Kasper has signed! Phew, that’s a relief. The recent silence from our club over the future of our first-choice stopper had us all wondering what might happen, but this new four-year deal is just what the doctor ordered.

The Dane sounded over the moon to be securing his future at the club he says feels like “home”, and AC Milan and Arsenal (plus the rest who have courted our keeper) can only look on from the sidelines as Schmeichel blazes a trail between the sticks in the Premier League.

With Kasper now signed on, let’s hope David Nugent won’t be too far behind.

I know it’s probably all to do with holidays and logistics, but I don’t want to see any of our promotion boys in an opposing shirt. And that includes our illustrious leader Nigel Pearson.

With no football to get our teeth into at the moment, the void created gets our minds on to the finer details for the coming season.

One such topic that is always hotly debated is the new kit our boys in blue and white will wear.

While we know the home shirts will be a variation of the norm, the away strip comes in for huge debate, and I’ve heard the rumours of a return to the famed red kits of the past.

I for one don’t want to see our boys in anything that even vaguely resembles a Forest shirt, and would much rather opt for green with yellow stripes in a hark back to an all-time classic.

The colour and style seems to get us all hot under the collar (be it green or red), so here’s hoping for something we can all agree on positively.

It is only around two weeks now until the fixtures for our Premier League campaign are announced. I am counting down the minutes, hours and days until we finally discover who our first opponents will be.

Just the thought of a home encounter with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd ... I think I need a lie down!

It will probably be an away jaunt to Burnley or something in truth, but I don’t care, We are back in the big show, and what the rest won’t have figured out yet is we are more than capable of giving anyone a game.

We are a team, and that strong togetherness can outfox many a world-class individual. Bring them all on!

Simon Mack is the chief writer for www.100lcfc.com

A bank is to shut after seeing a massive drop in customers using the branch.
NatWest has announced the Humberstone Park branch in Uppingham Road, Leicester, will shut on September 5.
The bank said the number of people using the branch had dropped by a quarter since 2011.
It said more customers were using “alternative ways of banking” such as by telephone, in Post Offices, by smartphone and online and that there were now only 26 customers who used the branch every week.
But customers have expressed anger.
Gurmeed Kaur, 42, said: “I’ve been with the bank for years because it’s very close to my house.
“But there are other banks around so I’m just going to close my account.
“Everyone in my family uses this bank. This is a busy shopping street so I don’t know why they want to close the branch.”
Sukhjit Nanuwa, 58, of Houghton on the Hill, said: “I like this branch because it’s much easier to drop in here than going all the way into Leicester.
“I actually bank with RBS but this NatWest was always handy. Now I’ll probably have to go into the city.”
Nijahat Patel, 28, said: “I had no idea it was closing. I’m not happy about it. I’d prefer it if they kept it open.”
Paul Curtis, owner of The Card Shop, next door to the branch, said he did not think the closure would have a negative affect on the area.
He said: “Empty shops tend to go quite quickly around here.
“I think more people would use the branch if it was open longer – we get a lot of people coming in and asking how they get into the bank.
“It only opens from 10.30am until 2.30pm.”
A spokeswoman for NatWest said: “Over our whole branch network there has been a 30 per cent drop in branch transactions since 2010, while online and mobile transactions have grown by more than 200 per cent.
“When the branch closes, we are putting a number of measures in place to ensure our customers can still bank with us.
“We have an arrangement with the local Post Office, which is close to the branch, that allows our customers to withdraw cash, check balances and pay bills free of charge.
“Our customers will be able to deposit both cash and cheques in any of the Post Office’s 11,500 branches across the UK.
“We’ve advised staff and we’re writing to our customers at all these branches to make them aware of the closure.
“If customers are concerned about how this will impact their banking, they can go into the branch where staff will be happy to discuss the alternative options available.”
The news comes after Santander announced earlier this year that it is to close 11 of its outlets in the county.

A vulnerable pensioner spent more than £30,000 after falling prey to mail scams. 

