Leicester City lifted the Westerby Cup Winners' Cup after a 4-2 victory over Blaby & Whetstone Athletic at Holmes Park.

A strong under-21 side romped into a comfortable lead by half-time, thanks to some excellent finishing from Callum Elder, new signing Kris Scott and Jack Barmby.

Athletic reduced the arrears at the start of the second period through Stu Varrell, but Jak McCourt extended City's advantage from a free-kick after Lee Barrett had been shown a straight red card for a very heavy challenge on City's Brandon Fox.

Aaron Preston scored a late consolation for Athletic but it was City who lifted the trophy, to coach Steve Beaglehole's delight.

"It's great to win a trophy of any sort, but what pleased me most was the way we went about the game, particularly in the first half," he said.

"The lads were excellent and played like we did last year. In the first half it was as good as I've seen us play, there was a real tempo to that and we scored three excellent goals."

Two former Leicester City stars have been selected in an all-time England five-a-side team. 

Striker Gary Lineker and goalkeeper Gordon Banks have been chosen in the line-up by fans on the BBC Five Live football phone-in 606.

Lineker, 53, and Banks, 76, have been picked alongside former West ham captain Bobby Moore and Manchester United heroes Bobby Charlton and Paul Scholes.

"@bbc606: As chosen by you, the all-time @england 5-a-side team. [@GaryLineker] pic.twitter.com/fjjUD6ds04" < Cheers, chuffed to be picked.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 8, 2014

Linker and football fans and celebrities took to Twitter to discuss the team selection.

Match of the Day presenter Lineker tweeted: "I must confess though, I was a useless 5-a-side player. Goals were too small."

Comedian David Baddiel, one half of the cult TV show the Fantasy Football League Show with fellow comic Frank Skinner, teased Lineker about him being picked.

He tweeted to Linker: "I suspect not-above-head-height rule worked in your favour here..."

Lineker conceded that was a good point and tweeted: "You'll be telling me, I have to defend next."

JamesManktelow posted: "Gazza over Scholes any day of the week."

Jonathan Wilson tweeted: "Number of Scholesys cautions will be balanced out with Mr Lineker's #nevercautioned. Poachers dream that team."

Lineker was never booked throughout his professional career.

He was never cautioned by a referee during his 16-year senior career, in which he played 567 competitive games.

He was awarded the FA Fair Play Award in 1990 due to his sportsmanship on the pitch.

Lineker scored 282 club goals and 49 international goals.

Banks made 628 appearances during a 15-year career in the Football League and won 73 caps for his country.

He lifted the World Cup for England in 1966 with team mate Bobby Charlton and captain Bobby Moore.

Who would you select for your all-time England five-a-side team?

Council leaders are to be given an update on the much-delayed upgrade of St Luke's Hospital in Market Harborough.

NHS England local chief David Sharp will give councillors and officers of Harborough District Council a progress report on the £6.2m scheme on Thursday.

This scheme is latest in a number of projects planned for the Leicester Road site over the past decade.

The go-ahead for a £7m scheme was suspended in April last year because of a reorganisation of the NHS. That hold-up followed a number of false starts including the cancellation of a £30 million private finance initiative scheme in 2010.

Part of the latest overall package could see the Market Harborough District Hospital in Coventry Road being closed and services transferred to the new extended hospital in Spring 2016.

Part of the scheme involves the protection and maintenance of a memorial dedicated to the nearly 1,700 Market Harborough people who served in th First World War.

A spokeswoman for NHS England in Leicestershire said David Sharp, NHS England's director for Leicestershire and Lincolnshire, would be updating district council members and officers.

Details of the upgrade will be published on its website following the meeting.

But she added: "Market Harborough District Hospital is not on the market and remains in use with services continuing to run from it.

"We would like to reassure the local community again that, in the event the district hospital is declared surplus by commissioners, the NHS will work with Harborough District Council to agree a future home for the memorial.

"NHS Property Services own the district hospital and, at any such time as it is no longer required for clinical services, they will take the lead on ensuring that it will be appropriately preserved and continue to remain within the local community."

