A charity has offered a reward of up to £1,000 to anyone who can help police nail criminals behind a wave of jewellery snatches. 

Crimestoppers hopes the reward will convince associates of the robbers – many of whom carry out the thefts while riding bikes – to break their silence.

Most of the offences have taken place in the Belgrave area of the city. Last month there were 16 incidents, compared to 10 in the same month last year.

Across the city and county, including the Belgrave crimes, there were 21 incidents in August, up on the total of 15 from a year ago. 

Kiran Dhanda, East Midlands regional manager for Crimestoppers, said: "These gold snatches are very upsetting for the victims who are losing gold jewellery that has great sentimental value to them. 

"Stand up for your community and don't let the perpetrators get away with this.

"Do the right thing by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously. 

"I can guarantee that nobody will know you contacted us. 

"You will not have to give a statement to the police or go to court – we have never broken our anonymity guarantee." 

A Belgrave woman whose gold chain was snatched from her neck by a young rider a year ago has urged people to be cautious.

She said: "I don't wear gold chains during the summer months now because I don't want it to happen to me again. 

"When I do wear them at other times of year, I make sure they are covered up while I am outside. 

"When my chain was stolen it was all over in a couple of seconds – by the time I realised what had happened, he'd gone." 

Last month, police urged victims to dial 999 as soon as possible in the aftermath of an attack. Officers fear they are losing vital time because some victims are waiting hours, or even days, before reporting the crime. 

Officers from Keyham Lane police station are patrolling the area throughout the day and are ready to respond to emergency calls. 

The police commander for the area said prompt calls from victims or witnesses would give her officers a better chance of catching the culprits. 

Inspector Lucy Batchelor, commander of Keyham police station, said her officers were raising awareness of the dangers of chain snatches and advising people to take a number of basic safety precautions. 

Insp Batchelor said: "It is extremely important that people take extra precautions when wearing precious gold jewellery out in public. Not having your jewellery on show will reduce the risk of you being targeted. 

"We urge anyone who is a victim of this crime to call the police immediately and equally that any witnesses do the same to give the police the best opportunity of catching the offenders. 

"Even though we have increased patrols in the area, we need that quick call from the public to give us the best possible chance of catching those responsible.

"We are currently working closely with the community to raise awareness of this crime." 

Police have run a series of crime prevention campaigns to warn people of the dangers of snatch thefts. General advice includes the following: Be discreet when wearing jewellery in public, perhaps by wearing a scarf or other clothing to cover it. Be aware of your surroundings and what is happening around you. Photograph your jewellery and register it for free on the national Immobilise website, which helps police return recovered stolen property to its owners.www.immobilise.com Contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through our anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

Tucked away in a secluded spot in the garden of her Leicestershire home, Deborah Bird's studio is a cosy, peaceful place to be. No wonder the artist often works in here until 11 at night.

From this weekend though, Deborah will be experiencing a very different workplace, writes Becky Jones.

She'll be swapping her studio for a volcanic crater in Oregon, USA.

The talented artist, who is known for her innovative paper and ice work, is preparing to undertake her second residency with the US National Park Service.

In 2012, she spent five weeks as artist in residence at the Grand Canyon National Park, using her fine art techniques to depict the incredible natural environment.

She's now relishing the chance to repeat the experience at Crater Lake National Park.

"It's another amazing opportunity to be in a fantastic location and be fully immersed in my work," says Deborah, who describes her time at the Grand Canyon as "the best month of my life".

Crater Lake National Park has four artists in residence a year – two emerging artists and two established artists. Deborah is the established artist for the fall.

The 1,943ft-deep lake at the heart of the park will be the inspiration and location for her new artworks, which will explore themes aligned with global climate change.

"There's a great big lake that's set into the crater of a dormant volcano and it's one of the bluest and one of the deepest lakes in the world. There's sheer cliffs going round it, which I'll be hiking down as part of my research," says the 55-year-old mother of two.

During her three weeks there, Deborah will be living close to the rim of the volcano, which is about 7,000ft above sea level. She'll be 50 miles from the nearest shops and, with snowfall common from September until June, it's likely to be rather chilly – but that's something she'll use to her advantage.

"There's the possibility of freezing my work outside. I've done it here when it's been cold enough and the ice you make outside is in a different league to ice you make in the freezer.

"It's got a greater clarity and has greater imperfections in it that you can take advantage of. I think it's because it's a slower freeze."

Though Deborah hopes to use the location to dictate the route of her work, she's spent the past couple of months coming up with ideas – such as depicting snowflake structures and using needles from the abundant pine trees.

