Bookmakers William Hill have lost their battle to open a new betting shop in Leicester city centre.

The company currently has a basement branch in Cheapside but wanted to move 50 metres to a more prominent site in an empty shop in Market Place.

Leicester City Council's planning officers refused the application to change the use of the former sportswear shop, which has been vacant for more than a year.

They argued a bookmakers in that visible location would undermine work the council had been doing to regenerate the area through its multi-million pound construction of a new market hall and other parts of mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's Connection Leicester project.

William Hill appealed the decision, but a Government planning inspector has backed the council's rejection.

Inspector Jon Hockley concluded the plan would have an "adverse effect on the vitality and viability of Leicester city centre".

He did, however, acknowledge there could be benefits from the shop being filled rather than standing disused.

Leicester's deputy mayor councillor Rory Palmer, who has previously raised concerns about the spread of betting shops in the city centre, said he was pleased with the decision.

He said: "William Hill wanted to take a shop front. We argued having a betting shop front there was not conducive to our wider plans for the market area.

"I am pleased with the result, but I find it frustrating that this is a planning matter.

"I have long argued that elected local councillors should have more powers to prevent betting shops opening up.

"This decision has been made by an unelected official from outside the area. On this occasion he made the right decision in my opinion, but if it had been the other way I would have been very angry."

Coun Palmer said he felt it was better for the shop to remain vacant than for it to be filled by a bookies.

He said: "I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't have a problem with betting shops but we need to make sure our city centre streets are diverse and vibrant.

"They want a more prominent site and shop front to advertise the highly-addictive fixed odds betting machines they have.

"There is no shortage of book makers with big shop fronts within a 10-minute walk of the Clock Tower.

"I would hope something would happen in that shop unit very soon.

"If it remains empty for a short period it would not be too bad. There are lots of new businesses opening up in the city centre. I don't think anyone would thank us if every other city centre shop became a betting office."

A William Hill spokeswoman said: "We are against the clustering of bookmakers and are supportive of local authorities having the power to stop bookmakers opening.

"But this was not about opening another bookmakers, but us getting a better location which would allow us better marketing opportunities.

"There has not been the explosion in the number of betting offices people think there has.

"The numbers have remained stable, but they are in more prominent positions. As traditional shops in the High Street have shut, betting shops have come out of the side streets and the basements to take their place.

"We do employ 17,000 people in the UK."

Nobody will have any complaints tomorrow afternoon at Trent Bridge if Leicestershire Foxes and Nottinghamshire Outlaws provide anywhere near the level of entertainment of their first NatWest T20 Blast meeting this season.

The Outlaws blasted their way to 220-4 from their 20 overs but were then given some anxious moments as Greg Smith produced the Foxes' T20 knock of the season. Smith, Leicestershire's leading run-scorer this term, made a brilliant century from just 54 deliveries to keep the Foxes in the game.

However, they were pegged back down the finishing straight and, without Scott Styris on that occasion, they just lacked the late firepower to cross the finishing line, the Outlaws winning by 24 runs. It looks a comfortable margin but that was far from the case for much of the evening.

Riki Wessels and Samit Patel smashed half-centuries on that occasion as Leicestershire's bowling struggled, and that pair will be the clear dangers again tomorrow on their home patch.

Wessels tops the Notts run-scoring charts this season with 314 to his name, with former Leicestershire favourite James Taylor next on the list with 221.

Patel's slow left-arm has also been effective in slowing down opponents' batting and he has a dozen wickets to his name so far in the 2014 campaign, helping Notts to stay in the running for a place in the last eight with half-a-dozen wins and three defeats on their slate so far.

Notts have put together a winning run of four matches – two no-results included during that period of time – which has seen them stay on the coat-tails of leaders Lancashire Lightning and second-placed Yorkshire Vikings heading into the final week of group games.

They know that a win over their East Midlands neighbours would be a huge step towards the quarter-finals, but the Foxes would love nothing more than to post a victory which would force the Outlaws to put those plans on ice.

Leicestershire Foxes finished their home NatWest T20 Blast programme with a three-wicket win over Durham Jets at Grace Road.

Having been set a modest target of 118, County were deep in trouble at 90-7 at one stage as their top order fell to a succession of big shots.

However, Matthew Boyce and Jigar Naik held their nerve and an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 30 in three overs saw Leicestershire home with just one ball to spare.

County struck early after putting Durham into bat on the warmest of evenings.