District councillor and health campaigner Phil Knowles has helped raise a 3,000-name petition calling on the NHS to safeguard the memorial.

He said: "I am pleased that Mr Sharp is coming to Market Harborough to update us on the project.

"Over the years we have seen deadlines missed and schemes cancelled.

"I hope that the detailed schedule for the project can be outlined to us at Thursday's meeting."

If given final approval, the new buildings will house a number of health services currently provided at the Market Harborough District Hospital in Coventry Road and the town's Welland Unit.

These include mental health services, GP Services including minor injuries, radiography and ultrasound, outpatients facilities for rehabilitation, speech and language, as well as other specialist services. 

College staff in Loughborough are celebrating an improved Ofsted report.

Charnwood College (High), in Thorpe Hill, was placed in the watchdog's failing category "special measures" in September last year because inspectors said that not enough pupils were making progress.

Subsequent monitoring inspections failed to find enough improvement. However, its latest report, which has just been published, shows that the school has now turned a corner.

Inspectors said that "reasonable progress" was being made and the quality of teaching had improved.

In particular they praised increased standards of teaching in maths.

Inspectors also said that the quality of leadership and management was developing well.

Principal Mark Sutton said: "This was the best judgement that Ofsted could make in this inspection and I'm delighted that inspectors have acknowledged the good work we are doing at Charnwood and the great improvements staff and students have achieved."

Charnwood College is being supported by the Thomas Estley Learning Alliance to make improvements to its curriculum, as well as teaching.

Inspectors also said that data showed a positive picture in terms of the proportions of students making and exceeding expected progress in English and maths. These proportions, they said, now compared favourably with national averages.

There was also praise for "excellent practice" with students given time to respond to their marking and receive detailed feedback, so they could make better progress.

Mr Sutton added: "We responded swiftly to the findings of the last inspection and we continue to focus on driving up standards and providing an excellent education in a caring and nurturing environment."

To improve even further the school has been advised to ensure that teachers have high expectations and set challenging targets, increase opportunities for students to think for themselves, improve the quality of marking and improve the attendance of older students.

In addition, staff have also been told to reduce the number of external exclusions.

In May governors at the school voted in favour of academy conversion with the help of the David Ross Education Trust (DRET).

It is hoped the move can improve outcomes for students.

A formal consultation is expected to take place shortly and if agreed, the school could become an academy by January.

The David Ross Education Trust works with 25 schools and academies across the East Midlands and East of England. Mr Sutton has previously said it has a very successful record and can share this expertise.

People in the city will get another chance to comment on new plans to crack down on outdoor drinking.

Leicester City Council plans to make use of new legislation to impose a blanket Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) on the whole city.

It would give police, PCSOs and council wardens the powers to stop people who are drinking in public spaces if they suspect they are behaving anti-socially.

Currently, many shopping areas around the city are already no-drinking areas but the new law means anyone drinking in public within the city boundaries can be told to stop in the interests of preventing anti-social behaviour.

As well as tackling problem drinking, the PSPOs give councils and police more power to tackle a wide range of antisocial behaviour problems such as noise and nuisance dogs.

They replace the previous Designated Public Place Orders, or DPPOs, which could only be enforced by police.

A month-long consultation exercise began on Monday and will continue until October 5.

Earlier in the summer, residents across the city took part in another public consultation over the planned city-wide order and their comments will still be taken into account.

Sarah Russell, assistant city mayor for neighbourhood services, said: "More than two thirds of people who took part in the previous consultation supported the use of city-wide legislation to tackle street drinking, with people reporting experiencing noise, littering and verbal abuse from street drinking.

"Antisocial drinking is an issue which is regularly raised with us, and a PSPO would give both the council and police more powers to be able to help local communities to tackle the problem."

Where the new PSPOs are in place, officers can order people to stop drinking and either hand over any alcohol or dispose of it.

People who fail to do so would face a spot fine of up to £100, or up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

Shoppers in Leicester city centre yesterday had mixed views about the new law.

