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Motorcyclist seriously injured in crash in Soar Valley Way, Leicester

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A motorcyclist was seriously hurt in a road accident that closed a main road. The crash happened in Soar Valley Way between Glen Parva and Fosse Park at about 9.30pm on Friday. The motorcyclist was treated at the scene by a doctor and then taken to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham by ambulance. The road had to be closed for four hours while about five litres of oil and fuel that leaked out of the motorbike were cleaned up.

Motorcyclist seriously injured in crash in Soar Valley Way, Leicester


Two people taken to hospital after crash at Branston crossroads in Vale of Belvoir

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Two people were taken to hospital after a crash on a crossroads. The incident happened on the Branston Crossroads between Scalford and Belvoir. Police, ambulance and fire crews from Melton and Grantham attended the crash, which involved two vehicles and happened at about 6.30pm on Friday. Two people were trapped in one of the vehicles and they were cut free by firefighters and treated by paramedics before they were both taken to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham. One was taken by air ambulance and one by road ambulance.

Two people taken to hospital after crash at Branston crossroads in Vale of Belvoir

Female car passenger hurt in crash in Evington Valley Road, Leicester

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A woman was injured in a car crash in a city road. Two vehicles collided on Evington Valley Road in Spinney Hills, Leicester, at 6.10pm on Friday evening. A female passenger in one of the cars was treated by paramedics in the car for nearly an hour before firefighters cut her free from the vehicle. She was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary but her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Female car passenger hurt in crash in Evington Valley Road, Leicester

Person taken to hospital after car rolls onto its roof on M1

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One person was taken to hospital after a crash on the M1 today that caused traffic disruption. The crash happened at 11.20am on the southbound carriageway between junctions 21a and 22. The crash involved one car that had rolled onto its roof. The occupant of the car had to be cut free by firefighters and was then taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary by ambulance. The casualty's injuries are believed to be minor.

Person taken to hospital after car rolls onto its roof on M1

Kasabian: Tens of thousands of fans at sell-out gig in Leicester

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A sell-out crowd gathered at Leicester's Victoria Park on Saturday for Kasabian's homecoming summer solstice concert. The band wowed the crowd with tried-and-tested tracks plus highlights from their new album, 48:13. Speaking to the Mercury ahead of the band's gig, Kasabian guitarist Serg Pizzorno said it was "difficult to put into words" how he felt about staging the huge gig in Leicester. And the bands' and fans' expectations were met as Victoria Park rocked to the set which followed warm-up sessions from Beardy Man, Jagwar Ma and Rudimental. Earlier on in the day the city centre had been buzzing with anticipation as music fans arrived in Leicester and prepared for the historical summer solstice homecoming gig. With plenty of warnings and publicity about road closures and parking restrictions, travel to and from the gig seemed to take place without any major problems. Organisers had encouraged people to leave their cars at home and walk or use public transport to avoid congestion near the site. The concert is thought to be the biggest event at Victoria Park since Radio One's One Big Sunday events in 2001 and 2003, which attracted about 80,000 people. Next stop for Kasabian.... Glastonbury on June 29. • See more pictures from the Summer Solstice gig Gallery: Kasabian live - on stage at Victoria Park, Leicester Gallery: Kasabian live - fans soak up the atmosphere Gallery: Kasabian live - fans arrive and first acts on stage

Kasabian: Tens of thousands of fans at sell-out  gig in Leicester

Kasabian: Homecoming gig - live

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Up to 50,000 Kasabian fans are due to descend on Victoria Park for the band's summer solstice homecoming gig. Gates open at 3pm with support acts Rudimental, Jagwar Ma, Zane Lowe and Beardy Man starting things off from 5pm and Kasabian are set to take to the stage at 9pm. Serge Pizzorno has promised the homecoming show will be "the greatest thing we have ever done". We'll be following the gig here as the atmosphere builds and as the band takes to the stage with pictures, videos and tweets. • Are you one of the thousands heading to Vicky Park? Tweet us your pictures @Leicester_Merc #kasabian #SummerSolstice and let us know what you think of the band's homecoming show. • See more pictures from the Summer Solstice gig Gallery: Kasabian live - on stage at Victoria Park, Leicester Gallery: Kasabian live - fans soak up the atmosphere Gallery: Kasabian live - fans arrive and first acts on stage
 

