A man fleeing the scene of a fatal stabbing dropped something 12 inches long that landed with a "hollow clang", a murder jury has been told.

Administration office worker Lee Birt told the Antoin Akpom murder trial he was walking in Catherine Street, Leicester, when he saw two men running as if being chased.

Mr Birt said the men, Abdul Hakim and Hussain Hussain, were about 6ft from him when he saw one drop an object from his left hand and pick it up with his right.

Mr Birt said: "At first I thought it was a mobile phone, but it was longer and slim, about 12in long and made a hollow clang."

Mr Birt was giving evidence during the trial of Abdul Hakim, who denies murdering Mr Akpom in Kent Street, together with another 19 year old, Hussain.

Hussain, of no fixed address, has already been convicted and sentenced for the murder.

Pc Richard Barber was one of the first officers on the scene last September 12. He saw a group of men trying to lift Mr Akpom into a car to take him to hospital. Pc Barber said it was clear Mr Akpom was bleeding heavily. He said: "I told them not to move him and placed him in the recovery position."

He said he tended him until paramedics arrived at 5.40pm.

Mr Akpom died at 6.57pm in Leicester Royal Infirmary. Pc Barber said the men said they had not seen what had happened.

The jury at Nottingham Crown Court heard Mr Akpom was stabbed once in the back by Hussain in a confrontation which also involved Hakim.

The trial continues.

A doctor who will remain on the Sex Offender Register until 2018 for three assaults against hospital staff has been allowed to return to work.

Dr Benjamin Obukofe, 46, was given a six-month suspended prison sentence at Leicester Crown Court for the assaults, which he carried out at the Spire hospital, in Oadby, between 2006 and 2007. He was also placed on the sex offender register for seven years.

Obukofe had been suspended from working as a doctor since the allegations emerged in 2009. But a fitness to practice panel which reviewed his case at the Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service, in Manchester, has now cleared him to return to work.

The doctor will be subject to 12 conditions for three years, which will keep him closely monitored by the General Medical Council.

Obukofe can only work within the NHS under the close supervision of a consultant.

But he will not be subject to restrictions requiring him to use chaperones to examine women, because he attacked female staff members rather than patients.

At a review hearing last year, Obukofe maintained his innocence, despite a failed appeal against his conviction in 2011.

Giving evidence, he said: "Let me be clear. I do not assert that I have breached the law.

"I do not assert that I have committed criminal behaviour. I do not assert that I have committed sexual assault against these two people."

He did not give evidence at the latest hearing, but the panel, chaired by Dr Harvey Marcovitch, decided Obukofe had learned his lesson and was fit to return to work.

Dr Marcovitch said: "In all the circumstances, the panel is satisfied that the salutary lessons that you have learned from the consequences of your misconduct and conviction, as well as the absence of any suggestion of similar behaviour, either before your conviction or subsequently, make it highly unlikely that the actions which led to your conviction will be repeated.

"The panel is satisfied that this sanction, together with its finding of impairment, which is significant in itself, will convey to the public, to the profession, and to you, that the behaviour which led to your conviction was unacceptable but that, in all the circumstances, you should be allowed an opportunity to return to carefully monitored and restricted practice.

"It considers that, in your case, return to carefully supervised practice would not damage the reputation of the medical profession in the eyes of the public."

The tribunal heard that Obukofe has arranged a clinical attachment with Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Trust.

He will have to attend a review hearing towards the end of his three years' conditional practice before he is allowed to work unrestricted.

One of Obukofe's victims, a ward trolley hostess, was 17 when he brushed up against her and touched her bottom.

An administration worker was subjected to two sexual assaults when Obukofe wrapped his arms around her placing his head on her neck and kissed her cheek on another occasion.

The medic denied the charges, but was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault at Leicester Crown Court in April 2011.

Judge Simon Hammond, sentencing, told Obukofe his offences were at the lowest level, but were aggravated by the fact they happened at work.