Robert Gelling, 40, said: "I think it's a good idea. People don't want to see a lot of people outside drinking. After all, that's what we've got pubs for.

"I think there's a time and a place to drink."

A woman who did not want to be named said: "It's a difficult one if someone's just having a quiet beer.

"It should be up to the police's discretion but it could be they just don't like the look of you."

Malcolm Shuttleworth, 55, said: "I agree with the new law.

"If you're sat outside drinking and the police ask you to, you can just go home."

As well as members of the public, the city council will be consulting city wardens, staff in the parks services and play services, cleansing teams and police neighbourhood officers.

The city council will also be asking people for details of where there are currently street drinking problems around the city, as well as noise, littering, verbal or physical abuse.

To take part in the consultation visit a city library or customer service centre on go online to http://consultations.leicester.gov.uk/

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend the return of the Arts Fresco street theatre event on Sunday.

The colourful spectacular will again tie up with the popular Lubenham Scarecrow weekend with people attending both events.

Organisers of Arts Fresco say about 10,000 people are likely to fill the centre of Market Harborough for the day-long free event.

It is being funded by local firms and a grant of £15,000 from the Arts Council.

The money is on top of a grant of £10,000 from Harborough clothing company Joules.

Arts Fresco has been relaunched after it was suspended two years ago over funding issues.

A fresh committee has taken over the event and is returning it to its former format in the town centre.

Organisers of Lubenham's 14th scarecrow weekend say the event in the village near Market Harborough will again attract thousands of visitors from across the Midlands.

One of the organisers Trish Woods said: "Again there will be

dozens of scarecrows on display around the village - come and vote for your favourite.

"There will be tractor-drawn trailer rides round the village, fairground rides, quad bikes, a bouncy castle, and traditional games among the attractions."

The event also raises vital funds for village groups, organisations and charities.

The last lance-on-lance cavalry battle of the First World War has been commemorated.

The Duke of York, Colonel-in-Chief of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers - which recruits heavily in Leicestershire - joined 150 soldiers at a memorial service at Montcel-Fretoy, in France, at the weekend.

The service formed part of commemorative events to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, and took place on the 100th anniversary of the battle.

It was fought on September 7, 1914, between the 9th Lancers and 1st Garde Dragoner (Prussian Dragoons).

During the intense battle on horseback there were remarkably only four fatalities, one of which was Lt F de V Allfrey who had been in charge of the machine gun and was on foot when killed.

The commanding officer was wounded in the charge and was dismounted from his horse.

Records recount how he was amazed that while on the ground he was not trampled by the horses that were still engaged in combat.

Days earlier, on August 28, the 12th Lancers also charged with the lance for the last time at Moy on August 28, against German Guard Dragoons. The two Lancers regiments were merged in 1960.

A service, led by the Rev Carl Stokes, chaplain to the 9th/12th Royal Lancers, was held at Fretoy Communal Cemetery.

In the very early days of World War One, cavalry was a devastating weapon when used against infantry.

However, with the coming of static trench warfare, the use of cavalry became rare.

Barbed wire, mud and machine guns were a deadly combination for any cavalry soldier.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Slack, the Lancers' commanding officer, said: "By October, 1914 both sides started digging in for trench warfare. It meant the use of horses against fixed machine guns became redundant.

"Next year is our 300th anniversary and of all the battles fought in that time the two we have commemorated here are two of the most significant over that period.

"In this centenary year it was a fantastic opportunity to be here in France on the battlefield and remember the history with the French people who have been very involved and very welcoming.This part of France was devastated by the war with entire towns and villages flattened."

Prince Andrew also presented operational service medals to 90 troopers and officers following their recent return from Afghanistan.

Lt Col Slack added: "The regiment has just spent an eight month combat tour in Afghanistan with the last squadron back at the end of June.

"The opportunity for our Colonel-in-Chief to also present our soldiers with their Afghanistan medals in France was a unique moment.

"It is really important we remember our heritage and history as a regiment and a nation. It is important we know and understand our history and take what we can from what was a brutal war as we look forward in an uncertain world."

