Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has vowed to do all he can to keep hold of Wes Morgan and Kasper Schmeichel.

City have rejected offers from Nottingham Forest for captain Morgan and Hull for keeper Schmeichel, and Pearson said he wanted to hold on to his most influential players.

Both players have indicated they are happy to stay and Pearson said they were players he wanted to build his team around as City embark on another promotion challenge.

"We are fighting very hard to keep our best players and build a better side," he said.

"They have both been key performers for us over the last year or so. Wes has been here 15 months and performed exceptionally well all the way through that period, as has Kasper.

"They are really key players, there is no doubt about that. It is important we try and keep our best players.

"There have been bids and that was going to happen and I would have been surprised if that wasn't the case."

City have been back in pre-season training for the past week.

Pearson said he had been pleased with how his players had been training, although he confirmed striker David Nugent had picked up a calf injury and Paul Konchesky has yet to train at full speed because of an injury problem.

"The signs are that training is going very well," said Pearson yesterday.

"We have picked up one or two niggles in training but when you progress to playing the tempo of football we have done this morning you are going to get that from time to time.

"But, in general, they are in good condition.

"The injuries aren't serious. David Nugent has picked up a bit of a calf problem and Paul Konchesky is not at full tilt yet, but probably will be next week.

"You have to just manage these things when they come along."

More than 160 victims of cancer caused by asbestos were remembered at a service in Leicester Cathedral.

The annual service marked national Action Mesothelioma Day. It was organised by the Leicester-based charity Mesothelioma UK and the Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team, which supports families across the East Midlands.

Jill Lemon, fund-raising manager for Mesothelioma UK, said: "We join forces in a bid to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and highlight the need for a worldwide ban.

"We also support those who are living with mesothelioma and pay tribute to those who are no longer with us."

The service was led by the Rev Mark Burleigh, head of chaplaincy at Leicester's hospitals.

Speakers included the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Jennifer, Lady Gretton; Professor Dean Fennell, a lung cancer oncologist at the University of Leicester, and Dr Mick Peake, a consultant in respiratory medicine at Leicester's hospitals.

Visitors affected by the cancer wrote messages on "rose" cards which were then placed on "reflection trees".

The Dean of Leicester, the Very Rev David Monteith, said: "Leicester Cathedral has been glad to support Action Mesothelioma Day in recent years."

At the end of the event white doves, symbolising hope for the future, were released outside the cathedral.

An 11-year-old girl is celebrating after being told she is clear of cancer.

Paige Taylor, from Measham, was diagnosed with kidney cancer on June 15 last year after having a "funny turn" and almost fainting on her way to school.

Her mum, Nina, took her straight to their GP at the Measham Medical Unit.

He noticed a swelling on her stomach and within 24 hours Paige was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, which affects about 70 children a year in Britain.

Nina said: "As a family, we new nothing about child cancer and thought the worse."

Paige was immediately given a six-week course of chemotherapy at Birmingham Children's Hospital, followed by surgery to remove the tumour and her kidney.

Her latest MRI scans show she is clear of the cancer.

Nina said: "It felt fabulous, there's no other word for it.

"Paige will have to have scans every 12 weeks for the next 12 months and further tests throughout the next five years, but it does feel as if she has beaten cancer.

"Paige has been an inspiration to us all during her treatment.

She has got her orange belt in karate, played cricket for the girls' cricket team at school, taken part in a schools sports competition at Saffron Lane and took part in the Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK in Victoria Park.

"Added to all this, Paige has missed a lot of school but her report shows that she is above average in all subjects."

During the past year, the family has helped to raise more than £15,000 for charity.

A total of £3,000 went to the Little Princess Trust, which made a wig for Paige when her hair fell out due to the chemotherapy treatment.

In addition, nearly £11,000 was raised for the children's cancer facilities at Birmingham Children's Hospital at a charity ball organised by Paige's sister, Chelsie, 17.

Nina and Paige raised a further £1,800 when they took part in the Race of Life event in Victoria Park. Nina said: "I think the fund-raising was one of our ways of coping.

Paige said: "I have had the most horrible year of my life, but I am now looking forward to getting back to normal and doing things like going on holiday and going on a bouncy castle.

