Nearly 2,000 fans of all ages celebrated the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who at the National Space Centre.

Evil Daleks and Cybermen rubbed shoulders with five of the Doctor's companions as they signed autographs at the science fiction festival on Saturday.

The centre was packed with people dressed as characters from the series and fans had the opportunity to quiz backroom staff about the long-running TV show.

The five companions – Sophie Aldred, who played Ace, Louise Jameson (Leela), Frazer Hines (Jamie), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) and Nicola Bryant (Peri) drew large lines of enthusiasts wanting to chat and get autographed pictures.

Ms Bryant, who starred alongside Colin Baker's Doctor from 1984 to 1986, said: "The atmosphere has been brilliant as we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Doctor in all his manifestations."

Visitor Danny O'Shea, 43, an engineer from Earl Shilton, said: "This is absolutely fantastic. I managed to have a chat with one of the people who made the Daleks and other villains work.

"Of course, I rate the Daleks as the best villains and Tom Baker was the best Doctor."

Rebecca Orton, 12, also from Earl Shilton, said: "I like David Tennant the best and the best villains were the reptilian Silurians."

People also had the chance to see a display of props including a Tardis and designs of Cybermen heads from different series.

Rebecca Page, 30 of Stoneygate said: "It is my first visit to this kind of event. It is great to see so much Doctor Who material."

The science of the Timelords was explained by Andrew Cartmel, a script editor on Doctor Who who oversaw the Sylvester McCoy era of the programme – 1987 to 1989.

Voice of the Daleks and Cybermen Nicholas Briggs gave people the chance to try out the device he uses on the show to create the perfect alien voice.

The day concluded with a parade of fans who had come dressed as characters from the series.

Lumbering undead with mutilated faces rubbed shoulders with horror fans sifting through the latest books, games and DVDs on Saturday.

It was the seventh annual zombie festival at the Phoenix cinema, where enthusiasts had the chance to view 13 hours of movies dedicated to the walking dead. Festival director Ed Thurlow, dressed in a blood-spattered evening suit and bow tie, said: "It was fantastic to see so many come along this year. It was our best year yet.

"Interest in zombies is on the increase and it is good to see people of all ages, although the children can't see the films."

People had the chance to talk to authors of zombie books Sean T Page, Adam Millard and Luke Duffy in the Arcade of the Dead.

The arcade also offered the chance to play treasured zombie conole games.

There was a best-dressed zombie competition and a short film competition with an audience vote deciding the best entry.

Professional zombie Steve Uden, 31, whose face was distorted by a huge gash in his cheek exposing his teeth, said: "I love this festival. It brings loads of people together from far and wide.

"I came here seven years ago and now I am a professional zombie, appearing in specialist events.

"People appear to like being scared by somebody standing next to them with their face in tatters."

A persistent shoplifter has been barred from three stores in her home town and told to clean up her act or face a wider ban or jail.

Rachel Downs, also known as Rachel Barnes, has been ordered by a court to stay out of the three Hinckley shops – Sainsbury's, in Clifton Way, the Co-op, Trent Road, and One Stop Shop in Stoke Road – for two years.

Leicestershire Police presented evidence that Downs – whose criminal record dates back to 1997 – stole and behaved aggressively to staff, often when drunk.

Hinckley Magistrates' Court granted a police application for the ban, known as a criminal antisocial behaviour order (Crasbo).

If the 44-year-old, who lives in Preston Road, Hinckley, breaches the order she can be arrested and possibly jailed.

Insp Johnny Starbuck, commander of Hinckley police station, said: "She has been a problem in this area for many years.

"I have been a police officer in Hinckley for 16 years and she was causing problems as far back as 1997.

"With this order we have looked at the shops where she has caused most harm.

"We felt this was the only option left at our disposal to try to get her behaviour under control.

"This is her chance to wake up and change her ways."

A photograph of Downs and the terms of the court order are to be sent to shops in the town centre.

Officers from Hinckley police station worked with colleagues from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and other agencies to put the application together.

Mark Selby is in confident mood ahead of the Champion of Champions, in Coventry, tomorrow.

The world's top 16 players come together at the Ricoh Arena this week for the new £270,000 event, with plenty of exciting showdowns in prospect.

Selby, who gets the tournament under way against Shaun Murphy tomorrow, was replaced as world No.1 by Neil Robertson earlier this season.

Although the Jester from Leicester admits he would love to regain top spot, the 30-year-old says he enjoys playing without the pressure of being top of the rankings.

