The company given the task of flattening Leicester's landmark Belgrave Fly-over has released a video about the huge project.

The massive structure was removed in February and March as part of a £4 million plan to regenerate the area between the city centre and the Golden Mile.

AR Demolition was chosen by Leicester City Council to carry out the task.

It used giant mechanical diggers to crunch up the structure which contained some 6,900 tonnes of concrete.

Richard Dolman, managing director of AR Demolition, said the site had been a very complex one because of the nearby traffic and busy access to the public, made even more tricky by the presence of a mass of underground cables.

He said: "You name it, it was in the ground."

He said the scheme had been finished seven days ahead of schedule.

The road layout around Belgrave Circle has been altered and pedestrian and cycle crossings created. The project, largely funded by Sainsbury's as a condition of it moving from Belgrave to an out-of-town store in Rushey Mead will see 78 parking spaces created for shoppers and businesses.

The project is set to be complete by October.

Thousands of cheering and clapping people lined the streets of Leicester to welcome home soldiers returning from Afghanistan.

Nearly 200 troops from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment – known as the Poachers - marched through the city centre lead by the scarlet tunics of the King's Division Band.

They were warmly received as they set off from the top of High Street in bright sunshine and processed towards the Clock Tower with crowds 20-deep taking pictures on mobiles.

The soldiers then lined up for an inspection in the Town Hall Square in front of the Lord Mayor of Leicester John Thomas and other dignitaries.

The Lord Mayor said the Royal Anglian Regiment had close ties with the area going back hundreds of years.

He said: "We are proud of our association with you, our county infantry battalion, and of the difficult and dangerous job you do on our behalf.

"We applaud your efforts to support transition and development in Afghanistan and congratulate you for the real and sustainable progress you have made there.

"We recognise the sacrifices that both you and your families make and in particular we remember your comrades who, since 2003, have been killed in action together with their bereaved families.

"This homecoming parade gives us all the opportunity to show how much we appreciate what you do on our behalf and to thank you most sincerely for what you continue to do for this country."

Brigadier Alasdair Wild thanked the city for its warm reception on behalf of the Regiment.

He said: "The honour you do us is something more than a generous civic gesture.

"It is a public demonstration of support for our soldiers and the work they do on behalf of the nation.

"Such work, although sometimes unpopular at home, is conducted in very demanding conditions, often in great danger, and under unrelenting pressure.

"The soldiers make many sacrifices to do this and recognition by those at home, and more importantly their support, makes all of this worthwhile.

"So, thank you again for inviting us to exercise the freedom of the city of Leicester today and thank you for your support."

Among the returning soldiers was Private Tom Crick, 20, from Lutterworth who was met by his father Martin and sister Tara after the parade.

The former Lutterworth College student said: "I have been in the army for three years. It was wonderful to see so many people turn out to see us. It is gratifying that what we have been doing is appreciated by so many."

During his five month tour he was responsible with others for the perimeter security at the Main Operating Base Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province.

He said: "Our job was to ensure that the base was secure from attack."

Dad Martin said: "We are so proud of him and glad to have him back with us."

The 2nd Battalion, which recruits in Leicestershire and Rutland, moved into Helmand last autumn.

It is now back at its base in Cottesmore and is due to be deployed to Cyprus in 2017.

While in Helmand soldiers also provided back-up and training for Afghan forces, which had taken over day-to-day security of the area.

Their tour also coincided with Nato troops handing over security responsibilities to Afghan forces this summer. The Poachers have been responsible for the training centre for Afghan National Police officers.

Corporal Tom Ellis, 26, from Barrow-upon-Soar said: "It was great to see so many people come out to support us in my home. Our welcome in Leicester has been really good."

Cpl Ellis was also responsible for protecting the base perimeter during his tour of duty.

He said: "We had to ensure that our forces could sleep safely in their beds.It was lovely to come home to warm sunshine. People think Afghanistan is always hot. But standing guard in a winter blizzard can be very cold even with full body armour on."

As the troops marched by, people were throwing money into buckets collection funds for th Army Benevolent Fund.