Peter Rose, from Wigston, was subjected to an onslaught of mail scams over eight years offering free gifts for prizes, some of which were valued at millions of pounds providing he paid up front.
Mr Rose paid so much to the scammers that he was running out of money and couldn’t afford to buy food - a factor his family say contributed to his death at 79 just before Christmas.
His niece Fiona McArdle, of Welford Road, Leicester, said she only realised the extent of the problem when she had to visit the sorting office to collect piles of scam mail personally addressed to him.
“The more my uncle responded to the scammers, the more mail he received,” she said.

“They were asking for between £10 and £25 every time, promising him that in return he would get millions of pounds.

“The amount we collected from the sorting officer only just squeezed into our people carrier. There was mail from the UK and all over the world, even as far away as Australia.

“We went to Trading Standards and they took it all away and began writing to each of the companies to tell them to put a stop to it, but even then new mail was coming through.

“My uncle sent so much money in response to the letters that he didn’t have enough to buy food or pay his bills. He was practically starving to death. When he became ill he just couldn’t look after himself properly and because he wasn’t eating it made it worse.”
She said she believed that if they hadn’t targeted him, he would still be here.
“He was a very private man and he didn’t talk openly about what he was doing and who these letters were from. It’s heartbreaking to think about what happened to him.”

“In eight years he sent at least £30,000. In the end he used up all his pension.”
Now Fiona wants to warn other elderly residents and their relatives what could be happening.
She added: “It’s such a difficult thing to put a stop to which is why people need to be aware of what’s happening and not get involved in the first place. There should be leaflets about this in doctors’ surgeries and libraries, and the government should be doing more to stop this.
“These people are thieves in my book and what they did to my uncle was horrendous.”

Richard Matthews, senior officer for Leicestershire County Council’s Trading Standards Service, said: “This is the worst case I’ve seen in my 12 years. Sadly more people are falling victim. 

“People have to remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.”
David Bull, head of the service added: “Scam mail comes in a variety of forms, but there’s a distinction between junk mail and scams.
“Scam mail is addressed to homeowners personally and usually has phrases such as guaranteed winner, unclaimed prize or award, or time sensitive document stamped on the envelope. The common factor is the consumer always has to send cash up front before receiving anything themselves.
“Junk mail is legitimate mail which promotes goods and services.”
Mail scams are estimated to cost UK consumers £3.5 billion each year and only one in five cases are reported.
Trading Standards advises customers who are, or have been, a scam mail victim to report the matter to the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 08454 04 05 06 who will provide help and advice.

Two Leicester Mercury photographers have been honoured at the Midlands Media Awards.

Mike Sewell was named best sports photographer and Will Johnston was named best news photographer.

Will's picture showed the daughter of police officer David Robinson, who lost his battle with cancer last year.

Three-year-old Amelia was arriving at her father's funeral.

The judges said: "The photograph of a daughter of a Leicestershire police officer at her dad's funeral carrying his cap demonstrates Will's ability to spot the image.

"The photo was taken in a sensitive situation – although with the family's blessing – but captures the poignancy of the moment exactly."

Will described the moment he captured the poignant image.

He said: "We were asked by the family to photograph Amelia at her father's funeral so she would have something to look back on later in life.

"The image shows her innocence contrasted with the tragedy of her father's death.

"When Mike Sewell saw the picture, he immediately predicted it would win this award and, happily, he was right.

"I'm absolutely thrilled that my work has gained recognition from my peers in the industry."

Mike won his award for a portfolio of three pictures: shots of a cricket game in Lutterworth, a cycle race through Leicester and Leicester City star Andy King, shirtless and celebrating after a crucial victory against Nottingham Forest in the last game of the 2012-13 season.

Mike, who has won the award three times in the past five years, said: "It felt incredible and it was a great night. It was tremendous to be able to celebrate with Will, too.

"I love the variety of work we do at the Mercury, but sport is my passion, so it feels brilliant to get this award.

"In the picture at the football match, Andy and the guys were all celebrating in front of the fans and it was a bonkers moment – I didn't know whether to celebrate or keep taking photos."

Mike was also feeling a rush of adrenaline when he took the shot at the Leicester Castle Classic cycle race.

He said: "I was photographing the cyclists coming past St Mary de Castro Church and I got down on the floor with the bike wheels going past at 30mph about a foot away from my head!"

The judges said in their comments on Mike's work: "A varied portfolio, showing a talent for capturing a split second of cricketing action, the ability to create a sports feature image and to portray an important moment of celebration in a crucial football match."