He was cleared of another four similar charges involving two nurses and a ward clerk.

The girlfriend of flight MH17 victim Richard Mayne has paid a loving tribute to him.

Abby Clark, who lives in Desford, posted a touching tribute on Facebook to her boyfriend, who was one of 298 people killed in the Malayasian Airlines crash in Ukraine last Thursday.

Abby, 20, and Richard, also 20, were both pupils at Dixie Grammar School, in Market Bosworth, and the couple went on to study at Leeds University together.

In her Facebook tribute to Richard, who lived in Leicester, Abby wrote: "I honestly can't believe what has happened and what I am writing. Sleep tight, Richard Mayne.

"Not only were you my boyfriend for five years, you were just so much more!

"You are my best friend, my rock and I don't know what to do without you now.

"Reading through everyone's messages to you makes me feel so proud to have been in your life.

"You have so many people in awe of you, including myself.

"I just keep feeling like you're going to walk in the kitchen and everything will just be back to normal. I need you so bad right now, baby.

"I have so many happy memories of us that will stay with me forever. I just wish more than anything there could be future ones, too. I love you, always will x."

Abby, who is studying medical sciences at university, posted the words along with a montage of six pictures of herself with Richard.

One photograph is of the time they trekked to Everest base camp together, earlier this year.

Abby's mother, Debbie Clark, said the whole family had grown fond of Richard.

"I know it sounds a cliche but Richard was genuinely the most lovely person you could ever meet," she said.

"He came to see us two days before he left to get the flight.

"He was very excited about the trip. Abby was planning to fly out to see him at Christmas.

"Richard was part of our lives for five years and everyone loved him. He will be missed by all of us."

Meanwhile, donations have continued to pour in to a JustGiving fund-raising site Richard set up for Kidasha – a charity which helps youngsters in Nepal.

Richard and Abby's trek was to raise money for the organisation.

His original fund-raising goal of £680 has been surpassed since his death, with the total standing at more than £11,000 yesterday.

Richard and Loughborough University student Ben Pocock, along with eight other Britons, died when MH17 was apparently shot down by a surface-to-air missile en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Sewage caused a stink as it polluted a river after a valve in a storage tank failed.

Severn Trent said the sewage came from a storm tank in Amy Street, Braunstone Town, and leaked in to the River Biam and eventually the Soar.

Signs were put up in Aylestone Meadows advising people to keep out of the water.

The storm tank contained sewage because pumps in other parts of the city are being worked on.

A spokeswoman for Severn Trent said the tank sprung a leak because it was old.

She said because the storm tank usually held excess rainwater, leaks were designed to run into the river. Consequently, the sewage polluted the water.

"Our teams went straight out with the Environment Agency," the spokeswoman said.

"The tank and valve were fixed and there is no more sewage leaking into the environment.

"We take this kind of thing really seriously and would like to apologise to anyone affected."

The spokeswoman said the river water was now clear and safe.

Harriet Clarke, 43, a resident of Aylestone who enjoys walking her dog in Aylestone Meadows, said: "Hopefully, it is a blip, a one off. The river is great for the dogs in the summer. I love the meadows – it is on my doorstep.

"My spaniel, Iris, is not easy to keep out of the water, so it was a big relief to hear it has been sorted out."

Aylestone councillor Adam Clarke said: "Thanks to all those who heeded the guidance over the weekend.

"Of course, it is important for people to take great care around water in Aylestone Meadows at all times – as it may seem extra attractive in hot weather."

Severn Trent Water said water leak levels were at "the lowest they've ever been".

The company urged members of the public to contact Severn Trent when they spotted leaks so it could take action as soon as possible.

Mark Garth, leakage manager for the company, said: "We take leakage very seriously and we want to bring leakage levels down as much as possible so that water is not wasted.

"We have teams out and about looking for and fixing leaks 24 hours a day, but we can only search a small amount of the 46,000km network of water pipes that we have at any time.

"So we also rely on our customers to spot water leaks before we can.