To mark her "all clear" results, Paige's Pink Picnic will be held at her school, Sir John Moore Primary School, in Appleby Magna, on Thursday.

There are plans for an afternoon of fun, including face-painting. Proceeds will go the cancer department at Birmingham Children's Hospital, which is raising £4 million to improve facilities.

Nina said: "The school has been an amazing support to us."

Warren Gatland believes the British & Irish Lions could be equipped with "an incredibly strong squad" for the formidable challenge of New Zealand in four years' time.

It is 42 years since the Lions won a Test series in All Blacks country, but they might easily travel with renewed optimism when 2017 comes around.

Not only did the current Lions triumph at Australia's expense, claiming a 2-1 series success, they achieved it with a crop of exciting young players – stars like Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Alex Corbisiero, Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau.

And when the planning begins for New Zealand, it will start from a solid base of world-class talent.

Asked if he thought the Lions could prevail in 2017, current Lions boss Gatland said: "Yes, I think if we get things right in terms of the preparation and stuff.

"If you look at how young this squad is, a lot of them could be around in four years' time.

"If they are playing well enough and you have got four more years' experience on some young heads, some young shoulders and they are in their late 20s, that potentially makes the Lions squad in four years' time incredibly strong.

"That is something to be excited about. The amount of interest it has created, I am sure the sponsors are pretty happy and the people who are involved in negotiating things for the future of the Lions.

"You've always got to believe that when you go somewhere you go there to win.

"I know we talk about 2005 (New Zealand) being disappointing, and for us the motivation in 2009 (South Africa) was about respect and getting respect back for that jersey.

"The whole focus on this tour was about delivering the Test series win."

Gatland came in for fierce criticism from all quarters for his third-Test selection, one that contained 10 Welshmen, but no Brian O'Driscoll, who was left out of the 23.

But he revealed an experience he gained while coaching Ireland several years ago gave him an unshakeable belief in how he should approach selection.

"If we had won the series, fantastic. If we had lost, there would only be fingers pointed at myself," he added.

"We lost an away game to Scotland which cost Ireland a Grand Slam. Tactically, I changed the way we played, influenced by some selections.

"I promised myself I would never do that again, that I would never back down from what I felt would be the right decision."

The first brewery to open in a Leicestershire town in more than 100 years will produce its first beer in the next couple of weeks.

Tracy Ellis and his stepbrother, Phil Woodward, both members of real ale group Camra, opened the Ellis Wood brewery in Hinckley at the beginning of the month.

The micro brewery, on an industrial estate in Coventry Road, is the first commercial brewery to open in the town since the closure of Beardsmore and Co in about, 1900 which was taken over by brewing giant Marston's.

The first 2,800 pints from the 5.5 British barrel brewery will be ready in time to coincide with the Market Bosworth Real Ale Festival later this month.

Tracy, 52, a former gunner with the Royal Navy, said: "I've tasted ales all over the world. Apart from what I've brewed at home I've been on brewing courses.

"I'm a shopfitter by trade, fitting suspended ceilings, but our aim is to be a full-time commercial brewery. We're the only brewery, micro or otherwise, in Hinckley and the first for more than 100 years."

With two fermenting vessels, currently the brewery can produce 2,800 pints a week.

Tracy said: "It's three weeks from brewing to selling and the first one we're producing is called Just One More, a 4.2 per cent pale ale with blackcurrant and grapefruit undertones. We haven't got a name for the second one yet.

"We've been round all the free houses and clubs and they're up for it. It's a new beer and everybody wants it."

Richard Lewin, secretary of the Hinckley and Bosworth branch of Camra, said: "All of our 400 members, many of whom are landlords, are delighted.

"It's the first brewery in Hinckley since Beardsmore's closed down. It's a big thing for the branch. It's part of a growing trend of opening new, small breweries around the country and buying local produce."

Hinckley was once a local centre for brewing, hence the ditty: "Higham on the hill, Stoke in the dale, Wykin for buttermilk and Hinckley for ale."

Hinckley was known to its residents for many years as "Tin 'At" (tin hat). It is reputed that, many years ago, one of the itinerant sheep drovers bragged he could drink a hat full of ale.