The awards were presented at a black-tie event attended by 300 guests at Villa Park, in Birmingham.

A Leicestershire man who flew gliders carrying vital reinforcements to protect the strategic target of Pegasus Bridge on D-Day has spoken about his mission.

Bert Harget, 96, of Oadby, flew a full load of troops of the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles of the 6th Air Landing Brigade to Normandy to secure the bridge over the Caen canal.

Thousands of airborne troops flew in silent gliders to take the German defenders by surprise.

The capture of the bridge ensured the easternmost flank of the Normandy beach-head would be protected from counter-attack.

Mr Harget, a Staff Sergeant with E Squadron, No.2 Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment, said: "We were supposed to get to Pegasus Bridge by late afternoon on D-Day, but we were a little bit late.

"We were supposed to take 30, but just before we were about to take off, an officer came and asked if I could take another two. I said, 'if they can find room, I'll take them'."

The wooden Horsa glider, towed by a Dakota, took off from a Gloucestershire airfield. The Horsa was a troop-carrying glider used for air assault by British and Allied armed forces. It was named after Horsa, the 5th century conqueror of southern Britain.

They could deliver troops, Jeeps, trailers, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, complete with ammunition and crews, into restricted spaces.

Mr Harget said: "We were over the Normandy coast 45 minutes later. There were ships everywhere beneath us. I've never seen so many ships gathered in one place.

"You could see movement on the ground, but we were at about 2,000 feet when we cut loose and had to concentrate on landing the glider.

"We had all the models of where we were going to land. We were over the coast near Ranville before we cut ourselves loose.

"We were trained to do what we did and you just do it automatically. If you had too many thoughts about it, you wouldn't go. The landing was perfectly all right and all the troops got out okay.

"The bridge had already been captured. There was some shooting, but it was in the distance, nothing around us at all. There were quite a number of gliders coming in. Although you were noticing things all around you, you had to get your job done and get the glider on the ground safely.

"The troops went off and I spent the night in a ditch. It was decided I had to go back to England to fetch another load, leaving the glider there.

"I walked the three or four miles to the coast and was put on a boat back to England, but I didn't go again because they weren't making as much progress as they thought.

"I've never been back to Normandy, I've never really wanted to, but I've been watching it on TV."

Mr Harget also took part in glider missions at Arnhem in September, 1944, flying men and equipment.

On March 3, 1945, Mr Harget was congratulated for his distinguished service by Field Marshal Montgomery.

Taking pride of place on a cabinet at his home is a letter from Prince Harry, congratulating him on his 95th birthday. The prince wrote: "It was fantastic to hear of your incredible wartime exploits as a glider pilot. You should be immensely proud of all that you and your comrades-in-arms achieved and the great service you performed for your country and the cause of freedom."

During his training before D-Day, Mr Harget dropped in unexpectedly on a royal visit to a US Air Force Flying Fortress base after the towing plane's engine developed a fault on a training mission.

He said: "Over Cambridgeshire, the tug's engines developed a fault and we were told we had to part company. A hasty look around revealed three aerodromes within gliding distance, so we chose one and we made an approach.

"It was only when we were nearly on the runway that we noticed a line of large aircraft around one side of the perimeter track. When we stopped, about a dozen Jeeps and a crowd of figures ran towards us – we had landed at Bassingbourne, an American operational base, and the line of aircraft were B17 Flying Fortresses.

"They had never seen a glider before and a lot of excited conversations developed until their commanding officer arrived.

"He was very impressed, and then said King George VI was due to arrive at any moment for an inspection and could he put our glider at the end of the line of Forts'. We agreed so we found ourselves standing to attention in front of our glider as the king and his entourage approached, talking to each American crew as they progressed up the line.

"When they reached us there was some discussion between the commanding officer and the king and then he came over to us.

"He wanted to know the whole story and then walked off in what appeared to be a very good mood.

"When it was all over we were taken to the mess, where the hospitality was overwhelming."

The account was submitted to the Eagle, the magazine of the Glider Pilot Regimental Association.