Kasabian: Homecoming gig - live

Kasabian: Victoria Park gig "phenomenal" say fans

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"From the Shed, to this, to Glastonbury - thank you, this song is called Fire..." Some 50,000 people erupted with applause as Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan addressed a pumped up Victoria Park on Saturday night at one of the biggest events to hit Leicester in recent times. "You've made my year, unbelievable," he said, as hordes of music-lovers sang along, many of them hoisted onto the shoulders of friends. Fans from throughout the country descended on Leicester as Tom, Serge, Chris and Ian, finally got their wish and played an epic homecoming concert. Hotels in the city and county had been booked out since the beginning of the year with fans who wanted to be part of the action. At the park, people of all ages gathered from about midday to soak up the atmosphere and take in the experience. They were there for the highlight of the night - when the sky was lit up by huge spotlights and the four-piece Leicester rockers thrashed out their best-known numbers. Fan Gaz Casey, 24, from Braunstone Town, said: "They were crazily brilliant - the whole day has been amazing. "The support acts were spot on too - Rudimental are top." Mark Donoghue, 30, from Market Harborough, said: "This is our Maine Road - Kasabian are to Leicester what Oasis are to Manchester. It's monumental." Jamie Pelos, 28, from Clarendon Park, said: "One Big Sunday was good, but this tops it by a mile. "I'm so proud of Kasabian and what they've achieved." People travelled from all over the UK to be at the event. Neil Borthwick, 38, from Edinburgh, said: "Phenomenal - I've seen Kasabian in Melbourne, in 2006, but this is just special." And the event also attracted some well-know faces, including Pirates of the Caribbean star, Stephen Graham, who was with his family. "I'm an honorary Leicesterian," said the actor. "I've lived here for 13 years, in Ibstock, and it makes you proud to see a band like this doing as well as they are. "I've adopted Leicestershire now, so it fantastic to come and watch something like this." The support acts attracted some negative attention when they were announced, but it was soon forgotten once the music got underway. Music from Zane Lowe, Rudimental and Jagwar Ma paved the way for the main event. Darren Foreman, better known as Beardyman, kicked off the night and had the task of warming up the crowd. He said: "It was cool. Being up there on the stage - trying out some new stuff - and seeing all those people. "It's like that sea of people went on for ever - and that was really early on. "I know a lot of people - Twitter idiots - had things to say about the support acts, but it doesn't bother me, you're going to get those kinds of people no matter what you do. "All I know is that it was great gig and everyone I saw was having a good time."• See more pictures from the Summer Solstice gig Gallery: Kasabian live - on stage at Victoria Park (2) Gallery: Kasabian live - on stage at Victoria Park, Leicester Gallery: Kasabian live - fans soak up the atmosphere Gallery: Kasabian live - fans arrive and first acts on stage

Kasabian: Victoria Park gig

Mobile speed camera sites for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland this week starting June 23, 2014