Selby is targeting his first tournament win of the season but knows that, with such a strong line-up, becoming the first champion of champions will not be easy.

"It's guaranteed to be an event that all the top players will be looking to win," he said. "All the top players are playing, so it is a fantastic event to be involved in, and it's going to be good for the fans seeing all the top players in action.

"It's going to be tough and I'm pretty pleased with my game at the moment, so who knows.

"Returning to No.1 is a target, but I'm just happy to have achieved it already.

"It would be good but it doesn't have much of an effect on me."

Selby is well aware of the rivalry between Leicester and Coventry, but said he has an affinity with the tournament's host city. "I used to play in the Coventry Snooker League because, back then, you were allowed one professional player on a team, so I used to travel over every Wednesday night," he said.

"I made some great friends in Coventry, who I used to see week in, week out so, hopefully they will be there cheering me on too."

Others vying to be crowned Champion of Champions this week are world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Robertson.

For ticket information, call 0844 338 8000 or log on to:

www.theticketfactory.com

As a boy, Dan Bowden dreamed of being an All Black. But now the Leicester Tigers centre has his sights set on pulling on an England jersey in the 2015 World Cup.

The 27-year-old was born and raised in Auckland before moving to England in March 2010 to join London Irish, followed by the jump to Welford Road last summer.

Despite representing New Zealand at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level, it is the white shirt of England that he is looking to pull on now.

Bowden has completed the required three-year residency in his adopted country to make the switch, but his ties to the red rose run a lot closer to home.

"I've had an English passport since I was 11 years old and my mother lived in London for about 18 years," said Bowden.

"She went to school there so my family have been here a long time.

"My great-grandparents are English, so there are ties there and it is an avenue I'm pretty keen to explore now that I'm eligible.

"I have been brought up to want to be an All Black but that hasn't happened.

"If playing for England did happen, I would be honoured. I would go about it the right way and try to do it justice.

"I have just got to make sure I keep playing well, and whatever happens will take care of itself."

With the World Cup less than a year away, Bowden's change of allegiance could not have come at a more exciting time.

"It's a big ticket for anyone that's going to be available," he said.

"A World Cup at home, so to speak, is big for any of the English players, and to be a part of that would be fantastic." Bowden's representatives have been in contact with England head coach Stuart Lancaster and the inside-centre said that those initial talks have been positive.

Someone within the England camp who knows only too well about Bowden's predicament is attacking skills coach Mike Catt, who was born in South Africa but ended up winning the World Cup with England in 2003.

"I spoke to Mike recently and he is aware of it as well," said Bowden.

"I was coached by him at London Irish. We've just got to see how it pans out."

If Bowden gets his wish, he would not be alone in the Tigers ranks as a New Zealand-born England international.

Thomas Waldrom was born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, but has since won five Test caps for England after being eligible because of his English grandmother.

Bowden said he has spoken to his team-mate about the switch, as well as friends Shontayne Hape and Riki Flutey, who both played at centre for England despite starting international life in the All Blacks set-up.

"It is just part of the business these days, it's professional sport, and that's how it is," said Bowden.

"I was good friends with Hape and Flutey, and they both played at 12 for England. They spoke highly of it, they loved the experience."

A festival of football including some of Europe's top clubs, an illumination spanning one of Scotland's landmark bridges and a public art event featuring sculptures of cows.

These are some of things included in the UK City of Culture bids put together by Leicester's rivals for the title: Hull, Dundee and bookies' favourite Swansea Bay.

Each city has now put its case to judges in the Government contest outlining a proposed programme of events for 2017.

Leicester's £12 million bid includes spectacular light shows, mass participation theatre, concerts and exhibitions.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, who led the city's delegation to current UK City of Culture Londonderry last week to pitch to the contest judges, said he was not worried the city's competitors were spending more.

He said: "We have a great bid which is worthy of winning."

Here are some of the events planned by the other cities, should they pip Leicester to the prize.

Swansea Bay: A £15 million programme would include the Cow Parade, involving bovine sculptures by renowned artists.

Swansea also hopes to host the prestigious Turner Prize and premiere Russell T Davies's Queer As Folk: The Musical before a West End Tour.

Giant's Grave would be a "dramatic reimagining of the impact of the rise and fall of the industrial revolution using voice, animation, video projection, music, dance and puppetry".

The surfing culture of Gower Peninsula would be celebrated by Gower Open.

