A parcel firm has been granted planning permission to build a £100 million distribution hub employing 1,000 people.

BDP was given the go-ahead for a 1,540sq ft depot on a 33-acre site at Hinckley Commercial Park by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

The site – the largest of its kind in Europe and capable of handling 70,000 parcels an hour – should be fully operational by 2015.

DPD chief executive Dwain McDonald said: "I'm delighted by this news. This is another important step forward for the company and also for the region and our customers.

"The hub will look stunning. It will give us a state-of-the-art facility as well as the capacity we need to carry on providing a truly world-class service.

"We are a company that is growing fast and investing the proceeds in our infrastructure to keep on improving.

"I'm very proud of the fact we have been able to create so many jobs within our sector in the past few years and the building project itself will also create jobs directly on the site and in the supply chain.

The distribution hub is part of a £175 million investment announced by DPD in November.

It won £70 million of new business from online retailers last year, partly down to a service offering a one-hour delivery window.

The company has three other hubs, all in the West Midlands, and 40 depots around the country.

Borough council leader Councillor Stuart Bray said: "We have been working closely with the development partners to help them to secure the appropriate infrastructure and design of the scheme.

"This will secure more than 1,000 jobs for the area and provide opportunities for apprenticeships.

"We look forward to working with the management of the company to maximise the benefits arising."

The company employs 6,700 people in the UK and delivers 1.6 million parcels a week.

Leicester Tigers have started work on the defence of their Aviva Premiership title by returning to work at their Oval Park training base.

Just four weeks after lifting the cup following the 37-17 win against local rivals Northampton Saints, many of the club's players started their lengthy pre-season programme.

Under the guidance of director of rugby Richard Cockerill and new backs coaches Paul Burke and Geordan Murphy, the Tigers squad have begun the arduous task of getting their bodies in shape after a month's R&R. And it will be the club's head of strength and conditioning, Alex Martin, calling most of the shots during the first weeks of pre-season, as cardiovascular (CV) work and gym-based weights sessions dominate their schedule.

Cockerill said he will return to work "happy and relieved" after landing a third title during his five years in charge at the club.

He believes retaining that title will be as hard as ever with other teams wanting to knock the champions off their perch.

"Every season is hard and, last season, we had our ups and downs," he said.

"But we know that during the length of the campaign, we are as good as anyone and I would hope we would be in there fighting again this time around.

"Any one of the top four sides last season could have won the title and maybe, during the course of the season, Saracens may have been the best team.

"But I was really pleased with our lads for putting in all of that work and getting some reward.

"I am always one for looking forward and concentrating on getting the job done again but, I suppose, looking back over my five years here, it is satisfying to know that we have won the title in three of those years."

Cockerill, and the rest of the Tigers squad, will be getting used to several new faces in the set-up for the 2013-14 campaign, and the likes of flanker Jamie Gibson (London Irish) and hooker Neil Briggs (London Welsh), as well as Perpignan duo Jerome Schuster and David Mele, have already been in the city getting settled.

"We will be getting to know them and vice-versa," said Cockerill. "We do our due diligence before signing any player, but there are sides to their personalities that you only see when you work with them.

"It's all about getting them to fit into how we do things here at Leicester and not the other way around. By and large, that usually works quite well."

Tigers begin their pre-season action against Montpellier, in Geneva, in early August.

Gemma Steel was crowned queen of the north again when she successfully defended her Bupa Great North 10k title.

The Charnwood AC athlete strode to victory in the damp Gateshead conditions to romp home in 33min 26secs.

It wasn't plain sailing for the 27-year-old though, as Sunderland Stroller Alyson Dixon pushed her hard over the first half of the race until Steel showed her class to pull away and finish 17 seconds clear of her rival.

"I led all of the way into the wind while Ally, particularly in the first mile, didn't make it easy, snapping at my heels," said Steel.

"I broke away from her at 6km but she made me fight really hard."

