Snow showers are forecast for early next week as temperatures plummet after the weekend with winds sweeping down from the Arctic.

Leicestershire had its first morning of widespread windscreen-scraping on Friday as temperatures fell to -2.2C.

Cloud cover over the weekend is likely to raise temperatures before the cold snap arrives on Tuesday.

It is likely there will be rain showers on Saturday and Sunday before the snow comes.

Leicester Mercury weather expert Dave Mutton said: "This will be the first sharp chill of the winter as the winds switch to bitter northerlies.

"The temperature will drop on Tuesday and Wednesday and we are likely to get some snow showers.

"The north winds from the Arctic will make it feel much colder as temperatures during the day will not rise above three of four degrees. However, it will feel colder. People will have to wrap up warm, with hats, scarves and gloves."

He said night-time temperatures would fall below freezing.

"The good news is that the cold snap will only last three or four days and temperatures will start to rise again towards next weekend."

In January this year, six inches of snow fell across the city, leaving roads and parts of the county gridlocked.

At one stage, it took up to two hours for motorists to travel half-a-mile on Leicester's roads.

Scores of pre-school youngsters got together yesterday to remember four-year-old Lexi Branson, who was killed by her family dog.

About 60 children, aged between 18 months and four years old, joined their parents for a sponsored walk through Mountsorrel to raise money for Lexi's funeral costs.

The fund-raisers, from the Caterpillar pre-school, based at Mountsorrel Methodist Church, also released scores of balloons at the playing fields, in Loughborough Road.

"It was a nice moment," said organiser Kerry Forbes. "The vapour trails of the balloons made a kiss shape in the sky, it was very fitting."

The youngsters were there to remember their friend, Lexi, who was attacked by her bulldog, Mulan, on November 5, at her home in Rowena Court.

Many of them had gone to school with the youngster and been in the same class.

The event raised more than £200, which will be donated to Lexi's mother, Jodi Hudson, 31, and put towards the cost of the funeral.

Kerry, the Caterpillar pre-school manager, said: "We had a great turnout. The whole village is still in a bit of shock over what happened and I think people really want to come together and do what they can for Lexi's mum."

It was one of a number of events planned to help with the cost of Lexi's funeral. The ceremony will take place at Holy Trinity Church, in Barrow-Upon-Soar, on November 22.

Mourners are being asked to wear something pink, Lexi's favourite colour, to the service.

Kerry said Lexi's death sent shockwaves through Mountsorrel, and those who knew her are still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

"We were very upset when we heard the news," she said.

"Lexi was at the pre-school for about two years and I got to know her quite well. She was just lovely, such a beautiful little girl. She was very petite and quiet and a bit shy, but she always had a big smile on her face. There are a lot of people here who'll miss her."

Prayer and remembrance services have been held at churches in Mountsorrel for Lexi.

Pastor Keith Munro, of the Baptist church, said: "It's been a very difficult time for the whole community with the shockwaves still very much being felt in the aftermath of Lexi's tragic death.

"I think it has touched everybody and people have rallied round to support Jodi and her close family and friends.

"They have tried to do something practical to help and its very touching how people have come together to express their love and care towards the family."

A paedophile who sexually abused a young boy has been jailed for two years and eight months.

David Utting (71) admitted four counts of indecency with a boy under 13 and four counts of gross indecency with a child under 16, between 2000 and 2003.

Leicester Crown Court was told that the abuse had happened when the child visited Utting and on one occasion at a hotel.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said Utting, of Gainsborough Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester, began by behaving lewdly in front of the boy and encouraged him to do the same.

"The boy was reluctant," she said.

The victim later said he "felt scared" at the hotel because he thought if he tried to run away he would get lost.

"The defendant would provide him with anything he wanted and gave him money when he requested it," said Miss Rose.

The boy then began avoiding Utting and the offending stopped.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Pert QC said: "It's clear your offending had a profound and long-lasting effect on him.

"Your victim has lived with memories and problems for many years before he was in a position to come forward.