"Please don't assume we already know about the burst or leak, even if it's a large one.

"We particularly want to know about leaks in rural areas where it's possible for leaks to run for days without being noticed."

If you spot a leak, call Severn Trent's Leakline number, 0800 783 4444.

Two car parts depots have closed in Leicestershire with the loss of 15 jobs.

Unipart Automotive sites in Abbey Lane, Leicester, which employed 11 staff, and Belton Road West, Loughborough, with four employees, have both shut.

It comes after Unipart closed 147 branches and made 1,244 redundancies nationwide after going into administration.

Administrators said the business had been experiencing financial problems for many years.

The Solihull-based company had operated 180 branches and distribution hubs trading under the Unipart Automotive, Partco Autoparts, and Express Factors brands.

Mark Orton, partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said: "Despite intensive efforts over recent weeks, a sale of the whole Unipart Automotive business could not be reached, and a buyer could only be found for 33 of the sites on a going concern basis.

"Unfortunately, the business had been experiencing financial stress for a number of years, so the level of cash and further operational restructuring required to rescue a more substantial part of the business posed too much risk for most interested parties."

Andrew Page has taken over 21 Unipart branches and The Parts Alliance has taken on 12, safeguarding 361 jobs. None of these are in Leicestershire.

The company also directly supports over 700 independent, owner-operated garages through its Unipart Car Care Centre programme, in addition to having 19 franchisees. These companies fall outside of the administration and will continue to operate as normal.

An investigation into undeclared pork found in halal lamb burgers supplied to Leicester schools has concluded that no further action should be taken against the manufacturer Paragon Quality Foods Ltd.

In April 2013, Leicester City Council withdrew halal lamb burgers supplied to 19 schools after test results showed up to 50 per cent pork DNA in a sample.

Follow-up tests on this sample were commissioned by Espo – which provides school dinners to the city council - and also carried out by a public analyst on behalf of Leicester City Council. The results of these tests supported the original findings.

The council took samples of nine additional batches of the halal lamb burgers which had been supplied to schools in the city. The public analyst found undeclared goat DNA in all of them but no undeclared pork DNA.

Two samples of the halal lamb burgers taken from consignments at a Leicester wholesaler were also tested by the public analyst. Both of these samples were found to contain undeclared pork DNA and undeclared goat DNA.

After receiving the results of the council's testing, Paragon Quality Foods, based in Doncaster, tested samples of frozen raw ingredients still in storage. The company's own testing also found evidence of undeclared goat DNA - but no pork DNA. It immediately acted to prohibit further use of the product and the slaughterhouse from which it originated.

Leicester City Council has been investigating the findings with the full cooperation of Paragon Quality Foods Ltd over the last 14 months. This has included site visits, paperwork audits and interviews with key personnel under caution.

The council has now concluded its investigation and is satisfied that Paragon Quality Foods Ltd exercised due diligence during the period in question. Therefore, no further action will be taken by the local authority.

Councillor Sarah Russell, assistant city mayor for neighbourhood services, said: "Officers have carried out a very detailed investigation. The company was diligent in its procedures at the time in question and may have been victim of adulteration further up the supply chain.

"It is important to remember that the samples taken were produced around the time of the nationwide horsemeat scandal and expectations have changed significantly since then.

"Paragon was quick to respond to this, introducing new procedures in its selection and traceability of suppliers, and in-house testing of the material supplied to it, early in 2013.

"But it is still clear that more needs to be done nationally to ensure that the food is governed in a way that prioritises and re-establishes consumer confidence."

Metin Pekin, managing director of Paragon Quality Foods, said: "Paragon Quality Foods is a pork-free site and has always operated the strictest of controls regarding the sourcing and production of its products.

"We are pleased that Leicester City Council has concluded that our company had exercised due diligence.

"We understand the need for the council to act on its test results, particularly in light of what became apparent as the international adulteration of the meat supply chain.