Steel had gone into the event in blistering 10k form, proving why she is the country's leading runner over the distance.

Her third-placed finish in the Oakley New York Mini 10k was the best performance by a Brit ish athlete since Paula Radcliffe won the event in 2001.

Steel was the top domestic finisher against a stacked international field in last month's BUPA Great Manchester Run as well as grabbing second place in the Spar Great Ireland Run shortly after victory in the Bristol 10k.

Jasmine Nicholls showed her international potential with a third-placed finish at the Small Nations Race Walking event in Breda, Netherlands.

The Leicester Walking Club athlete smashed her previous personal best by 1min 24sec, clocking 53.57 for the 10k race.

Nicholls finished just behind her fellow England team-mate Lauren Whelan, who was second in 53.22.

Switzerland's Laura Polli won the race comfortably in 48.42.

Across the whole event, including men, women and juniors, England finished in second place in the team standings behind Ireland.

Leicestershire Foxes' players know that they have to hit the ground running if they are to mount a credible challenge in this year's Friends Life T20 competition.

And that applies more than most to Bangladesh international Shakib Al Hasan, who only joined up with his new colleagues at Grace Road on Monday.

Shakib is the Foxes' second overseas player for the quickfire competition, lining up alongside Queenslander Joe Burns in a side captained by Josh Cobb which gets into action this evening against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Ability apart, the big plus for the Foxes is that Shakib has played T20 in this country before, across the Midlands at Worcestershire a couple of years ago, so is well versed with what the competition is about.

He is an accomplished player in all formats, too, so should be able to settle quickly.

"I had a great experience with Worcestershire," said the 26-year-old.

"I enjoyed my time there and now I'm looking forward to playing with Leicestershire.

"I'm still settling in and getting to know the team, but we have a couple more sessions before our first match.

"Leicestershire are a disciplined side and the boys are keen to do the hard work."

One player he does not need to get to know is his new captain. The pair played together in the Dhaka side which won the Bangladesh Premier League earlier this year, and Shakib believes Cobb will be one of the players to make an impact this summer.

"Josh is a very exciting player," said Shakib.

"He is a very good player to watch. When he is on song he can smash the ball all over the park."

Cobb can also provide options with his off-spin, and the Foxes will be looking to slow left-armer Shakib to do his share of bowling as well as stack up quick runs.

"I want to enjoy the game while I'm here," he said. "I want to contribute to the team in any way I can, with the bat, the ball or in the field.

"It is a young team as far as I can see but, hopefully, it will gel."

If it does, then the crowds should roll up in good numbers at Grace Road – although the weather still remains the greatest factor in terms of getting people through the gates.

Shakib is also looking forward to returning to Trent Bridge, rated by most people as one of the best grounds on the county circuit.

He said: "I've enjoyed playing there in the past for Bangladesh. We played in the T20 World Cup there. We played a few teams and I remember that I bowled well."

A repeat performance would be the ideal start for the Foxes, who have fond memories of Nottingham after they won their second T20 title at Trent Bridge by beating the hosts by four runs in the final.

A record number of osprey chicks have hatched at Rutland Water.

Despite a long winter, five breeding pairs returned from Africa this spring and between them they have given birth to 14 live chicks.

Tim Mackrill, of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: "We are very pleased with the numbers of births this year. It is a record.

"All five breeding pairs have offspring. Our previous record was 12 and that was two years ago."

The Rutland Water colony was founded in 1996 when ospreys were brought from sites in Scotland. They did not start breeding successfully until 2001.

Mr Mackrill, a senior reserve officer, said: "We put the record number of chicks down to having a relatively dry spell over the past two months, so the nesting conditions were good.

There is also a ready and plentiful supply of fish in Rutland Water and surrounding lakes.

"Ospreys feed on fish of 2lb or under. They take brown and rainbow trout, roach and even pike.