"It's a consequence of your offending that it's taken so long for him to come forward."

Carl Gaskell, mitigating, said: "He wishes me to express how genuinely sorry he is and for the effect on the complainant.

"He has no previous convictions and he's plainly able to contain his inappropriate sexual thoughts about children, in particular boys, because it stopped in 2003 and there's been no further offending."

He said the pre-sentence report had indicated there were concerns expressed by parents and those attending churches and schools in the past, about his inappropriate behaviour in relation to children, such as "attending and offering bike rides," which was seen as "odd behaviour", but no offences were committed.

Utting was made the subject of a 10-year sexual offences prevention order banning unsupervised contact with boys under 16 and preventing him from living with males under 18.

A Leicester city councillor has appeared in court accused of falsely implicating her former partner in a crime.

Labour member Barbara Potter has been charged with perverting the course of justice by making a false report to the police about her ex-partner, Andrew Taylor.

The former city Labour group chief whip appeared at the Leicester Magistrates' court yesterday for a short hearing and the case was adjourned for a crown court trial later this month.

Potter, 47, of Winslow Green, Netherhall, Leicester, did not enter a plea to the charge of making a false report, on August 8, to officers about Mr Taylor with whom she had an 18-year relationship.

However, the prosecution told the court that she was expected to deny the offence.

After the hearing, Potter, a councillor for Humberstone and Hamilton, told the Mercury: "I will be pleading not guilty.

"There will be a trial and I am looking forward to proving I have not done anything wrong."

Yesterday, she said he wanted to address Labour group members when they meet on Monday night to discuss what, if any action, to take regarding her court appearance.

She said that she feared she may be suspended from the party because of the charge and, therefore, excluded from the meeting.

She has said she felt she had been let down by most of her city council Labour colleagues and that she had been considering quitting the party and becoming an independent member.

She said: "I have a few things I would like to say to them but I don't know if they will let me go.

"Some of the other Labour councillors have been very supportive but most of them have gone quiet.

"I am very disappointed because I think I deserved better from them," she said.

Labour group chairman councillor Patrick Kitterick said: "We are still awaiting advice from the national party on the best way forward regarding Councillor Potter.

"We will consider any request from her about attending the Labour group meeting on Monday."

It is a term used by supporters all over the country when they get home after their team has lost, turn to their partners and say: "It was one of those days."

They say it but, for once, last week it was a very apt expression for Leicester City fans.

For the first 30 minutes against Nottingham Forest, it was only a combination of bad luck and great goalkeeping which stopped us from scoring.

But then Forest scored from practically their only two shots on goal in the game and we couldn't retrieve it, despite pounding the Forest goal.

I must give credit to Jack Hobbs, our former City defender, who had a tremendous game for the visitors.

It was only our first loss at home and, because it was against our massive rivals, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

As Nigel Pearson said, we have played worse than that and won this season.

It was simply one of those days.

It would have been nice to get it out of the system today with another game, but it is not to be.

It is a coincidence that all three defeats have come just before an international break and, after the previous two, we have bounced back with an unbeaten run.

Let's hope we can do that again.

The lads have played some tremendous stuff. With a third of the season gone, it has been a terrific campaign.

I don't like singling players out, but there have been a few who have really come to the fore so far.

Anthony Knockaert, Lloyd Dyer, Liam Moore and Jamie Vardy have been the ones who have stood out for me. The rest have been excellent as well.

So we look forward to Ipswich next Saturday, hopefully, with a fully fit squad.

It is great to see Ritchie De Laet back at the training ground after his shin injury.

Let's hope the lads on international break all come back in good shape .

I will take this opportunity to mention a terrific bloke and big City fan, Dave Robinson, who has lost his fight against a brain tumour.

He was a police officer and came down to the training ground a couple of years ago.

He was a lovely bloke and I will be going to his funeral. Our thoughts are with his family.