"In response to the emerging scandal at that time, Paragon Quality Foods introduced industry leading systems, including our on-site DNA testing lab.

"Based on the independent analysis that Paragon received, we disputed Leicester City Council's interpretation of test results which claimed the presence of pork DNA.

"However, we are grateful to the council for its thorough investigation of this sensitive issue."

A recent programme of meat product testing carried out by Leicester City Council found that over 40 per cent of 105 samples taken from local businesses contained meat from species not declared.

In April 2014, a sample of Halal lamb sheek-kebabs supplied to schools from another manufacturer was found to contain over 50 per cent undeclared beef DNA.

This is being investigated by the local authority where the product was made in North Yorkshire.

Last year, the city council set up a new board to review standards and practices for buying food for schools, elderly people's homes and other council venues.

Leicester City has announced its match day ticket prices for the new Premiership season. The club posted the increased tariffs on its website today, following the launch of its new kit at the weekend. A premium fixture (category A) Family Enclosure ticket has gone up from £26 to £30, while sitting in the West Stand (B1 and B2) will now cost £50 for matches against the top teams like Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea - up from £38. Sitting in the Kop will now cost £40 - up from £32. The biggest rise is for Fosse Club fans, in the premium section, with tickets for top flight games rising from £55 to £75. Under 10s, who previously got into the King Power stadium for free, for premium games, will now have to pay £5 - but there is still no charge for category B and C matches. Leicester City Independent Supporters Club chairman Lance Tomlyn said: "I appreciate the club wants to make a bit of money but paying an extra £8 a game for category A games for the Kop will add up over the season - especially if you take your wife and kids with you. "But that's the way it's gone, it's a rich man's pass time now - £40 is lot of money to watch a game of football." The Foxes' first four home games include all three ticket price categories. Arsenal, on August 31, and Manchester United, on September 21, are both category A; while opening game Everton, on August 16, is category B and Burnley, being played on October 4, is a category C. For a full breakdown of the prices, visit the LCFC website here.

Up to 15,000 people are expected to attend Leicester's four-day Ramadan Festival which is raising money to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and Syria.

The event, officially opened today by the Lord Mayor of Leicester John Thomas, is backing the global charity Human Appeal.

Leicester South MP John Ashworth said: "We all want an immediate ceasefire in Gaza but we also must ensure that humanitarian aid gets through to those in need."

He urged all the people present to make donations to the Human Appeal campaign.

It is the fourth year festival has been held in the city but the first time it has been staged in the newly refurbished The Spinney, a former working men's club.

Ramadan festival director Abdul Osman said: "Ramadan is hugely important for Muslims because fasting gives people a sense of what it is like to be hungry and to experience poverty. As well as thinking about those who are less fortunate, it also has health benefits, and it helps to reboot our entire system. It's a time for giving to charity, helping those in need and a time to contemplate."

He said the event gave the diverse and multi-faith community of Leicester the chance to celebrate together.

He said: "We want to make the event an inclusive festival that is embedded in the festivals celebrated in Leicester. We encourage all to attend this year as it promises to be bigger, better and even more vibrant."

Mr Thomas said was privileged to be asked to open the festival and said how impressed he was with the conversion of the building in Frisby Road.

The festival is aimed at the family with a children's play area, as well as Islamic art and exhibitions, calligraphy talks, and prayer facilities.

There are between 50 and 60 stalls selling Middle Eastern and Eastern wares, from food, to hand-crafted Eid gifts including Arabic perfumes , women's designer wear, ranging from bags to shoes.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset, and the event will be open until midnight so that people will have the opportunity to collectively break their fasts.

Stallholder Sophia Shaikh, 27, said: "Ramadan is a time for reflection. the Islamic faith teaches the importance of giving to charity. Fasting from around 2am until after 9pm can be hard. But it is an achievement and it makes you think more about what you eat and drink when you do break the fast. It helps you build up your faith."

Sophia, who met her husband at the first Ramadan Festival in Leicester, designs modern, yet modest clothes for young people.

