More than 130 years of rivalry will reach boiling point today as Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints meet in the Aviva Premiership final.

A crowd of 82,000 people will hold their breath at kick-off as two sworn enemies clash at Twickenham in the most important one of their 228 meetings.

Millions of people will also be watching on television across the world, while houses and pubs in Leicester and Northampton will be packed to the rafters.

It is going to be the most eagerly-awaited final in the competition's history.

Organisers said this week they could have sold more than 100,000 tickets for the game.

After both clubs shifted their allocation of seats, £70 tickets were selling on the internet for up to £315 each, such was the demand.

Bookies have made Leicester overwhelming favourites to lift a 10th English league title on their ninth consecutive appearance in the Premiership final.

That is on the back of seven consecutive wins over their arch-rivals, the most recent being a 36-8 hammering at Franklin's Gardens just eight weeks ago.

Saints, meanwhile, will have drawn confidence from a semi-final they entered against Saracens as big underdogs, only to come out of it with a resounding victory.

They will believe they can do the same again to Leicester.

Both sides will go into the game at virtually full strength.

In a game where set-piece dominance will be crucial, Tigers lock Geoff Parling will be a key man for his side.

The 29-year-old said: "We all realise that just getting to the final isn't good enough.

"When you win games like this, you remember those days, not just for the rest of your career, but for your life.

"When you lose those games, it's the same in reverse. These are big opportunities for all of us and you have to make the most of them."

It's all or nothing for two clubs who are separated by just 34.6 miles in distance.

There will be nothing on offer for finishing second and there will be no 'next week' to put things right.

A convicted rapist who kidnapped a shopper outside a supermarket and sexually assaulted her has been jailed for life.

The victim, a 31-year-old mother, was petrified when Paul Simon Smith leapt into the passenger seat of her car outside Asda, at Fosse Park.

He was hooded and was holding a metallic object which she believed to be a weapon.

Smith told her: "If you don't want me to hurt you, you'd better do as I say."

The incident happened at 5.45pm on November 21, after the woman had loaded shopping into her car.

"He told her to go on to Soar Valley Way towards Wigston," Avik Mukherjee, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court. "She was terrified, shaking, and didn't know what to do. He told her not to look at his face."

Smith directed her into Aylestone Road and asked for money.

She had spent all her cash and tried to negotiate with him.

He made her stop and get beer he had seen her load into the boot.

They continued the journey and, as he drank from a can, Smith indecently assaulted her by placing his hand on her leg.

Mr Mukherjee said: "She felt sick and was worried he was going to take her to a secluded area and rape her."

She was made to pull over in Middleton Street. They got out of the car, with Smith, of Welford Road, Blaby, holding on to her as if they were a couple.

However, when he slightly released his grip, she broke free, ran down the road, flagged down a passing car for help and the police were called.

Smith made off in her 4x4, which was involved in a crash with another vehicle at 7pm and found abandoned in Blaby at 8.30pm.

Smith (34) admitted kidnap, sexual assault, aggravated vehicle-taking and driving without insurance.

Judge Michael Pert QC said Smith would only be released from prison when the authorities were satisfied he was no longer dangerous.

He said Smith could expect to serve a minimum of three years before parole, on a life licence, would be considered.

Smith was jailed for seven years in 2003 for raping a prostitute in a car, with a screwdriver held against her neck. In 1997, he had been jailed for three years after holding a screwdriver against the throat of another prostitute while he indecently assaulted her.

He also has convictions for burglary and motoring offences.

Judge Pert told Smith: "You're a dangerous offender representing a risk of substantial harm to the public. The victim was understandably terrified that what you had in mind was rape."

Steven Newcombe, mitigating, said: "It was financially motivated. He'd lost his job and hadn't told his partner.

"He made a sexual comment and touched her leg but it went no further."

Residents are battling plans for flats they say will upset elderly people and disturb their close community.

Abraham Property wants to build two blocks, each containing four one-bedroom flats, on land off Evelyn Road, in Braunstone Town.

So far at least 26 objections have been made to the plan – on land previously occupied by garages – submitted to Blaby District Council's planning committee.

Marretta Sutherland, 69, who lives in Evelyn Road, said people were worried about the building work, the size of the flats and potential parking problems.

She said: "We've been here for 36 years and we try to look after the older ones in the street – we're a close community.

"We're very worried for them because of the plan for two-storey blocks behind their bungalows.

