there but we are and we are looking forward to the second leg.

"We have done a miracle really to get in the play-offs. You couldn't write the script, with a last-minute win at Forest and Bolton drawing, and we are all delighted we have the chance. We all want it really badly.

"We are massively rejuvenated. The lads are buzzing. We want the game now but we have to wait until Sunday.

"We go there with a lot of confidence. We are determined to get to Wembley."

City will take a one-goal advantage into the second leg.

However, away goals do not count 'double' in the event of an aggregate tie. For example, if City lose 2-1, it will be extra-time and potentially penalties.

Watford boss Gianfranco Zola said his side don't deserve to be behind to Leicester City going into tomorrow's play-off semi-final second leg.

Zola said he couldn't see City scoring until David Nugent popped up with a late winner at King Power Stadium, but admitted his own side's wastfulness in front of goal cost them dearly in the first leg.

However, Zola is still confident his team will go through to the Wembley final, but admits they must produce their best performance of the season tomorrow to overturn the deficit and scupper City's hopes.

"I can't really be too harsh on my players because they played a good game and they deserved more," he said after Thursday's 1-0 defeat.

"Now we need to get ready and make sure we play our best game of the season because that is what is necessary to beat Leicester.

"I am still confident. We are a team that can score. We have goals in our bag and don't forget we will have Troy Deeney back on Sunday who is certainly an important player for us.

"This team deserves to go to Wembley. We have to make sure that we put everything we have on the pitch on Sunday; in terms of technical and tactical abilities.

"We will also need a lot of character because this goal will give them confidence.

"They will want to defend and we really need to produce something extra on Sunday.

"I don't think anyone can say we deserved to lose. Although Leicester tried very hard and had some chances in the first half.

"But I think those chances were matched by our chances and, honestly, the defeat was a bit too hard on us. I think a draw would have been a fairer result.

"We didn't play as well as we did in other games but that is also down to them; they prepared well and it was hard to find opportunities."

Watford wasted some good opportunities, especially topscorer Matej Vydra who has now gone 12 games without a goal, and Zola knows they must take their chances against City.

"I think the main reason we came away without the result was our failure to be clinical," he added.

Council bosses have confirmed a halal lamb burger made by a company supplying Leicester schools contained up to 50 per cent pork.

The burgers were removed from 19 city school menus after the tests revealed the presence of pork in a sample.

The product was made by Paragon Quality Foods, of Doncaster, which said it had never knowingly bought or handled pork.

The discovery was made on April 18 and the burgers were withdrawn immediately. Details became public on Thursday.

A DNA test found the burger contained between 10 and 50 per cent pork.

The burgers had been on Leicester school menus since January and are the only product supplied to the council by the Yorkshire firm.

Trevor Pringle, the council director responsible for school meals said: "We have only received the DNA test result for one burger to date and we shared this with the Federation of Muslim Organisations.

"To get a better understanding, we have asked for burgers from different batches to be analysed.

"We expect those to be back some time next week.

"We are clear, however, that any level of pork content in this product is unacceptable."

All other halal products used in council kitchens are supplied by The Punjab Kitchen Ltd, of Tyneside. Tests have shown it is Halal compliant.

The council sent 6,000 letters to parents and head teachers at the affected schools.

Metin Pekin, of Paragon Quality Foods, said the company was a "pork-free site and had never knowingly bought or handled pork".

He said: "We have carried out full traceability of the product in question and have provided this information to the relevant enforcement authorities."

Cycle thefts in Leicester city centre have fallen sharply in the past year – and police have urged riders to help them continue the trend.

Officers are encouraging riders to take basic crime prevention measures – such as investing in a sturdy lock – to build on the progress they have made in the past year.

Between April last year and the end of March this year, the number of cycles stolen in the Castle ward – which includes the city centre, parts of the two university campuses and Clarendon Park – fell from about 620 in the previous year to 515.

The arrival of better weather will see more people using their bikes during the next few weeks and thieves will grasp the opportunity to take poorly- protected bikes, police believe.

City centre police commander Inspector Chris Cockerill said the downward trend had continued since the beginning of April.

He said: "We call some of the locks which we see people using to protect their bikes shoelaces – because they are that easy for thieves to cut through.

"A thief can go to a bike, bend down and cut through some of these chains in seconds.

"It's so fast, people walking past would have no idea what's happening.

"The message we are trying to get out is that people can protect their bikes by taking a few simple steps, starting with investing in a good D-lock.

"People will spend hundreds of pounds on their bikes and we are urging them to spend a proportionate amount on a lock which will make things much more difficult for the thieves.

"We have made a lot of progress dealing with cycle thefts in the city and we want to continue to make that progress, but we need the cyclists' help."

Police also advise cyclists to chain their bikes to cycle racks or other substantial fixtures in well-lit and busy areas, ideally those covered by CCTV.

Phil Parker's mountain bike was stolen in the city centre this year. The 25-year-old, from Aylestone, said: "The bike had cost me more than £300, but I only used a cheap lock.