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Mobile speed camera sites for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland this week starting June 23, 2014. A50 Route: Field Head - Groby Leicester Road, Ibstock A512 Ashby Road, (30 & 40mph), Loughborough B5350 Nanpantan Road (30 & 40mph), Loughborough A563 Asquith Way, Leicester A447 Swan'ton Rd / Wash Ln / Ibstock Rd, R'stone A5199 Welford Road, Leicester A5 Route North: Dodwells - Highcross B4666 Coventry Road, Hinckley A447 Hinckley Rd, Cadeby B4114 Leicester Rd, Sharnford B581 Broughton Way / Station Rd, Broughton Astley B4114 Leicester Road, Enderby 40mph B4114 King Edward Ave Narborough A6 Loughborough Rd, Birstall / Wanlip A607 Melton Rd, Waltham A607 Melton Rd, Waltham on the Wolds A606 Nottingham Road Melton A607 Thurmaston Bypass, Thurmaston A47 Humberstone Road, Leicester A607 Norman Way, Melton (westbound) A6 Glen Road, Oadby A6 Harborough Road, Oadby A47 Uppingham Road, Houghton on the Hill A47 Route: Billesdon - East Norton A5199 Bull Head Street, Wigston A6006 Route (A46 - Asfordby By-Pass) (Community Concern) B676 Six Hills Lane, Broughton & Old Dalby (Community Concern) A607 Route (Rearsby By-pass – Melton) (Community Concern) A444 Route (Fenny Drayton – M42) (Community Concern) B6047 Route (Market Harborough – Melton) (Community Concern) Hardwicke Road, Narborough (Community Concern) A47 Clickers Way (40mph), Earl Shilton / Elmesthorpe (Community Concern) Markfield Road, Ratby (Community Concern) A47 Normandy Way (40mph), Hinckley (Community Concern) Bradgate Road, Anstey (Community Concern) Braunstone Lane East / Middleton St, Leicester (Community Concern) A511 Bardon Road, Coalville (Community Concern)

Mobile speed camera sites for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland this week starting June 23, 2014


Home in Oadby badly damaged after bathroom blaze

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A bathroom was badly damaged after a fire in a house. Fire crews were called to a semi-detached home in Greenbank Drive, Oadby, at 7.30pm on Saturday night. The first floor bathroom was well alight and the fire caused smoke damage to the upstairs of the property as well as leaving the bathroom gutted. The fire service said the blaze had been started by someone inside the house but that the incident was not being treated as a crime.

Rob Taylor leads Leicestershire fight to keep Surrey batsmen in check

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All-rounder Rob Taylor claimed three wickets to keep Leicestershire in the LV County Championship match against Surrey at the Kia Oval. Left-arm seamer Taylor took the wickets of Hashim Amla, Steven Davies and Vikram Solanki during the afternoon session. And when Jigar Naik had top-scorer Jason Roy (76)stumped and Charlie Shreck dismissed Gareth Batty caught behind, Leicestershire had their tails up after tea. However, they were kept at bay over the final 24 overs of the day by Surrey skipper Gary Wilson and seam bowler Chris Tremlett, whose unbroken partnership was worth 82 runs at stumps. By that time the home side had progressed to 325-7. Both batsmen had made 44 and the game was evenly balanced. As expected Ramnaresh Sarwan and Richard Jones were absent from the County side through injury with Naik and Taylor stepping back in to the fray. Matthew Boyce was also preferred at the top of the order to Greg Smith.

Kasabian review: "No theatrics needed...Kasabian doing what Kasabian do best"

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Kasabian have been known to go all out for their live shows, staging gigs on planes and rooftops, and once performing a festival encore surrounded by a chorus line of dancing skeletons. For last night's homecoming gig, though, there were no theatrics needed. The Victoria Park crowd got Kasabian doing what Kasabian do best: playing loud and getting people jumping. 50,000 people, to be precise. 'Les-tah' was the word of the day, of course, and just in case that wasn't clear, it was spelled out on Serge's t-shirt (we expected nothing less), summing up the sense of pride that was palpable in the air. You couldn't go more than five minutes without bumping into a lad from primary school, or someone who knew someone whose girlfriend's brother is mates with Tom. It's never been done before, a gig like this in Leicester. So how to start? Kasabian roared into action with Bumblebeee, one of the tracks from their new album, which set the tone for a night in which the pace rarely dropped. Next up was the glam rock-esque stomp of Shoot The Runner, quickly followed by the rumbling Underdog, and Kasabian were well in their stride. In a set that lasted about an hour and three quarters, they pulled out sing-along track after sing-along track, including Fast Fuse, Days are Forgotten and Rewired. Five albums in, there is nothing the crowd isn't sure of, from Processed Beats and Club Foot from their 2004 debut right up to the likes of Treat and Stevie from current top 10 record 48:13. Current single Ee-zeh - spelled as such as a homage to the Les-tah accent, m'duck - sees frontman Tom Meighan throwing down the gauntlet: "I've got the feeling that I'm gonna keep you up all night," he chants over the lolloping beat, and for many in the crowd, he hits the nail on the head. Racing through their now extensive catalogue, there is less chat then perhaps some might have been expecting at their biggest ever hometown show. There is, however, a touching moment, after the call to arms that is Empire, when Tom tells the crowd: "We started a band in 1997. From The Shed to this to Glastonbury. Thank you." The audience roars and its evident how much this moment means to the band. The bass-heavy electronica of Vlad the Impaler and Switchblade Smiles make up the encore, with the finale, of course, coming in the form of LSF. "Thank you, Lest-ah, you have made my f******g year'" shouts bass player Chris Edwards, who has joined a now shirtless Serge Pizzorno and Tom at the front. He genuinely means it. Serge has previously described headlining Glastonbury next week as "the pinnacle," but it's hard to see how it could top Vicky Park. In a year of talking in numbers through 48:13, they've now got a new one that won't be forgotten - 21:06:14.