Sgt Paul Mawby, 32, of Saffron Lane, Leicester, said: "We have been taking part in battlefield tours of the area learning more about the regiment's part in the battles.

"When the 9th did their charge they faced barbed wire fences and ditches and the German guns. I can relate to what they went through, we both face enemy fire, but I'm in an armoured box - they were exposed in horseback and if their horse got shot, they were face down in the mud."

Trooper Jason Bale, 26, of Glenfield, said:"It was a privilege to be here in the place where such historic events involving the regiment took place 100 years ago."

Cpl Robert Flude, 29, of Western Park, Leicester, said: "It's been an eye opener on events of 100 years ago and relating what they did to modern day warfare."

The service and medal presentation were attended by 150 family and friends of the military personnel, together with local people from the surrounding area. 

Leicester Tigers club captain Ed Slater will be out for the season after having surgery on a knee injury.

Slater, 26, suffered the injury while captaining England in their midweek match against the Crusaders in New Zealand this summer. After returning from the tour, further investigation resulted in surgery.

Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill said: "It's very disappointing for us and obviously for Ed because he was in such good form last season and has become an important member of our squad.

"Ed's performances for Tigers have helped him push his way into the England squad and I was very happy to be able to appoint him as Tigers club captain going into the new season.

"He is in good hands with our medical team, he's started his rehab from the surgery and we look forward to his return to training and playing in due course."

Tigers have recently signed All Black lock Brad Thorn and he will be available at the end of September after recovering from a torn bicep.

The Kiwi will fill the void left by Slater's injury and compete with Graham Kitchener, Louis Deacon, Geoff Parling and Sebastian De Chaves in the second row.

Owen Williams captained a young Leicester Tigers Development XV to a 32-8 defeat by Newcastle. The squad contained 12 players with no previous A League experience.

A motorist was taken to hospital after a crash near Grove Park during rush hour today.

The man had to be cut free from his car by firefighters who arrived at the scene, in Smith Way, Enderby, at about 8.40am.

They found two cars had collided, trapping one of the drivers.

Paramedics treated the casualties before transporting one of the injured motorists to Leicester Royal Infirmary.

The extent of the man's injuries are not known.

Emergency services left the scene at about 9.10am.

An ex-serviceman who was blinded in the First World War is being remembered as a military veterans' charity prepares to celebrate its centenary.

George Smith, who lived in Leicester for almost 30 years, lost his sight in a shell explosion during the Battle of Aisne on 14 September 1914.

He went to the Blind Veteran's UK, known then as St Dunstan's, for support and rehabilitation and the charity will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.

This month also marks 100 years since George, one of its first clients, was blinded in battle.

George joined the 2nd Grenadier Guards in 1904 and was one of the first British soldiers to land in France during the war, but lost his sight and was shot in the elbow within months of arriving on the front.

He had to undergo an iridectomy - removal of the iris - in both eyes as a result of his injuries, but within a few years and with help from the charity, he was heavily active once more.

Rob Baker, Blind Veterans UK's Information and Archives Office, said: "George was one of the very first soldiers to be blinded in the First World War, but his indomitable spirit led him to achieve incredible things. He showed remarkable will."

George went to Blind Veterans UK in 1916 after he was given his discharge from the Army.

He then went on to captain the charity's blind football team, the 'Dustonians', who won an 'FA Cup style' penalty shoot-out based competition during his playing career.

Rob added: "As with George nearly a century ago, sport continues to be a big part of the lives of ex-servicemen and women who are supported by Blind Veterans UK today."

He was also taught how to read braille as well as becoming a certified poultry farmer and basket maker - something which he pursued whilst living in Leicester, despite the difficulty his war injury caused him.

He moved to Leicester in 1930 and adapted his home to include a basket workshop.

He had to stop making them, however, in 1949 as his health deteriorated. He passed away at the age of 75 in a former Blind Veteran's care home in Brighton in 1959.

There were many others who, like George, lost their sight in battle and who turned to Blind Veterans UK to help them lead an independent life.

Rob said: "He encompassed everything within our entire ethos.