Charlie Shreck had Scott Borthwick well caught behind by Niall O'Brien off just the second ball of the innings – and the Foxes kept the pressure on.

They might even have had the wicket of Phil Mustard in that opening over but O'Brien was unable to hold on to a second chance from Shreck.

Mustard would go on to top score with 29 but it was a far from free-flowing effort from a batsman who can score at a ferocious rate. He and his team-mates were all tied down by some excellent seam and spin bowling as all the Leicestershire attack did their job.

Off-spinner Jigar Naik was probably the pick of the attack as he finished with 1-17 from his four overs but Josh Cobb also picked up two wickets, as did Ben Raine and Shreck.

There was also success for Scott Styris who bowled Paul Collingwood with his first ball and went on to finish with figures of 1-10 from two overs.

Leicestershire caught their catches in the deep, while Raine's direct hit accounted for Mustard.

Gordon Muchall's unbeaten 28 off 23 balls at least steered the Jets past three figures, but the fact their innings included just one six and 10 boundaries highlighted how well the Foxes had kept a lid on matters.

The Foxes set off as if they wanted to win the game inside 10 overs and O'Brien found the boundary three times in Chris Rushworth's opening over.

Cobb then cracked Graham Onions' first ball over mid-off for another four. But within the blink of an eye both openers were gone as Onions hit back to remove them with consecutive deliveries.

Greg Smith was caught at deep midwicket trying to pull Onions and Ned Eckersley then played on off Mark Wood to leave the Foxes in trouble on 36-4 after seven overs.

Boyce and Scott Styris briefly rebuilt but when the New Zealander gave a return catch to off-spinner Gareth Breese and then Tom Wells edged Collingwood behind, the Foxes were hanging on at 64-6. Ben Raine and Boyce kept things moving with a stand of 26 but when Raine played on to a slower ball from Collingwood the Foxes needed 30 runs from the final three overs.

The penultimate over was to prove the key. Naik hammered Wood for a straight six and then next ball top-edged the bowler for another four. In all, 15 runs came from six balls leaving six runs required from Rushworth's final over.

The Leicestershire pair coolly picked up four singles before Boyce pulled the penultimate delivery for four to finish unbeaten on 46 from 42 balls, with Naik 16 not out from eight balls.

Director of rugby Richard Cockerill said next season will be a "test of character" for everyone at Leicester Tigers.

Cockerill and most of his squad have returned to Oval Park for pre-season following the disappointment of failing to reach the Aviva Premiership Grand Final for the first time in 10 seasons.

For many of the players in the Tigers squad, it was the first time in their careers they had experienced the feeling of not being at a Twickenham final.

For all the ways that their season could come to an end, it was by a single point at the hands of bitter rivals Northampton Saints.

"I eventually sat down and watched the semi-final, which took a while," said Cockerill.

"It's like everything, if you have some adversity, you have to deal with it and how you deal with it is the most important thing.

"It will be a test of character for all of us. You take Ben Youngs, who played his first Grand Final at the age of 17.

"He is now 25, and he had never not been to one in his whole career. That's not a criticism, it's just a fact.

"It's not a rite of passage, it's not a procession for us to get to a Grand Final and have a day out at Twickenham.

"Now we have had that experience, as odd as that is for everybody, we don't want to repeat it.

"Our objective in the Premiership will be the same as it has been for the last decade, it will be to try to win it."

Tigers will also have to deal with the knowledge that it is not them, but Northampton, who are top of the tree after Saints defeated Saracens in the final.

Cockerill said he expects that to be a motivation for his players during pre-season as they prepare for their opening Premiership game against Newcastle Falcons on September 6.

"I watched the final. It was a good game, it was controversial at the very least," he said.

"It is good to get away from the game for a week or two, go away with the family and when everyone was at school and at work, I could sit down and watch the game in a bit of peace of quiet and reflect on what could have been.

"I expect us to have that hunger, not that we didn't have it last season, but that little reminder of not being where we want to be. That should be a motivation for everyone."

Two obsessive Leicester City fans are trying to collect the autographs of every Foxes player since 1919.

Mathew Mann, 34, and his son Dylan, 10, are close to completing the collection, which contains the signatures of all the City greats.

The pair have numerous scrapbooks filled with the autographs of players such as Gary Lineker, Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton.

Nestled between the pages are some 800 photographs, scraps of paper, newspaper cuttings and postcards each featuring the signatures of City footballers over the decades.