"It means the adults are well nourished. The average egg number in a nest in Scotland is three, but we have a number with four."

He said he expected all 14 chicks to fly the 3,000 miles to Africa for the winter.

Since the birds of prey started breeding at Rutland Water, there have been 76 live births.

Mr Mackrill said: "The ospreys are doing very well here and they attract 30,000 visitors to Rutland Water each year so are a very good for the economy."

He said a third of the new chicks were likely to return to the UK in two years time to breed.

They could set up home in any of eight nesting sites being established in surrounding counties by the trust.

"Our site at Rutland Water is self-sufficient now and we have worked with other counties in southern Britain to build nests to expand the range that ospreys nest in," he said.

Nests have been built in Nottinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Northamptonshire to encourage new pairs to breed there.

Mr Mackrill said: "Ospreys mate for life but they only get together at breeding time.

"In the winter they stay thousands of miles apart in Africa.

"They meet up in the UK. It is the male that chooses the nesting site and if there is a readymade one, which is unoccupied, near water, he will go for it."

Before the adults set off on the hazardous 3,000-mile migration in late August or early September, GPS tracking devices will be attached to selected adults to allow researchers to see where they go.

The youngsters, which are now aged between two to five weeks, will also soon start to fly, hovering above the nest before they fledge.

They will be fitted with coloured rings so their migration flights can be monitored.

Mr Mackrill said one of the nests on the reserve was fitted with a webcam so people could monitor the chicks' progress:

www.ospreys.org.uk

Sam Warburton insists the British & Irish Lions are determined to remove the need for a series decider by toppling Australia tomorrow in a match he views as the biggest of his career.

The Lions enter the second Test at the Etihad Stadium, where the roof will be closed, on the brink of their first series victory for 16 years after edging the Wallabies 23-21 in Brisbane last weekend.

Tour captain Warburton is braced for an all-out assault from Australia as they seek to turn the Sydney showdown on July 6 into the pivotal encounter, and knows the 2013 squad must produce "something special" if they are to secure their place in history.

"I've had nervous excitement this week," the 24-year-old open-side said.

"It's quite strange when you wake up every day knowing that this time in a few days you could be series winners.

"The game can't come quick enough. There's no complacency, thinking we have a week off, because there's another opportunity in the third Test.

"If we need the third Test then the momentum will have swung completely. We definitely want to finish it off this weekend and the players are motivated to do that.

"I think this will be the biggest game of my life. Winning a Lions series will be something nobody's achieved since 1997.

"It's knowing what you could achieve, but also that it will take something special to do that."

Kurtley Beale missed a match-winning penalty in the final act of the game to condemn the Wallabies to defeat in a gripping contest at the Suncorp Stadium that is being talked of as one of the great Lions Tests.

"Australia will bounce back," said Warburton. "They were only a kick away from winning last weekend. They know they have a chance of getting the Test series back.

"Australians being Australians, they are very optimistic and competitive. There's no way they'll be down and out.

"They'll come out firing. It's all or nothing for them."

Lions head coach Warren Gatland has made five changes for tomorrow, with wing Tommy Bowe, flanker Dan Lydiate, prop Mako Vunipola and Leicester Tigers duo Ben Youngs and Geoff Parling called up to the starting XV.

Bowe displaces the unfortunate Alex Cuthbert, who scored a fine try at the Suncorp Stadium, after making a remarkable return from a spiral fracture in his hand.

Nearly three weeks ago, it was feared that the 29-year-old was out of the tour, only to be reassured he could still participate in the series if he underwent intensive physiotherapy after the operation.

"To now be involved in one of the biggest games of my career is pretty surreal," said Bowe.

Australia: Beale; Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Leali'ifano, Tomane; O'Connor, Genia; Robinson, Moore, Alexander, Douglas, Horwill (capt), Mowen, Hooper, Palu. Reps: Fainga'a, Slipper, Kepu, Simmons, Gill, Phipps, Horne, Mogg.