At the Clock Tower, huge crowds starting cheering and clapping as the parade turned into Gallowtree Gate before marching up Granby Street, into Bishop Street and finally to Town Hall Square.

Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Jennifer, Lady Gretton, and the High Sheriff Richard Clowes were joined by Brigadier Alasdair Wild to take the salute in Town Hall Square.

Brig Wild thanked the city for the welcome and the chance to exercise the Regiment's freedom of the city.

Thurnby couple Fred and Christine Taylor said: "It is only right that we show our appreciation for our forces and what they have done for us.

"It was good to see so many people lining the route and warmly applauding them."

Maurice and Maureen Armsden from Mountsorrel said: "We are so proud of our soldiers."

After the inspection there were prayers before the parade marched off.

A short programme of music was then given by the Royal Anglian Regiment Corp of Drums.

Leicester Blue Sox got back to winning ways with another pair of victories over Birmingham Maple Leafs.

They won the first game 14-10, and then romped away in the second for a 8-1 victory.

Blue Sox made a good start to the opening encounter, scoring five runs in the first innings, while pitcher Sandy Rosendo limited Birmingham to just the one run.

The Maple Leafs bats came alive in the second innings, clawing the deficit to 7-5 going into the third.

Rosendo then settled into a groove, striking out six batters during the game, with the Sox doubling their runs scored by the final innings.

A late flurry from Birmingham saw them score four runs in the final two innings, but it was not enough to stop their third loss of the season against Leicester.

In game two, the Blue Sox pitching was shared by three young prospects called up from Leicester's fledgling junior baseball programme.

The promising trio of Adam Grogan, Alf Dunton and Rory Chandler all made it into the Great Britain under-17 team earlier this year and have not looked out of place in their senior Blue Sox appearances this season.

Grogan started on the hill, shutting down Birmingham in the first two innings.

Dunton was equally impressive, keeping the Maple Leafs scoreless in the third and fourth innings.

By the time Chandler came in to close the game, the Sox were 3-0 up, which extended to 8-0 in the final innings.

Birmingham finally got a run across the plate towards the end, but they were well and truly beaten thanks to the near-perfect pitching of the youngsters and the lively batting of the Blue Sox, capped with another home run for player-manager Dennis Grogan, his fourth of the season.

Grogan said: "We've made great progress this year, and these two games showed that.

"Our junior players were superb, they were the stars of the game."

Although Leicester look set to finish just outside the end-of-season play-off places, there is still some great baseball to look forward to.

Dunton will be travelling to Florida with the GB under-17s to compete in the USSSA Gold Medal Games which start a week on Monday.

The domestic season wraps up at Western Park on Sunday, August 10 when the Blue Sox host local rivals Nottingham Rebels.

New signing Robert Barbieri admitted his "eyes lit up" when he heard former prop Martin Castrogiovanni's glowing reference of Leicester Tigers.

It took little convincing for the Treviso back-rower and Italian international to accept Leicester's offer of a move to Welford Road after Castro had told Barbieri just the sort of club he would be joining.

Now fully immersed in pre-season, the 30-year-old who was born in Toronto, Canada, to Italian parents and speaks with a Canadian accent, is looking forward to laying down his own foundations in the East Midlands.

"I know about the club, I know they're professional, I know they're always at the top competing and that's what I like because in Treviso, we were always fighting to stay above mid-table," said Barbieri.

"I like the competition. I know there are a lot of good guys here who I have to compete against and that's what it's all about.

"We have played against Leicester many times. I know they're a strong team. I know Castro and most of the guys who I have played against in the England team in Test matches.

"When the move came about, Castro told me how the club was run and just how professional it was – and it just made my eyes light up.

"I'm really excited. This is a big step for me. This is what my goal has always been, to come to a Premiership team, a top club.

"This is what every kid hopes to do and maybe win something here too."

Barbieri is a flanker who can also play at No.8 because of his big frame.

After seven years and more than 100 appearances for Treviso, his flexibility makes him an ideal resource for Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill to use as he looks for the right blend in different matches.