Kasabian review:

Industrial unit on fire in Heather, near Coalville

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Plumes of black smoke were visible for miles around after an industrial unit burst into flames today. Five fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze, which involved an old industrial building containing scrap vehicles and farm machinery in Heather, near Coalville. The fire, at Dawson's Yard in Swepstone Road, started at 12.10pm. One eyewitness said the smoke from the fire was visible for miles around. He said: "They had a lot of fire engines there and they took until about 2.20pm to get the fire out. "There was a lot of smoke and fumes about. The smoke was visible from Coalville. No one was injured in the blaze and the cause is not yet known.

Industrial unit on fire in Heather, near Coalville

Firefighters called to explosion in Kilby

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Firefighters have been called to a country road in Kilby after reports of a loud explosion. The fire service said crews are tackling a car fire in Fleckney Road. Residents reported hearing a loud bang and seeing a flash of light at about 1.05am today. The sound was heard from more than three miles away. A spokesman for the fire service said one crew from Kibworth station was at the scene and firefighters are being assisted by police. He said: "We were called at about 12.56am to reports of a car well alight and on its side in a ditch." He added that no ambulance or paramedics have been called.

Firefighters called to explosion in Kilby

It's humiliating to go out so early, admits Lineker

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Gary Lineker thinks England manager Roy Hodgson got his tactics completely wrong at the World Cup.

In a frank assessment of England's "humiliating" exit, the former Leicester City and England star also criticised Steven Gerrard for a supposed lack of organisation in the 2-1 defeat to Italy.

Hodgson may have received the backing of the FA despite England's fastest ever World Cup finals exit, but the criticism of the 66-year-old continues from outside the camp.

Lineker said he "admired" the way Hodgson blooded some young players in Brazil, but the 80-cap striker hit out at Hodgson over his tactics.

"Personally, I think Roy got it wrong," Lineker told Blahzil.com. "The system that suits this kind of England better, with the lack of experience in it, is probably a 4-3-3.

"He tried to just play with two players in the centre of midfield. In the first game, I thought it was better because he had Sterling behind Sturridge, and that gave us three because Sterling is more of a natural midfield player, certainly than Rooney.

"But I just think it is too big an ask for just two central midfield players and, once again, we were outnumbered.

"The problem with this 4-2-3-1 is that it very quickly becomes a 4-4-2 or at least a 4-4-1-1 and we end up with flat lines and people getting between us. I think we would have been better – and I said this before the tournament – with three midfield players because you've got to give yourself a chance defensively."

Lineker described England's early exit as a "humiliation".

That would not have been the case if captain Gerrard was a better organiser of his players, according to Lineker.

"Steven Gerrard, wonderful player that he is, has always been an individual in many ways," he said.

"He's not really a player that can organise or spot problems. He didn't spot the danger on England's left side in the first game, which was pretty obvious after a few attempts.