Also, a good friend of mine, Kenny Robinson, suddenly passed away recently and my thoughts go out to his lovely wife Dawn, son Tye and all the Robinson family. He used to have a box at the old Filbert Street and was a big fan.

Finally, if you want a good night out, I am the auctioneer at a Hollywood glamour extravaganza on November 23 at the Platinum Suite, in Leicester.

It is for a children's orphanage in Malawi.

I did it last year and it was a fantastic night.

There will be a Blues Brothers tribute band and the theme is Hollywood glamour or gangsters and molls. I am going as a gangster. It is a fantastic night and I have been looking forward to it for ages.

For more information, contact Yvonne on 0116 2301166, or go to:

www.lovetilinanu.org.uk

Every penny will go to these kiddies and it is great if we can raise some money for them, and have lots of fun in the process.

Let's roll.

Leicester Tigers took control of Pool 2 in the LV= Cup with a hard-fought 21-18 win over Worcester Warriors at Sixways.

The visitors came back from an early 10-point deficit to lead 21-13 going into the closing stages after a 68th-minute penalty try and one from Michael Noone.

But Jonathan Thomas' late score for Worcester made for a thrilling finish and Tigers substitute Pasqualle Dunn made a stunning try-saving tackle as the hosts threatened a remarkable victory.

Warriors were left to rue the kicking of Paul Warwick and Andy Symons, who missed 13 points between them.

Warriors began in confident fashion and were 10-0 ahead in the opening quarter-of-an-hour.

Former Tiger Symons had already missed an early penalty before he got on the scoresheet after five minutes.

The move began in their own 22 with centre Max Stelling making a break, which was finished a couple of phases later by Symons, who only signed for the Warriors last week.

In Tigers' only real attack of the early exchanges, Owen Williams saw his 40-metre penalty hit the post and Warwick cleared.

And it was Warwick who sent a huge up-and-under into the sky which began the move for the home side's second try.

Henry Purdy got nowhere near the ball in defence and the bounce was picked up by Symons, who offloaded to Jake Abbott and the flanker ran in from 40 metres.

Warwick missed the conversion though and, by the time Symons had pushed a 29th-minute penalty horribly wide, Worcester had wasted 10 points in very makeable kicks.

Meanwhile, Owen Williams had found his range. His two penalties pulled the score back to 10-6 and, when Warriors flanker Sam Betty was sin-binned after Miles Benjamin's scintillating break, the Welshman coolly struck over a drop-goal to make it 10-9 at the break.

Leicester made the most of their man advantage at the start of the second period and took the lead for the first time in the 46th minute.

A rolling maul from a line-out got Tigers very close to the line and fast hands from Jordan Crane created space in the corner for Noone to score his second try in as many games.

Williams failed with a touchline conversion but the visitors led 14-10 and had scored eight points with Betty off the field.

Warwick missed another penalty and when he finally got one over on 52 minutes, the Sixways faithful launched some ironic cheers for a first successful penalty in six attempts.

That made it a one-point game, but, amid a raft of substitutions, Tigers began to take control of the game and with former Warrior Benjamin in their ranks, had the man most likely to break the line.

In the end, though, it was the forwards who provided the killer blow with 13 minutes left.

Tigers had pounded the opposition line for several minutes after Jamie Gibson's initial break until the referee lost patience with a retreating Worcester scrum and went under the posts. Williams added the extras and Tigers led 21-13.

Gibson was binned late on and with a minute left, Jonathan Thomas crashed over for Worcester's third try to make it 21-18.

There were still time for late drama when substitute Pasqualle Dunn made a stunning try-saving tackle as Worcester broke.

Andy King says Leicester City have an inner belief that they can get automatic promotion this season.

City have been heavily tipped for promotion in the past couple of campaigns but failed to live up to the billing.

Last season, they were second in the table and on course until a poor run of results left them fighting for a play-off place.

As a result, Nigel Pearson's men have not been so heavily backed for automatic promotion this season.

Midfielder King says that is fine by City, as everyone within the camp believes this could be their year.