The local landlord put the man to the test by getting the blacksmith to make a tin hat, which he then filled with ale.

Thereafter, the town became known as "Tin 'At".

The beer can be tasted at the Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival over the weekend of July 26- to 28 at Bosworth Railway Station, when more than 40 beers and 15 ciders will be on offer.

The event will also feature steam train rides, traction engines, music and entertainment.

Just how fine the margins are in Twenty20 cricket was highlighted at Old Trafford yesterday as Leicestershire Foxes slipped to a four-run defeat at the hands of Lancashire Lightning.

It wasn't that the Foxes did a great deal wrong in any of their disciplines but they still came up fractionally short, closing on 151-6 after being set 156 to win.

Opener Greg Smith took the Foxes so close with a brilliant 84 from just 56 deliveries and, had he been there at the finish, then Leicestershire could easily have taken the points rather than being left to ponder a third defeat in four games.

The decisive over was the 19th bowled by Lancashire seamer Kabir Ali.

The Foxes began that on 135-4 needing 21 to win, far from impossible on a rapid outfield.

But after reaching 84, Smith was smartly caught low down at mid-on and, when Rob Taylor fell without scoring, Leicestershire went into the final over needing 14 to win.

That was a major task against New Zealand left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan and, although Michael Thornely deposited his penultimate ball into one of the new stands at Manchester, the Foxes' batsman could not repeat the dose from the final delivery and Lancashire had won the day. Just.

That must have left Smith a bitterly disappointed man. He smashed six fours and three sixes in his innings to continue the eye-catching work he has put in since coming into the 20-over side.

A stand of 57 in seven overs with Matthew Boyce had kept the Foxes in the running after they had lost both overseas men Joe Burns and Shakib Al Hasan in the first half of their run chase, which they could ill-afford on a slow pitch which suited the slow men rather than the seamers.

Boyce, though was caught off a leading edge for a run-a-ball 19 in the 17th over, again bowled by Kabir, and that was where the late demise began with the Foxes ultimately coming up short.

The Foxes' tactic of playing three spinners, Shakib, Jigar Naik and skipper Josh Cobb had worked very nicely when the home side chose to bat first.

Naik and Shakib bowled beautifully in tandem and though they did not run through the Lancashire line-up, they kept the runs to a minimum.

Simon Katich, though, played a crucial role for the home side and his unbeaten 62 from 43 balls was the difference.

Katich might not blaze away to all points of the ground but he picks the right shot for the right ball and while Leicestershire will feel that they did well in the field to restrict Lancashire, Katich made sure his side posted a competitive total – and one which was to prove just beyond the Foxes' reach.

The British & Irish Lions roared to Test series glory at ANZ Stadium as they ended 16 years of hurt with a stunning 41-16 victory over Australia.

An awesome display of scrummaging power built an unshakeable victory foundation, with England prop Alex Corbisiero scoring an early try, fly-half Jonathan Sexton, wing George North and centre Jamie Roberts also touching down and brilliant full-back Leigh Halfpenny kicking 21 points.

Australia, 19-3 behind just before half-time, rallied to within three points six minutes into the second period courtesy of a James O'Connor try and 11 points from goal-kicking centre Christian Leali'ifano. But the Lions were not to be denied as they took the series 2-1, savouring a triumph they last experienced against South Africa in 1997.

The Lions could not have scripted a better opening 90 seconds if they had tried as Australia were reeling from a nightmare start. Will Genia knocked on Sexton's kick-off, handing the Lions a scrum, and after wing Tommy Bowe was tackled short, skipper Alun-Wyn Jones charged to within inches of Australia's line.

And with the Wallabies defence spread-eagled, Corbisiero ploughed over from close range for a try that Halfpenny converted. The Lions maintained their dominance through two Halfpenny penalties either side of a Leali'ifano strike.

Australia had no answer to the Lions' scrummaging power as Corbisiero, Hibbard and Adam Jones tore into their opposite numbers, gaining a 16th-minute penalty that Halfpenny kicked. French referee Romain Poite finally ran out of patience with Australia's ailing scrum, sending tight-head prop Ben Alexander to the sin-bin, and Halfpenny's resulting penalty took him into the record book.