"It's become a bit of an obsession," said Mathew. "We spend a lot of our time hunting down ex-players but it's a great fun and very rewarding when we find them."

The pair, who live in Barlestone, need just 150 more signatures to bring the albums up to date – but Mathew says the project could continue for generations.

He said: "The beauty of this is that it'll never be complete – there'll always be more players coming into the side. I love that.

"I love the fact I can pass the albums down to my son for him to carry on and he can pass them to his son and it can go on like that forever."

The criteria is that each player must have played for the first team in a competitive match or managed the club. All of the autographs are in chronological order of appearance, in order of season.

Mathew and Dylan are also collecting tickets and programmes from every final City have featured in.

The duo have bought signatures from eBay and written to former players to get the additions they need.

Dylan said: "I really liked collecting all the autographs. My friends think it is very good.

"I think my favourite one is from Franck Rolling. He lives in France and he sent us a signed photograph."

Franck, a defender who was born in Colmar, France, made 18 appearances for City from 1995 to 1997.

Dylan said he was confident he and his dad would get the remaining signatures they needed.

The pair started working together on their signature project 15 months ago, building on a hobby Mathew started years earlier.

Mathew said: "I had a lot of autographs from when I was younger so we weren't starting from scratch.

"My son was quite keen to continue the collection so we bought some photograph albums and began arranging them season by season and tracking down the ones we needed."

If you can help Mathew and Dylan with the collection, e-mail: mann451@btinternet.com

Zouma Bakayogo, Aman Verma, Craig King, Kerrea Gilbert, Jonathan Hayes, Luigi Glombard, Ricky Sappleton, Joe Hammil, Nicolas Priet, Tomi Petrescu, Jon Stevenson, Martin Reeves, Tom Williamson, Tommy Goodwin, Sascha Lenhart.

Neil Lewis, Michael Trotter, Steve Holden, Des Linton, Gary Fitzpatrick , Pat Gavin, Dave Puttnam, Peter Eccles, Mick Kennedy, Steve Prindiville, John Buckley, Kjetil Osvold, Robert Alleyne, Paul Brown, Robert Jones, Alan Lee, Kevin Reed, Dean Smith, Kevin Farmer, Steve Bicknell, Carl Jayes, Steve Yates, Malcolm Munro, Graham Brown, Derek Harrison.

Ken Sandercock, Bobby Mackay, Paul Matthews, Malcolm Clarke, David Timson, Billy Hodgson, Bob Newton, Max Dougan, David Thomson, Bernie Kelly, Harvey Sinclair, Jimmy Dunne, Brian Jayes, David Halliday, Oliver Beeby, Barrie Thomas, Ron Burbeck, Arthur Dixon, Norman Bullock, Norman Kirkman, Jimmy Ayton, Peter McKennan, Walter Edwards, Jim Dawson.

PRE-WAR PLAYERS: Eric Smith, Tom Mather, Stan Mercer, Jim Campbell, Alick Grant, Vernon Chapman, Bert Howe, Tom Bromilow, Stan Baines, David Bruce, Frank Womack, Owen McNally, Archie Gardner.

Arthur Lochead, George Gibson, Jack Liggins, John Summers, Tommy Mills, John Philp, Sandy Wood, Archie Young , Idris Miles, Jim Paterson, Ted Lowery, George Dumbrell, Albert Harrison, Arthur Wooliscroft, Aubrey Mandy, Harry Lovatt, Joe Wright, Willie Bushell, Andy Russell, Harry Callachan, Tom Gibson, Bert Heathcock, Jim McLaren, Billy Lane, Davie Moyes, Jimmy Baxter, Sid Bishop, Willie Orr, Arthur Lochead, Billy Findlay, Jack Brown, John Jarvie , Albert Godderidge, Harry Hooper.

Norman Proctor, Ben Davies, Fred Price, Jack Middleton, Ernie Brooks, Jack King, Mick O'Brien, Tom Duncan, George Greatorex, Geroge Hebden, Albert Pynegar, Andy Roxburgh, Bernard Clarke, Bob Villers, Chris Duffy, Harry Graham, John Roxburgh, Percy Tompkin, Sandy Trotter, Walter Currie, Billy Barrett, Billy Dorrell, Billy Spittle, Ernie Walker, George Jobey, Harry King, Hugh Richmond, Jack Parker, Jim McCauley, Jock Patterson, Joe Norton, Peter Hodge, Sid Harrold, Tom Smith, Walter Essom, William Thornton, Brendal Anstey, Ike Smith,

Meet Jose Leonardo Ulloa, Leicester City's soon-to-be £7million man.