"I think people outside the club and the dressing room are probably focusing on other teams," said King. "Inside the squad, we know we have the players and the quality to try to win the league. That is starting to show.

"From day one, we know as a club we are expected to try to get promotion, that has come from the players and the manager and the fans want that as well. That was spoken about during pre-season, but now we are under way we are just taking it each game at a time and trying to achieve that goal."

King believes the stable nature of the squad and Pearson's own position as manager has contributed to City's good start to the season, which has seen them win 10 and draw two of their opening 15 games.

King has been a member of City's first team for six seasons and says this is the most stable squad he has been a part of.

"This is as settled as it has been in my time here," he said. "We have a settled manager and team and we have added quality to that. We are a stronger squad than last year. The management is the same and we have been reaping the benefits on the pitch.

"It was difficult when we had a lot of players coming in, but they were only coming in because we were trying to improve the squad and the team.

"Looking back, it was probably never going to work with the amount of turnover we had.

"You can see the benefits now of having a settled squad because everyone knows how each other plays."

A wealthy family is "tearing itself apart" as they battle over a £50 million fortune, a court has heard.

Divorce proceedings involving Leicestershire millionaire engineering tycoon Richard Shield, 72, and his wife of 43 years, Susan, has split their family and rung up a £700,000 legal bill.

Mrs Shield, 69, launched divorce proceedings against her husband, who still lives in the former marital home in Queniborough.

The High Court, in London, heard the divorce has triggered a bitter row over claims that he had financially favoured their son over her and their three daughters.

Mr Shield, who the court heard was "physically and mentally unwell", has amassed his huge fortune through his engineering business, Shield Group, of Hamilton, and property, with his wife owning 5 per cent, the court heard.

Speaking at a pre-trial hearing, Mr Justice Holman said a big part of the "awful conflict" centred on whether the couple's riches are held in trust for their 35-year-old son, Christopher Shield.

He said: "This family appears to be tearing itself apart and it fills the sympathetic but detached observer such as myself with nothing but despair.

"There appears to be an intense conflict within the family in relation to certain dispositions which were, or may have been, made some years ago by the husband, and which may appear to have favoured the son in preference to the daughters and to the disadvantage of the wife."

A decree absolute to end the couple's marriage of more than four decades has yet to be made.

The judge said Mr Shield, who had previously been "compulsorily detained" due to his psychiatric problems, was now living in the former matrimonial home while his wife was "having to live with one of their daughters".

"It is clearly a fundamental part of the background to recent events that the husband has been both physically and mentally, or psychiatrically unwell. Therein lies a significant element of the tragedy," he said.

The court heard that doubts remain over whether Mr Shield currently has legal "capacity" to make important decisions for himself and the judge directed that his condition be further assessed by a psychiatrist.

Mr Justice Holman said: "I have been faced with a situation that is, frankly, extremely tragic and appears unedifying.

"After a marriage of no less than 43 years, a wife has felt constrained to petition for divorce from her husband.

"There is a decree nisi but not yet a decree absolute."

Issuing a world-weary lament that opportunities for compromise had been missed, he added: "I have to say, as I leave this very long day, that I do so with a feeling of the utmost despair that this family could have spent three-quarters of a million pounds just to get to this stage.

"They are likely to spend some hundreds of thousands of pounds in preparation for, and at the hearing of, the preliminary issue, and even that is only the preliminary issue.

"This family appears to be tearing itself apart, and it fills the sympathetic but detached observer such as myself with nothing but despair."

A paedophile school teacher who targeted youngsters on website chat rooms has been jailed.

Mandeep Singh (28) admitted a catalogue of 18 internet-related sex offences at Leicester Crown Court.

They included downloading and distributing indecent images of children and four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity via a webcam, between September, 2010, and January, 2013.

Singh, an IT teacher at Bosworth College, in Desford, which is now known as Bosworth Academy, was jailed for two years and three months yesterday. Judge Michael Pert QC said there was no evidence to suggest students from Singh's school were victims of his offending.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said that Tayside police received a report that a person claiming to be from Leicester told an internet user he had indecent images of children.