"I've also started collecting plastic containers which I'm going to use," she says, pulling out an empty bacon packet. "I like to use recycled materials when I can. I've started using a John Lewis catalogue for my paper sculptures. I bought a bed last week and I thought 'oh, that catalogue would be good – it's nice thick paper'.

"That's made from the front cover of the John Lewis catalogue," she says, pointing to the paper structure on her desk.

Deborah has always been involved in creative industries, as a graphic designer at advertising companies and as a teacher of interior design at Leicester College. She has also been a consultant and international examiner for City and Guilds.

The artist began working with paper and ice in 2010 – a year which she says was a turning point for her.

"I've always done freelance work, but 2010 was the year I got my first studio separate from the house and I set about producing work that wasn't for someone else.

"I gave myself one year to research and develop a portfolio of work that had my identity about it."

That was when she came up with the idea of combining paper sculpture and ice.

"I've always been inspired by nature and organic patterns and sequence in nature," she continues.

"One day I'd made some paper sculptures and was wondering what I was going to do with them.

"I went out collecting ice puddles, which I took back to the studio and photographed. I just rested one on top of a paper sculpture because it was slipping and I looked at the paper and ice together and decided I wanted to integrate the two."

Since then, Deborah has developed an impressive body of work, based on organic patterns such as feathers, shells, nests and tree bark.

Once she's created an intricate paper sculpture, she freezes it in a thin slice of ice and then takes photographs as it thaws – either in her studio or on location, to obtain different light effects.

"I like the idea of light filtering through something. My work is all about light and procreation," says Deborah, who last year became a member of the Leicester Society of Artists.

In addition to her signature work with paper and ice, Deborah also undertakes commissions – the largest to date being five pictures she created for the opening of Sainsbury's in Melton Mowbray last year.

Decorating an external wall of the store, these large-scale artworks feature fantastical views of the town, made entirely out of layers of illuminated sliced fruits.

"It was challenging but very enjoyable at the same time," says Deborah, who is able to admire her handiwork every time she does her food shopping.

"I sliced loads of fruit and veg very thinly, then I put them on a lightbox and photographed them, then I built Melton Mowbray out of them!"

The colourful pictures, which feature market stalls, a pork pie shop and people playing in the park, are quite a departure from Deborah's usual output.

"It's nice to have a separate identity for my public work. It's a bit more humorous, which is another part of my personality that doesn't necessarily come through with my artwork," she says.

However, there is a link to her paper and ice work. "It's about things that are illuminated and it's about organic structures and patterns, so there's a common thread," adds Deborah, whose imaginative work will soon be seen in another county town.

She's been commissioned by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to produce a sculpture for Hinckley's new bus station development.

Her design, featuring legs sticking up in the air, will commemorate the town's hosiery history as well as providing a bit of fun.

The statue is set to be unveiled in 2015, but for now, Deborah's focusing on the fun she's about to have in a volcanic crater 7,000ft above sea level.

Deborah's residency begins tomorrow. Follow her progress by logging on to her blog at www.deborahbirdart.com

On a Monday evening in February 1859, a crowd crammed into Leicester's Temperance Hall to hear a lecture by a high-profile American businessman. He spoke passionately of money, the desire for wealth, the need to advertise and take advantage of an opportunity, and he railed against the use of the disdainful term "humbug".

He'd been accused of being one of them, he conceded. He told the audience "he did not palliate dishonesty," reported the Leicester Chronicle, "or excuse falsehood, and asserted that however much he might have puffed and exaggerated, that he always exhibited a genuine article and gave his customers their money's worth."

And with that, PT Barnum concluded his lecture by displaying a mermaid, an ugly head which looked like a monkey in agony fused to a fish's belly and tail.

More than 150 years on, the great showman has returned to Leicester, with a production of Cameron Mackintosh's reworked Barnum, at Curve.

Brian Conley stars in the lead role and support comes from the award-winning West End actress Linzi Hateley. It runs until next Saturday.

There's a smashing piece in this weekend's More by Leicestershire author Nicholas Hogg, looking back on his teenage days as an autograph hunter at Grace Road, and blaming his mate Matt for the time he missed out on the signature of Jonathan Agnew.

He should grab his autograph book and get himself over to De Montfort Hall tonight, for An Evening With Aggers and Sunny, in which the Leicestershire cricketer appears with one of the greatest opening batsmen in history, Sunil Gavaskar.