After it was published, Mr Harget was contacted by another ex-pilot who had long been puzzled by a scene from the film Memphis Belle, where the king is inspecting the American airmen after their tour of duty.

At the start of the sequence, the king is shown arriving in his car and, for a few frames, passing a Horsa glider. Mystery solved.

Police are trying to trace a woman whose dog bit a nine-year-old girl.

The child was injured when the small dog, which was on a lead, bit her in Welby Lane, Melton.

The owner led her pet away from the scene.

The incident happened at 11am on Wednesday, May 14, as the child was walking home.

Police have only just released details of the incident.

Police Community Support Officer Lorna Barrett said: "The dog was on a lead and with a woman, who was in her 40s.

"The owner of the dog didn't stop at the scene and we would like to trace her.

"If you believe this incident may have involved your dog then we would like to speak to you.

"We would also like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information about it."

Contact Pcso Barrett on 101 or the Crimestoppers hotline, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

Paralympic hopeful Marcel Hodge is preparing to defend his 100m and 200m titles at the Inas Open European Championship.

Leicestershire-based Hodge will travel to Bergen Op Zoom, in the Netherlands, for the competition, which begins on Wednesday. It is organised by Inas, the international federation for para-athletes with an intellectual disability.

Hodge will be hoping to win gold in the 100m and 200m, as he did in Sweden two years ago, but also add the 4x100m and 4x400m relay titles to his name.

The 22-year-old sprinter is favourite for the 100m after his world championship victory in Prague last year.

Hodge said: "I really hope I can retain my titles, and it would be awesome to win the relay too."

Leicester Lions' search for a first away win of the season continues after they suffered a 48-40 defeat at Swindon Robins.

The Elite League meeting on Thursday should have ended with some reward for the Rapid Solicitors Lions but, like so many other times this season, it finished with a nil-point return.

Once again, the match stats pointed firmly to where the blame lay.

The Lions were first over the line in eight of their 15 heats compared with the Robin's seven, yet recorded nine last-place zeros to the home side's three.

Leicester had Richard Lawson guesting at number five for Patrick Hougaard and Sam Masters for Simon Stead at number two, while Joe Jacobs replaced Tom Perry at reserve.

The first three heats were shared 3-3, Jason Doyle taking the first for the Lions, Steve Worrall and Troy Batchelor with the second and third for the Robins.

Heat four reshaped the meeting as it took three attempts to complete and led to three riders taking no further part in the match.

Dakota North, the Robins' recent Australian acquisition, lost control on bend three and cleared up Masters.

North was excluded but was unfit to continue and withdrew from the meeting.

There was a delay while the fence was repaired and then came the second attempt.

Masters shot out of the gate but, as Max Clegg tried to join him, he lost control and took out Nathan Greaves.

It was a nasty-looking crash and the ambulance was soon on the scene for both riders.

Clegg was excluded but neither rider was fit to continue and both were withdrawn.

The final attempt saw Masters lead home the remaining rider, Steve Worrall, for a 3-2 win and a one-point lead for the Lions.

Heat five saw Batchelor and Peter Kildemand post a 5-1 for the Robins, and heat six saw Doyle and Lawson do the same for the Lions.

Heat seven saw the Robins move back into a 21-20 lead as Simon Gustafsson led the way to a 4-2 with Worrall. It was a lead they were never to lose.

Heat nine, again competed by just two riders as no one else was eligible, saw Worrall lead home Jacobs.

Heats 11 and 12 were a disaster for the Lions as the Robins took maximum 5-1s, running up a 10-point lead.

In the first, Nicolai Klindt gated first and, with Batchelor protecting him in second, the Lions pairing of Doyle and Lasse Bjerre could make no impression.

Gustafsson and Worrall then took the second as Jacobs was third after Masters' bike packed up on lap one.

Doyle won heat 13 but received no back-up from Lawson, while Bjerre won heat 14. To get a point from the meeting, the Lions needed a 4-2 win in the last race.

With Doyle and Korneliussen taking part, there was hope among the travelling supporters, but it was not to be.

Doyle did his part winning the heat, but Leicester skipper Korneliussen could only come home in last place.

Swindon 48: S Worrall 14+2, S Gustafsson 11+1, Troy Batchelor 10+3, P Kildemand 7+2, N Klindt 6, D North 0, N Greaves 0.