"We don't have the players who can spot something and deal with it. In my era, we had Terry Butcher, Ray Wilkins and Bryan Robson – players who could spot problems on the pitch and that is something that is missing from this crop."

Referring to Gerrard's accidental flick-on that led to Uruguay's winner, Lineker added: "It was a schoolboy error that saw England finally go home with that dreadful second goal for Luis Suarez."

Lineker also said the "old guard" in the squad – presumably Gerrard and Frank Lampard – are "past their best".

Lineker also hit out at the defence for not doing enough to stop Italy and Uruguay.

"Defensively we were not good enough," he said. "It was always the fear before the tournament that we were lightweight at the back with little depth, neither of the full-backs were defensively-minded ."

Lineker said the only positive thing to come out of the tournament was that the youngsters had gained some valuable tournament experience.

It's humiliating to go out so early, admits Lineker

Matt Upson will be vital for Leicester City - Muzzy Izzet

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Defender Matt Upson will play a vital role for Leicester City this season as they bid to retain their place in the top flight, believes former team-mate Muzzy Izzet.

Upson has joined City on a one-year contract from Brighton and the 35-year-old has a wealth of experience.

Izzet played with Upson during his time at Birmingham and he believes the centre-back's knowledge from 16 seasons in the Premier League with Arsenal, Blues, West Ham and Stoke will be vital for City, who have only a handful of players within the squad who have played in the top flight.

Kasper Schmeichel, Ritchie De Laet and Chris Wood have played a handful of games in the Premier League, while Gary Taylor-Fletcher had a season in the top flight with Blackpool.

David Nugent tasted the Premier League with Burnley and Portsmouth, and Paul Konchesky has the most experience having spent the majority of his career in the top flight.

"Upson is a great character," said Izzet. "It is a signing (manager) Nigel Pearson has made because he is someone who has played in the Premier League and has a wealth of experience.

"I am not too sure he will be first-choice. Nigel has four centre-backs now and there are some good ones too.

"Upson may be the cover but he will bring that experience.

"He has got pace and is left-sided. It made sense to bring in a left-sided centre-back.

"He will add to the squad and he is still good enough to go in there and do a great job."

Upson has been troubled by injury throughout his career and snapped his Achilles in a pre-match warm-up while with Birmingham, in 2006, but last season made 46 starts for the Seagulls.

Izzet said he is a naturally fit player and a dedicated professional. "He is a fit lad," added Izzet. "When I was at Birmingham, he snapped his Achilles in the warm-up. When you do injuries like that you tend to get knock-on injuries over the years.

"But for him to have had such a productive season and play as many games as he did last, he seems to have got over that.

"To be playing Premier League football at 35 is testament to the way he has looked after himself over the years."

Matt Upson will be vital for Leicester City - Muzzy Izzet


Fans queue overnight for final Leicester City season tickets

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The last few Leicester City season tickets are expected to sell-out today after fans queued overnight to snap up the final allocation of 496.

The extra allocation to the 22,000 already sold came from existing season ticket holders not renewing, or due to relocations.

First in the queue on Saturday was cancer survivor Rod Clark, who spent 24 hours waiting on the pavement outside the King Power Stadium.

Rod, 71, was too sick to attend all City games last season, but was determined to secure a season ticket for the first season back in the Premier League.

So when the club announced nearly 500 more would be available at 9am on Saturday morning, the diehard fan was their at 9am sharp – on Friday morning.

City fan Lee Jobber met him on Friday evening as he stood resolutely in a queue of one and was so moved by his story he went back to his home in Braunstone to pick up a chair for Rod, who lives in Peterborough.

Rod said: "I had bad cancer last year and only managed to come to about 13 home matches but since November I've been in remission and I don't want to miss this season.

"Years ago I remember queuing in Filbert Street and waiting for hours and not getting a season ticket.

"So this time I was first in the queue to make sure I got mine."

Lee, 34, said: "I came down here on Friday to see what was happening and I saw this old boy having to stand up so I came back with some chairs.

"I came back at 10pm and there were about 10 people in the queue and then at 3am there were about 40. People had come from Newcastle and all over.