Born in General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina, on July 26, 1986, just a few days after Diego Maradona had lifted the World Cup for Argentina in Mexico, Ulloa was almost unheard of in this country when Brighton paid £2m for his services 18 months ago.

The 6ft 3in targetman began his career in 2002 in the Argentine second division before signing for top-flight side San Lorenzo de Almagro, where he was part of the squad that won the Clausura 2007.

He moved on to Argentine clubs Arsenal de Sarandi and Olimpio de Bahia Blanca before moving to Spain in 2008, after obtaining a Spanish passport, to join second division side CD Castellon.

He scored 16 goals in his debut season and 30 overall in 78 appearances.

He was picked up quickly by Almeria in 2009 and scored 39 times in 90 appearances before Gus Poyet took him to the Amex Stadium.

"He's a typical number nine box player," said Poyet at the time. "He's good in the air, he will hold the ball up and he has good movement around the box when the ball is wide."

He proved a shrewd signing for the Seagulls. He scored on his debut in a 3-2 FA Cup defeat against Arsenal and finished the season with 10 goals from 20 appearances, including a hat-trick in the 4-1 demolition of Huddersfield.

Last season, he was a key man for Brighton as they again reached the play-offs, with 16 goals from 38 appearances, including two in the shock 4-1 victory over City at the King Power Stadium.

With City awash with natural wide talent in Anthony Knockaert, Riyad Mahrez and Marc Albrighton, the club have identified Ulloa as the man they must target with their delivery in the Premier League.

So keen have City been to land their man, it has taken five offers to Brighton before they finally agreed, and they are now set to pay a club record fee of just over £7m.

Leicester City are in talks with potential new record transfer signing Leonardo Ulloa after finally agreeing a fee with Brighton.

The Seagulls had rejected four previous offers from City for the 27-year-old striker but, late on Thursday, they accepted a fifth bid of just over £7million for Ulloa.

Ulloa was withdrawn from Brighton's pre-season friendly against Real Betis on Thursday night after the two clubs finally came to an agreement on his valuation.

The Argentine's representatives have now opened talks with City to discuss personal terms and Ulloa is expected to meet manager Nigel Pearson this weekend.

City flew back from their Austrian training camp yesterday and it is understood Ulloa's representatives have already begun discussions with director of football Terry Robinson.

As long as City can agree a wage structure, the discussions should be straightforward as Ulloa has expressed to Brighton manager Sami Hyypia his desire to play in the Premier League.

Ulloa has made a big impact at the Amex Stadium since joining for £2m from Spanish side Almeria 18 months ago.

Last season, he scored 16 goals in 38 appearances as Brighton reached the play-offs, including a double in the shock 4-1 victory over City at the King Power Stadium in April.

Pearson had installed Ulloa as his number-one target as he looks to add more firepower to his City squad ahead of the kick-off to their Premier League campaign.

The City boss believes Ulloa can offer something different to his other striking options, such as Jamie Vardy and David Nugent.

Meanwhile, City have completed the signing of another graduate of the Manchester United academy.

City have signed 19-year-old defender Louis Rowley on a one-year deal and he will go into the development squad, where he will team up with former United striker Jack Barmby.

Rowley is a versatile defender who came through the youth ranks operating at left-back, but last season went on to put in some excellent displays for United's under-21s in a new central-midfield role.

The Nuneaton-born player began his career at Walsall before joining United aged 15.

If Leicester City complete the signing of Brighton striker Leonardo Ulloa for £7million, it will finally break the club transfer record which has stood for 14 years.

Of course, City fans will be hoping Ulloa will prove more of a success at the King Power Stadium than previous record-holder Ade Akinbiyi did after he was signed by Peter Taylor in 2000 for £5m.

Signed from Wolves, Akinbiyi struggled to cope with the burden of being such an expensive recruit as the weight of expectation bore down on him.

Without a seasoned strike partner to guide him after the departures of Stan Collymore and Tony Cottee, Akinbiyi was unable to make the transition to the Premier League and he was not helped by being asked to play with his back to goal, rather than utilising his pace to get in behind defences.