Leicester 40: J Doyle 13, M Korneliussen 9, J Jacobs 5+1, L Bjerre 5, R Lawson 3+2, S Masters 3, M Clegg 2.

It was third time unlucky for Leicestershire as they again suffered defeat in the final of the County Championship Shield.

After being edged out by Dorset & Wiltshire in 2010 and then losing to Surrey in 2012, County were after revenge in the Twickenham showpiece.

But it was not to be as Surrey, again, got the better of them with a 39-16 win to wrap up a hat-trick of victories in the competition.

In a contest where kickers dominated, it was not until the last 10 minutes that Surrey were able to run in two decisive tries as their opponents tired.

Leicestershire captain Luke Coltman said: "Up until 75 minutes it was a very close game, and there were barely more than six points in it.

"I thought we were dominant at the set-piece but they were more clinical, we didn't put our chances away.

"But we've been to three finals in five years now and we're all going to get together again next year and give it another go."

County could hardly have got off to a worse start as they saw centre Andy Gates sent to the sin-bin within 33 seconds of the kick-off after taking out full-back Matt Betty in mid-air.

But Surrey were unable to make their extra man count and, shortly after the numbers were restored to parity, they were penalised for going to ground.

Ricky Aley duly produced a well-struck penalty to put Leicestershire in front.

A late challenge on Surrey scrum-half Will Crow gave Neil Hallett the opportunity to kick his side level, and he made no mistake.

In a scrappy opening period, it was the two kickers who dominated. Hallett kicked two more for Surrey, either side of one from Aley as the errors mounted.

Hallett was on the mark again with the last kick of the half to give Surrey a 12-6 advantage.

The contest was crying out for some creativity, and it came from Surrey after 53 minutes as replacement hooker Sam Johnson produced a neat one-handed lay-off and back-rower Harry Watts burst through to score. Hallett duly converted.

That opened the floodgates though, Leicestershire responding almost immediately as Rhoddy McNaughton burst through before slipping a pass to Chris Bale, who dashed in to score.

Mark Lord, taking over kicking duties, made no mistake to bring his side to within one converted score at 19-13 down.

But the game returned to its previous pattern, with Hallett and Lord swapping another penalty apiece as the contest moved into the final 10 minutes.

After Leicestershire knocked on from the restart, Hallett had his sixth penalty of the game to give Surrey a 25-16 lead.

A superb break from Crow then all but sealed it for Surrey as he burst through a gap in the Leicestershire defence. Hallett converted to wrap it up.

Winger Fidias Efthymiou then went over in the corner and Hallett kicked a tough conversion to take his personal contribution to 24 points.

Surrey captain Armand Roux said: "It was as hard as we expected. We knew Leicestershire would come for us and would have a strong pack.

"We knew they'd be well-drilled, but they were better drilled than we thought they would be. The scoreline was maybe a bit flattering."

Leicestershire: Culpin; Robinson, Weston, Gates, Kerr; Aley, McFedries; McNaughton, Coltman (capt), Peck, S Bale, Deaville, Fearn, McLaurin, C Bale. Reps: Tebb, Hopkins, Bartlett, Marshall, Gibbs, Lord, Howe.

Traffic came to a standstill when a lorry became wedged beneath a bridge in Leicester.

Cars tried to squeeze around the white Ford van after it was lodged under the low bridge in Gipsy Lane at about 2.30pm yesterday.

However, traffic backed up in both directions, causing large tailbacks when they were unable to navigate around the stuck vehicle.

Police were called to help with the flow of cars while recovery crews worked to remove the damaged lorry.

One motorist said: "It was a tall lorry and got warped and mangled – obviously it was too big to go under the bridge."

A police spokeswoman said: "Network Rail were also called to assess the bridge. Nobody was injured."

He said the road reopened at 4.50pm.

Leicester Tigers scrum-half Ben Youngs is relishing the chance to pull on the No.9 shirt for England in the first Test against New Zealand today.

Youngs will take on the All Blacks at Eden Park in his first England start since the last game of the 2013 Six Nations.

The 24-year-old replaces Harlequins' Danny Care, who has not recovered from a shoulder injury, while Northampton's Lee Dickson is on the bench.