Jesse Mogg, who replaced the injured Israel Folau, almost made a startling impact when he broke clear in midfield, but lock Geoff Parling's tap-tackle took him to ground and probably prevented a try. Australia desperately needed something before half-time, and Mogg's arrival certainly gave them some attacking impetus.

And the Wallabies delivered right on cue. The interval hooter had already sounded, but after a third re-set scrum, possession found its way to O'Connor who weaved his way over, capitalising on weak defensive work from opposite number Sexton. Leali'ifano added the conversion, and Australia were suddenly back in contention, trooping off 19-10 adrift.

And their momentum continued early in the second period as the Lions conceded two poor technical penalties around their 22-metre line, which Leali'ifano punished them for on both occasions.

A 16-point advantage one minute before the break had been reduced to just three after 46 minutes, and Australia looked a different team.

Further switches followed, and the Lions regained their composure as Halfpenny booted his fifth penalty before turning try-maker as his break set up Sexton for a potentially decisive 57th-minute touchdown. It was the score that broke Australia's back, and the final quarter proved a triumphant procession as North and Roberts administered final try-scoring blows and the celebrations could begin.

A drunken man pressed a kitchen knife against his ex-girlfriend's body and threatened to kill her

Daryl Yiulle (36) also brandished a hammer during a prolonged and violent ordeal.

Yiulle was jailed for 18 months after admitting making a threat to kill and common assault.

Leicester Crown Court was told Yiulle had found it hard to come to terms with the break-up of the relationship five months earlier.

The couple remained in contact and he still visited her home in Barwell.

On November 21 he became angry when she said she was going out.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said: "He repeatedly rang her and sent text messages, saying he wanted to resume their relationship.

"He arrived at her house at 5am the next day, shouting her name. She let him in to avoid disturbing the neighbours.

"He called her a slut and a whore and accused her of seeing someone else."

She wanted to go back to sleep, but he grabbed a pillow and she feared he might smother her.

They eventually fell asleep, but the victim awoke to loud music and the defendant shouting abuse.

He produced a hammer he had brought with him, saying he had expected to find her in bed with a man and would have killed them both, before injecting himself with heroin and jumping out of the window.

Miss Rose said: "He pushed her on to the bed and grabbed her around the face, causing her head to bang on a chest of drawers.

"As he gripped her face tightly, she closed her eyes, fearing he was going to cause serious harm. She was very scared."

When she asked him to leave, he became agitated.

She poured away the remains of the alcohol he was drinking, "fuelling his anger".

Miss Rose said: "He pinned her to the back door, holding her face and gripping her hair."

He stopped her attempts to escape and pushed her over a sofa, shouting and threatening to kill her, saying: "I might as well do it."

Miss Rose said: "She was hysterical, crying and begging him to leave."

Yiulle got a kitchen knife with a seven-inch blade and pinned her against a door, pressing the knife against her shoulder blade.

"She begged him not to hurt her."

He flung the knife across the room and she locked herself in the bathroom and phoned her sister, only coming out when the police arrived.

Miss Rose said: "It has impacted on her greatly, but she's thankful her two young daughters were staying with her father and didn't witness it."

Yiulle, of Tower Road, Earl Shilton, was made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim.

Harbinger Singh Lally, mitigating, said: "She had a terrible ordeal and he understands that. He knows it was wrong and he'll never do it again.

"He was clearly drunk.

"The relationship turned sour and he couldn't accept it.

"He was fuelled by alcohol and anger and had also taken heroin.

"Fortunately, there were no injuries."

Sentencing, Recorder Martin Hurst said: "The victim made it plain she didn't want you back.

"When she went out you got absolutely plastered.

"She must have been terrified.

"You threatened her with a hammer and pressed a knife against her body."

Leicester City's new strip proved a big hit with fans who turned up for a special autograph signing session at King Power Stadium.

Supporters snapped up the new design, which includes golden stripes down the sides and gold trim on the sleeves, when it was launched at the Fanstore on Saturday.

Many then stood in line to have their new purchase signed by 19 members of the first-team squad, who sat beside the King Power pitch.

Many of those who travelled had not even seen the shirt until they bought it, but they said they weren't disappointed.