His confidence was wilting as time wore on and it reached a watershed moment against Liverpool in October 2001 when he missed a succession of good chances, including a sitter from six yards, as City were beaten 4-1. He was booed by Leicester fans.

Akinbiyi spent less than two seasons at City before joining Crystal Palace for £2.2m.

The previous record fee paid was £3m, which City paid for both Darren Eadie in 1999 and defender Gary Rowett in 1999.

Eadie was a Martin O'Neill recruit from Norwich but he was unable to reproduce his scintillating form from Carrow Road at Filbert Street as a succession of injuries eventually ended his career.

In contrast, Rowett was arguably Taylor's best signing for City. Signed from Birmingham, he was an ever-present in both league and the cup during the 2000-01 campaign and produced some class performances at right-back and as a central defender.

Following City's relegation in 2002, he was snapped up by Charlton.

It seemed as though the club record was broken regularly during the 1990s.

Frank Sinclair was a record signing from Chelsea in 1998 for £2.05m, breaking the record set when Matt Elliott joined from Oxford United in January 1997 for £1.6m.

Before Elliott, Mark Draper became the club's first-ever million pound signing when he joined from Notts County in July 1994 for £1.25m, a figure which shattered the previous record of the £360,000 City had paid Portsmouth for Mark Blake just four months before.

Leicester City have unveiled the strip they will be wearing when they kick off their first Premier League campaign for a decade.

Again manufactured by German brand Puma, the new strip features a collar and has retained the gold piping they wore as they marched to the Championship title last season.

First-team players Danny Drinkwater, Wes Morgan, Liam Moore and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel have been modelling the new design, which City will wear on the opening day of the season against Everton on August 16.

City will debut the strip on Tuesday when they visit Ilkeston Town in their first pre-season friendly before heading to Thailand next week to prepare for their friendly encounter against Everton in Bangkok.

The shirts are priced from £45 for men and ladies, and £33 for juniors, while the mini kits are also £33.

The new kit is now available from the Fanstore at King Power Stadium and at:

LCFCDirect.com

A landlord who left a tenant without heating and hot water for more than a year has been fined £3,000.

Anthony Gordon was prosecuted by Charnwood Borough Council after ignoring the authority's warnings to improve the Loughborough flat he was renting out to a woman.

The council wanted Gordon, of Alexander Street, in the Black Friars area of Leicester, to fit a boiler and repair broken lights in the flat, which it described as "dangerous and shabby".

The tenant approached the Bridge housing charity in Loughborough in June last year to complain.

The matter was then reported to the council, which contacted Gordon on July 17 last year, asking him to fix the problems at the flat in King Edward Road. An inspection on August 1 showed no work had been done.

Gordon was then sent a legal notice and given until October 11 to make improvements.

However, follow-up visits by officers in February showed no works had been carried out.

A further check in June also showed the required work had not been completed.

Gordon's case went before Loughborough Magistrates' Court this month.

He pleaded not guilty but did not appear in court. In his absence, he was fined £3,000, ordered to pay £650 costs and a victim surcharge of £300.

Speaking after the hearing, Councillor Jane Hunt, the council's spokeswoman for housing and regulatory services, said: "The majority of Charnwood landlords provide good housing. However, there is a small minority who continue to flout the law and put their tenants at risk.

"I hope this case acts as a reminder that dangerous, shabby housing is not accepted and carries a consequence."

Council environmental health officer Lesley Price inspected the flat and found no boiler, meaning there was no heating or hot water.

She also found rainwater leaking into electric light fittings, causing them not to work.

There was no separate gas or electric meter, a hole in the bathroom floor, inadequate fire protection and a badly-fitting front door and loose frame.

The tenant has been rehoused by the council.

The council say it works with Dash (Decent and Safe Homes) to promote a landlord accreditation scheme to provide good- quality accommodation.

More than 3,000 fines have been handed to parents in the city and county for taking their children out of school without the head's permission in the past academic year.

The figures, which do not include persistent absentees, relate to unauthorised holidays or absence for other unconfirmed reasons.

Since last September, 2,548 parents in Leicester have been fined for taking their children out of schools without the head's permission.Of these, 138 led to prosecutions.

This compares with 2,599 the previous academic year, including 101 prosecutions. Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor responsible for children, young people and schools, said: "I recognise this issue can be a difficult one for many families.

"However, it is important to recognise the positive impact excellent attendance has on children's learning and that time off for any avoidable reason is not helpful in that respect.

"The Government last year introduced stricter rules on granting parents' requests for their children to take leave from school.