The e-mail address was traced to the defendant, who was arrested at Bosworth College on March 27 last year.

Miss Rose said: "Indecent images of children were found on his mobile phone and laptop along with chat logs on his home computer."

She said there were also webcam photos the defendant had taken of the victims and pictures of other illegal images from the internet.

Internet chat logs from his computer revealed he advised a like-minded pervert: "You should go on Gumtree and look for a babysitting job. I've found one looking after a 13-year-old boy and I might apply for it."

The police discovered he answered the advert, saying he was a teacher and even discussing rates. Singh also discussed meeting up with the fellow paedophile and going to Alton Towers, and other family-orientated places such as caravan parks, to "perv on kids."

Miss Rose said Singh told one victim, aged 13, to commit a lewd act and to call him "daddy and master."

Singh took 13 indecent pictures of the boy and sent him 20 images. Singh suggested he "do things" with his younger brother, which was refused.

The defendant had a consensual relationship with a 17-year-old male he met on the internet, but later contacted the ex-partner's 13-year-old brother. After being blocked online by the boy, Singh masqueraded as a girl on a new e-mail address to persuade the youngster to expose himself.

Singh told a 15-year-old to film indecent photos of his five-year-old nephew while asleep, which he did. He suggested the boy carry out a sex act on the infant, which he refused.

Singh, of Ebers Close, Nottingham, was placed on a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, restricting his future computer use, which will be monitored. The order also forbids unsupervised contact with boys under 16 or living with males under 18.

Claire Davies, mitigating, said: "He's gone from a man who had everything, effectively to a man who has nothing.

"He's brought shame on his family who know about some of this, but not the extent.

"Nothing was found on the school equipment, it was only on his home equipment – and he kept the two very separate.''

Singh admitted 10 counts of making or downloading indecent images of children, involving 397 pictures at level one, 82 at level two, 53 at level three, 200 at level four and four in the most serious category, level five.

Singh had no previous convictions, the court was told.

X Factor star Sam Bailey was mobbed by fans while taking her children shopping at Fosse Park.

The 36-year-old, of Leicester Forest East, took a break from rehearsals on Thursday to spend time with her family.

She told the Mercury that during her shopping trip, people kept coming and asking for her autograph.

She said: "I wanted to treat the kids, give them a break. It was interesting, I was mobbed, slightly.

"I'm so overwhelmed by it all – usually, I would be the one running up to people asking them for their autograph."

Sam surprised her two kids, Brooke, eight, and Tommy, four, on Wednesday night.

"They didn't know I was coming," she said. "We made cakes on Wednesday night – jam tart Wednesday."

The trip home has made Sam realise that, for once, she is not prepared for Christmas.

"I'm normally sorted by now, but this year I've not even started shopping – it worries me."

On Thursday afternoon, Sam travelled back to the X Factor house in London, with her family, which, she said, gave the children a chance to meet some of the other contestants.

"Brooke was doing cartwheels in the garden – she kept on saying how big it was."

On Saturday night, Sam will be singing Something, by The Beatles, for this weekend's Great British Songbook theme.

"It's going to be a different one for me this week. I'm confident, it's a beautiful song but it's not one I'm familiar with – I've had to learn it from scratch.

"It's so tight now, you just can't call it – I have no idea who is going out each week."

To add to the pressure this weekend, Sam has invited a few famous faces along to the Sunday's show.

Former Leicester City players Steve Walsh, Alan Young and Matt Elliot will be in the audience supporting Sam when this week's results are revealed. Steve said: "I'm really looking forward to it, it will be nice to give her our support.

"The contestants are going down and the weeks are going down – in football terms, you're only as good as your last game.

"She's a fantastic singer, but we'll all be a bit nervous for her.

"She smashed it last week and, hopefully, she'll smash it again this week – and in front of us, that will be even better."