"George lived an independent life and even went on to have a family of his own.

"With the charity's help, the soldiers who returned blinded from the Front went on to demonstrate incredible, truly awe-inspiring courage in the ways they discovered life after sight loss." 

Cyclists Gianluca Brambilla and Ivan Rovny paid the price for not pulling their punches.

The pair were thrown out of the Vuelta a Espana after coming to blows on stage 16 of the race.

The punches were thrown as the duo were part of a breakaway group of 13 riders on the 160.5km stage from San Martin del Rey Aurelio to La Farrapona.

Race leader Alberto Contador eventually won the stage to increase his overall lead to 96 seconds over Alejandro Valverde.

A doctor circumcised dozens of young boys in a filthy clinic on the first floor of a terraced house, a tribunal heard.

Dr Hassan Ramadan Abdulla, 63, was not registered by the Care Quality Commission when he undertook the procedures for religious or traditional reasons at his Leicester clinic.

The NHS psychiatrist, who is also a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, charged parents £70 to circumcise boys at his private Al-Khalill Clinic, in the Evington area, from 2002.

He admitted six offences of carrying out surgical circumcisions over a three-and-a-half month period in 2011 without the registration required by law at Leicester Magistrates Court in July last year.

Five of the offences related to carrying out operations on individual boys, while the sixth related to illegal surgery performed on a further 36 children.

Dr Abdulla, of Sudbrook, Lincoln, was fined £2,700 and ordered to pay more than £30,000 in costs.

He is now facing a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service fitness to practise hearing in Manchester, where he could face a ban from the profession.

Nigel Grundy, for the General Medical Council, said: "This case concerns, not Dr Abdulla's NHS practice as a psychiatrist, but his operation of the private clinic to perform circumcisions on male babies and young children for religious or traditional reasons."

He told the panel that the clinic operated, on Saturdays, from the first floor of a 1920s or 1930s terraced house.

Dr Abdulla has admitted that the premises were inadequate and that he did not maintain clean or sterile instruments.

The panel heard that bosses at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust contacted the CQC after concerns were raised about an operation carried out on a four to five-week old baby boy in October 2011.

Dr Abdulla admitted to failing to gain informed consent or taking a full medical history after the boy's parents were simply handed a consent form.

Officials conducted two visits, on 28 January and 4 February 2012, and criticised the standards of cleanliness and sterilisation as well as the adequacy of the premises to carry out circumcision operations.

Dr Abdulla had applied for registration from the CQC in September 2011, but was unaware it had been unsuccessful because he had failed to provide the proper documentation.

But it is a criminal offence under the Health and Social Care Act to carry out a regulated activity without being registered with CQC.

He pleaded guilty to six offences under the Act at the Leicester Magistrates Court on 29 July last year.

Dr Abdulla was fined £450 for each of the charges and ordered to pay £30,099.80 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

District Judge Timothy Daber, sentencing, told him: 'Without registration, the CQC had no power to regulate your practice, thereby putting patients at risk.'

But the judge said that his provision of circumcisions for children of the Islamic or Jewish faith had not been motivated by financial gain.

The doctor had offered the service in Leicester at a low cost after non-medical circumcisions were made unavailable on the NHS.

Dr Abdulla spoke only to confirm his name and GMC registration number at the hearing but Stephen Brassington, defending, admitted all of the four charges on his behalf.

Mr Grundy said: "Charge one relates to the conviction at Leicester Magistrates Court… in relation to him operating that clinic in the three-and-a-half month period between 11 October 2012 to 30 January 2013 without being registered with the CQC, as required by law.

'Charge two relates to a particular circumcision procedure performed by Dr Abdulla on 1 October 2011 involving Patient A.

'He was four to five weeks old at the time of the procedure and...Dr Abdulla did not obtain informed consent or obtain consent from Patient A's parents.

'Nor did he make an adequate inquiry into Patient A's medical history.

'Charges three and four, in effect, relate to the standards of cleanliness and sterilisation practiced by Dr Abdulla at the clinic and the adequacy of those premises… as revealed during the course of the CQC visits on 28 January and 4 February 2012.'

