After two months of fund-raising, the Mercury's hugely-successful Lapland appeal is nearing the end.

At the beginning of August, we set off to try to raise as much money as we could to send seriously ill children to Lapland.

We made it our mission to raise more than £900, the amount it costs to send a poorly child and their parent or guardian to visit Santa. Thanks to our generous readers, local organisations and giving businesses, we've managed to raise more than £7,000.

This means we will be able to pay for six children from the county to spend a day in the magical winter wonderland.

Reporter Yasmin Duffin, who organised the appeal, said: "I'm overwhelmed by the amount of money we've raised. I was worried about getting £900. The fact we now have more than £7,000 is fantastic.

"When I think about how many people have been so kind, it's just brilliant."

Yasmin joined the children and parents on this year's Lapland trip.

She said: "To see how much this means to poorly children, it makes all the fund-raising worth it."

Last weekend, Yasmin organised a quiz in Rugby, where she grew up.

A total of £1,500 was raised during the evening, which included a quiz, a raffle and the auctioning of a Leicester Tigers shirt.

"It was quite emotional," she said. I still can't belive how well people responded.''

We want as many individuals, organisations and businesses to get involved as possible – and you still can, if you have not yet donated. There is still time to donate, as our appeal does not end until Friday.

"All businesses which help us reach our target will be listed on our website.''

A special mention must be given to Cellini Luggage & Leather, in Leicester, who are among those who have helped us reach our target.

You can donate to the appeal by filling out the form on this page and sending it, along with your donation, to: When You Wish Upon A Star Head Office, Futurist House, Valley Road, Nottingham, NG5 1JE.

You can also support the appeal by visiting our Justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/

For more information, e-mail:

yasminduffin@.co.uk

We have good news for Take That fans across the globe who are coming to terms with Jason Orange's departure from the band.

Leicester tribute act Take@ That have promised to continue as a four-piece.

Jason Orange, 44, announced last week his time in the supergroup had come to an end, leaving members Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald to continue as a three-man act.

Despite being "gutted" about the news, Take@ That have decided to carry on regardless.

Gavin Pearson, known on stage as Jason Orange, told the Mercury: "Of course, I was absolutely gutted to hear Jason was leaving Take That. It's every tribute band act's worst nightmare, to hear a person has left the band.

"It was such unexpected news, but I guess it's just one of those things.

"Luckily, I have such a great band supporting me, who want to continue as all four of us."

Gavin said he and the group decided collectively that as most of Take That's music includes Jason, they would be able to continue performing as a four-piece.

"Out of respect to our fans, I think we need to carry on singing together," he said.

"Being in the band is such a huge part of my life, I don't know what I'd do with myself if it was to end."

The band members have been singing together for four years.

Dean Barrett, known on stage as Gary Barlow, said there was "no question" as to whether the band would continue with four members. He said: "I don't know how it would work without one of us.

"We're fully-booked this year and it just wouldn't be the same without having our Jason."

Take That, which originally included Robbie Williams in its line-up, burst into the charts in the 1990s and became one of Britain's biggest bands. Hits included Back for Good, Shine and Rule the World.

The members have said they will carry on as a trio.

In a statement, Jason said: "I have spent some of the best years of my life with Take That and I'd like to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey, including my band mates, who I feel are like brothers to me."

Have you been left heartbroken after hearing the news that Jason has left Take That? Let us know by tweeting us: @Leicester_Merc

Five-year-old Albert Tansey is back on his feet and giggling away a little over a fortnight after having a heart transplant operation.

The Burbage youngster, born with half a heart, has been deluged with get well cards and gifts while his parents, Adam and Annita, are continuing their campaign to get people to join the national organ donor register.

Albert became an internet sensation with his version of the ice bucket challenge in which bean bag stuffing balls were tipped over him instead of ice, the shock if which could have killed him.

It grabbed people's imagination with media coverage raising awareness of the importance of organ donation.

Days later, the call came from the transplant team of Newcastle's Freeman Hospital to say a donor heart had been found.

Mr Tansey said: "The call came at 7pm. As soon as the transplant co-ordinator said 'how's Albert' I knew that was it. The ambulance arrived in about 15 minutes.

"Annita went with Albert in the ambulance and I followed.

"About three hours later, we were in Newcastle."

Albert went into theatre at about 2.30am and his parents were back at his bedside by 9.30am.

News of Albert's operation was revealed on the social media sites Facebook and YouTube.