Sam said: "I'm so grateful for their support. It is so surreal, I can't even begin to tell you how surreal this all is.

"I look through my phonebook and I see all of these famous people in it, it's crazy."

Watch Sam perform tonight and tomorrow, at 8pm, on ITV.

Two sisters are battling against each other in national competition.

Gaynor Brown and Natalie Boundy, who both live in Eyres Monsell, Leicester, are in a fight to see who will be crowned the country's favourite Mr Brain's Faggots family.

Gaynor and Natalie entered the competition to win £2,000 worth of electrical goods after being brought up eating faggots – made from meat off-cuts, especially pork and usually covered in gravy.

The sisters have been put on a short-list of four finalist families.

Each has made a short film describing why they love faggots and saying why they should win the prize.

The video performances are on the Mr Brain's Facebook site.

Whichever family gets the most likes wins the title.

Mum-of-two Gaynor, 33, said: "We were brought up eating faggots on a Friday or Saturday night. I loved them and I still do.

"My six-year-old son Connor has autism and for 18 months faggots were all I could get him to eat, so, in a way, they were a lifesaver for him.

"We still have them on a Friday or Saturday and I have watched Leicester's Sam Bailey on X Factor while tucking into faggots.

"I want all her fans to vote for me on Facebook site so I can win and my sister can come second!"

Mum-of-three Natalie, 31, said she and her husband Patrick, 32, also loved faggots.

She said: "Gaynor and I both loved them when we were kids and we love them now.

"Faggots are so tasty and a real comfort food. We all love them in our house and my husband even used to have them as a side dish with his Sunday dinner.

"Gaynor told me about the competition so I thought I would have a go as well.

"I love my sister to bits – but I want to beat her.

"I will share the prize with her if I win anyway and she will with me, but I want people to vote for me and not her!"

Voting opened on Monday and closes at noon on Friday, November 22.

The winner will be announced on Monday, November 25.

The other families are from Blackpool and Halifax.

A spokesman for Mr Brain's said: "The family with the most likes at the end of the competition will become the official Mr Brain's Faggots Family and receive £2,000 worth of electrical goodies, including a Nintendo Wii Mini with lots of games, a 42-inch plasma TV, an iPad and a laptop."

To vote for your favourite family, go to:

www.facebook.com/ tastymrbrains

A depressed man who harassed his ex-girlfriend with text messages and calls has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Joseph Lawrence Leahy (26) was originally given a harassment warning in November last year.

However, he ignored it and went on to make further contact, sending several texts.

In one call, at 4 am on December 8, he swore at his victim and told her: "You won't be able to walk before new year."

Leahy, of Cork Lane, Glen Parva, admitted harassment between November 13 and December 21.

He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with supervision.

Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Michael Pert QC said: "Harassment is serious because it means making someone's life a misery."

He placed Leahy on a restraining order, banning him from contacting his ex-girlfriend for five years.

The two were in a relationship from August 2010 to January 2011.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said: "After it ended, she had a large number of calls and texts, resulting in the harassment warning being issued."

After his arrest, Leahy told police he regretted the call saying she would be harmed.

Olwen Davies, mitigating, said: "It happened on impulse and it was a reckless failure to heed the warning notice.

"He says it's unforgivable and he's genuinely so sorry.

"He suffers from depression, which explains the lack of insight as to how it affected the complainant."

Police have appealed for help tracing stolen cash, jewellery and electronic equipment.

A house in Murby Way, Thorpe Astley, was burgled between 10.30am and 6.30pm on Monday, October 28.

The intruder stole a number of distinctive items of jewellery, including a South African Kruger coin and a gold chain, a Seiko diving watch, Guillaume Swiss Titanium watch and a white Apple iPod.

Foreign currency, a Nikon DS100 digital SLR camera with lenses and a gold charm bracelet were also taken.

Contact Pc Kaur on 101.

Pupils from four primary schools are getting back to nature this autumn in a hands-on education programme.