"We may see an increase in the number of penalties issued as a result of this."

In Leicestershire, figures from September showed 605 penalty notices issued to parents for unauthorised absences and a further 115 still to be issued. Some 62 fines have so far not been paid and will be carried forward for a potential prosecution.

Since September 1 last year, new legislation has meant head teachers cannot grant leave of absence for family holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Councillor Ivan Ould, the county council's cabinet member for children and families, said: "Out of the thousands of school children we have in Leicestershire, this is a relatively small amount. That said, I don't want any children to miss school unless they have to.

"The Government's change in legislation came about because it felt that more needed to be done to prevent parents from taking children out during term time. However, whether it's working or not remains to be seen as future figures become available."

Schools in Leicester and Leicestershire have broke up for the summer holidays a week earlier than most others across the country, giving parents the chance to get a slightly cheaper holiday abroad.

Before the changes were brought in, head teachers were able to grant up to 10 days' holiday leave per year for "special circumstances".

Now, they are no longer able to grant any absence during term time, except under "exceptional circumstances".

In addition, the time parents are given to pay a fine has been reduced from 42 days to 28.

Holidays are often cheaper during term time and some parents choose to swallow the cost of the fine, rather than pay more for an expensive holiday outside school time.

Parents can be fined £60 per child in the first 21 days, rising to £120 within 28 days.

Failure to pay can result in court action.

A company responsible for taking patients to and from hospital appointments has failed three out of five essential set standards.

It follows an unannounced visit by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the Government's health watchdog.

It also emerged health officials in Leicestershire are considering financial penalties against the company, Arriva Transport Solutions, for not meeting performance targets.

They have also promised a meeting so people can have their say on the service.

CQC inspectors spoke to seven patients and 14 staff at Arriva when they visited in April in response to concerns that standards were not being met.

In their newly-published report, inspectors said: "We found patients often arrived late for their appointments. This meant the service did not have effective systems in place to ensure people got to their clinic appointments on time."

They said six out of seven patients who regularly used the service found it unreliable.

Inspectors found some patients were having reduced dialysis because they arrived late for their appointment.

They also found that, although there were systems to assess and monitor the quality of service, the company was not doing anything to reduce the risk of delays. Staff were not being sufficiently supported or supervised.

Paul Willetts, director of quality and governance at Arriva, said: "While we are disappointed we were not able to demonstrate we are meeting all the outcomes required, we are absolutely committed to making improvements and have already started to implement actions to address this."

Rotas are being changed and more paid and volunteer staff are being recruited.

Daily visits are being made to renal units to check on journey times for dialysis patients.

East Leicestershire and Rutland clinical commissioning group (CCG), responsible for the contract, is setting up a meeting so people can give their views on the service.

A CCG spokesman said: ""We continue to be concerned that some patients have had poor experiences of the Arriva service and have agreed new measures which we hope will address issues highlighted by these cases."

He said the CCG was reviewing performance for the second year of the contract and considering further penalties.

Health campaigner Zuffar Haq, a member of the Leicester Mercury patients' panel, said: "It is very poor that Arriva has failed three out of five CQC standards.

"The CCG needs to wake up and deal with this problem effectively and efficiently for the sake of patients.

"This has gone on far too long and all we seem to hear is one excuse after another and patients are suffering, some having to wait 10 hours to get home.

"However, I welcome the opportunity for patients and members of the public to put their views to both Arriva and the CCG about the service."

Arriva won a five year contract worth £26 million to provide non-urgent patient transport services in 2012.

Police are searching for three people who racially abused a young woman.

The 19-year-old, who is black, was targeted as she cycled home from work on Tuesday night.

She was pushing her bike along the road after its wheel had been punctured by a broken bottle. Three men saw her and hurled racist abuse at her, police said.

The incident happened between 10pm and 10.15pm in Hallam Crescent East, Braunstone, Leicester.

Pc Stephen Clarke, of Hinckley Road police station, said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who may have been in the area at the time who may have witnessed the incident.

"A female driver stopped to assist the victim and we would be very keen to speak to her."

Two of the men were on foot and the other was riding a bike. The victim has provided partial descriptions of them.

The men are thought to be in their late teens or early-20s. The one who was riding a bike was wearing grey clothing, another all blue and the third was wearing something red.

Contact Pc Clarke on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

A sleeping householder awoke to see a burglar's hand reaching in through his bedroom window.