"There will be all the noise and the lorries and diggers while it's being built and then afterwards we're worried there will be lots of cars."

Steven Norton, whose elderly uncle lives in Evelyn Road, has also objected on behalf of the elderly residents.

He said: "This has been objected to by a lot of residents because there's no decent access and it overlooks pensioners' homes."

People objecting on the Blaby District Council website have also raised concerns about ambulances and fire engines getting to the flats down the narrow access road.

Others said Evelyn Road already had a high volume of traffic and more flats would add to problems.

Jim Abraham, of Abraham Property, said: "The highways officers are happy with the width of the road and having eight flats instead of 25 garages means far fewer vehicle movements. The upper floors do not overlook the bungalows because they all have roof windows on that side and this is a built-up area that needs new housing.

"I used to live in the area and I had to move out because of the lack of available properties."

Hayden Beszant knows that if he had not done first aid training, he would have been just another bystander when he came across a crash between a motorcycle and car.

But instead of having to stand aside, wishing he knew what to do, the 18-year-old St John Ambulance volunteer was able to act on his instinct to help.

Hayden, a Leicester College student, and his father were driving to his sister's house when they came across the scene in Saffron Lane, Leicester, two months ago.

The motorcyclist, a takeaway delivery driver, was lying in the road.

Hayden, from Aylestone, said: "When I saw the biker lying in the road I shouted to my dad to stop.

"There were a few people gathered around him but no one else had any first aid knowledge, so I immediately took control of the situation.

"Someone asked if the car should be moved but I said to leave it where it was as it was blocking the lane from oncoming traffic and protecting me and the injured biker."

The first thing Hayden did was to check that someone had called 999 to request an ambulance.

Then the teenager, who is hoping to become a fully-trained paramedic, spoke to the motorcyclist to find out what injuries he had.

"He was complaining of back pain from top to bottom so I asked my dad to hold his head still and together we did this, as well as reassuring the patient, until emergency help arrived," said Hayden.

"Witnesses said that the biker had travelled about a metre in the air after coming off his bike.

"I feared he might have suffered spinal injuries so obviously wanted to keep his head and neck completely still until he could be checked in hospital."

A fast responder paramedic arrived and Hayden helped care for the patient until an ambulance arrived.

Hayden became a St John Ambulance volunteer in September last year, and is a member of the Southfields Unit.

He regularly provides first aid at public events including Leicester City matches, rugby matches and events in the city centre.

"As a St John Ambulance first aider I obviously wanted to use my skills to help the injured biker," he said.

"More people need to know the basics, it could mean the difference between life and death.

"On the day of the accident, there were five or six people around the patient but apart from me not one of them knew what to do. If I hadn't been there and no one had first aid knowledge the patient's condition could have deteriorated and the situation might have been very different."

Recent research by St John Ambulance shows that fewer than one in five people in Leicester knows even basic first aid.

Nick Reynolds, a paramedic with East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "Knowing what to do in an emergency is vital.

"Hayden was aware of his surroundings and any potential new risks. He was in control and took action to prevent further injury to the motorcyclist.

"Having asked questions of those who witnessed the incident, he armed himself with important information to help our paramedics give the best possible care on scene and throughout the journey to hospital."

Work on a £250,000 revamp of a street in Leicester city centre starts this week.

Berridge Street – a short stretch that connects Pocklington's Walk with Grey Friars – is to be refurbished as part of city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's £19 million Connecting Leicester scheme for the city centre.

The existing footways will be reconstructed with block paving, with the pavement on the west side of the street widened.

The road will be resurfaced with red asphalt, with a traditional raised kerb constructed from pink granite.

Construction materials will match those used in the refurbishment of Cank Street, Loseby Lane and Silver Street.

Work is expected to take 10 weeks. Six on-street parking spaces will be lost.

Berridge Street will be closed to traffic while work is carried out, although access will be maintained for deliveries.

Sir Peter said: "The improvements to Berridge Street are a key part of our wider plan to reconnect the city centre with Leicester's historic old town.

"By creating more attractive routes such as this, we want to help people rediscover the city's many historical and architectural treasures."

No objections to the changes were received.

Leicester Tigers named an unchanged side for Saturday's final as they went in search of their 10th Aviva Premiership title.

Here is how the action unfolded.

3min: PENALTY 3-0 Tigers have the first chance to get some points. Toby Flood takes his time before striking the ball cleanly over the posts.