Although it had gone well, there was concern a few days later when doctors discovered that Albert's body was producing anti-bodies at an alarming rate.

If not checked they could attack his new heart.

Mr Tansey said: "One of the reasons for it was Albert's heart was not from his own blood group.

"No other hospital in the country would have undertaken this operation but the Freeman Hospital has the best results in the world and the expertise to do it.

"We were very concerned, as blood tests every couple of hours showed the ratio of anti-bodies was getting bigger.

"Everything was on standby as there was an expectation the anti-bodies could attack very quickly. Doctors talked to experts all over the world and luckily everything kicked in."

Albert is now out of intensive care.

Mr Tansey said: "Albert now has pink lips, fingers and toes – until now he has always been rather ashen grey."

He could be home in about 10 to 14 days. But there will be no welcome home party yet.

Mr Tansey said: "We have to be very careful about keeping Albert away from infections.

"We have to be aware of the possibility of heart rejection but we have been told after the first year we can relax a little."

He said the family had been overwhelmed by the get well messages, cards and presents for Albert, who became the face of the campaign to save the children's heart surgery unit at Glenfield Hospital.

The family, through their Facebook page, are asking Albert's supporters to take a picture of themselves with an organ donor card and post them at: www.facebook.com/albertsheart

A De Montfort University lecturer has been fined after pleading guilty to renting flats to students without the appropriate licence.

Dr Obas Ebohon (58), of Scraptoft Lane, Leicester, appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday charged with four offences related a house he owns, in Severn Street, Highfields, which he rented to seven tenants.

The respected academic, who is a reader in Energy and Sustainable Development at DMU and has given lectures all over the world, pleaded guilty to failing to apply for a multiple occupation licence for the property, and failing to display his telephone number and address clearly at the house.

The life member of the South African Institute of Building also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the boundary walls of the house were safely maintained, and failing to ensure the property's windows and ventilation were maintained to a safe standard.

Leicester City Council prosecutor Nicki Agalamanyi told the court Ebohon had been reported to the authority by one of his tenants, who suspected he did not poses the relevant housing licence.

Ms Agalamanyi said: "The main issue is the failure to have a licence for the property.

"It has to be licensed by the council and requires regular inspections by environmental health officers.

"When the property was inspected, officers found faulty fixtures and fittings, a fire door which didn't close or provide a safe means of escape.

"Cracked plaster on the ceiling, a faulty lock on the front door, one shower wasn't working and another shower was blocked.

"An outside wall was falling down and one of the bedrooms had a cracked door frame and another had a cracked window frame and cracked glazing."

Ebohon's solicitor, Shabir Mirza, said that some of the damage had been caused by the students themselves, and stressed that his client had done everything that was asked as soon as the faults were brought to his attention.

He said: "It's a sorry state of affairs but my client did everything required of him as soon as he was told he needed to do it.

"Straightaway he said, 'what needs to be done, I'll do'.

"Football had been played in the garden which caused the fence panels to break and the doors were damaged by the students.

Mr Mirza added: "He has suffered from anxiety and depression as a result of everything that has happened.

"Any sort of a sentence would severely affect his career at the university."

He said Ebohon was under the impression that the letting agent, IPS Leicester, was responsible for the upkeep of the house.

Ebohon was fined £1,500 for failing to apply for a housing licence, and £500 for failing to display his contact information at the property.

Magistrates gave the academic a conditional discharge for the other two offences related to the building's maintenance.

Magistrate Beverlie Cemmel said: "As someone who supervises students you should have been aware of all aspects of their welfare."

Ebohon was also ordered to pay £1,025 towards the council's court costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

A £500 House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence is required by all landlords who rent to at least three people who are not from the same household.

The terms of the licence state that the landlord must make sure the home is suitable for the number of occupants and safe to live in.

Speaking after the case, Leicester assistant city mayor for neighbourhood services Councillor Sarah Russell said: "The laws around multiple-occupancy homes exist to protect and safeguard the people living there, and unscrupulous owners leave themselves open to prosecution if they fail to license HMOs properly."

The property's managing agents, IPS Leicester, have pleaded not guilty to seven charges in relation to the case, and will appear in court again on January 15 for trial.

George Clooney and his wife Amal Alamuddin took a cruise of the Grand Canal today, after leaving the Aman luxury Hotel in Venice, Italy.