Mother of three Heidi Yacine, who came to Leicester three years ago from Edinburgh, said: "Ramadan is for everyone around the world. It is about communities coming together whether people are white, black, brown or yellow. The fasting becomes compulsory when boys and girls reach maturity, about 14 or 15.

Heidi, who ran a candy floss stand, said: "Fasting is good for the stomach and the rest of the body."

Rehana Valli, from Human Appeal, said: "We do not know how much will be raised from the festival but the people of Leicester are always generous."

A Leicester MP is seeking a meeting with managers of a bakery which is set to close with the loss of more than 200 jobs.

Bread making giant Hovis announced this week it was planning to shut its factory in Rushey Mead, Leicester by early 2015.

Bosses want to close the site to improve efficiency at the group, which operates nine other UK bakeries.

The Troon Way site, which employs 204 people, makes one million loaves of bread a week.

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, whose constituency covers the bakery, said: "I am deeply concerned about this. The company has a long history of manufacturing in the area. I will be seeking an early meeting with the company to see what can be done to assist them and their employees."

Union leaders met with managers yesterday (THURS) and are due to hold a further meeting on Monday.

George Atwall, of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union, said: "We want to change their mind."

Earlier this year, United States-based private equity firm Gores Group bought a 51 per cent stake in Hovis and promised a multi-million-pound investment in the business.

Mr Atwall said: "They said they would spend £20 million on the Hovis brand in Britain and now they have announced this.

"These private equity firms are looking at cost savings. We will be talking to MPs and our parliamentary group about the private equity groups that are taking on food manufacturing sites in Britain."

If the closure goes ahead, it will be the second time the bakery has closed in 10 years after previous owner Harvestime went into administration in 2005 with the loss of 330 jobs.

A train passenger narrowly escaped injury when yobs pelted a train with bricks. One of the bricks crashed through a double-glazed window next to the passenger, only just missing him, police said. A second brick, which police believe was thrown by the same person or people, hit a nearby window but only cracked the outer layer of glass. The train was targeted as it passed underneath a footbridge near Sileby railway station shortly before 8pm on Wednesday. The East Midlands Trains service was travelling between London St Pancras and Leeds. Sergeant Mark Rushin, of British Transport Police in Leicester, said the train would have been travelling at 100mph at the time. Sgt Rushin said: "Shortly before 8pm, chunks of masonry were thrown at the train, hitting two windows. "Fortunately, nobody was injured, but one of the objects smashed through a window, narrowly missing a passenger. "I believe this was a deliberate act and that the objects may have been thrown at the train from a footbridge close to Sileby station. "This incident not only damaged the train, but endangered the lives of all of those travelling onboard. "We treat such incidents extremely seriously and are working hard to find those responsible for this act. "Our officers have conducted an extensive search of the area and spoken to local people, and we are now appealing for anyone who might have witnessed the incident or has any information to get in contact." Regular commuter Roger Parry, 46, of Syston, said: "This is one of the most stupid and reckless acts I can think of. "In most cases you hear about it is the drivers who are most at risk because they are facing the danger head on. "The passenger has been very lucky in this case by the sound of it." Another regular train user, Caroline Speller, 43, of Aylestone, said: "I've been on a train which was hit by an object thrown from a bridge. It makes a hell of a noise. "Whoever did this needs to be caught because it's the kind of thing they will do again because they probably get some kind of perverse thrill out of it." Contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference MSUB/B7 of 24/07/2014. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

8.50am: Due to electrical works, Eastern Boulevard, in Leicester is closed and there are also lane closures on Upperton Road, causing delays back to Narborough Road. 

7.10am: There are no incidents to report. 

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A soldier who lost his legs in a bombing in Afghanistan had his home ransacked by burglars while he was away in a military rehabilitation centre.

Intruders targeted Trooper Chris Middleton's Syston home late on Wednesday.

Chris was at Headley Court military rehabilitation centre, in Surrey.