Leicester Tigers open their 2014/15 Premiership campaign with a home clash against Newcastle Falcons today. And the club marks the start of the new season with another curtain-opening Tigers in the Park funday on Nelson Mandela Park and outside the stadium, too.

It features live music, a mini farm, mini quad bikes, rugby skills challenges, BMX champ Matti Hemmings and demonstrations by the Tigers wheelchair rugby team.

Should they stay or should they go? Well, you don't get a say. And if that's vexing you, join the debate on Scottish independence staged by Leicester Secular Society tomorrow, with supporters from the yes and no camps arguing it out. You can join in from the floor, too, and, at the end, Leicester will have its very own indyref vote.

It's at the grand old Secular Hall, in Humberstone Gate, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

Before she became the toast of the literary world, with the book that both captured and defined the 1980s and gave a voice to awkward, deluded early teenage lads the nation over, Sue Townsend had a play staged at Saffron Lane Working Men's Club.

Dougie Orton, the brother of Leicester playwright Joe, was in the audience.

"At the end, as we were pulling the set down, he said, 'You nearly had me laughing there for a minute'," Sue told the Mercury in 2009. "That was a high compliment. That's what Leicester's all about. That's why I love it."

Oh, she was ace, wasn't she?

And the life of the writer that Caitlin Moran called "one of the funniest women who ever lived" is celebrated with an exhibition at Leicester University which opened yesterday and runs until the start of next year.

Among the keepsakes on display are handwritten pages of the draft manuscript of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole; original artwork for the Mole books; Sue's first-ever published articles from the Eyres Monsell and Saffron Community News and a page of Ian Dury's lyrics for the stage production of The Queen and I.

The exhibition is on in the basement of the university library, during staffed opening hours. For more details on opening times click here.

Cosby stages its annual Victory Show this weekend, with air displays by vintage planes, re-enactment battles, military vehicles, tank rides, army encampments, a parachute drop from a Dakota to mark the anniversary of Arnhem, miniature steam train rides and loads, loads more.

So, so you think you can tell... Well put your money where your mouth is and get to the Musician tonight for a set by seasoned Pink Floyd tribute act Dark Side of the Wall.

If you like your tribute acts a little more ear-bleed inducing, try Moretallica and Motorkill at the O2 Academy. Meanwhile. One Step Behind are on over at the Donkey.

An full-scale emergency was sparked after a hot air balloon was spotted flying low over trees close to a busy dual carriageway.

The police and fire service were called to the Hobby Horse roundabout of the A46, near the River Wreake, at Syston, just after 7pm, yesterday.

Five crews from stations across the city and north of the county responded to the incident, after a member of the public reported to the police that a hot air balloon was stuck in a tree.

The East Midlands Ambulance Service was also called to the incident.

A fire service spokesman said: "We responded to a call from the police following a report that a hot air balloon was in a tree outside Syston.

"Several appliances were dispatched to the scene, however, they were stood down after police at he scene informed control that the balloon had landed safely in a field off Meadow Lane, and that no action was required."

A police spokeswoman confirmed that the balloon did indeed land safely after being spotted flying very low over trees.

No-one was hurt in the incident.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Maryan Omar (21), of Woodgreen Walk, Northfields, Leicester, pleaded guilty to using a vehicle in Abbey Park Road, Leicester, on January 26 with a headlamp which was not in good working order.

She was fined £75, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge. Omar was also fined £75 for having a faulty direction indicator on the same date.

Darshana Thanker (28), of Hinckley Road, Leicester Forest East, pleaded guilty to exceeding the 30mph speed limit on the A47 Hinckley Road, Leicester, on March 1.

She was fined £345, with £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge and her driving licence was endorsed with three penalty points.

Lukasz Wiatr (33), of Lanesborough, Belgrave, Leicester, pleaded guilty to speeding on the A47 Hinckley Road, Leicester, on February 20.

He was fined £75, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge and three points were put on his licence.

Kyle Sherwin (22), of Wigston Lane, Aylestone, Leicester, pleaded guilty to speeding in Aylestone Road, Leicester, on March 20.

He was fined £200, with £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge and six points were put on his driving licence.

Not many teenagers have to deal with severe morning sickness while sitting their GCSE exams, but that is exactly what 16-year-old Katie Lowe had to contend with.

Despite that, the Thurmaston teenager managed to achieve 11 GCSEs - five at A* grades, five Bs and a C.

Katie gave birth to healthy daughter Amelia-Jade on August 16, just four days before the results came out.