"It's a shame for Danny as I know he has worked hard to be fit for the game," said Youngs.

"But it's great to be starting against New Zealand at Eden Park.

"I know with four scrum-halves in the squad there is a massive amount of competition for me to perform for the team and be at the top of my game."

Youngs had been a virtual ever-present in the England set-up since making his debut in March 2010.

But the British & Irish Lion was left out of the squad by England head coach Stuart Lancaster for this year's Six Nations due to an unusual dip in form.

"Ben Youngs is one of our most experienced players – he has played against the All Blacks three times and is raring to go," said Lancaster.

"Danny is getting there but we won't take any risks and we need every player to be 100 per cent.

"Lee has known all week that he could be featuring so we managed his preparation accordingly."

Youngs has featured in all three clashes with the All Blacks since 2010, and started in England's famous 38-21 victory at Twickenham in December 2012.

He will be joined in the starting line-up by Tigers team-mates Manu Tuilagi and Geoff Parling, who both missed the Six Nations through injury, as well as new recruit Freddie Burns, who starts at fly-half.

The England squad were also watching on as the country's under-20s made it two wins from two in the IRB Junior World Championship.

Loughborough University scrum-half Henry Taylor put in a superb performance as he scored two tries in the 38-24 victory over Australia.

Tigers winger Henry Purdy also started the game at the QBE Stadium in New Zealand.

Tigers prop Harry Rudkin went on as a second-half replacement.

Leicester City have officially been welcomed to the Premier League.

City and fellow promoted clubs Burnley and QPR were formally confirmed at the Premier League AGM.

City were handed shares in the Premier League which were vacated by the relegated teams – Norwich, Cardiff and Fulham.

The Premier League is a private company wholly owned by its 20 member clubs, who each are a shareholder, with the FA holding a 'golden share' with the ability to vote on certain issues.

Peter McCormick, the acting Premier League chairman, welcomed the new clubs and the clubs were awarded their framed share certificates.

City will be handed a huge financial boost by promotion.

Commercial revenue increased by 21 per cent at Premier League clubs in the 2012-13 season and topped £2.5billion for the first time, according to the Annual Review of Football Finance by financial analysts Deloitte.

More than 75 per cent of the revenue increase was spent on wages, which rose by £125m to £1.8bn and resulted in the overall clubs' wages to revenue ratio reaching a record high of 71 per cent.

Clubs will receive another significant increase in revenue in the 2013-14 season.

Deloitte estimates that revenue will have increased by almost 30 per cent to £3.2bn in the 2013-14 season, due mainly to the new TV broadcast deal.

In contrast, the clubs City leave behind in the Championship face tougher financial circumstances.

The 2012-13 season was a particularly bleak year with a revenue reduction of £39m and that was compounded by a £40m increase in wage costs, leading to record operating losses of £241m.

Supporters Direct, of which Leicester City's Foxes Trust is a member, issued a statement calling for more financial support for lower league teams.

"It is very difficult to argue that more money for football is a bad thing," the statement said.

"However, we hope and expect that this significant increase will also result in more in absolute terms for two different but connected parts of our national game," the statement added.

England forwards coach Graham Rowntree believes the qualities of Leicester Tigers' front-row pair Dan Cole and Tom Youngs will be missed on the tour of New Zealand.

Both players have been ruled out of the three-Test series against the world champions, which starts today in Auckland, and Rowntree expressed his disappointment over the absence of two British & Irish Lions.

Tight-head prop Cole was scheduled to undergo an operation last week after a rest period failed to heal a trapped nerve caused by a bulging disc, an injury that flared up during the Six Nations.

It is expected that the rehabilitation from the surgery will keep Cole on the sidelines until November.

Youngs will not be touring with the team in order to care for his wife, who requires treatment for an illness.

The duo have been regular members of England's squad since making their debuts – Cole in 2010, Youngs in 2012 – and have 62 caps between them. That is experience which Rowntree's front row may be lacking in today's first Test.

"There's no beating around the bush, Dan is a huge loss for us," said Rowntree.

"Playing in such a tough position and then getting an injury like that, you've got to let it take its course. We can't rush him.