8min: TRY 10-0 Excellent work from Toby Flood as his inside pass to Niki Goneva sees the winger break through the Saints line. The ball is recycled and Flood makes another break before looping a delightful pass over to Niall Morris, who is in acres of space on the right and he strolls over the line. Flood makes no mistake with his kick.

16min: TRY 10-5 Saints are awarded a penalty just inside the Tigers half. They take it quickly through Jamie Elliott and catch Tigers cold. He draws his man, spins the ball out left to Stephen Myler who gets over in the left corner. His conversion drifts wide.

23min: Flood is out cold after being caught by a late tackle from Courtney Lawes. The Tigers fly-half had already made his pass when he got taken out and it looks as if his head struck Dan Cole's knee on the way down.

25min: Flood eventually gets to his feet but he is all over the place and it is Ben Youngs who will take the penalty from the 10m line. His kick finishes a good distance wide.

30min: Flood is unable to continue and leaves to field to be replaced by George Ford.

32min: PENALTY 13-5 Great break from Mathew Tait sees him charge out of his own half and deep into the Saints 22 and Tigers are awarded a penalty at the breakdown. New fly-half Ford knocks the ball over the posts.

35min: Tigers defence is left wide open as George Pisi finds Jamie Elliott, who releases the ball back inside to Ben Foden before he is taken into touch and he dives over the line. Referee Wayne Barnes checks with his TMO and, after a lengthy viewing, Foden is deemed to have been in touch before he grounded the ball. No try.

40min: RED CARD Huge, huge drama at Twickenham as Saints captain Dylan Hartley is shown a straight red card. Tigers were awarded a penalty following a scrum in front of the Saints posts and Hartley is alleged to have called Barnes a "******* cheat" and is sent off.

40min: PENALTY 16-5 Despite the crazy scenes, there is still a game going on and Ford knocks the penalty over.

H-T: Tigers 16 Saints 5

44min: TRY 16-10 It is definitely not the start to the half Tigers wanted as 14-man Saints get off to a flyer. Foden was left with a free passage to the corner. Myler misses the conversion.

48min: TRY 21-10 Great response from Tigers to hit straight back. Brilliant work from Ben Youngs, who dived on the loose ball as it was fumbled out the back of the scrum. The ball finds Graham Kitchener, who has an overlap to his right, but the lock shows off his footwork to cut inside, beat his man, and dive over the line. Ford is off-target again with his kick.

56min: PENALTY 24-10 Tigers butcher an easy chance to put another try on the board when Ford makes a brilliant break to the 5m line but they can't take advantage. The play is brought back for a late tackle earlier in the play. Ford miskicks but somehow it hits the post and goes over.

57min: TRY 24-17 Foden again is at the heart of the Saints action as he skips his way past tackle after tackle, before offloading to Lee Dickson on the 5m line who dives over. The conversion is a simple one and there are only seven points in it now.

68min: TRY 29-17 Manu Tuilagi smashes his way through a tackle more than 30 metres out and charges home to give Tigers their third try of the afternoon. Ford misses yet another conversion.

74min: TRY 34-17 Steve Mafi has been on the field less than 30 seconds and he has all but put the game to bed with his first touch as he intercepts a high ball, sprints towards the line, before off-loading to Goneva who dives over.

80min: PENALTY 37-17 A final kick from Ford from inside the Saints half finishes the game off in style as Tigers go to the final whistle with a 20-point lead to secure the Premiership trophy and confirm themselves as England's best.

F-T: Tigers 37 Saints 17

A wonderful game on a memorable occasion soured by bitter controversy.

Tigers and director of rugby Richard Cockerill can enjoy their summer after ending a run of two consecutive defeats in Twickenham finals.

Departing duo Geordan Murphy and Martin Castrogiovanni lifted a 10th English title for Tigers on their ninth consecutive appearance in the final.

A truly incredible achievement.

The faces of the players at the final whistle were a mixture of relief and utter joy – and a huge following of fans must have felt the same way.

This was the sweetest of victories in a game against their local rivals they simply could not afford to lose. But, boy, there was some drama along the way.

Seven tries lit up a breath-taking rollercoaster ride of a contest with punch and counter-punch making for a great occasion.

But the red card given by referee Wayne Barnes to Saints' skipper Dylan Hartley on the stroke of half-time was the talking point of the game.