Recalling her revision and exams, Katie said: "I had really severe pregnancy sickness. It just didn't stop and wasn't limited to the morning, but all times of the day.

"The doctors gave me some anti-sickness pills but they only helped me for about a week and then it came back again.

"It really was a huge struggle to sit in an exam hall and there were times I just had to try and hold it all in."

Katie, who studied at Wreake Valley Academy, in Syston, fell pregnant at Christmas.

While the news came as a shock, she said it made her more determined than ever to work hard at her exams to get decent grades.

"I've had some health problems and missed quite a lot of school because of it, but I thought I just couldn't give up now," she said.

"I wanted to do well so that I could build a future for me and Amelia-Jade.

"When I went to get the results, I took her with me - and I couldn't believe it. I did better than I'd expected.

"My main aim had been to make sure I got maths and English under my belt. All of my teachers have said I should go back and do A-levels and I'd like to neo-natal nursing eventually."

Katie said it was wonderful to be able to tell everyone her results and that she hoped her family were proud of her.

"I've grown closer to my mum since I became pregnant and my family has been really supportive," she said.

"I hope to return to school or go to college to complete A-levels next year, but for now I'm concentrating on looking after Amelia-Jade. I couldn't imagine life without her now and from the minute I discovered I was pregnant, her needs just took over."

Amelia-Jade is now the fifth living generation of the family.

Her great, great grandmother, Lucy Fowkes, 98, is delighted by the new addition, as is great grandmother, Sheila Warrington, and grandmother, Elizabeth Lowe.

Katie said: "It's really nice to have all the family around us."

Wreake Valley head teacher, Tony Pinnock, said: "Katie has shown that even when things don't go to plan, it's still possible to achieve if you put your mind to it.

"Many young people would have given up in a similar situation, but Katie really pushed herself and should quite rightly be proud of herself."

Along with other GCSE students from Wreake Valley, Katie attended a special congratulatory ceremony at Leicester Tigers' ground on Thursday night.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Kasandra Silcott(27), of Knighton Lane, Aylestone, was found guilty of entering a train at Birmingham New Street and Leicester on May 15 intending to travel without a valid ticket. She was fined £200 with £135 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Anthony Seerattan (44), of Allinson Close, Crown Hills, pleaded guilty to stealing a tray containing £109 in change from Corals Bookmakers, Buckminster Road, Leicester on March 16. He was given a community order including 40 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £109 compensation.

Lain Horace Shuttlewood (35), of Glaisdale Close, Beaumont Leys, was disqualified from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to driving on Abbey Lane, Leicester, on July 21 with 42 mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal maximum is 35mcg. He was also fined £110, ordered to pay £30 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Abyan Abdulkader (20), of Dashwood Road, Leicester, was fined £120 with £90 costs, £20 victim surcharge and £12 compensation after pleading guilty to entering a train intending to travel between Leicester and Derby on March 25 without a ticket.

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David Jones (34), of Lincoln Street, Leicester, was found guilty in his absence of entering a train at Market Harborough on March 18 intending to travel without a valid ticket. He was fined £200, £135 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Paul Andrew Smith(49), of Bowhill Grove, Thurnby Lodge, pleaded guilty to using a hand-held mobile phone while driving on Waterloo Way, Leicester, on January 22. He was fined £80 with a £20 victim surcharge and three penalty points were put on his driving licence.

Sally Anne Smith(39), of Broadmead Road, Blaby, was proven guilty in absence of exceeding the 30mph speed limit on Hospital Lane, Blaby, on January 17. She was fined £400 with £85 costs, a £40 victim surcharge and given four penalty points on her licence.

Sanjay Solanki (36), of Glebe Road, Oadby, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a red light on Lubbesthorpe Way, Enderby, on March 1. He was fined £325 with £85 costs, a £33 victim surcharge and his driving licence was endorsed with three penalty points.

Dawn Willett (33), of Percival Way, Groby, was proved guilty in absence of exceeding the 30mph speed limit on the King Richards Road, Leicester, on February 22. She was fined £200 with £85 costs, a £20 victim surcharge and given three penalty points on her licence.

Work is set to get underway on Monday on the overhaul of a sewage pumping station.

Engineers from water company Severn Trent are due to begin installing a new sewer pipe and other improvements in Braunstone, Leicester.

They are replacing old sewer pipe work connecting to the pumping station in Colbert Drive.

It follows a preparatory examination of at the site which identified that the job would be "bigger than it first seemed".

Michael Burden, Severn Trent's senior programme engineer, said: "We want to give our customers the best service we can.