Lions: Halfpenny; Bowe, O'Driscoll, Davies, North; Sexton, B Youngs; Vunipola, T Youngs, A Jones, A-W Jones, Parling, Lydiate, Warburton (capt), Heaslip. Reps: Hibbard, Grant, Cole, Croft, O'Brien, Murray, Farrell, Cuthbert.

Leicestershire Police has released further details of proposed cuts to police stations' opening hours.

The force believes it can save about £500,000 a year by limiting public access to its stations' front inquiry desks.

It confirmed on Tuesday a plan to completely close the front inquiry desks at Belgrave, Syston, Lutterworth and Blaby.

Now, it has published details of possible reductions in the opening hours of inquiry desks in its remaining 13 stations.

The plans, which the force has stressed are still under consideration, would see most stations close earlier in the day while some would no longer open at weekends. It said no changes would be introduced until April next year.

Under the plan, Loughborough police station would no longer open at weekends.

Charnwood district and county councillor David Snartt said: "I understand the pressures the police are under and if there have to be spending cuts, I would rather it was in areas such as this and not to the frontline of policing."

Harborough district councillor Phil Knowles said: "I would urge senior officers to rethink these proposals.

"Closing a station at 4pm rather than 6pm during the week would be very inconvenient for a lot of people."

Lutterworth station is one of four which could see its front inquiry desk closed completely.

Geraldine Robinson, a Lutterworth town councillor and chairman of Harborough District Council, said: "I'm not sure the closure would have much impact, given the current limited opening hours.

"The police must ensure they make themselves easily accessible if this goes ahead."

Chief Superintendent Chris Haward said on Tuesday: "We know members of the public like the reassurance of knowing they can walk into a police station.

"But in reality, fewer and fewer people are making use of this service and in the current world of financial constraints we have to be as efficient as possible."

In previous studies, physics students at the University of Leicester have concluded Batman has a fatal flaw in his flying cape which would prevent him from landing safely. They also concluded that a lot more than 501 seagulls would be needed to help Roald Dahl's James fly his Giant Peach.

But they did conclude that one of Spider-Man's feats of strength rang true.

In the second of the movie blockbusters starring Tobey Maguire as the comic book hero, Spider-Man uses his web to stop a runaway train. And this is possible, say the boffins.

A pet cat found covered in blood had been shot in the head by an airgun.

Jeremy Bampton, 71, and wife Jan, 60, of Pevensey Road, in Loughborough, found their cat Whitey hiding under a chair on Sunday morning.

What they originally thought was an abscess turned out to be a hole caused by a pellet from an airgun.

It is thought the cat was shot on Saturday night.

Mr Bampton said: "Whitey is such a friendly cat, we're absolutely devastated."

After taking him to the Chine House Veterinary Hospital, the couple noticed there was a problem with the three-year-old cat's left side.

"It just wasn't working properly. The vet told us that the pellet was close to his brain and it was affecting his nerves."

The pellet, which had split in two, was removed on Wednesday and Whitey is now in intensive care.

Mrs Bampton said: "He is doing quite well now and hopefully we will get him home soon.

"He is walking better, but we don't know whether he will ever be completely well again.

"We're definitely more optimistic now, but only time will tell."

David Blow, from Chine House, said he was pleased with how Whitey was doing so far.

He said: "Touch wood, he is doing okay, but there is still the risk of infection.

"Whitey was extremely weak but the surgery went well and he's now a lot better.

"He's coming along nicely. There shouldn't be any long-term damage."

The incident follows the disappearance of Ossie, one of the couple's other four cats.

Mr Bampton said: "It's not nice to not know where your cat is and it makes us worry about letting our other pets out of the house."

The couple said since the beginning of the year, two other cats belonging to neighbours had also gone missing.

Mr Bampton said: "It's very strange that these cats have just disappeared. It's just very odd."