The newlyweds smiled and waved to the crowds who had gathered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the couple.

The actor married British human rights lawyer Amal yesterday, the actor's representative said, out of sight of pursuing paparazzi and adoring crowds.

Venues throughout the Westcotes area have joined together to put on their own literary festival.

The Westwords Festival 2014 opened on Friday at Westcotes Library and since then events have been happening across the neighbourhood both day and night.

The launch event featured a reading by performance poet Lydia Towsey.

The 10-day festival will include more than 40 hours of community events at the library and elsewhere.

Events continue throughout the rest of this week until the finale on Sunday.

Among the first of the events was a Midnite Write event between midnight and 1am yesterday morning.

Events on Saturday also included How to Read a Poem at the library and other performances took place at The Western pub in Western Road and Yesim Café in Narborough Road.

A customer at a Leicester branch of KFC has said he was "shocked" when he was refused a hand-wipe as it might offend other restaurant-goers.

Graham Noakes, 41, said he was astonished when staff at the fast food chain's outlet in St George's retail park refused to give him a hand-wipe because it was against its Halal policy.

Staff said this was because the wipes are soaked in an alcohol-infused liquid. Alcohol is forbidden in the Muslim Holy book, the Quran.

The Leicester-based Federation of Muslim Organisations has called the decision "bizarre".

Graham said: "They told me it might offend other customers.

"I explained that it wouldn't affect me. In fact - I told them I like alcohol, so it wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

"When they wouldn't give me one, I was disgusted.

"I will never be going to KFC again."

The father-of-two added: "I've never experienced anything like this before, I couldn't believe it.

"Why shouldn't I be allowed a wipe for my hands?

"They use wipes in hospital, what happens when we start being told we can't have wipes there?

"I just can't understand it."

Graham, who lives in Birmingham, is working in Leicester on the construction of a new Muslim community centre in Highfields.

Halal is the Arabic word for 'lawful' and relates to what is allowed in the context of Islamic law, but is often used in conjunction with the issue of how meat is dealt with.

Suleman Nagdi, spokesman for the Leicester-based Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "I know alcohol is prohibited in the Muslim community, but I don't understand why you can't use hand-wipes - there's nothing wrong with it.

"Using alcohol doesn't mean you're consuming it.

"It seems like an unusual decision to be made.

"In fact, it sounds bizarre."

Suleman said such decisions potentially provoked some people to start "lashing out" at the Muslim community.

"I've never come across anything like this before," he added.

"KFC have made a commercial decision to do this, and now the Muslim community will face backlash."

A KFC spokesman said the company had been running a halal trial since 2010, in "areas where there has been demand from our customers", such as the restaurant in St George's Retail Park.

He said that as a result "a small number of products from our usual menu are not available", and in addition the St George's branch had decided not to stock wet wipes that contain alcohol".

The Mercury understands that the branch is waiting for its stock of alcohol-based wipes to be replaced with lemon-based wipes.

The spokesman added: "Wherever possible, we have taken steps to ensure that our halal restaurants are close to a non-halal store to cater to all of our customers' needs, and, in this case, customers wanting a non-halal option can visit our nearby restaurant in Braunstone."

What do you think of this decision? Should alcohol-based wipes be given to people who do not mind about the presence of alcohol? Tweet us at: @Leicester_Merc

Old rivals faced each other on the football pitch today to raise money for a good cause.

Former Leicester City captain Steve Walsh rallied other former Foxes to take on a team of ex-Nottingham Forest players.

The match, held in Shepshed this afternoon, was held to raise money for Steve's brother-in-law Terry Amos who lost his left leg to deep vein thrombosis.

Players taking part included Neil Lennon, Robbie Savage, Muzzy Izzett, Simon Grayson, Gerry Taggart and Matt Elliott.

They took on Nottingham Forest legends including Des Walker and Bryan Roy.

The match was attended by Terry, who lost his leg in March following a blood clot that developed on a flight home from Thailand.

Terry, 46, is a former martial arts champion who has represented England in international competitions.

Former City defender Steve said: "It's really affected Terry – it's got to him big time.

"He used to be a really fit guy and now he doesn't really know what to do with himself.

"Every penny will go him and help with his rehabilitation."

Two robbers involved in mugging people on Leicester streets have been locked up.

The first robbery took place on January 12 at 3am, when a young man was walking along Melbourne Road, in Highfields.

He noticed three men in a car, including Luknoor Jahed (19) and Jawad Raja (18).