The hearing continues.

Leicester Lions' last chance of gaining their first Elite League win away from home before the season ends failed to materialise.

In their bottom-of-the-table clash at Belle Vue Aces on Monday night, the Lions 55-38 win to the Manchester club.

The Lions team that was decimated by injuries on Saturday against Swindon was much changed, with three guest riders employed to cover for the absences.

Only Simon Stead, who pulled out just before the Swindon match, was a returnee, but he was not at his best and withdrew after his second ride.

The Rapid Solicitors Lions made an encouraging start to the match, with Sam Masters and Max Clegg both winning their opening races, but then Simon Stead locked up and fell in heat three.

In the re-run, the Aces scored a 5-1 with Stead third. Masters won his second race but, apart from that, it was the Aces who forged ahead to lead by 10 points.

Nicolai Klindt then came out in the seventh heat for a tactical ride and, when he crossed the finishing line ahead of a pressing Michael Palm Toft, it gave the Lions double points.

The Aces clawed back their lead in the next race and Leicester then had their best spell in the match, drawing the next four races.

During that time, Clegg won another race and so too did Klindt, who was deputising for Stead, and he stopped Scott Nicholls and Craig Cook's unbeaten run in the match.

The same two Leicester riders then combined to gain a 4-2 in the penultimate heat, but Belle Vue retaliated with five points in the closing race and the final result places them level on points with Leicester at the bottom of the Elite League table. 

Belle Vue 55: Matej Zagar 7+3, Michael Palm Toft 9, Scott Nicholls 11+3, Richie Worrall 8, Craig Cook 12+2, Paul Starke 5+1 and Lee Payne 3+3.
Leicester 38: Jason Doyle 3, Sam Masters 8+1, Rohan Tungate 4, Nicolai Klindt 13, Simon Stead 1, Ben Hopwood 0 and Max Clegg 9.

While the senior team were riding against Belle Vue, Leicester Lion Cubs were putting up a good performance against Kent Kings in Sittingbourne, eventually losing 49-41.

The Cubs needed to win the match by a 22-point margin to go through to the National Trophy final against Mildenhall.

The juniors matched the home riders early in the meeting but then slipped behind before pulling level at the end of the 13th heat, before Kent pulled away again in the final two races.

The Ashby Young Farmers annual ploughing match has raised more than £500 for charity.

The match, the 14th annual event, raised £550 for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution - the farmer's national charity.

The match was held on Sunday and hosted by David and Jane Land on their land off Normanton Lane, Heather.

Event spokesman Richard Hewitt said: "The soil although rather dry and hard was not too daunting for the older machinery and provided a good field from a spectators view.

"The match was very well supported by the general public with the weather being superb.

"Ashby YFC would like to thank all the people who took supported this charity event."

Fifty-five competitors took part on tractors ranging from the 1930's to the present day in age together with small pedestrian and horticultural machines in their respective classes.

Competitors travelled from a radius of 60 miles, although the majority came from 20 or 30 miles away.

Milly Wastie, RABI East Midlands regional manager, said: "We are sincerely grateful to the Ashby Young Farmers and Richard Hewitt for all their support in raising £550 for us.

"The money will go towards supporting farmers, farm workers and their family members with practical and financial support in times of need, hardship and distress.

"Currently RABI distributes approximately £30,000 in grants throughout Leicestershire, therefore the funds raised really will make a difference locally to farming people's lives."

The results were as follows:

Vintage trailed ploughing class. (Tractor & Plough in production prior to 31st Dec 1959)

1st Steve Webster, Derby. 2nd Michael Taylor, Melton Mowbray.

3rd Anthony Salt, Clifton Campville. 4th Brian Green, Carlton

Vintage Mounted ploughing class (Tractor & Plough in production prior to 31st Dec 1959)

1st Eric Battelle, Derby. 2nd James Wendt, Melbourne. 3rd John Gamble, Husbands Bosworth. 4th David Nurse, Barkby.