It dominated both club's press conferences and barely a player got by any post-match interview without being asked for his opinion on it.

Just two minutes after receiving a stern talking to by Barnes for his behaviour, Hartley was dismissed for calling the official a "cheat", prefixed by a swear word.

The hooker claimed later that he was aiming his abuse at opposite number Tom Youngs after Leicester had just won a penalty in the scrum.

But video evidence showed him look in Barnes' direction as he said it. Youngs, meanwhile, was flat on the floor out of shot.

It left Saints with 14 men for the second half and a mountain to climb.

The decision played a part in Northampton's defeat. But Tigers were leading 16-5 at half-time anyway and that would have been a big lead to drag back with 15 men.

The real tragedy of the saga was that it took attention away from one of the best finals ever witnessed at HQ.

It fizzed with passion, flowed at breakneck speed and was riddled with incident, big hits and marvellous tries.

This was two sides who were intent on playing expansive, attractive rugby and they put on a tremendous show for a full house.

Tigers were also without their skipper for most of the match after he left with concussion on 23 minutes following a big hit from Courtney Lawes.

The legality of the hit was borderline. A penalty? Probably. A yellow card? Probably not. Flood was completely knocked-out by Dan Cole's knee as he tried to jump over his captain and George Ford entered the fray.

At that stage, Saints had recovered from an early 10-0 deficit on the back of Niall Morris' finish from Flood's gorgeous long pass, to make it 10-5 after Stephen Myler's score.

Saints began to enjoy territory and possession and a Ben Foden try was ruled out by Graham Kitchener's huge hands on 34 minutes holding the ball up long enough for Foden's foot to go into touch.

It was 13-5 when Ford missed a penalty with time expired in the half and Myler bizarrely kicked the re-start dead after Barnes had told him not to.

Tigers won a penalty at the resulting scrum and Hartley's frustration boiled over. As he trudged off in disgrace, Ford made it 16-5 at the break.

A man down, Saints showed tremendous guts to win the third quarter of the game 12-8 with tries from Foden on 43 minutes and the excellent Dickson on 56. At the other end, the equally excellent Kitchener scored for Leicester and Ford hit a penalty to make it 24-17.

It was blow-for-blow and anyone's game at that stage – but Saints began to tire.

Both sides' line-outs were really struggling but, crucially, Leicester were on top in the scrum where Logovi'i Mulipola had a huge game against Brian Mujati and Cole forced Soane Tonga'uiha into numerous indiscretions.

On 66 minutes, Manu Tuilagi delivered the killer blow by handing off Tom Wood and running in from 30 metres and when Niki Goneva scored Tigers' fourth try on 73 minutes, that was that.

Tigers celebrated in style and deservedly lived for a wonderful moment.

The debate around the game's main talking point, will, however, last a lot longer.

Leicester Tigers are once again the pride of the country after winning a 10th English league title.

Director of rugby Richard Cockerill heaped praise on those players who have written their own chapter in the club's rich history.

Tries from Niall Morris, Graham Kitchener, Manu Tuilagi and Niki Goneva earned Tigers a thrilling 37-17 win over rivals Northampton Saints in front of a sold-out Twickenham crowd of nearly 82,000.

And Cockerill believes the players who earned that win have "no idea how good they are".

"We talk about yesteryear and all of those great players who have worn the shirt here – and so we should because that is important – but these guys are part of that now," said Cockerill.

"They are part of the history at this club because they have won the Premiership. This is one of the biggest clubs in the world and they are the club, along with the supporters.

"Sometimes, these players don't realise just how good they are.

"Winning titles doesn't just magically happen. Players have to work hard to achieve that and that was the same for me and people like Dean Richards and Peter Wheeler going back through the years.

"This team are champions of England and they have earned the right to be called that.

"I am pleased for them because the expectation here is so big that it weighs heavily on everybody's minds.

"It is great to be able to match that expectation because it is a very tough ask when you are expected to be champions every year."

On a dramatic afternoon, Leicester lost skipper Toby Flood to concussion after just 23 minutes and Saints had their skipper Dylan Hartley sent off on the stroke of half-time for calling referee Wayne Barnes a "cheat".

Hartley was suspended for 11 weeks yesterday meaning his red card has ended hopes of playing for the British & Irish Lions this summer.

Leicester Tigers' six British & Irish Lions were all passed fit to fly out with the squad later today, while lock Ed Slater will join up with the England squad and head to Argentina later this week.