"He's a significant loss for us and he has been missed. It's made us look elsewhere and I think David Wilson's done a fine job for us in Dan's absence.

"But the more players of the calibre of Dan and Wilson that I have available, the better. I just wish Dan a speedy recovery.

"Tom's been brilliant for us as well. He's such a great bloke to have around the group. He's very professional and he's such a giver, energy-wise.

"He's always very positive and very coachable. I think Leicester have done some great work to turn in him into the player he is."

Four Tigers players – Geoff Parling, Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi and new signing Freddie Burns – all start in today's opening match, while Ed Slater could make his Test debut during the tour.

Rowntree, who spent 17 years in Tigers' front row and won the Lifetime Achievement award at the Leicester Mercury Sports Awards in January, is pleased with Slater's progress.

"We're delighted with Ed," said Rowntree. "He's got the footballing skills of a back-rower, playing in the second row.

"He's got an exceptional attitude and we're delighted with what he brings for us.

"With guys being injured, other guys have come through, took the chances and thrown up some real selection dilemmas. We want that pool of talent. We want those headaches.

"For example, we were delighted with the likes of Luther Burrell and Billy Twelvetrees, who have really stepped up. But you can't ignore what Manu can bring.

"They'll all be in the mix and it's nice for us to have those tools available."

Kevin Phillips believes Leicester City's Jamie Vardy has what it takes to follow in his footsteps from non-league football to being a hit in the Premier League.

Phillips ended his 20-year career when he retired at the end of last season.

He had to cope with being rejected as a teenager by Southampton because he was seen as being too small to be a striker, but he rebuilt his career at Baldock Town and was soon signed by Watford. Phillips progressed to Sunderland, where he earned promotion to the Premier League and became the last Englishman to win the European Golden Boot, after scoring 30 goals in the top flight in the 1999-2000 season.

Vardy has also had to cope with rejection by Sheffield Wednesday, but he joined Stocksbridge Park Steels before being signed by Halifax Town and then Fleetwood Town. City then paid a non-league record £1million fee for him two seasons ago.

Now Vardy is set to complete his journey from non-league to Premier League and Phillips believes he has the attributes to cope with the huge step up.

"Who knows, someone could do it," said Phillips, when asked if he thought anyone would ever match his achievement of going from non-league to the Golden Boot.

"Young Jamie Vardy has come from non-league and let's hope he goes on to win the European Golden Boot next year. You might get someone come along again and achieve that.

"The art in finding an out-and-out goalscorer is tougher because they are few and far between.

"Because of the systems that teams play these days, it is becoming more difficult. But it would be great if someone like Jamie came along and succeeded in the Premier League. I think he has the attributes to do that."

Vardy will face stiff competition for a place in City's attack next season as the club are closing in on the signing of Cardiff's Fraizer Campbell and have had bids rejected for Brighton striker Leonardo Ulloa.

City are still hopeful David Nugent will sign a new contract, with talks scheduled for when he returns from holiday.

City manager Nigel Pearson also has Chris Wood, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Jeff Schlupp as striking options.

Leicester City target Fraizer Campbell's scoring record in the Premier League may not be the greatest, but there is a sense that the best is yet to come from the striker.

City have triggered an £800,000 release clause in the 26-year-old's contract at Cardiff and are set to hold talks with Campbell's representatives next week.

Other clubs are interested in Campbell, but City are confident of getting their man.

Cardiff are keen to keep hold of their striker but are resigned to losing him after the former Manchester United academy graduate expressed his desire to stay in the Premier League.

His record of just 13 goals in 107 Premier League appearances with United, Tottenham, Sunderland and Cardiff would suggest Campbell has yet to match the expectations placed on him from when he first burst on to the scene in the 2007-08 season.

His tally of six goals from 37 appearances last season is his most prolific ratio, but the statistics do not paint the full picture. Campbell could not play for 17 months from August 2010 until January 2012 after twice suffering major ligament damage which required surgery, but there is the perception that he is now finally finding his best form and, at 26, is still to hit his peak.

Campbell's most prolific spell of scoring was in Belgium, when he netted 21 goals in 31 appearances for Royal Antwerp, while he netted six times in pre-season fixtures for Sunderland in the 2010-11 season.