The 23-year-old lost his left leg above the knee and the right below when he was caught up in a roadside bombing in Helmand in 2011.

He is spending time at the centre learning how to adapt to life with two prosthetic legs.

The burglars stole televisions and computers, as well as several pieces of Chris's clothing, and let his home in disarray, with many things, including picture frames, smashed.

Chris will officially leave the Scottish Dragoon Guards next month after seven years of service.

He said: "I'm literally trying to get myself back on my feet and get settled in life in a new home and then someone comes and does this to me.

"Who would do this? There are photographs of me in uniform and with my prosthetic legs throughout the house.

"Wouldn't that have put them off?

"I am at Headley Court for some of the week and they have been brilliant. They have been helping me get used to the prosthetic legs for the past six months or so.

"They have given me back my confidence and my independence and, generally, a sense of normality."

The break-in was discovered by Chris's sister, Gemma, when she came home from a late shift.

The 20-year-old has lived with her brother since he bought the house in February last year.

She said: "There are photographs of Chris in uniform, and with his prosthetic legs, all around the house. If they didn't know whose house they were burgling before they went in, they must have done by the time they left.

"They have left the house in such a mess. Every drawer was pulled open and emptied and our wardrobes pulled apart.

"I think they were probably looking for money they thought we might have hidden . Chris has put everything into this house.

"When I told him what had happened he was so angry and upset that someone could do this to his home.

"I just hope the people who did this to him read this and think about what they have done."

The stolen items include two 50-inch plasma televisions, an Apple Mac computer and an Apple laptop computer.

The stolen clothes included Stone Island coats and shorts.

Yesterday, the Leicester Mercury reported how burglars had ransacked the Wigston home of a 71-year-old woman while she lay in hospital with terminal cancer.

The intruders stole Naseem Moghal's £50,000 collection of family heirloom jewellery and a substantial amount of cash and left her home in a mess.

Police want anyone with any information about either incident to contact them.

To speak to officers about the Syston burglary, contact Detective Constable Alf Doyle on 101.

For the Wigston burglary, contact Detective Constable Melanie Fisher on the same number.

Leonardo Ulloa becomes our most expensive player ever, and our Nige was chasing him for quite some time before Brighton finally gave in to his offer, so he must really believe in the lad.

It's reported that we've paid £8million, rising to £10m with add-ons, for the tall Argentinian striker, and reaction to the deal among those who claim to know about these things is mixed.

Fans of other Premier League sides are suggesting that we paid a lot of money for a player without top-flight experience, but I'd remind them that Ross McCormack cost Fulham £11m just a couple of weeks ago.

Strikers don't come cheap, and Ulloa is big, strong and not afraid to mix it in the box to get his chance.

Nigel Pearson has not been wrong many times in his transfer dealing, they'll probably be saying he was a bargain by Christmas!

The drums are beating to the tune of at least one more striker heading for KP Stadium before our summer business is done.

With Nugent, Vardy, Wood, Taylor-Fletcher, Hopper and now Ulloa all on board, you'd imagine at least one of our current crop might be heading in the other direction.

I read that Chris Wood might be the man to make way for the new arrivals, and I hope that's not true. When he got his chance he stepped up and got goals last season, but if he's not going to play this time around I suppose it's only fair on the lad to allow him to find more regular football.

So the new kit is out. What do you all think of it? Personally, I really like it's button down collar style and clean blue looks, with just a hint of gold here and there.

The gold lettering on the back for the players' names and numbers also looks very smart. We are all going to look very dapper in our Premier League attire.

Of course, you can't please everyone, but the opinions I have heard around town are generally positive. Let's hope the shirt brings us good luck, you never know, it might become a classic shirt to remember a vintage season.

The lads are back in Thailand this weekend. It was a strange quirk of the fixture computer that gave us Everton for our first match of the season, a team we are set to play on Sunday in our owners' home country.