Barbieri is one of a number of new signings with a huge amount of international experience.

But he knows he will have to up his game even further if he is to make an impact in what will be a tremendously strong Tigers squad next season.

"It doesn't matter where you go, you're always looking to improve," he said.

"The game is always changing. You're going to learn different things and you always have to keep on learning. Everybody here is concerned with how you're doing."

A retired GP has defended a controversial alternative therapy, despite criticism from health watchdogs that it put a cancer patient at risk of blood poisoning.

Dr Philip Jack, 79, could be struck off or suspended after a hearing before the Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service found his treatment amounted to professional misconduct.

The tribunal panel heard that Dr Jack administered major ozone autohaemotherapy 84 times to a 69-year-old man suffering from a rare form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma in rented rooms in Tamworth.

The hearing found the treatment, in which blood is taken from the patient, mixed with ozone and re-injected into the vein, was of no proven benefit and put the patient at risk of septicaemia.

Dr Jack also admitted he had not communicated properly with other doctors involved in the patient's care. The medic, who also uses the names Dr Matthew Jack and Dr David Jack, retired from general practice in 1988, but is still fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC).

He was reported to the GMC after Leicester Royal Infirmary specialists discovered the man, known as Patient A, had undergone what Professor Martin Dyer, a senior oncologist and haematologist at the hospital, called a "dreadful practice".

Russell Davies, defending, told the tribunal Dr Jack did not show a "reckless disregard" for his patient's interests and still believed in the benefits of the treatment.

He said: "He (Dr Jack) does believe it is an effective treatment in some cases, and that is because his experience and practice has demonstrated that to him. Whether it was effective in the case of Patient A is impossible to assess."

Mr Davies said there was "no real risk" of septicaemia and said: "We can't say the treatment had no benefit for Patient A when there was no deterioration of his condition.

"The panel is dealing with misconduct in which the patient's right to choose was exercised when entirely informed of the treatment.

"[It is] dealing with a practitioner who is experienced in this practice, who cared for his patients and genuinely acted in the interests of Patient A."

But Alan Taylor, representing the GMC, said Dr Jack should be suspended or struck off for his "serious failings".

He said the panel could conclude Dr Jack had put his own interests in promoting the treatment ahead of the interests of the patient.

Mr Taylor said: "He has not relinquished his belief in the good it can do. This may be a case where you can conclude this (being struck off) is the only means of protecting patients and the public interest."

In a witness statement, Dr Jack said: "By the standards of alternative medicine, I believe that my treatment of Patient A was in accordance with accepted practice."

The patient is still being treated at the infirmary and is said to be in good health.

The hearing continues.

More than 60 players from seven city primary schools met at Aylestone Leisure Centre to take part in the Top Schools doubles tournament.

Children from Alderman Richard Hallam, Forest Lodge, Knighton Fields, Mowmacre, Rushey Mead, Sandfield Close and Woodstock primary schools competed in doubles and team events at the Leicester city community badminton network's final event of the school year.

Sixty-six children were whittled down to four for the doubles final, after Forest Lodge duo Amal Biju and Piotr Ciosek comfortably won their semi 10-5, and Mowmacre's Shad Ali and Abdi Barre edged a tight encounter with Knighton Fields' Thomas Platzer and Josh Chappell 10-9.

Biju and Ciosek again showed their guile and prowess in the final to defeat the Mowmacre pair 15-9 and claim the title.

Disappointment did not last long for Mowmacre though, as they were crowned Top Primary School just moments later after winning the team event, accumulating one more point than Forest Lodge and Rushey Mead.

A man turned up to pay his respects at his father's grave to find it covered in a pile of earth dug from a nearby plot.

Adam Carr was horrified to discover 4ft of earth hiding the spot where his father, David, had been laid to rest at Wigston Cemetery.

Firefighter Adam, 26, went to the graveyard, in Welford Road, on Monday evening and initially thought he was in the wrong place.