Nathan Crossley, aged 20 from Long Eaton, left his house at 6.30am to travel to meet his City heroes.

"I was the first in the queue and it has been worth it," he said. "It is different with the gold in the collar but I like the new shirt.

"Surely this has to be the shirt we finally get promoted in, especially after last season."

Ryan Willday, aged 19 from Leicester, loved the golden touch. "I wasn't sure about the collar but it is okay and I like the golden touches," he said. "I hadn't see it before I came but I would have bought it anyway.

"I would wear a bin-liner if it had a City badge on it."

Tracey Wrighten, aged 40 from Eyres Monsell, and 11-year-old Elise also loved the shirt and enjoyed meeting the City players.

"I like the shirt and the fact we have all the signatures on it is a bonus," said Tracey.

"I am still going to wear it. We are both season-ticket holders and we like to show our colours.

"It was great to get all the autographs but I really wish Kasper Schmeichel had been here."

Elise said the gold was a big hit with her. "I really like the shirt and it was brilliant to meet all the players," she said.

"I hope they can go all the way this year."

Sean Scotchbrook, of Nuneaton, has been collecting City shirts for 37 years.

"I get the shirt every year and try to get it signed for my collection," said the 42-year-old.

"I was brought down here as a young kid and a friend bought me a shirt, and I have been collecting them ever since.

"I really like the new on. You worry because it is Puma and a lot of teams have their strip made by them that it will look like everyone else's shirt, but it is really distinctive and stands out."

Leicestershire is set to swelter for most of July as temperatures hit a scorching 29C (84.2F) degrees yesterday, making it the hottest day of the year.

People made the most of the weather by getting out in the sun or holding barbecues, with the fumes of smoke from the grills wafting across gardens in the city and around county.

And it looks set fair for the next couple of weeks, although it might be a little cooler in the next two days.

Leicester Mercury weather man Dave Mutton said: "At last there is an area of high pressure sitting over the British Isles and it looks as if it is here to stay for while as the winds are very light.

"It has arrived as the jet stream, which has been bringing us cold and wet weather across the Atlantic, has gone further north, where it should be at this time of year.

"Yesterday, the temperature reached 29C in Leicester, which was the hottest day of the year so far. Temperatures are likely to dip midweek, but we are going to get another hot spell coming up to the weekend. I can see temperatures hitting 30C which is 86F."

Mr Mutton said: "It is likely to stay fine the following week and probably beyond. I think it is going to be a good July."

The Met Office five-day forecast shows tomorrow will be sunny and warm, with temperatures reaching 26C (79F), while it will be cloudy on Wednesday with a 20 per cent chance of showers.

Two university students helped import tens of thousands of pounds' worth of counterfeit sex drugs in a bid to make extra cash.

The tablets, made in India and China, were sent to the Loughborough students' homes, where they were repackaged and posted to customers in Spain, Holland and Germany.

Leicester Crown Court was told Alif Shahadaht Ahmed was recruited after being handed a leaflet in the street.

Ahmed (23) recommended the money-making scheme to physics student, Ryoma Ninomiya (24), who also received deliveries.

The court heard the defendants, who were living on tight student budgets, were paid only £50 to £100 a week for their involvement.

Ahmed's barrister, Robin Howat, said students in need of cash were often vulnerable to approaches by "unscrupulous and pernicious" criminals.

He said Ahmed, an economics undergraduate, did not realise the seriousness of what he was getting involved in.

Ahmed, formerly of Moor Lane, but now of Ashby Road, Loughborough, also persuaded a woman friend in London to use her home as a postal address.

The scam was spotted by customs officials who alerted the medicines protection agency MHRA.

It seized £600,000 worth of erectile dysfunction and hair growth products, which had been destined for the three addresses.

Officials also recovered tablets worth £109,000 at the defendants' homes.

Ahmed was given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work.

Ninomiya, formerly of Albert Street, now of Forest Road, Loughborough, received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 140 hours of work.

They admitted conspiracy to import medical products without a licence, possessing medicinal products intended to be placed on the market without authorisation and two counts of the unauthorised using of trademarks, Levitra and Cialis, between January 2011 and February 2012.