"Before we started work to improve the sewage pumping station in Braunstone, we carried out an investigation on the wider sewer system.

"We discovered that a sewer pipe that carries waste water to the pumping station had collapsed, so we'll now be replacing it as part of our improvements.

"This will help to protect our customers from problems in the future."

Mr Burden apologies to residents for the inconvenience.

"Because we had to go back to the drawing board, the work has taken a little longer to get underway," he said.

"We'd like to say sorry for that and thank locals for their patience. "We've now spoken to the highways authority and we have a clear plan of action to get the sewer system improved as quickly as possible."

The work will involve extending the sewer pipe and tunnelling under the dual carriageway on Narborough Road South."

Mr Burden said: "We're doing this so we don't cause disruption on this busy road and we're using a tunnelling machine to bore through the earth to lay the new sewer pipe."

The improvement work is expected to be completed by Christmas.

Leicester Tigers fans arrived at Welford Road for the opening game of the new Aviva Premiership season looking forward to the prospect of some gargantuan collisions.

Manu Tuilagi was in the home side's starting XV while older brother Alesana was waiting in the wings on the Newcastle bench.

Leicester made just one change to side they named on Friday with Tom Croft being replaced by Jamie Gibson on the blindside flank.

Elsewhere, there were league debuts for new signings, fly-half Freddie Burns, centre Seremaia Bai and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini.

Ben Youngs captained the side for the first time in the Premiership.

Leicester Tigers fans arrived at Welford Road for the opening game of the new Aviva Premiership season looking forward to the prospect of some gargantuan collisions.

Manu Tuilagi was in the home side's starting XV while older brother Alesana was waiting in the wings on the Newcastle bench.

Leicester made just one change to side they named on Friday with Tom Croft being replaced by Jamie Gibson on the blindside flank.

Elsewhere, there were league debuts for new signings, fly-half Freddie Burns, centre Seremaia Bai and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini.

Ben Youngs captained the side for the first time in the Premiership.

Leicester Tigers 36 Newcastle 17

Flying Fijian winger Niki Goneva started where he left off last season with a hat-trick to lead Leicester Tigers to an opening day bonus-point Aviva Premiership victory at Welford Road.

All three tries came in an action-packed second half which saw six tries and 38 points.

Having topped the league's try-scoring charts last season, Goneva's early form will be a big boost to a Tigers squad that began the day missing 12 players through injury and unavailability.

Newcastle brought a new-look team and a change in mind-set and they enjoyed a bright start going through a dozen phases with good handling and continuity.

Tigers got close to the first try after a nice kick from Seremaia Bai but they had to rely on a penalty from Freddie Burns to open the scoring on eight minutes.

A big run by loose head prop Logovi'I Mulipla got the crowd buzzing and led to the home side doubling their lead.

Newcastle got on the board through centre Juan Pablo Socino on 23 minutes but Leicester were on top by now with Burns' boot pinning the Falcons in their own half for lengthy periods.

The visitors defended well though and Tigers struggled to break them down in the final 10 metres.

There was a huge cheer when former Tigers winger Alesana Tuilagi came on as a blood replacement for Noah Cato but he saw little of the ball before returning to the bench.

Referee Luke Pearce warned the visitors for repeated infringements at the scrum as they struggled at the set-piece.

And two more Burns penalties gave Tigers the advantage they deserved at the interval with a hard-fought 12-3 advantage.

If the first half was largely action-free, the opening ten minutes of the second period brought three tries.

The first came after just 22 seconds with Sinoti Sinoti feeding Simon Hemmersley and he passed to Richard Mayhew who ran in from 20 metres. It was dreadful defending by Leicester and Socino's conversion made it 12-10.

Tigers bounced straight back with Manu Tuilagi's powerful run giving Niki Goneva the opportunity to pounce for his first score of the season on 43 minutes.

And that was quickly followed by his second as he linked up well with Burns. The former Gloucester man added the extras and Tigers led 24-10.

The Falcons kept playing, to their credit, and were close to getting back in the game when Goneva picked off replacement scrum-half Ruki Tipuna's pass and ran the ball back 95 metres for his hat-trick.

The score deflated the visitors and killed the game as a contest. And within five minutes, Leicester had scored their bonus point as No.8 Robert Barbieri bunny-hopped with the ball at his feet from a five-metre scrum over the line and David Mele dived on top of it.

Leicester replaced both half-backs with the game won - but it was Newcastle who had the last laugh as they drove over a driving maul for a consolation score late on.