"I did a bit of a walk around because I couldn't see Dad's plot," he said. "But then I realised I was in the right place, but there was a big mound of earth over the grave.

"You wouldn't know it was there except they had pulled up the plaque and tossed it to one side.

"The dirt had come from where they had dug another grave next to it, but they had dumped it over Dad.

"I went looking for the groundsman, but it was probably good I didn't find him because I was absolutely furious. It's disrespectful. There was ample space nearby where they could have put that dirt.

"I know it would have been moved at some point, but they didn't know when someone might come to the grave.

"It's an insult to turn up to this kind of mess."

Former window cleaner David, 49, was buried in May. He was unwell since suffering serious injuries in a motorbike crash when he was in his 30s.

Adam, who lives in Wigston, said: "My dad had a pretty difficult life in the last years. He fought against his illness, but we hope he has found peace in death."

Adam said his mother, Jenny, had been left distraught by the treatment of the grave.

He contacted Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, which runs the cemetery, and the plot has been restored.

Jenny said: "Distressing doesn't start to describe it.

"I was numb, speechless.

"The council said it was in the policy that they could do this. I didn't know that but they are saying it will be reviewed."

The council has apologised for any distress caused to the Carr family.

Bosses said the adjacent plot was excavated on Monday in readiness for a burial on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for the authority said: "Cemetery staff laid boards across David Carr's grave, as is the usual practice, and placed the excavated soil from the newly dug grave on to the boards.

"The plaque was removed by cemetery staff so that it was not damaged while soil was placed onto the boards."

She confirmed the policy, saying earth could be placed on nearby plots but has to be moved on as soon as possible.

The council's cemeteries manager, Margaret Smith, said after she was made aware of the situation, she asked staff to restore Mr Carr's plot by the end of Tuesday or first thing on the Wednesday morning.

She said: "I then telephoned both Adam and Mrs Carr and again apologised for the distress.

"I explained our cemetery procedures and the difficulty of placing the soil elsewhere."

Ms Smith said she visited the grave on Tuesday evening, and that she was "thoroughly satisfied" with the condition to which it had been returned.

Leicester Tigers is all Charlie Thacker has ever known.

His dad, Troy, made nearly 50 appearances for the club as a hooker while brother Harry, also a No.2, is a rising star at Welford Road.

Thacker and the whole family were there to watch Harry make his first start for the club in the LV= Cup victory over Ospreys in November.

"It was a really proud moment for the family," said Thacker. "Hopefully, that will be me at some point."

The 17-year-old, now into his third year at Tigers' academy, is too young to have seen his dad play as Troy's career was cut short through a knee injury in 1993.

But Thacker – breaking the family mould as a centre – said his father made no secret of the hard work needed to succeed at Tigers.

"He's never been one to play down the effort you have to put in, he knows what it takes to get to the top," said Thacker.

Even at academy level, that work-ethic is driven from day one.

"We train twice, three times a day. It's tough work. You get up at 7am, when it's still dark around Christmas time, and you go home when it's dark.

"You have got to want to do it, but everyone here does. It is all I have wanted to do all my life."

An England under-18, Thacker started playing for Lutterworth aged five as well as for Leicester Grammar School, where he has just completed his A-levels. The ultimate ambition, like Ben and Tom Youngs before him, is for him and brother Harry to play in the first team together.

"It would be absolutely amazing to play with Haz," said Thacker. "We played together at school but that would be nothing compared to if we played together at Tigers.

"That's a fair way off yet, I am just focusing on getting through the academy. I am taking one year at a time, one week at a time. If the chance comes, I will take it with both hands."

It is not just the academy coaching staff, and his family, that are on hand to help him through the system. The Tigers first team are always more than happy to give their advice.

"They are always around and on hand to give tips," he said. "I can sit down with Anthony Allen and watch game clips with him. All the other boys can do that too, hookers throw with Tom Youngs.

"They are at the top of the game and just them giving you a little hint here and there helps your game so much."

Academy manager Neil McCarthy, himself a former England hooker, believes that interaction is what makes Tigers stand out.