Ferguson TE 20 ploughing class

1st & the Fergie land trophy John Kitching, Long Whatton. 2nd Charley Roberts, Syston.

3rd Jim Earl, Hoby. 4th Len Atton, Melton Mowbray.

Intermediate & mixed ploughing class

1st Paul Hewitt, Ravenstone. 2nd Daniel Iliffe, Tamworth. 3rd Julian Allen, Barton under Needwood

2 & 3 furrow reversible ploughing class

1st Graham Sutton, Nuneaton. 2nd James Fovargue, Farmtown, Coalville. 3rd Keith Jacklin, Lincoln. 4th George Sutton, Nuneaton

Open reversible ploughing class

1st Mark Adams, Swadlincote. 2nd Chris Holdcroft,  Burton on Trent. 3rd Henry Lovatt, Measham

Horticultural machine ploughing class & Qualifier for the National Ploughing Championships

1st Adrian Marshal, Oakham. 2nd Brian Carter, Knutsford. 3rd Graham Brown, Lutterworth.

4th Sam Hitchman, Kineton.

Classic tractor ploughing class (Tractor & Plough in production prior to 31st Dec 1965)

1st Carl Wright, Chesterfield. 2nd Stuart Hooper, Wythal, Birmingham.

3rd Geof Bonser, Long Whatton. 4th Brian Stain, Nuneaton

Sport can often be a door to achievement, whether that's excelling in one in particular or applying the discipline picked up to academic work.

The Leicester Mercury is looking for nominations for individuals who are doing just that for its Young Achiever Awards 2014 and the sport category.

They aim to highlight those going above and beyond to reach their potential.

Last year's winner Raphell Thomas-Edwards impressed the judges thanks to his prowess on the basketball court.

Part of Great Britain's under 21 team, he was already showing great potential and had also taken part in the European Championships. His determination to excel at basketball had led to a full sporting and educational scholarship to university.

Winstanley Community College is sponsoring the sports achievement award alongside overall sponsor, Fullhurst Community College.

A spokesperson for Winstanley Community College, in Braunstone Town said: "We're delighted to sponsor the sports achievement award.

"We're an academy and an established specialist sports college, and so regard sport, physical activity and an exciting curriculum as being essential to the healthy bodies and healthy minds of all of our students.

"We're also at the forefront of a momentous change in the opportunities presented to 11-16 year olds in the west of Leicester. From the start of this academic year, Winstanley Community College has increased the options available by becoming an 11-16 school. This will enable our students to continue to develop both academically and through sport until they reach the age of 16."

We are asking schools, organisations and individuals to nominate people aged between 14 and 25 who are worthy of recognition due to their efforts. The winners of the 10 categories will be announced at a ceremony on December 4 at Leicester City's King Power Stadium.

Each will receive £250 and a trophy. Two category runners-up will receive £50 each and a certificate of merit.

Capital FM presenters Dino and Pete will again be hosting the ceremony.

The closing date for nominations is Sunday, October 19.

To nominate inline visit: www.leicestermercury.co.uk/youngachiever

People from all over Europe flocked to one of the UK's biggest costume conventions at De Montfort University over the weekend.

The annual Alcon 2014 attracted thousands of people with a shared love of "cosplay" - dressing up as their favourite characters from comic books, anime cartoons and computer games.

The line-up of characters featured several Captain America's, Steampunks and a gang of Arkham Asylum inmates.

Warhammer Oline character Elvin Shadow Warrior, also known as Will Styles, 24, of Birmingham, was among the guests.

He said: "It was really great fun, although my armour was made of steel and very hot, so I only lasted about four hours in it!

"It's always a really good-spirited event - if you've got a load of people who are prepared to dress up like idiots they're bound to be easy-going people so it's lots of fun.

"This is one of the biggest events I've been to and I've done 13 in the last two or three years.

"There were people I met who were from Lithuania, Denmark and all over Britain."

The four-day event included plenty of workshops about costume-design, wig-making, sewing and make-up during the daytime, as well as computer game contests.

In the evening the bar opened and the festival featured a variety of live bands as well as competitions for the best costumes.