Of the pellet attack, he said: "I don't understand how people can do that."

RSPCA inspector Alison North said: "It is very, very sad and it's not right that people out there could be doing this to pets and even wild animals."

"Unfortunately, in many cases like this, it is hard to prove who is responsible."

A former care home worker told a jury he did not rape or sexually abuse a boy.

Anwar Ismail (31) denies anything of a sexual nature happened with Aaron Leafe, at Woodland Retreat, in Chantry Lane, Leicester.

The prosecution alleges Ismail groomed Aaron and first abused him when he was 12, in 2007.

The defendant was the boy's carer until 2008, when he was dismissed from the home after forcibly restraining Aaron for misbehaving.

Six weeks after making a police complaint about Ismail, Aaron, who was 15, apparently committed suicide, in June 2010.

Giving evidence yesterday, Ismail, of Matlock Street, Spinney Hills, Leicester, said he was given one or two weeks' training before starting at Woodland Retreat.

Within six months he became Aaron's key carer and despite the boy's challenging and attention-seeking behaviour, they got on well.

Ismail said Aaron displayed sexualised behaviour towards staff and they had all advised him about acceptable boundaries.

He said no staff had complained to him personally about his professionalism, prior to his dismissal.

Ismail rejected allegations Aaron spent the night with him in a staff room or that he abused him in a classroom.

He also said when a teacher walked in to see Aaron's head on his lap, the boy was lethargic and complaining about feeling unwell.

Asked if he had abused, raped or attempted to rape Aaron, Ismail said: "No, never. No, that's not me at all.

"I wouldn't do that to anyone."

When questioned about a member of staff allegedly seeing him tap Aaron's bottom, he said: "If I did, it would be to hurry him along, but it wasn't sexual."

Ismail said the children would often hug carers at the end of their shift and some of the rules were "blurred".

He said Aaron had on occasions kissed him on the cheek, but said: "I never kissed him."

The prosecution claims Ismail continued the alleged abuse after Aaron moved to another children's home, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

Ismail said after he left the Leicester home, Aaron obtained his phone number and began calling him.

He said: "I know it was wrong to be in contact with him. It was just to see how he was getting on.

"When you spend so much time with someone, you do get attached, but never in a sexual way."

Ismail said he lied to police, by denying continuing to see Aaron after they had left Woodland Retreat, because he was "scared".

Ismail denies one charge of rape on December 9, 2009, one of attempted rape between January 2007 and June 2010 and one of sexual assault between March and April 2010.

He also denies four charges of sexual activity with a child and three of abducting a child, between December 2009 and May 2010.

The trial continues.

A conman who went into hiding after he preyed on the elderly in a TV aerial scam has been captured by the police.

Keith Matthews (59) failed to attend his trial, which went ahead without him.

He was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in his absence.

Matthews, who had a warrant out for his arrest, was found living in a caravan near Swithland Wood, Woodhouse Eaves, on Wednesday night.

He appeared at Leicester Crown Court yesterday and admitted breaching his bail by failing to attend the court hearing on June 3 – and then going on the run.

Judge Simon Hammond told the defendant, who appeared unshaven, wearing a T-shirt and a tweed jacket: "Because you didn't turn up for trial, you were tried in your absence and convicted on June 21.

"You're now going to start your three-year sentence."

He ordered Matthews to return to court on July 8, so the original trial judge, Philip Head, could deal with him for breaching his bail.

Defence advocate Helen Johnson told the hearing: "He was arrested last night, fairly locally."

Matthews had previously been exposed in a BBC Rogue Traders television programme in 2008 for similar malpractice, although he was not prosecuted in relation to that.

During the five-day trial, the jurors were not given a reason for Matthews's absence.

They heard he had overcharged customers, including an 89-year-old Braunstone man who paid £4,900 for a £490 job, which had been "shoddily carried out".

Leicestershire County Council's trading standards department caught Matthews and his employee, Luke Busby, in a sting operation.