As usual, the welcome for our squad out there was warm and enthusiastic, and on the back of hammering Ilkeston 6-1 in our first pre-season outing the Toffees must be in panic!

Do you think we are weak in any areas of our squad? I was pondering this with some fellow City fans over our lunch break just this week.

We came to the conclusion that we are fine up front, but could do with another right-sided defender and one more wide option among the ranks.

How many we need and in what position will partly depend on the formation Nigel and his staff opt for. Will it be last season's most commonly used 4-4-2? Or the more fashionable 4-1-2-3 that so many of the big sides have adopted of late?

The good news is we all agreed looking at our squad that we have quality throughout, and with the unity among our band of brothers, whoever does bolster the ranks will be coming to a tight and committed unit hell bent on having a good go.

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

Leicester City are embroiled in a bidding war for Watford striker Troy Deeney.

City have had two bids rejected by the Hornets for Deeney, the second believed to be £7.5million.

After failing to agree personal terms with Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell, City have targeted Deeney as the man they want to further bolster their striking options after the arrival of Leonardo Ulloa from Brighton for a club-record fee of £8m, possibly rising to £10m.

It appears City are likely to have to break that record again if they are to land the 26-year-old.

Swansea have also made a bid for Deeney this summer, which was rejected, and it was reported yesterday that Burnley have submitted a bid of £8m for the striker.

Another, unknown, Premier League club is believed to have offered even more.

Sources in Watford say QPR have shown an interest but it is not clear if the bid has come from Harry Redknapp.

City were expected to make a third bid for Deeney but, with the fee rising day by day, they may now switch to alternative targets.

Watford manager Beppe Sannino has said he has not been informed of any bid being accepted.

While Sannino would love to keep Deeney, who he has made his captain, he admits he does not know whether the striker will still be with Watford come the start of the season.

"The club talk to me and I know exactly what the club will do," he told the Watford Observer.

"All managers and coaches would like to have a player like Troy Deeney.

"At the moment I am very happy that Troy is still here.

"Troy is a big professional as a man and as a player. Troy is my captain."

Loughborough University athletes claimed two medals on the first day of action at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Loughborough-based swimmers Fran Halsall and Amy Smith were part of the England 4x100 freestyle relay team that won the silver medal in a new British record time of 3min 35.72sec. Australia claimed the gold medal in a new world-record time of 3.30.98.

Earlier in the day, Loughborough graduate Vicky Holland won bronze in the women's individual triathlon, finishing behind England team mate Jodie Stimpson and Canada's Kirsten Sweetland.

"I'm a bit overwhelmed," she said. "I said before the race that I was looking to make the top five and edging onto the podium was the very best I could hope for.

"This is the best thing I've achieved. Qualifying for the Olympics was a huge deal for me and I'll always be able to call myself an Olympian and treasure that. But this is my biggest ever result, especially with Jodie getting the gold as well."

Lutterworth's Lucy Hall, also studying at the university, led the field after the swimming leg and was over 30 seconds ahead in the cycling before being caught by the chasing group. She eventually finished in 11th place and required assistance by the paramedics following the gruelling race.

In the men's event, Loughborough-based athlete Aaron Harris finished in sixth place. Current student Matt Wright, competing for Barbados, finished 20th.

In the pool, current student James Wilby finished in sixth place in the final of the 200m breaststroke on his international debut.

Loughborough-based swimmer Liam Tancock returned to form to qualify second-fastest for the 100m backstroke final.

Loughborough College student Adam Barrett qualified fourth fastest in a personal best time of 23.41sec for the final of the 50m butterfly.

Fellow College student Rachael Kelly qualified eighth for the final of the 100m butterfly in a time of 59.02 sec.

In badminton graduate Martin Campbell was the first Loughborough athlete of the Games to compete, helping Scotland to defeat the Seychelles 5-0 in the badminton team event.

"This smile is not coming off my face, that was incredible," he tweeted after the match. "Plus winning Team Scotland's first match across the whole team is pretty special."