The bid also has the backing of Port Talbot-born actor Michael Sheen, who starred in Frost/Nixon.

Mr Sheen said: "Our outstanding scenery, our proud industrial past, our cultural assets, our creative, clever, resourceful people, our premier sporting achievements – all of these things provide a unique culture which I am extremely proud to be a part of."

Dundee: Scotland's hope in the competition appears to be the big spender, with a £25 million package, although that will be spent over five years.

One of the key parts of the bid is a festival of football featuring AC Milan and AS Roma.

Both Italian giants were involved in European semi-final clashes with Dundee and Dundee United back in the day.

One of the city's landmarks, the Tay Bridge, spanning the Tay estuary, will be illuminated with a light installation.

Plans are also afoot to create Scotland's biggest arts space at DC Thomson's former print works in the city's West Ward.

Hull: The Humberside city has prepared a £15 million cultural package and says the title would attract new investment and "build on the city's great tradition of philanthropy".

Its programme would include 15 national and international commissions, 12 artists' residencies, 25 festivals, eight major community participation projects and a programme of conferences and major broadcasting events, as well as activity across 365 days with an estimated 1,500 special events.

Hull city councillor Steven Bayes said: "Since being shortlisted, there's a new-found confidence and pride in the city."

Leicester Tigers are no strangers to success, so it should come as no surprise that their new wheelchair rugby team are also making waves.

Tigers merged with the already-established East Midlands-based wheelchair rugby club Marauders, in September, to compete in Caloplast Super Series Division Two.

They kicked off their first Super Series in emphatic fashion, picking up five wins out of five after beating West-Country Hawks 56-20, Solent Sharks 58-21 and Cardiff Pirates 69-21 on the first day of the event.

Tigers continued their winning form on the second day, beating Solent Sharks B 38-8 before closing with a 51-16 win against Caledonian Crushers.

James Price, Tigers captain and a member of the Great Britain squad that participated in the Wheelchair Rugby World Championship, said: "We've had an absolutely brilliant start to life as Leicester Tigers, we were lucky enough to start out with a group of incredibly experienced players.

"Due to league rules, we had to start out in the Second Division, which is very frustrating for us all as we know we can win games in the top division.

"I'm confident that we can win the next two series and gain promotion at the first time of asking.

"It certainly helps that the whole Super Series is played on home turf, with all teams having to come to the Queen Elizabeth II Leisure Centre at De Montfort University."

The final two series will be played in February and March.

Tigers are looking for new members to take up the sport. The squad train every Friday. For more information, email:

secretary@mtwrc.org.uk

Campaigners are to lobby the owners of a former bank after being told by Tesco it had signed a lease to convert the building into a store.

Clarendon Park residents and traders are urging the London-based owners of the former Barclays building, in Queen's Road, Leicester, to abandon plans for a Tesco Express supermarket.

Last month, Tesco announced it wanted to convert the site into a store, which would employ 20 staff.

It does not need planning permission for the store but would have to apply to the city council for planning consent for signs and refrigeration units, and for an alcohol licence.

Residents and traders fear the Tesco store, as there is already a Co-op and Sainsbury's, will undermine Clarendon Park's existing shops.

Ward councillor Patrick Kitterick said: "Tesco has confirmed it has signed the lease on the building but that's not going to stop our campaign.

"We've tracked down the owners and we're going to show them the community does not want Tesco here."

Dr Ruth Young, a resident on the action group, said: "We will keep campaigning, as having a third supermarket here is only going to have a negative impact on our shops, road safety and quality of life."

Tesco spokesman Simon Petar said: "Our scheme brings back into use a building which may have become derelict. It also offers the opportunity of employment."

Thousands of pounds were raised at the weekend as people dug deep to help the Philippines typhoon disaster appeal fund.

More than £5,000 was collected at a brunch hosted by the Filipino community in Leicester on Saturday.

Bucket collections by the British Red Cross outside supermarkets also raised many thousands of pounds.

There were also special collections at two mosques in the city.

The fund-raising efforts took place as the final touches were being made to load an aid flight, which took off from East Midlands Airport yesterday afternoon.

The Leicester Filipino Society's brunch at St Andrew's Church hall, in Gateway Street, near the city centre, was the first event run by the organisation to raise money and collect clothing.

Many of the people involved have family in the Philippines.

Merybell Smith, from the organisation, said: "Most of the people in our community have now heard from their relatives. Thankfully, the vast majority are safe, although they have lost their homes. We want to ensure the aid collected goes to the more remote areas which are yet to be helped.