"I don't think it's been like this to get season tickets for a long time."

Second in line was Matthew McCaughan, 30, of Beaumont Leys, Leicester, who joined Rod in the queue at about 7pm on Friday.

He said: "It was a really good atmosphere. As well as Lee Jobber coming down with chairs, we had some Scottish guys who were having the all-you-can-eat buffet at the restaurant over the road who sneaked some food out to us."

He said the wait would be well worth it.

"It's going to be a great season. I think we'll end up mid-table but I can't wait for the big teams to come – particularly Arsenal."

Some on the overnight camp did manage to get 40 winks.

Dean Higginson, 51, of Earl Shilton, said: "We were queuing for about nine hours but it's not been a bad night.

"We brought camping seats but I found they're a bit like aeroplane seats and I just can't sleep in them so I got down on the ground and grabbed a few hours of sleep."

His friend, Rob Stacey, 48, of Aylestone, Leicester, said: "There's been a great atmosphere in the queue.

"It's been an okay night and we're doing it for our kids, really."

Rob rang home at the crack of dawn to beg his wife to bring coffee. "She arrived just as the doors were opened," Rob said.

Dean said: "But she is a Forest fan. Make of that what you will."

Tickets sold steadily throughout Saturday and "a very small" number went on sale this morning, with the club expecting to sell out during the day.

The King Power Stadium looks set to be packed next season, with the 496 season tickets being in addition to a record 22,000 already sold since May.

The club expects that, after away fans and hospitality requirements are taken into account, there could be as few as 3,000 tickets available for non-season ticket holders.

Commercial director Ian Flanagan said: "The buzz around the city following our Championship-winning season has been huge and our supporters are clearly ready to carry that momentum into what will be a massive season for us."

Fans queue overnight for final Leicester City season tickets

Live: traffic and travel updates from Leicester and Leicestershire

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7.15am: There are currently no new incidents to report.For more local and national travel information and weather updates see the links below:MOTORWAY UPDATES: For traffic updates on UK motorways and other key roads - CLICK HERE.LIVE CAMERAS: Check the M1 through Leicestershire with our live traffic cameras - CLICK HERE.NATIONAL RAIL: For live UK train updates - CLICK HERE. FLIGHT INFORMATION: For East Midlands Airport visit: CLICK HERE.WEATHER: See the latest five-day weather report for Leicester and LeicestershireCONTACT NEWSDESK: Send us your news and pictures. Tweet us @Leicester_Merc or email newsdesk@leicestermercury.co.uk

Live: traffic and travel updates from Leicester and Leicestershire

North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen wants all A-level teachers to sit exams alongside their students

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An MP is proposing all A-level teachers sit exams alongside their students.

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, is also proposing that students take their exams early so that they can apply to university knowing their results, rather than receiving an offer earlier in the year based on predictions.

The MP says he has already discussed his thoughts on an informal basis with Education Secretary Michael Gove and plans to formally put them to the Department for Education (DfE) this week.

Mr Bridgen said: "An A-level student in my constituency e-mailed me to suggest that teachers themselves take the A-level exams and I think this could ensure rigour in teaching if they also have to reveal their grades. I think it's a suggestion with some merit – and the question is why wouldn't teachers be willing to take them?"

Mr Bridgen also said that applying to university knowing a students' grades would create a "level playing field".

Currently, most students apply to university courses through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). This must be done by the January before they start at the latest.

Universities then respond during the following few months before exams are taken in May and June and results published in August.

However, Mr Bridgen said three out of five predictions were over-predicted and one in five under-predicted.

It means there are students who may not be applying to the universities which best suit them, because many believe they won't get in.

Mr Bridged said: "I think private schools have an edge when it comes to application letters and to securing their pupil a place when they don't quite make the mark.

"Knowing what grades a student has already would create a level playing field that's fair to all."

Mr Bridgen suggested that pupils could take exams in April and results returned to them a month later, in May.

He said: "It may be that students go into school over the summer period of their first A-level year so that they still get the same amount of time learning.