The department hired an actress to play the part of a vulnerable elderly occupant of a bungalow in Hospital Lane, Blaby, that was fitted out with microphones and 12 hidden cameras.

They filmed Busby misdiagnosing a simple aerial cable problem and wrongly recommending a new aerial.

Matthews, formerly of Station Road, Quorn, was convicted of four frauds, eight offences of engaging in unfair commercial practice and one of running fraudulent businesses, One Digital and Aerials Direct, between April 2011 and March last year.

Busby (26), of Leicester Road, Countesthorpe, who gave evidence against Matthews, was given a 12-month community order, with 120 hours of unpaid work, with £1,080 court costs.

Ben and Tom Youngs will become the first brothers to start a British & Irish Lions Test for nearly a quarter of a century.

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has praised the "special" achievement of his players.

Lions head coach Warren Gatland has named the pair in the starting XV for the second Test against Australia, in Melbourne, tomorrow.

The Lions will be looking to secure the series with victory in the Etihad Stadium.

Ben Youngs comes in at scrum-half in place of Wales No.9 Mike Phillips as one of five changes made to the side that defeated the Wallabies 23-21 in the first Test last weekend. Tom, pictured right, keeps his place at hooker.

The Youngs duo become the first brothers to play together in a Lions Test since the Scottish pair Gavin and Scott Hastings, in 1989.

Cockerill said he is proud of all five of his players in the 23-man squad, but said the two brothers have bestowed a great honour on the club.

"It's a great achievement for these two lads who have come through our system at Tigers," he said.

"Ben's rise through the game has been fantastic. He has gone on to play for England, now the Lions, and Tom's story just keeps going and going.

"He has played really well. To go on tour and to get in front of the other guys that have gone, especially (Richard) Hibbard who, when they went out there, was probably favourite to start. So credit to Tom yet again.

"I'm delighted for them all but for brothers to play in a Lions Test together is something very special.

"I'm very proud of them both and it's an honour they've now bestowed on the club, and that will be in the history books forever."

They will be joined in the starting Lions pack by fellow Tigers star Geoff Parling, who plays in the second-row in place of the injured Paul O'Connell.

"Geoff has done exceptionally well," said Cockerill.

"In the four-and-a-bit years from being at Newcastle to playing for England, to being a British Lion, that story in itself is as amazing as Tom Youngs' in some ways."

But there is disappointment for Tom Croft, who loses his starting spot from the first Test, being replaced by the Welsh flanker Dan Lydiate.

Croft takes his place on the bench alongside Tigers prop Dan Cole.

There is also no place in either in the starting line-up or on the bench for Manu Tuilagi, despite his impressive performance in the 35-0 victory against Melbourne Rebels on Tuesday after returning from a neck injury.

"I'm a little disappointed for Tom Croft that he is not starting because I think he's had a pretty strong tour," said Cockerill.

"Same for Manu because we know how good he can be.

"An injury on a relatively short tour when you have to make decisions for big games quite early on has been hard.

"Not to make the bench is difficult for him as well but that's life. But there is plenty of time yet and another Test match to come.

"All our lads have featured heavily and to have five in the 23 for both the first two Tests is testament to the players and the club."

The final two changes see Tommy Bowe take over from Alex Cuthbert on the right- wing, while Makovina Vunipola replaces Alex Corbisiero.

A man who was stabbed in the neck while walking his dog in the countryside has told how he thought he was going to die.

The 63-year-old was attacked as he and his pet enjoyed their regular walk through parkland on the outskirts of Oadby on Saturday morning.

Recovering at home yesterday, the man described how his attacker initially accused him of not shutting a gate, and then plunged a three-and-a-half-inch knife into his neck.

The victim, who does not want to be identified, spoke out in the hope it will help police to find the attacker.

He also wanted to thank two people who came to his aid and, he believes, saved his life.