Firefighters were called after straw and hay bales stored in a farmer's barn caught fire.

Crews from Market Harborough responded to reports of a blaze at a farm building off Hallaton Road, near Slawston, at about 1pm today.

They discovered a fire involving 150 tonnes of straw and hay in an open-sided Dutch barn measuring 20m by 40m.

A fire service spokesman said: "The barn was well alight on our arrival and the farmer was removed fertilizer from adjacent buildings.

"Foam was used to stop the blaze from spreading and it was contained within the barn."

He said the fire was allowed to burn itself out, with fire crews carrying out regular checks this evening to ensure it does not spread.

No-one was hurt in the incident, and the cause of the blaze is now under investigation.

Four people were taken to hospital after a crash involving two cars on the A6 by-pass, north of Leicester.

Emergency services, including the police helicopter, attended the incident, near Rothley, at shortly before 7.30pm, yesterday.

It happened about 400m south of the Rowena Garden Centre, on the city-bound carriageway, close to the Sileby turn.

Fire crews from Birstall, Leicester and Loughborough, were dispatched to the scene.

A fire service spokesman said two casualties were taken to the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, one by police helicopter and the second by ambulance.

A third had to be cut free from one of the cars, and was treated at the roadside by paramedics before being taken for treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary along with a fourth casualty.

Fire control received a message from crews at 8.17pm reporting that due to the "severe damage to the second vehicle" a search was being carried inside the car for further casualties.

A stop message was received by control at 8.38pm and the incident was left with the police.

It is not known the extent of the injuries suffered by the occupants of the vehicles, or their condition in hospital.

The road was closed during the rescue operation, and remained shut overnight while accident investigators examined the crash site.

It reopened just after 8am.

The police are expected to release a statement later this morning.  

Here's where you will see mobile speed cameras in Leicestershire during the week from Monday, September 8.

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill praised his side's composure and a "massive" five points in their Aviva Premiership win over Newcastle.

Four second-half tries including three from man-of-the-match Niki Goneva helped Tigers pull away from the Falcons to record a 36-17 victory.

A try from the visitors' Richard Mayhew just 22 seconds into the second half had cut Leicester's lead down to a slender 12-10 advantage.

But Tigers regrouped and ran in four tries in 22 minutes to end the game as a contest and give them the ideal start to the new campaign, despite missing a dozen players due to injury.

"There is lots to work on but I am happy with the five points," said Cockerill.

"I was pleased that we kept our composure and we got back in it after conceding a cheap try early in the second half.

"We created some pressure and scored some good tries. Niki's (intercept) try was a bit fortunate but he backs himself and he showed what he can do.

"Niki will make some errors in defence when he goes looking fro the ball but when he gets it right, he is superb.

"We were finding our feet a bit and there is a lot of quality still missing from our side due to injury.

"There were some young lads out there who were our third or fourth choice in some positions against a good Newcastle side who have talked themselves up all season.

"And they all played pretty well. The five points is massive for us. At the end of the season, nobody will care how we got them.

"We made lots of mistakes and still picked up five points which gives us a good base to work from."

As well as players like Geoff Parling, Dan Cole, Miles Benjamin, Ant Allen, Mat Tait, Ed Slater and Marcos Ayerza all missing, Tom Croft dropped out of the squad late on with a shoulder injury.

Cockerill said he and Allen were fine and would return to action soon and he was also happy with the way his new signings had settled into the squad.

Fly-half Freddie Burns, hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, centres Seremaia Bai and Christian Loamanu and back-rower Robert Barbieri all made their first league appearances in a Leicester shirt.

Bai and Burns were outstanding in midfield with the latter's game management particularly impressive on his first outing at Welford Road.

"Freddie was sharp and did some good things when there was pressure on him to deliver," said Cockerill.

"He kicked his goals and managed field position well. He has been very much a team man in pre-season. He has worked really well and wants to learn and he showed that.

"I was impressed with all of the new signings. They have settled in well and worked hard."

The most senior figures in the Church of England, and the Roman Catholic Church in this country, will take part in services at Leicester Cathedral to mark the reinterment of Richard III.

Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Reverend Justin Welby, and the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will be present as the former monarch is laid to rest during a week of events in the spring.

The two religious leaders will join the Right Reverend Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, and representatives of other faiths to bury the Last Plantagenet king with "dignity and honour".

The announcement was made this morning by Bishop Tim.

He said: "I am delighted that the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster will be in Leicester for our celebrations surrounding the reinterment of Richard III.