Forest School is run by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Western Power Distribution in the spinney in Knighton Park, Leicester.

The five-week project involves groups of 12 youngsters from Knighton Fields, Mayflower Primary and Northfield House primaries and Merrydale Infant School.

Sessions are held outside and help children develop their confidence and self-esteem through practical activities.

These include using tools to fashion items out of wood such as name badges and picture frames, making natural paints, building shelters, going on nature hunts and learning about fire safety.

Helen Tarokh, head teacher at Knighton Fields Primary, said: "We are delighted some of our pupils have had the opportunity to take part in Forest School.

"They have enjoyed and been motivated by the activities, which have helped them to grow in confidence.

"Children who often find it hard to communicate have been very talkative about their experiences."

Martha Rose, education officer for Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: "We often work with children who rarely get to play outdoors and who attend schools with little or no green space.

"Forest School gives them the opportunity to connect with, and experience nature, while giving their self-esteem a real boost."

Tracy Carr, community liaison officer at Western Power Distribution, said: "We are delighted to support this initiative and encourage young children to spend more time in the outdoors, while gaining some valuable skills."

The saying goes 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' – but not in the case of one musician, who has cut his first disc at the age of 90.

George Lee, from Thornton, had always dreamt of learning to play an instrument, but felt the opportunity had passed him by.

The war veteran, however, is now basking in the satisfaction of having completed a record, 10 years after his first music lesson.

"Over the years I've always loved music, any kind," said George, who used to enjoy going to tea dances at the Palais, in Leicester, as a young man and going to the pictures to watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

"But I think country and western is my favourite, and Johnny Cash in particular – I like his song Ring of Fire.

"I remember having one or two piano accordion lessons as a youngster, but it didn't go anywhere. Life takes over."

George chose the auto harp, a zither-type instrument popular in country music and played by the likes of June Carter Cash.

"I was on a day trip to York with my wife Christine 10 years ago when we came across a busker playing an auto harp.

"I thought 'I like that sound'. I spoke to this chap for a while and decided to buy one," he said.

George approached Melton music teacher and musician Dan Briton about lessons, and made such good progress he soon picked up the ukulele, too.

"It was something to do with my time and Dan is a very good teacher.

"I enjoyed it so much and as I practised and learnt more chords, I got better and better."

George's growing prowess culminated last month when his family arranged, as a 90th birthday present, for him and Dan to record together at the Leicester studios of sound engineer and musician Neal Segrott.

"I felt a bit nervous to start with, but I ended up having a wonderful time. When I got home my wife said I looked 10 years younger."

The pair recorded half-a-dozen tracks for the CD, with George playing the ukulele and auto harp and singing harmony.

They include You Are My Sunshine, Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (famously sung by Bing Crosby), Big Rock Candy Mountain and Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Neal has previously worked with Leicester singer-songwriter Jersey Budd, the late harmonica player Larry Adler and was tour sound engineer for virtuoso guitarist Tommy Emmanuel.

"We love George," he said. "It was a special afternoon. He just rolled up with Dan and they got behind the mic and started playing.

"I normally work with much younger musicians so it as a nice change to have a 90-year-old in the studio. He was great."

George, who spent 37 years as a toolmaker with Coventry Gauge and Tool, in Ratby, said: "I'm living proof that old dogs can learn new tricks."

He is now struggling to keep up with demand for his record from friends and family – including two daughters, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

He said: "They all want one. I'm thinking about going back and recording some more.

"It's given me a great sense of satisfaction and kept me feeling young."

Police officers will form a guard of honour for a colleague who has lost his long fight against cancer.

The funeral of Pc David Robinson, who died after treatment for tumours on his brain and spine proved ineffective, will take place on Thursday.

The 32-year-old – who had been fighting the disease on and off since his late-teens – died at Loros hospice this month with his family at his side.

He left wife Almina and daughter, Amelia, three.

On Thursday, his colleagues will wear their tunics and form a guard of honour outside the church, which is yet to be decided, to greet the coffin.