"That is the distinguishing point between us being a rugby club and a rugby franchise," he said. "There is a club feel about the place.

"There is a responsibility for the senior players to impart some of that knowledge on to the academy lads.

"The cultural values of the club definitely set Leicester apart from anyone else."

The Environment Agency is being urged to take action against a Leicester factory where industrial fridges are being noisily broken up.

Residents who live near BR Environmental Services in Spinney Hills have complained over the past six months about disturbance late at night and early in the morning from recycling work at the units.

They have also been told Leicester City Council is powerless to do anything because the operation falls under the responsibility of the Environment Agency, which granted the company a permit to recycle in 2008.

The company has permission to operate at the former Dunlop Factory site, from 7am to 7pm, but city councillor Mohammed Dawood told a council planning meeting they were working beyond these hours.

He said: "The company used to recycle computers, but about six months ago started doing large industrial fridges.

"It has been very noisy and I know of people who have left the area to get a good night's sleep."

Fellow ward councillor Hanif Aqbany said: "When the firm is crushing metal you can feel the vibrations.

"There wasn't an issue until about six months ago when they started crushing big electric fridges."

Planning officer Steve Brown told the meeting the company stated it started at 7am and finished at 7pm and had written saying the problems were caused by other nearby firms.

He said there had been no breach of planning rules but said environmental health officers said there was "an issue with noise from the site."

Committee chairman councillor Patrick Kitterick said it was a nonsense the council could not tackle the noise, but said the authority should contact the Environment Agency "to challenge them as to what action they will be taking".

One resident, who lives next door to the factory, said: "The noise is awful with the grinding of metal. It can happen at all hours."

BR Environmental general manager Kevin Bush told the Mercury the company would be leaving the Gwendolen Road site.

He said: "We went through a merger in December and the company grew rapidly. We are now doing a lot more here than we used to, but the site is no longer viable for us.

"The noise some of the residents are going on about occurs when we are moving materials in and out of the building.

"We have resolved some of the issues, but we are at the point where we have outgrown the site."

Mr Bush said an alternative site out in the county had been identified and planning permission was being sought for it.

He said: "We hope to start the move in the next three months and relocate completely in the next six to 12 months.

"We have changed a lot of what we do to mitigate the issues.

"We are not doing things to battle with people. We are very keen to reduce any impact on people."

Mr Bush said the company had 22 employees plus agency staff and expected to create 60 to 70 more.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said any complaints would be investigated.

She said: "We would have to substantiate them and then consider what measures we might take."

Tomorrow's friendly with Everton will give the Leicester City players a taste of what is to come in the Premier League, but it is no dress-rehearsal says midfielder Matty James.

City take on the Toffees in Bangkok in a special friendly to mark the 25th anniversary of King Power International, the company founded and run by City owners the Srivaddhanaprabha family.

James said it promised to be a fantastic occasion and worth the long-haul flight, but he does not expect either side to give anything away ahead of their meeting on the opening day of the season at the King Power Stadium.

"It is great to be invited for the 25th anniversary in Thailand," he said.

"It is going to be a great experience to play over there for Leicester and it is against Everton as well, so it will be interesting.

"I wouldn't say it was a dress-rehearsal. They will be at the same stage as us.

"It will only be our second game and not many of us will play 90 minutes.

"We will get a good chance to play against good players who have played in the Premier League, but I think they will be a lot fitter and sharper on the opening day of the season, so will we.

"But it may help settle the nerves when you have played them once in pre-season. It will be a good experience."

After a 12-hour flight, City hit the gym straight away before a training session at the home of Army United, which was conducted in sweltering heat and humidity, despite it being 10.30pm local time.

The game kicks off at 6.20pm local time, 12.20pm GMT, and James is expecting the conditions to be tough inside the Supachalasai Stadium.

"The heat and humidity will be difficult," he said. "It is 6pm at night, so I am hoping it won't be too bad.

"The sun will have gone down, but it is an experience and a test, and hopefully we will come out the other end."