The woman in London confessed when questioned and was not charged, as she would have been a witness for the prosecution had the defendants contested their involvement.

Christopher Coltart, prosecuting, said: "There is a significant public health risk, peddling unlicensed medicine."

Mr Howat, for Ahmed, who due to start his third student year in the autumn, said: "He was told he would be in an administrative role and things would be sent to the UK.

"He was a very small cog, but was given promotion by being allowed to repackage items and post them on.."

James House, for Ninomiya, who has just obtained a 2:2 physics degree said: "He was trusting, naive and immature."

The British & Irish Lions won their first Test series for 16 years with Saturday's victory in the third Test.

A stunning 41-16 victory over Australia gave them a 2-1 verdict amid scenes of wild celebration at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.

Here, Press Association Sport rugby union correspondent Andrew Baldock identifies five components that were integral to the Lions' triumph Down Under.

This year's Six Nations player of the tournament is now player of the Lions versus Australia series following three magnificent Test match displays that saw him score a Lions record 49 points. The Wales full-back was head and shoulders above anyone else as a supreme model of consistency.

The Lions front-row of Alex Corbisiero, Richard Hibbard and Adam Jones made a major statement of dominance from the early scrums, tearing into their opposite numbers to such an extent that Wallabies tight-head Ben Alexander was sin-binned. It was an imposing victory platform.

The Lions knew they had to win on Saturday and end a 16-year wait for Test series glory. Anything less, and there would have been fresh questions about the Lions' future, but the players responded magnificently, delivering a performance that will rank alongside anything in the tourists' 125-year history.

The Lions head coach received an enormous amount of flak for his team selection – namely dropping Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll and picking 10 Welshmen – but the New Zealander got it absolutely spot-on as the tourists dominated their opponents in every key area.

There were an estimated 40,000 Lions fans in Sydney throughout the week, and they really made their presence felt at ANZ Stadium, breaking into song from an early stage. They are integral to the Lions' future, and played a key role in making the tour such a special one.

Police are taking action to tackle a sudden surge in "ride-by'' thefts carried out by young thieves on bikes.

Two police stations in Leicester, Mansfield House, in the city centre, and Hinckley Road, in the West End – recorded 32 such thefts in June.

Officers believe thieves are riding around areas including Bede Park, Narborough Road, the De Montfort University looking for victims.

In most cases the thieves have snatched phones from their victims' hands, although some iPads and handheld gaming devices have also been grabbed. Both stations say such thefts were a problem last summer but had tailed off since and only returned in significant numbers recently.

Both stations are now putting on extra patrols, including officers working in plain clothes, and using stop-and-search powers in the affected areas.

Inspector Chris Cockerill, commander of city centre police, which also covers Clarendon Park and Victoria Park, said his team had dealt with 18 reports in June.

Insp Cockerill said: "Mobile phones are not cheap and people often carry their worlds around in them, whether it's keepsake photographs, contact numbers for their friends and family or their Twitter or Facebook accounts.

"We have officers actively looking for the people who are committing these offences and we will find them. We are also urging people to take simple steps to reduce the chances of this happening to then.

"It's often simple things such as glancing around you before using your phone to see if there is anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable."

The 14 thefts reported to Hinckley Road police station happened in areas including Bede Park, Western Park and Braunstone.

Sgt Simon Barnes, of Hinckley Road police station, said: "The people who are doing this seem to be in their mid-to-late teens or, in some cases, their early-20s.

"We have officers looking for these people and we also have excellent CCTV, which is helping us to identify them and we are closing in on them."

West End resident Ellie Raymond, 33, said: "I'm always very careful when I use my phone in public. I won't take it out if I don't feel safe. It's a habit I have got into since my boyfriend's phone was taken from him in Narborough Road a couple of years ago."

John Fraser, 28, from Western Park, said: "It's a sad thing, but when I see a lad riding on the pavement with his hood up, I assume he wants to grab my phone. I see people walking around with headphones on listening to music and texting on their phones. It's a sign of the times, but I don't think you can risk doing that."

Police have urged people to register valuables such as mobile phones on a free national database, which helps police return lost or stolen goods to their owners and helps prosecute offenders. For details, visit:

www.immobilise.com