Friend and colleague Sgt Nick White will act as a pall bearer and deliver a eulogy.

Sgt White said: "David has fought and fought and fought but, unfortunately, it got too much for him.

"He has shown great bravery every step of the way, but we all knew it had to come to and end and now it has. David was a very impressive young officer.

"He was very passionate about the job and made a lot of friends wherever he went.

"People are still feeling very raw and emotional now that he has gone and a lot of them will want to pay their respects.

"I have spoken to officers and asked them for their memories of David and I will do my best to speak on their behalf when I deliver the eulogy."

David was a big fan of Leicester City FC, which will be represented by club ambassador and former player Alan Birchenall.

The Birch, who met David when the family was given a guided tour of City's Belvoir Drive training facility several years ago, said: "It will be an honour to pay my respects to David and to represent the club he loved.

"He showed great courage, spirit and fortitude in the way he fought his illness."

Pc Robinson was diagnosed with the cancer as a teenager. Despite several attempts to beat it, the cancer returned in 2009. He believed he would be able to travel to the United States for experimental treatment but learned in late 2010 that trial of a similar therapy was to take place at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Initially, the treatment in Leicester appeared to be working and the growths on his brain and spine began to shrink markedly.

The improvement in his health allowed him to return to work.

However, a year ago, he was told the treatment was no longer working and the tumours were growing again.

He spent the last few months of his life at Loros.

Chief Constable Simon Cole said: "David has shown determination and immense courage in his fight against cancer and in his commitment and dedication in continuing to work for Leicestershire Police when possible."

He first worked as a Pcso at the city centre's Mansfield House police station, starting in 2006.

His career as a police officer saw him work at Hinckley Road and Melton Road stations, in the city.

My earliest experiences of the world of work were Saturday jobs at Dixons and Chelsea Girl, weekend waitressing at TGI Fridays and office temping during the school and university holidays.

These jobs taught me a huge amount. I learnt about the importance of getting to work on time, dealing with people from all walks of life, getting on with members of a team, being accurate and efficient and making the sums add up at the end of the day.

It's no exaggeration to say these jobs helped me develop some of the basic skills I now rely on in my current role.

They taught me things I could never have learned in a classroom or a lecture theatre.

While my first jobs seem like only yesterday, times have really changed.

Dixons no longer does a roaring trade in cassette players, Chelsea Girl is known as River Island and, thanks to the last Labour Government, waiting staff are guaranteed a minimum wage.

But not every change is welcome. The once-common experience of young people earning extra cash and learning vital skills through Saturday jobs is fast becoming a thing of the past.

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills says only 20 per cent of 16 or 17-year-olds now have evening or weekend jobs while they're still at school or college, compared with 40 per cent in the late 1990s.

The recession has clearly taken its toll and youth unemployment remains unacceptably high.

Businesses that are recruiting prefer employees with more experience and adults who really want to work full-time are settling for part-time work instead.

Many companies rely on word of mouth to fill vacancies, which disadvantages young people who don't have the right contacts.

Long-term trends are also having an effect, such as more people shopping online.

The priority for young people who are still at school or college must be focusing on their studies, but we shouldn't lose out on the huge benefits good work experience can bring.

This issue was raised with me by companies on my Leicester West Business Forum.

Employers told me too many young people lacked the basics of a good work ethic – reliability, punctuality and the communication and numeracy skills they need to get on.

But these employers also understand that young people face a catch 22 situation: they can't get work without experience but they can't gain experience without work.

Work experience alone won't cure the chronic problems of youth unemployment in my constituency.

We need ambitious national policies such as Labour's compulsory jobs guarantee, gold-standard technical qualifications and high-quality apprenticeships.

However, good work experience can make a difference.

I'm determined to play my part by backing initiatives and working with our schools, colleges and businesses.

I would encourage all employers to get involved.

If you run a business, you can offer a placement through Leicester College by ringing 0116 224 2240 or e-mailing:

info@leicestercollege.ac.uk