"I want to thank everyone who supported us on Saturday.

"We held the brunch and all the food and the cooking was done by members of our community.

"We charged £5 a plate but people came up to us giving us cheques for up to £500.

"More than 200 people came and we had to extend the hours because we were so busy."

Merybell thanked the Rev Canon Barry Naylor, who is the president for the Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines, for the use of the hall.

British Red Cross senior community fund-raiser Helen Lee-Smith was among volunteers staging bucket collections outside Tesco supermarkets across the county on Saturday and Sunday.

She said: "I was at Loughborough on Saturday morning and in the first 15 minutes I collected £50. Ordinarily, that would have taken an hour.

"Our collectors at the Tesco in Melton raised more than £1,000 on Saturday, four times what we expected."

She said: "People have been very generous but there is a tremendous amount to do and we shall be holding more collections in the coming weeks."

Collections were also made at Friday prayers at the Masjid At Takwa mosque, in Humberstone, and Masjid Imam Bukhari, in Loughborough Road.

Yesterday's aid flight, a chartered B747, took 95 tons of equipment to the disaster zone, much of it from the Department for International Development's warehouse in Kemble, in Gloucestershire.

Space was also made available to UK charities Oxfam and Save the Children.

The cargo included 2,500 jerry cans, a medical support unit, a Land Rover Defender, four forklifts, two fuel tanks, water and sanitation equipment and medical supplies. More than £33 million has now been donated to the national appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which works on behalf of the 14 UK aid agencies. To donate, call 0370 60 60 900, to text £5 send the word SUPPORT to 70000, or go to:

www.dec.org.uk

A teenager who had sexual encounters with three under-aged schoolgirls has been sentenced to two years' detention.

Zac Hall (19) had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old victim, on three occasions.

He also indecently touched two others, aged 13 and 14.

Hall pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court to five counts of sexual activity with a child, on various dates between December 2011 and January this year.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said when Hall was alone with the first victim he suggested intercourse. She initially refused, then agreed.

Three days later, they had sex again and after a third occasion, two days later, their relationship ended.

In a text communication to Hall, the girl said: "You knew I was 14."

Hall, formerly of Greenhill, Coalville, who later moved to Winslow Avenue, Droitwich, replied: "So what." When arrested, he made full admissions.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Pert QC said: "You may be sexually immature but you're a man of average intelligence. The fact you can't get on with women your own age is no excuse to turn your attention to young girls.

"You knew they were too young for you to be having anything to do with."

Paul Prior, mitigating, said Hall was 18 when the offences were committed.

He said: "The gulf in age between them isn't great.

"The reason he can't get on with girls his own age is because of his own immaturity and low self-esteem.

"He was seeking out younger girls who'd tolerate his behaviour. There's been no further reoffending."

Hall was made the subject of a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, which included banning him from future unsupervised contact with girls aged under 16.

The family of a young boy who drowned while on holiday have launched a fund to help grieving parents with the cost of their children's funeral.

Three-year-old Shae Colford, of Syston, died in August in Cartama, a small village near the city of Malaga, in Spain.

His mum, Jenna Naish, 27, said she was left devastated and inconsolable, especially when it came to arranging the youngster's funeral.

Now, Jenna and her sister, Stacey Brown, 31, are waiting for official charity status after setting up Heaven Sent From Shae – a fund dedicated to helping parents pay for a headstone and funeral flowers for their children.

They said the organisation would assist parents who found themselves in the horrific situation of having to bury their young sons or daughters.

Jenna said: "When I went to the cemetery I saw all the children's graves, and so many didn't have headstones and it made me think we had to do something.

"No parent ever expects to bury their child, but if it does happen you're left completely unprepared.

"We feel that when a family is going through what is the most difficult time they will face in their lives, they should not have to worry that they cannot give that child the flowers they want for them, or the commemorative headstone they deserve."

Stacey said they were having Gift Aid status approved and were raising the £5,000 needed to be given official registered charity status.

The family has a set up a website and Facebook page dedicated to the fund.

Since the youngster's death, Jenna has also kept a candid online blog, Letters to Shae, in which she writes to her son.

The heart-wrenching posts see her write about her grief and include her telling him what she and the rest of the family are up to.

Jenna and Stacey told the Mercury their focus now would be to raise as much money as they could for Heaven Sent From Shae.