Despite the conditions, James said he was relishing not only the game but the entire trip after being treated so well when City visited Thailand in May.

"It is a long flight but it is worth it because, once we get out there, we are so well looked after," he said.

"The way the owners treat us and show us around, we are just really privileged to be invited to mark the 25th anniversary of King Power International.

"Hopefully, it will be a great game and I am just really looking forward to it. We showed respect to Ilkeston but it will be a completely different affair in Bangkok against a Premier League team that finished in the top five last season.

"It is going to be difficult but it will be good experience for us all.

"It is still early days and we don't look at the results, it is all about the performances and how lads get their fitness, what distances we cover and recovery, things like that."

Leicester City defender Paul Konckesky said they are raring to go to face Everton tomorrow.

City take on the Toffees in a friendly at the Supachalasai Stadium, in Bangkok, to mark King Power International's 25th anniversary.

After spending the past two days acclimatising to the hot and humid conditions in Thailand, Konchesky said City are ready for action.

Nigel Pearson's men are staying on English time while in Thailand, meaning training sessions have been conducted late at night, and Konchesky said the preparation is paying off.

"It is humid and it is hard to get used to, but a few days here and we will be ready for the game tomorrow," he said.

"It is just a case of getting used to it but the training sessions are helping us.

"We have had 45 minutes against Ilkeston and now training in this heat will hopefully help us get a bit fitter.

"It is a bit different to last time we came because we are here for serious matters and all the boys have got their heads down and we are raring to go.

"The game will be difficult because of the conditions, but it will be good for everyone at Leicester with it being King Power's 25th anniversary."

In a twist of fate, City also face Everton on the opening day of the Premier League season in three weeks time and Konchesky is relishing his return to the top flight.

The England left-back had spent the majority of his career in the Premier League with Charlton, West Ham, Fulham and Liverpool.

He believes City are strong enough to survive among English football's elite.

"Hopefully, we will hit the ground running," he said.

"With what the manager has added to last season's squad, I think we have a great chance.

"We want to survive but our aim will be to push on beyond just finishing 17th.

"We are capable of it but first we have to stay in the league."

People from a street where sewage work is taking place say the "disgusting" stench has become so unbearable they cannot open their windows.

Severn Trent has been working on replacing seven sewage pumping stations in and around Colbert Drive, in Braunstone Town, since November.

People living in the area say there has been a smell ever since, and it has become worse in recent weeks due to a leak.

Mum-of-one Jess Taylor, 35, said her 20-month-old daughter could not play outside because of the terrible stench.

"If we open the window, it stinks, if we sit outside it is disgusting," she said. "We also had to cancel our barbecue last weekend.

"I am having to go to my parents' house. The rest of the time we are stuck in the house."

Some residents say they have noticed rats in the area and they have complained about the noise made by workmen, who are on site seven days a week.

Graham Wagstass, 69, has the pumping station at the bottom of his back garden.

"I have seen about six rats over the past couple of months," he said. "I have lived here since 1975 and never seen rats in my garden until now."

Brenda Morton, another resident, said: "We understand there is going to be disruption but they need to do something with the sewage pump.

"We have tankers coming in every afternoon and over the weekend. The volume of traffic is horrendous.

"I know everybody's patience is beginning to wear thin."

A Severn Trent spokeswoman said the work in the area was due to be finished by October.

The work, to replace pumps and pipes, is costing £3 million.

The spokeswoman said the recent odour had been caused by a leak and the smell should disappear "soon".

She said: "We are working as quickly as possible.

"We apologise to any customers who feel the work has overly affected them.

"We're writing to our customers to explain all about the work we're doing to upgrade seven of our sewage pumping stations and will be asking them to contact us if they have any questions or concerns."

She said Severn Trent had not received any reports about problems with rats.

"The work we're doing to upgrade the pumping stations would not attract rats to the area," she said.

David Gould, of Blaby District Council's environmental health team, said it was difficult to say for definite why rats had appeared.

"It is true to say there is a population of rats in foul sewers and water sewers and certain things attract rats, such as rotting food and litter," he said.