Then he was injured during Sunderland's 1-0 win against Manchester City in August 2010.

Campbell recovered and returned to full training, in March 2011, but then suffered a new, even more devastating, blow in April 2011. He did return to action for Sunderland, who had paid Manchester United £3.5million for the striker, but he was still working to regain his best form when former Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay brought him to Cardiff for £650,000.

He was considered a vital player with his phenomenal work-rate, defensively and in attack, and his willingness to make runs in behind defences, similar to Jamie Vardy.

City boss Nigel Pearson may have in mind a three-pronged attack next season with Campbell and Vardy playing alongside David Nugent.

It now appears unlikely City will return with another bid for Brighton striker Leonardo Ulloa having had three already rejected.

The Seagulls have slapped a £10m price tag on the Argentinian.

The Leicester Mercury reported earlier this week that a shale oil and gas company believes Leicestershire may be sitting on black gold. Union Jack Oil Plc said there could be up to 5.4 billion barrels of oil under our feet north east of Loughborough.

David Bramhill, executive chairman of Union Jack, said the oil is believed to be within Bowland-Hodder shale formations.

Shale oil has to be recovered using hydraulic fracturing – better known as fracking.

The controversial topic divided Mercury readers who left their comments on our website.

Fracking is a process in which water mixed with sand and chemicals is injected at high pressure into a bore hole. This creates small fractures in the rock, along which gas and petroleum travel to the well.

The technique has been used extensively in the US and supporters say it could be the answer to the UK's future energy needs.

Opponents point to environmental risks, including contamination of groundwater, the release of gases and chemicals and minor earthquakes.

Today, we are publishing the views of two experts on the issue, as well as extracts from what some of our readers have to say.

A jealous boyfriend who attacked his girlfriend's ex-partner when he saw them chatting in a car park was jailed for a total of 18 months.

Sean Pyper (23) accused the victim of "flirting" and recklessly smashed a bottle on the ground.

It resulted in a shard of glass ricocheting and wounding the man's lower back.

Pyper then chased the injured victim from the car park, in Blenheim Walk, Melton Mowbray, and punched him forcefully on the back of his head, causing a bruise.

Leicester Crown Court was told the injured young man ran home where he became dizzy, collapsed and felt sick.

He suffered a one-and-a-half inch cut to his back, needing three stitches, and stayed under observation overnight in hospital.

Pyper, of New Street, Melton, admitted unlawful wounding, by recklessly smashing the beer bottle, on February 16.

Neil Bannister, prosecuting, said: "It was a completely unprovoked attack and it's adversely affected the victim.

"He had a week off work and the assault caused bad headaches afterwards.

"He now suffers from panic attacks and is on anti-depressant tablets."

Pyper also admitted common assault and having a blade in a public place, in unrelated incidents involving another man the following day.

Mr Bannister said on that occasion a motorist was forced to stop on seeing Pyper in the middle of Leicester Road, Melton, at 11am.

He said: "He was waving his arms in the air and a woman, believed to be his girlfriend, was on the pavement.

"Pyper punched the car's wing mirror, but didn't cause any damage.

"The driver got out and Pyper, who was angry and aggressive, went to punch him, but the victim blocked it.

"The woman intervened and led him away."

Later that day, the same man chanced upon the defendant in New Street, Melton, and asked him about the earlier incident.

After an exchange of words, Pyper brandished a craft knife and the victim grabbed a nearby broom handle.

Pyper dropped the knife and challenged him to a fight without weapons, but a neighbour intervened to stop it.

The victim was left in "shock and trauma" and had difficulty sleeping, said Mr Bannister.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said: "The defendant has an atrocious record of 44 offences, mainly for dishonesty but including a robbery in 2011 and four offences of assault.

"He's serving a 20-week sentence, imposed in April, for battery and was on bail at the time of these offences."

James Varley, mitigating, said Pyper was the worse for drink when he perceived the first victim was trying to rekindle a relationship with his girlfriend.

The cut to the complainant's back was "unintended and extremely unfortunate" when he threw and smashed the bottle he was carryin.

The incident where he brandished a knife was "five or six seconds of idiocy" said Mr Varley.

The 18-month sentence is to run consecutively to the 20- week term Pyper is already serving.