Stephen Booth, 20, from Cumbria, went as Marvel comic character Deadpool with some friends.

He said: "It was brilliant.

"It's the biggest and best of all the conventions and the best thing about it is the people.

"I met people from Germany and all over.

"The best bits were the indoor Nerf gun wars and there was also lots of drinking.

"I went for four days with a group of friends and we had a great time."

Alcon 2014

If you are looking for a new career don't miss tomorrow's Leicester Mercury.

It is packed full of great job offers along with information about the employment market.

Leicester Mercury jobs

Patients across the city are being urged to know what blood pressure numbers are healthy for them, as part of national awareness week.

Organised by Blood Pressure UK, Know Your Numbers Week is designed to educate people about the health complications associated with high blood pressure and encourages them to get their blood pressure tested and know how to monitor their own blood pressure.

GPs from the Leicester City clinical commissioning group (CCG) are supporting the week which runs from Monday (September 15) to Sunday, September 21, 2014.

Dr Nitin Joshi, GP at Willowbrook Medical Centre and GP Board member of the CCG, said: "High blood pressure may be without symptoms, which means many people could be living with high blood pressure and not know it.

It can lead to serious complications such as heart attack, stroke and is one of the main complications associated with heart and kidney disease.

"People need to be aware that the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get it measured."

Heart disease caused by long standing high blood pressure, accounts for 33 per cent of all deaths in Leicester and 28 per cent of all deaths under 75 years of age.

Dr Joshi added: "Smoking, alcohol and a fatty diet are the major causes of high blood pressure.

"The majority of people with high blood pressure, once diagnosed can make simple changes to their lifestyle to improve their health.

"This might mean they need to eat less fatty and sugary foods and get more active.

"Some people may need medication to help them manage their condition if it is a little more serious."

For more information go to www.leicestercityccg.nhs.uk/aboutus/ourpriorities

House builder Barratt, owner of David Wilson Homes, has seen annual profits more than double to £390 million thanks to strong demand.

The company, based in Bardon, near Coalville, said the sharp upturn had been fuelled by the Government's Help to Buy scheme.

The increase in profit was mainly down to buying land at the bottom of the market in 2009 and then benefiting from the economic upturn after it had developed the sites into housing.

The company's average selling price rose by 13 per cent to £220,000 during the year, reflecting a shift to the higher end of the market. Barratt completed 14,838 sales over the period, up 8.6 per cent.

The Leicestershire company is the UK's second-largest house builder and has an order book worth £1.2 billion, 44.7 per cent higher than this time last year. Revenue rose by 21 per cent to £3.1 billion during the year.

In a report to the stock market on Wednesday, chief executive Mark Clare said: "This significant improvement in performance has been driven by the £3.8 billion we have committed to land investment since mid-2009, together with the recovering market and improvements in design, quality and efficiency.

"Our disciplined approach will support a further significant increase in performance this year."

The company revealed just under a third of sales were via the Government-backed Help to Buy scheme, which allows people to buy a new home with a five per cent deposit. This compared to four per cent of sales in the previous year.

Barratt employs about 430 people in Leicestershire, but also uses a high number of sub-contractors.

Barratt bought David Wilson Homes - founded by building tycoon David Wilson in the 1960s - in 2007. 

Motorists were brought to a standstill on the M1, near Loughborough this morning after a lorry crashed into the central reservation.

Police were called to an accident involving one vehicle just before 1am.

A lorry had driven into the central reservation.

The male driver of the lorry was unhurt but the central reservation was severely damaged.

A spokeswoman from Leicestershire Police said the lorry had shed its load and the road was covered in debris.

She said that a number of other cars had also be damaged by the debris on the road but nobody was injured.

The M1 was closed southbound between junctions between J23, A512, Loughborough and J22, A50, Ashby-De-La-Zouch. It was re-opened at 9am.

Lanes one and two, on the M1 northbound was closed between J22, A50, Ashby-De-La-Zouch and J23, A512, Loughborough, from around 5am until 6.30am.

All lanes had been re-opened and traffic was moving smoothly by 10am.