The family has organised a fund-raising event at the Razor Edge hair salon, in Leicester Road, Oadby, on Saturday, November 30.

Beauty Night In features pampering and beauty treatments, including gents cuts, waxing, fake tans and massages, with all proceeds going to the fund.

It runs from 4pm until 8pm and includes refreshments.

For more information, e-mail:

heavensentfromshae @yahoo.co.uk

Visit the fund's website at:

heavensentfromshae- charity.simplesite.com

More than 200 people have objected to a planning application for a gypsy church in South Wigston.

Residents of Dorset Avenue are against proposals to convert Aylestone Park FC's former club house into a place of worship.

The Life and Light Gypsy Church submitted its proposals to Leicester City Council last year.

Spiritual leader Jackie Boyd has previously told the Mercury the congregation totalled about 80 and the site would not be used for large-scale events.

However, 233 people have written to the council to raise concerns over "big, fat gypsy weddings", similar to those featured in the Channel Four documentaries.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "It's the Big Fat Gypsy Wedding thing we're all worried about – hundreds of caravans coming down and taking over the site.

"We're all pleased with the amount of public support we've been able to gather, though.

"We've had people from the street, from the Fairfield estate and beyond writing to the council, so hopefully they'll sit up and listen."

The letters of objection raise a number of points of concern including traffic, noise and parking issues.

One of the letters on the council's planning site reads: "On the Life and Light Mission website it appears worshippers, obviously not being local, but from all over the country, would visit with their caravans in tow, turning the parking area into a campsite."

Another resident wrote: "The extra traffic would cause a noise problem for all the properties that front the site in the evenings and on Sundays, which are the main times that working people are home enjoying relaxation time."

The 3,700sq m plot, which is being leased by the travellers, would include a church and the existing car park.

The football pitches, formerly used by Aylestone Park FC, will not make up the proposed church grounds. They have already been earmarked for an extension to Saffron Hill cemetery.

The number of comments means the application will have to be dealt with by the council's planning committee.

Rob Paternostro expects sides will still fear visiting the John Sandford Centre despite Leicester Riders losing their record-breaking undefeated run at home.

Riders suffered their first home defeat in the BBL Championship since February 2012 on Saturday when they went down 69-62 against Worcester.

It brought to an end a record of 30 straight home games, beating the previous run of 28 by Kingston in the early 1990s.

Last season, Riders lost at home to the same Wolves club in the BBL Trophy semi-final, but still won the two-legged tie on aggregate.

Riders' last home league defeat before Saturday was February 25, last year, against Glasgow Rocks.

Since then, Riders have won a remarkable 63 from 75 games in all competitions, including 50 wins in the last 56 games during the last two seasons.

Head coach Paternostro was disappointed with the defeat, but does not believe the John Sandford will stop being a tough place for visiting teams.

"We went home with a strange feeling on Saturday night – one we are not used to," he said.

"Normally, we leave our home venue with a smile on our faces, but this time it was not to be.

"But the John Sandford is still a tough place to play for visiting teams – and long may it continue.

"We should also be proud of our accomplishment. It was a heck of a streak – and delivered by three different Riders teams over three seasons.

"We will learn from that defeat and get better. We don't play for streaks, we play for wins and trophies, and there is all to play for this season.

"When you look back over the streak, the role of our incredible supporters cannot be under-estimated.

"They have been tremendous, and have made home a special place for our players, and very difficult for the opposition – so my thanks to them."

Elsewhere in the BBL, Newcastle are through to the semi-finals of the BBL Cup after beating Glasgow on the road 81-69. They will now play Sheffield or Durham in the semi-finals.

That result followed a comfortable home win for Newcastle on Friday night against Manchester Giants.

Newcastle have now moved into a four-way tie for second place in the BBL Championship with seven wins.

Winless Surrey's woes continued when they were hammered on the road at Manchester on Sunday.

Plymouth also had an easy victory against winless Birmingham.

The Knights had a good start and trailed 37-32 early in the second quarter, but then a barrage of three-pointers from the Raiders took them well clear.

London showed their title credentials, easing past Sheffield 76-55 to gain revenge for their Cup quarter-final defeat.

Results: London 76 Sheffield 55; Newcastle 103 Manchester 51; Leicester 62 Worcester 69; Durham 85 Glasgow 72; Plymouth 119 Birmingham 72; Manchester 102 Surrey 60; Cheshire 75 Durham 68; Glasgow 69 Newcastle 81 (Cup).