"This is something that I think needs to be debated because there are obvious bene fits to it. It's about ensuring everybody gets the same life chances and at the very least we need to be discussing it."

Ian Leaver, assistant branch secretary for Leicester's National Union of Teachers, said: "It seems Mr Bridgen may want to catch out teachers for not getting top marks in their A-levels.

"It's a bit like sports minister Helen Grant not knowing the answers to a number of sports questions including the current Wimbledon women's champion or the winner of the FA Cup when asked by ITV.

"On a more serious note, the notion of teachers ensuring their skills are up-to-date would be better done by properly funded continuous professional development that allows teachers to identify their training needs."

A spokesman for the University of Leicester it already had a number of initiatives in place to ensure that it recruited the brightest candidates, regardless of background.

He said: "For example, our unconditional offers programme for students predicted 3 As at A-level (or equivalent) is offered across a range of programmes at Leicester, excluding medicine.

"It allows us to target students who demonstrate exceptional academic performance in their schooling to date, taking into consideration the views of their current institution and teachers."

A spokeswoman for the DfE said there were currently no plans to change the time in which students sat their A-levels.

North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen wants all A-level teachers to sit exams alongside their students

Parents in Leicester under investigation amid claims they may have lied to secure school for children

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Parents in Leicester are under investigation amid claims they may have lied to secure the school of their choice for their children.

So far this year, Leicester City Council has launched investigations into nine cases of suspected false school applications.

Three of these have so far proved to be unfounded but a further six are still being investigated.

A concerned group of parents wrote to the city council with the names and address of parents they believed had made false applications for places this September.

It was claimed parents had used incorrect addresses and, in some instances, those of a relative such as grandparents who lived in the school's catchment area.

The allegations sparked the latest investigation into five cases.

The group has questioned the integrity of the school admission system, saying it is easy to "defraud", and urged the council to take immediate action.

In addition, the letter said that if no action was taken, the group would be forced to seek a "judicial review of the entire admission process" so that parents couldn't get away with fraud in the future.

A city council spokeswoman confirmed that investigations were under way and the matter was being taken very seriously.

She said: "We are investigating five cases based on information sent to us in an anonymous letter.

"We have also investigated four further cases this year which have aroused our suspicions without any external prompting.

"Of these nine cases, we have closed our inquiries into three, having been satisfied the applications are not fraudulent or misleading. Six cases are ongoing."

In 2012/13, one school place was withdrawn by the council, compared to two the previous year.

The council spokeswoman said: "While we do not have a major problem with fraudulent or misleading applications in Leicester, we recognise that it does happen.

"We are committed to investigating thoroughly these cases and, where necessary, withdrawing school places."

Leicestershire County Council said it had received one fraudulent application this year.

A council spokeswoman said: "The place was withdrawn as the parents could not provide evidence of proof of residence. In previous years, the numbers have been similar – no more than five."

Parents must apply for their child's primary school place by mid-January and the end of October for secondary school and must provide their child's main address – in some cases they may split time between two parents. Children can be stripped of places if parents submit false information on application forms.

Long arm of the law catches up with pavement cyclist

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A cyclist shown in a Leicester Mercury photograph apparently getting away with riding on the pavement behind a police officer's back was not so lucky after all.

The Mercury reported on Friday that police had launched a crackdown on cyclists who ride on the pavement in Queens Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester. A photograph which accompanied the story showed police community support officer Zahid Ahmed, who is running the operation, standing for the camera while a young man rode by behind him.

However, moments after the picture was taken, Pcso Ahmed stopped the offender, told him to dismount and spelled out the law to him.

Initially, officers are not handing out the £30 on-the-spot fines which the law allows.

However, people who ignore officers' warnings to keep to the road could be fined.

Police say they launched the campaign, which will run until Tuesday, July 8, in response to complaints about cyclists from residents and businesses in the Queens Road area.

Officers said the campaign would also be extended to cover New Walk and Victoria Park.

Long arm of the law catches up with pavement cyclist

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