He said: "I've been going to the same place for 30 years and I know a lot of people down there. I'd never seen the man who did this to me before, though.

"He had a dog with him, too, and I heard him shout something like 'shut that gate'.

"He came up to me and started effing and blinding at me.

"I saw his fist come up, but because he was so close to me there was nothing I could do to defend myself.

"At first, I thought he had punched me, but then I realised I was bleeding heavily.

"It sounds daft, but I remember I said to him 'you've stabbed me'.

"I could see him standing there with his arm by his side and there was a knife in his hand."

The injured man staggered back to the car park at the entrance to the country park, near Bluebell Close.

"I got the dog's blanket and held it to my throat and with the other hand I managed to get through to the emergency services, but they couldn't understand what I was saying and I was having to spell out where I was, repeating every letter," he said.

"Fortunately, another dog-walker – someone I know enough to say 'good morning' to – saw me."

The fellow dog-walker went to get help.

"The first house he went to he found the person who lived there just happened to be a nurse."

The nurse came to the man's aid, laying him down in his estate car and treating and reassuring him until paramedics arrived.

The man said: "I thought I was all on my own in that car park and I was thinking 'I'm going to die here'. If it wasn't for that dog-walker and then the nurse, I probably would have died there.

"My other piece of luck was that the knife just missed my carotid artery. If he had cut that, I would have been dead in less than 15 seconds."

He was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary and later transferred to Derby Royal Infirmary, where specialists treated the damaged nerves.

The results of the operation will not be known for at least six weeks, the man said.

"People ask me how I feel about what has happened to me, but I can't really tell them because I still can't get my head around it," he said.

Well-wishers have sent get well cards. One is signed by a number of people who walk their dogs at the same spot.

"We don't always know each other's names, so they put their dogs' names and that way I know who it's from," he said.

"I know a lot of them are worried now and are going in pairs.

"We won't be able to feel safe until this man is caught."

His wife, 62, said: "We just want the person who did this to be caught. He is obviously a dangerous man."

The couple's 30-year-old daughter said: "We feel a lot of gratitude for the people who helped my dad, but we are still very concerned the person who did this is still out there.

"Because it was unprovoked, who's to say this man won't do this to someone else?

"If anyone knows anything about the person who did this, even if they think it's unimportant, we want them to go to the police."

Police arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the attack on Monday. He has been released on bail and the investigation is continuing.

The attacker is white, 6ft 1in, aged 30 to 35, slim and has short, dark hair. He was wearing a dark baseball cap, mid-grey T-shirt and blue jeans.

The dog the attacker had with him was a "good-sized" springer spaniel, possibly crossed with a border collie or similar.

Contact Detective Constable Gary Dickinson on 101.

The first Race for Life event took place in 1994, when 680 participants raised a total of £36,000 for Cancer Research UK.

There are now more than 230 races around the country which, over the years, have helped to raise more than £493 million.

Last year, Cancer Research UK spent more than £1 million in Leicester on some of the country's leading scientific and clinical research.

For example, scientists at the University of Leicester are looking for new molecules in every-day foods which could help prevent cancer.

The entry fee goes towards the cost of running the events and the charity is reliant on the sponsorship of participants to raise cash.

Katie Martin, Race for Life event manager for Leicester, said: "After the Race, we'll be asking everyone to take one last step – by returning the money they have raised so it can go into vital research to help more men, women and children survive cancer.

"Many people don't realise that their entry fee only covers the cost of staging the event. It is the sponsorship money that really makes a difference.

"Cancer Research UK doesn't receive any Government funding for its ground-breaking work.

"The money people raise through Race for Life is crucial because it means we can go on supporting the pioneering work of doctors, nurses and scientists who are fighting cancer on all fronts.''

You can pay in your sponsorship money by:

Ringing 0845 600 6050.

Sending a cheque, payable to Cancer Research UK, to: Race for Life, PO Box 442, Northampton, NN3 6UU.