"When I got back to the cycle rack I could tell how easily the thief had cut through the wire.

"I bought a D-lock for a tenner and I feel I can leave my bike safe and sound."

Police are also urging people to have their postcode etched on the frame.

Insp Cockerill said: "If we can't trace the owner of a bike we have recovered it just ends up in police storage."

Cycles can be left in secure storage for £1 a day at the Bike Park, in Town Hall Square.

Also, valuables, including bikes, can be registered on a free national database, which helps police return lost or stolen goods to their owners and also helps prosecute offenders.

www.immobilise.com

A Leicestershire team-mate of Olympic gold medallist sailor Andrew Simpson, who died in a training accident last week, has spoken of the loss of his friend.

America's Cup yachtsman Chris Brittle, 32, from Rearsby, was with the Artemis team in San Francisco when the catamaran Mr Simpson was aboard capsized during a training exercise.

Mr Simpson, 36, known as Bart, won gold in the star class with Iain Percy at the 2008 Olympics and silver at last year's games.

He was one of an 11-man crew on board the catamaran in San Francisco Bay, but became trapped underneath when it capsized and did not respond to efforts to revive him.

The Surrey-born sailor was preparing for this year's America's Cup with Swedish team Artemis Racing.

Chris, who also been the training partner to some of Britain's most successful sailors including triple Olympic gold medal-winner Ben Ainslie, said: "It is hard to get across with words what an amazing person Bart was.

"He coached me as a youngster before we became training partners in the Olympic classes and teammates in three America's Cup campaigns. He was the best friend anyone could ask for, the proudest father of two boys I have ever seen and loved his wife and family like nothing else.

"He inspired so many sailors throughout his amazing career and will go on to inspire many more."

Chris' mum, Linda, said: "It's awful. Chris was supposed to go out on the boat the day it happened.

"His wife Christina rang me to let me know Chris was okay. At that time it was an accident and they didn't know what had happened.

"Chris went out on one of the boats to try to see if they could help.

"It hasn't really hit him yet. He is flying back to the UK with Iain Percy, who won the medal in the Olympics with Bart.

"Chris and Bart shared a flat when they were in Valencia before going out to San Francisco.

"Chris is due to be out there until September. Obviously we're all devastated, they were very close and spent a lot of time together. Bart sometimes stayed at our house, he was a lovely guy."

Chris represented the British youth squad from 1997 to 1999 before graduating into the British senior team for the following six years.

He became the world and then European junior champion in 2001 and 2002 respectively.

In 2008 he was named the Olympic star coach for the British team before lending his experience to Team Korea's inaugural America's Cup season, having represented Team Origin for the previous three years.

Known for his strength and endurance, Chris proved his mettle during the 32nd America's Cup.

He joined Artemis Racing in 2012.

A children's doctor today warned of the dangers of parents ignoring safety rules on garden trampolines after seeing a growing number of children with broken bones and other injuries.

Dr Rachel Rowlands, a children's A&E consultant at Leicester Royal Infirmary said her biggest fear was that it was only a matter of time before there was an even more serious injury or even a death.

During the four days of the May Bank holiday, she and colleagues saw 15 children who had all hurt themselves on trampolines at home.

Injuries included breaks to an ankle, arm, elbow and foot.

One victim on Bank Holiday Monday was three-year-old Dylan Tyers, from Coalville, who is now nursing a broken collarbone.

The youngster was on the trampoline at home with his older sister when she jumped on him by mistake .

Mum Sharon said: "It's a 10ft round trampoline with a net surround.

"I have two children older than Dylan and they do all go on together – although I know the instructions say it should be one at a time.

"Dylan cried at the time but then seemed to settle down. It wasn't until the next morning when he cried every time I tried to sit him up that we realised something was really wrong.

"He kept pointing at his neck and I was really worried."

NHS Direct sent a paramedic to the house and Dylan was taken by ambulance to Leicester Royal Infirmary, where doctors discovered he had broken his collarbone.

He now has to keep his arm in a sling for four weeks but should make a full recovery.

Mrs Tyers said: "People should not under-estimate just how dangerous trampolines are.

"Only one of the children will be allowed on at a time from now on."

Dr Rowlands said: "Trampolines do have huge health benefits but parents must follow the safety advice.

"The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has very clear guidance that there should be no more than one person on at a time. I have even seen one case where a parent fell on a child and broke their thigh bone."

The big worry for doctors is head and neck injuries.

Dr Rowlands said: "We see a lot of bumps and bruises to the head but our worry is a broken neck, which could lead to paralysis and death.

"Parents should be very careful of letting children under six on to trampolines. At that age they don't have the co-ordination or awareness to stop themselves."

She also advised that once children start learning tricks and somersaults they should go to a club where they could be told how to stop and land safely.

Dr Rowlands said: "I can't remember the last time we saw a child injured at a club."

She said that parents should also make sure there is adequate safety equipment.

"They must have a net which is properly fitted and does not have holes, or else children can fall out. Ladders should also be taken away when adults aren't there so young children can't climb on."