"The presence of the Cardinal marks the historical continuity between the Catholic faith in this country and the Church of England.

"The presence of both Archbishops is a sign of the close partnership between our two Churches in burying King Richard with dignity and honour."

Events to honour and commemorate the former monarch, whose remains were discovered beneath the city council's Greyfriars car part in February 2012, will take place from March 22 to 28 next year.

During the days when the King awaits reinterment, mass will be celebrated for the "repose of his soul" in Holy Cross Church, the Catholic parish church for Leicester, and there will be daily prayers at the cathedral.

Following his death, Richard III was buried near the site of the former altar of the Greyfriars' church in Leicester, which was destroyed during the Reformation.

Since the momentous discovery of his remains by University of Leicester archeologists, the Anglican Diocese of Leicester and the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham have worked closely together on plans for his dignified reinterment.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: "The death of King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 was a decisive moment in English history.

"Following his death, Richard III was buried in the Franciscan Friary in Leicester, and his body lay in its grave until it was discovered in 2012.

"It is now fitting that his remains should be reinterred with dignity and accompanied by the prayers of the Church in Leicester Cathedral, the mediaeval parish church of Leicester."

He added: "We commend all who have died to the love and mercy of Almighty God, and continue to pray for them, as we shall for Richard III and all who have lost their lives in battle."

Leicester Cathedral will be open for people to visit, pay their respects and pray in the week leading up to the King's burial.

And from March 28, the area of Richard III's tomb will be open to the public.

The Very Reverend David Monteith, Dean of Leicester, said: "Leicester Cathedral has always intended to have prayer at the heart of Richard III's reburial and we wanted to demonstrate our sincere ecumenical commitment which characterises the modern church.

"So we are delighted that both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Cardinal Archbishop are to be with us."

Father David Rocks OP, Prior and Parish Priest of Holy Cross Priory, said: "Just as our Franciscan brothers at Greyfriars prayed over Richard III at his burial in 1485, so the contemporary Blackfriars of Leicester look forward to joining with the people of the city in the celebration of his reinterment in the city's cathedral in 2015 – and to taking part in the beautiful and fitting services and events that are planned."

The major liturgies, or services, will be as follows:

• The remains of Richard III will be received into Leicester Cathedral on Sunday March 22, an invited congregation will pray a service of Compline where Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, will preach.

• On Monday March 23, Cardinal Nichols will celebrate Mass for the repose of the soul (a 'Requiem Mass') of Richard III in Holy Cross Church, the Catholic parish church and Dominican priory in Leicester city centre. The Choir from St Barnabas' Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Diocese of Nottingham, will sing at this Mass, which will be open to the public.

• On Thursday March 26, the mortal remains of Richard III will be re-interred in Leicester Cathedral, with an invited congregation and in the presence of the Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and senior clergy from both dioceses, and other Christian denominations alongside representatives of the World Faiths.

• On Friday March 27, invited people from across the city of Leicester and the county of Leicestershire will gather in the Cathedral to mark the end of King Richard's journey and the sealed tomb will be revealed to the public.

In addition:

• The regular pattern of morning and evening prayer and the Eucharist will be kept by Leicester Cathedral throughout these days as we prepare for the King's reinterment. A number of these services will have a very special character. All these services will be open to the public.

• On Tuesday March 24, the Dominican friars will sing Vespers, the Catholic Church's evening service, in Leicester Cathedral; this is in addition to the daily celebration of Mass and the divine office in Holy Cross Church.

• On Wednesday March 25, March, Father David Rocks OP, the parish priest at Holy Cross Church, will preach at the lunchtime Eucharist in Leicester Cathedral.

Further details will be announced in due course.

Friends and family of a murdered young sports coach are to mark the first anniversary of his death at the spot where he fell.

Antoin Akpom was fatally stabbed in a confrontation with two men in a street in Highfields in Leicester, on September 12 last year.

After being knifed in the back in Kent Street, the father-of-one collapsed in nearby Sussex Street and later died in hospital.

On Friday, a plaque which will read 'Born with a purpose, strived for success, inspired lives' will be put up on the wall at the spot where the Leicester 20-year-old fell, and a blessing will be said.

Antoin's mother, Cheryl Armatrading, 54, told the Mercury: "We want to pay tribute to Antoin and celebrate his life where he fell.

"I have been back there before. Every week I would take flowers and light a candle, but a year on I am not sure how I will cope.

"Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I can't believe it has been a year.