Alternatively, visit:

www.raceforlife.org/ returnsponsorship

Christine Smith will be there in spirit with the women and girls taking part in this year's event.

She had hoped to take part, but her battle against a third bout of cancer has taken its toll on her health.

The 64-year-old has also lost one of her brothers and one of her sisters to the disease.

Christine, from Hinckley, said: "I have always supported Cancer Research UK and the Race for Life.

"I know first-hand just how important it is to raise money for research into cancer."

She was first diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 1993.

Christine said: "Food kept getting stuck and my doctor just kept giving me Gaviscon.

"It was only when I changed GPs that the cancer was discovered and I had to have a big operation at Leicester General hospital to have it removed.

"I didn't have to have further treatment such as chemo or radiotherapy."

In 2009, and just seven weeks after her husband died, Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to have a mastectomy followed by both radio and chemotherapy.

Christine said: "It was about the same time that I lost both my sister, who was 63, to cancer and my brother, who was 68, to prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones.

"It was then that we were offered genetic testing and it was discovered that between myself, my three brothers and three sisters, four of us had the Brca gene, which makes hereditary cancer more likely."

Christine decided to have her other breast removed to try to reduce the risk of cancer.

However, just a few days before she was due to have surgery, she was told the oesophageal cancer had returned.

That was in 2011, and she has recently finished a course of treatment.

Christine said: "The diagnosis was such a shock. I couldn't have more surgery. But the treatment I have had has left me with collapsed vertebrae.

"It means I can't go ahead with the planned mastectomy, I just couldn't go through more major surgery at the moment.

"I would like to have done the Race for Life this year – I have done it twice before – but, unfortunately, I just do not feel able to do it at the moment."

But Christine will be willing on the women taking part in Victoria Park on Sunday and at the Race for Life event in Loughborough next month.

She said: "I know just how important it is to raise money for a charity like Cancer Research UK."

Mum-of-two Amaryllis Aitken is limbering up to lead Team Amy, made up of more than 70 women and girls, in tomorrow's race.

The following day, the 38-year-old will begin radiotherapy treatment for sarcoma.

The rare cancer was diagnosed in November last year, the day of Amaryllis' birthday.

She said: "I first noticed a lump on my leg, sort of walnut sized, after a box fit class and thought I had pulled a muscle.

"My GP thought the same, but said to go back if it didn't disappear. I went back six months later because it hadn't and, in November, sarcoma was diagnosed. It had also spread to my lungs. It was a very big shock, there is no history of cancer in my family."

Amaryllis, from Kibworth, had chemotherapy, followed by an operation to remove the sarcoma.

She said: "I feel fine at the moment, although I do get more tired than I used to. I told my close friends that I was going to do Race for Life and then I put it on Facebook and people just kept joining in. Now there are about 72 of us.

"Sunday is going to be fantastic. I am so proud of everyone for their support and help.

"When I booked a taxi through M & E Taxi, in Kibworth, I was told there wouldn't be a charge.

"It is an amazing and it is a very humbling experience."

Amaryllis's two daughters, Daisy 16 and three-year-old Scarlett, are among team members.

Team Amy is also hoping to raise £3,000 or more for Cancer Research UK, which organises the race.

Amaryllis said: "We have raised about £2,800, so I am sure we will get well over the £3,000 mark."

Also joining the team is one of her lifelong friends, Shora Montgomerie. Shora, a GP from Market Harborough, said: "I did the Race for Life a couple of years ago, but this year it seems that there is much more relevance to it.

"As a GP I have patients affected by cancer and, of course, know how important research is. But, Amy is the first of my friends and peer group to be directly affected by cancer.

"We have been friends since we were babies and we went to school together.

"When Amy shared her journey on Facebook so many friends from long ago saw it and wanted to be part of the team. There will be family and friends, children, mothers and grandmothers taking part and we will be walking the 5k route."