Intruder Ryan Scott Lawson, who had climbed on to the roof to reach inside, pushed a bowl off a side table as the owner shouted at him.

He fled empty-handed after the incident, at about 6am on March 7 this year.

During a hearing at Leicester Crown Court, James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, said CCTV footage showed Lawson arriving at and leaving the property.

"He rode off on a bicycle and was later identified by the police," Mr Bide-Thomas told the court.

Lawson, of Sharpley Road, Loughborough, was arrested the following month, on April 5, and remanded into custody.

In interview, he said he was drunk and saw the opportunity to steal something through the window.

He pleaded guilty to burglary, with intent to steal, from the house in Alan Moss Road, Loughborough.

Lawson, 22, was given an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with 18 months of supervision.

He was also ordered to attend a thinking skills course and an employment, training and education programme.

Sentencing, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: "You have a dreadful record for someone of your age.

"Almost because of that there's particular force in your defence counsel's argument that from January 2013 until March this year you had kept out of trouble. For someone of your background, I recognise that's quite an achievement.

"I'm prepared to accept it was an aberration, although that's no consolation to the man whose house you were trying to break into.

"Imagine how you would feel if someone was trying to break into your home at 6am."

The court heard Lawson had spent more than three months on remand and has 85 offences on his criminal record, including eight for house burglary – although the break-ins were committed as a juvenile.

Samantha Jones, mitigating, said: "He kept out of trouble for a 14-month period before committing this offence.

"He had broken up with his girlfriend and she had made him homeless and, because of that, he was living on the streets at the time. He was at a loss as to what to do.

"It was an opportunistic offence when he was under the influence of alcohol.

"His relationship is now stable again."

Leicestershire Police's Chief Constable Simon Cole has dedicated his honorary degree to his father and work colleagues.

The county's top cop became an honorary doctor of arts at Curve, Leicester, on Saturday as hundreds of De Montfort University graduates were officially handed their degrees.

He said the event had a personal significance, as his father – who died recently – went to the same college when he was younger.

Mr Cole said: "I am very touched to be here today and I hope all my colleagues who work to keep people safe know they are part of it.

"My dad came to the college of arts and technology – before it was De Montfort University – and sadly passed away this year, so it is very moving to be here today.

"Our new recruits come to DMU to train and we have a very productive relationship."

Other honorary recipients included ex-Tomorrow's World presenter Kate Bellingham, who became an honorary doctor of technology, and cricketer David Gower, who was made an honorary doctor of letters.

A pub landlord caught without a TV licence has been ordered to pay £155 by magistrates.

Surinder Rura, landlord of the Fox Inn, in Main Street, Thorpe Satchville, Melton, was fined £135 at Leicester Magistrates' Court.

He was also ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge

Speaking after the hearing, East Midlands TV Licensing spokesman Mark Whitehouse said any business showing TV programmes, whether for customer use or in staff areas, must be covered by a licence.

"We appreciate these are tough times for businesses, but to be fair to the majority who do pay the licence fee, we have to take action," he said.

"Those businesses who do try to get away with it might find the price of being caught to be higher than just a fine.

"We would rather businesses think ahead and check if they need a licence.

"A licence costs £145.50 and can be bought in minutes online."

Business which have a TV without a valid licence risk a fine of up to £1,000 per offence, plus costs.

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/business

Young canal enthusiasts got to experience a day in the life of a junior lock-keeper at the weekend.

Children were invited to try their hand at the job as part of Foxton Locks' 200th birthday celebrations.

Working with staff from the charity Canal and River Trust chairty, the young adventurers were taught how to operate the locks and help boaters as they travelled up and down the waterway.

Sarah Cook, an education co-ordinator at the charity, said: "Foxton Locks is a beautiful spot on the Grand Union Canal and is ideal for any youngsters wanting to have a go at being a lock-keeper.

"Today's lock keepers do not have as difficult a time as their early predecessors. These days, hauling heavy lock gates open by hand, defending yourself against river pirates and fighting off toll thieves are not part of the job description."

Yesterday's event will be followed by another session on Sunday, August 17.

"With 10 locks to work and a whole host of boats to help navigate their way down the canal, the experience will certainly keep any eager children and their parents busy and will hopefully be an enjoyable day for everyone," said Sarah.

To book a place on the next session, call Sarah on 07715 377 788, or e-mail:

sarah.cook@canal rivertrust.org.uk