Martin also played against Guernsey later in the day, with Scotland once again recording a 5-0 victory.

In netball, Loughborough Lightning player and graduate Becky James started for Wales in their 63-36 defeat to Australia.

In women's hockey, England picked up a 2-0 victory over Wales, the second goal scored by former sports scholar, and Leicester Hockey Club forward, Nicola White.

In the men's hockey tournament England secured a comfortable opening victory, defeating Trinidad & Tobago 6-1. Graduates Barry Middleton and Mark Gleghorne both scored for England. David Condon, from Loughborough, also featured in the victory.

Chris Adcock has vowed to continue leading from the front after getting England's mixed badminton team off to the perfect start on the first day of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The 25-year-old, along with wife and on-court partner Gabby Adcock, were the first members of England's badminton team to take to the Emirates Arena in the opening match with Northern Ireland.

Bidding to improve on the mixed team bronze medal they won in Delhi four years ago, the Adcocks secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Northern Irish pair of Ciaran and Sinead Chambers.

The rest of the English team followed suit to complete a 5-0 win and Chris Adcock expressed his determination to go as far as possible before turning his attentions to the doubles and mixed doubles.

"It was nice leading out the team in our first match. It was privilege to be able to do that. We played okay and got the job done and the first game in the bag," said Leicester-born Adcock.

"Once you have been to one multi-sport event or two before it makes you more aware of what it entails and everything that is involved in it.

"We have got the experience of that behind us, we both came away with bronze in Delhi, which helps, and there a couple of other team members who did the same.

"Hopefully, we can use that experience here, put in a team performance, get a medal first of all and then hopefully get a better colour than we did last time."

Gabby Adcock is also adamant that England have the team to challenge for silver and gold, adding that she was pleased their game was in the afternoon following the opening ceremony at Celtic Park on Wednesday night.

"We got back quite late – it was a good opening ceremony and good fun – but it was nice to have a lie-in after a lot of time spent on your feet," she said.

"We have got a decent team, quite a young team. I think if we all play well and get together and get behind each other than we have got a good chance."

A road was closed for two hours this morning after a waste fire spiraled out of control, in Rutland.

A controlled fire burning waste and refuge on the A6121, Essendine Road, between Ryhall and Essendine, became unmanageable and the flames spread over 10 square meters of land.

The fire happened on open ground in Essendine Road.

A gas cylinder was also among the waste being burnt and the road was closed temporarily as a precaution.

The fire service was called at 9.23am and the blaze was out by 11.05am.

Three fire crews attended to tackle the fire.

No-one was injured. 

Fran Halsall insists there was no shame in being beating into second place by world record-breaking Australia in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay final.

England's quartet of Siobhan O'Connor, Becki Turner, and Loughborough-based Halsall and Amy Smith, set a new British record of 3min 35.72sec to claim silver at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

But they were outclassed by an Australian relay team that shaved 0.26 seconds off the Netherlands' world record of 3.31.72, set in 2009.

Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon, Melanie Schlanger and Cate Campbell were in ominous form and touched home in 3:30.98 for a deserved gold.

This was Halsall's eighth Commonwealth Games medal but she insists while gold is always better, the result was a fair reflection on the race.

"That was the longest last 15 metres of my life," said Halsall. "We did a good job and we tried to get out there and push the Australians because we knew they were going to be very fast.

"We did a good job and to swim a British record is a pretty good effort in this situation.

"We weren't scared of it, we fell on to their waves and tried to make the most of it, we did a good job as a team collectively.

"I am really happy with silver; gold is always nicer, but, on paper, their team is better than ours, but we did our best."

The 24-year-old now turns her attention to just one length of the pool as she starts her quest for 50m freestyle glory.

And, after a fairly successful opening day in the pool, Halsall is confident the silver medal will not be her last in Glasgow.

"Really this was a great opener," she added. "To have a swim on the board and a medal in the bag it is really great.

"I am really looking forward to starting the 50m freestyle – it's a length less so that suits me."