"It has gone so very quickly. As a family, we haven't really had a chance to grieve yet and I still get the sense that the whole community still needs a chance to heal.

"Antoin's death affected so many people."

Cheryl said Antoin's commemoration would be an open event, starting at 6pm.

The blessing and short service will involve poetry readings and song.

The plaque will carry Antoin's middle name Uchecukwu which means 'we love God'.

After the plaque is put up a commemorative slab will be put in the ground in Sussex Street at the spot where flowers were laid after Antoin's death. The slab will be placed on October 25 - the anniversary of his funeral - when a service will be held in his memory at St Peter's Church, Highfields.

Cheryl still intends to launch a charitable foundation to continue the work her son was doing with young people before he was killed. AAA 4 Success will raise money to help 16- to 25-year-olds realise their potential and help them with education and training.

It will be officially launched at the Peepul Centre, in Orchardson Avenue, Belgrave, on November 1.

Cheryl said: "My son was a positive person. He would have gone on to do good things if he had not been taken.

"He would want us to spread some positivity, and that is exactly what the foundation will do."

Hussain Hussain (19), of no fixed address, was convicted of murdering Antoin and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

A 27-year-old man was killed in a crash involving two cars on the A6, near Mounstorrel, yesterday.

The incident happened at around 7.20pm, when a black BMW X6 and a black VW Scirroco were travelling on the dual carriageway towards Leicester.

The driver of the BMW, Harjit Singh Thaliwal, from Quorn, was airlifted to The University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, at Walsgrave, where he died.

The driver of the Scirrocco is being treated at Nottingham Queens Medical Centre and is in a stable condition.

Two people who were passengers in the vehicles are being treated for minor injuries at Nottingham Queens Medical Centre.

A 27-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident, which happened about 800m south of the Rothley/Mountsorrel exit, close to the Rowena Garden Centre, .

Accident investigators are appealing for witnesses to the fatal collision.

Detective Constable Andy Keeble said: "We would appeal for witnesses to come forward who believe they saw either of the vehicles travelling along the A6 in the few minutes prior to the collision.

"We would also like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision itself. If you have any information please contact the investigation team."

Anyone with information should call the police 101 number.

An Army reservist has been honoured for his service in Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Shaun Fowler, 45, of 158 Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, was presented with a Joint Commander's Commendation and his campaign medal at a parade in Ipswich.

L/Cpl Fowler, from Oakham, was part of 203 (Loughborough) Transport Squadron, which helped supply and dismantle forward operating bases in Helmand province as part of the withdrawal of British troops.

The convoys faced roadside bombs on hazardous 40-mile journeys through hostile territory.

The citation for his commendation described how his performance on tour had "exceeded all expectations for a soldier of his rank and experience".

The 46-year-old builder said: "I'm deeply honoured to receive this commendation when, to me, I didn't put any more effort in than the other guys."

The father-of-two had a brush with fame in Afghanistan when he took to the stage with Gary Barlow during a concert for troops in Camp Bastion.

He said: "It was a slightly surreal experience but really enjoyable."

Leicester City take on East Midlands Counties League outfit Blaby & Whetstone Athletic in the Westerby Cup Winners' Cup final at Holmes Park this evening (7.30pm).

The game kick-starts the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Westerby Challenge Cup, the County FA's most prestigious knock-out competition.

Blaby are the current holders of that trophy, Steve Orme's side emerging 2-0 winners over Quorn in the final at the King Power Stadium last May.

Blaby are relishing the opportunity of testing themselves against what is likely to be a young City side, although with new faces arriving at the King Power Stadium during the international break, there is scope for some 'name' players to feature.

"It is absolutely fantastic for Blaby & Whetstone to be involved in the Westerby Cup Winners Cup," said Athletic manager Orme. "It is a privilege for us and we are ecstatic about it.

"We will be taking it as seriously as any other game. We want to go in there and put on a show.

"We know we will be chasing the ball and young shadows for long periods of the game, but we are going there to try to bring another cup back to Warwick Road."

City boss Nigel Pearson said the game will add to the experience of some of the club's young players.

"Grassroots football is the lifeblood of the game in this country and we're very proud to represent the thousands of footballers who play the game under the governance of the Leicestershire & Rutland County FA," he said.

"Games like the Westerby Cup Winners' Cup give us the opportunity to acknowledge the support of our footballing community, and I'm sure the game against Blaby will be a competitive experience for some of our young players."

Premier League official Kevin Friend, who worked his way up through the County FA ranks, will take charge of the Cup Winners' Cup final.