James bide-Thomas, prosecuting at Leicester Crown Court, said one of the men asked the man: "What are you looking at?"

He turned into a side street to avoid them, but they ended up confronting him and demanding property.

The victim was punched about 10 times by all three, who made off with his two bank cards, driving licence and two mobile phones, a Nokia and a Samsung.

Jahed bought a Renault Clio soon afterwards, but registered it in the robbery victim's name in order to conceal his own identity, the court heard.

Then, on January 27, two 16-year-old boys were robbed of their iPhone 5s in Hutchinson Walk, near Moat Community College, in the city, at 6.15pm.

One victim was pushed against a wall and hit on the left thigh four or five times with a nine-inch spanner.

The victims' pockets were searched by Raja and another male while Jahed waited in his car, which drove them away.

Mr Bide Thomas said: "About 15 minutes later, Jahed's Clio was stopped and the iPhones were recovered from a third defendant, Mohammed Khan, 17, who was a passenger."

A Nokia phone belonging to the first victim was also recovered.

Raja, of Bartholomew Street, Highfields, was given a three year detention sentence.

Jahed, of Atlas Close, Highfields, was sentenced to two years' detention, as he played a lesser role as driver when the two 16-year-olds were robbed.

Raja and Jahed admitted robbing all three victims, in a joint enterprise.

Khan, of Barnard Close, Highfields, admitted three counts of handling stolen phones and was given a two-year youth rehabilitation order, with supervision, and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Recorder Paul Atkinson said: "The message has been going out from the courts for many years that those who try to relieve people of their mobile phones by night with violence will be punished.

"It's a pity that on the streets of Leicester that message does not seem to have got home.

"It's prevalent and in some quarters seems to attract some kind of street credibility.

"If your friends think like that then they're not friends at all.

"These were revolting and cowardly offences and the sooner it's stamped out, the better."

He told Khan: "You're in a different position, for handling the proceeds of the robberies.

"You may be very close to the offences, but you're not convicted of them.

"I view with considerable suspicion the circumstances.

"You can count yourself lucky you're going out through the front door of the court."

In mitigation, defence counsel asked for credit for their clients' guilty pleas.

They said the defendants now regretted their actions and offered apologies to the victims.

They had not appreciated the seriousness of their actions at the time, the court was told.

Leicester Riders 104

Bernardini 25, Watson 24, Hassan 14, Lamble 12, Losonsky 11, Roland 10, Anderson 6, Gamble 2, Noel, Washington, Rowe.

Manchester Giants 82

Watts 16, Eaves 14, Best 14, Gill 10, Murtagh 10, Jones 8, Kohn 8, Bernard 2, Purcell, Wait.

Leicester Riders got their BBL Championship campaign off to a winning start with a 104-82 victory over Manchester Giants.

Although the final scoreline looks dominant enough, it wasn't until Neil Watson's third quarter onslaught put Manchester to the sword that Riders truly got on top in the game.

Indeed, they spluttered through the opening five minutes of the game, failing to take the chances they created and finding themselves 12-4 behind at the mid-point of the opening quarter.

Tyler Bernardini helped them finally get going late in the first period, netting the final nine of 13 unanswered points as Riders took their first lead in the game at 17-12.

Manchester, though, responded well and there was only a point between the sides at the end of the first quarter.

Leicester again edged in front but David Watts' three-point shooting meant they could get away and, when the visitors posted a 10-3 run just before half-time, it gave them a 44-37 advantage.

Another Bernardini three-pointer ensured Leicester were only two points adrift at half-time and whatever coach Rob Paternostro said during the interval had the desired effect on the Riders team..

Pavol Losonsky had the first five and Watson the next five as Riders poured in the first 12 points of the third quarter in the blink of an eye to lead 56-46.

Bernardini netted his third three-pointer of the contest and that was soon followed by a barrage from Watson.

The guard hit three long-range efforts in quick succession to leave the Giants reeling.

In the space of less than seven minutes, Watson had scored 16 points and set up a further six as Riders turned a two-point deficit into a 19-point lead.

Manchester must have been grateful to see him sit down for a rest, only Bernardini was still on court and still piling up the points as Riders led 78-55 after a spell of 37 points to nine.

Essentially the game was done at that point, Manchester closed the gap to 15 in the final quarter, but they never threatened a serious comeback.

Bernardini and Watson combined for eight three-pointers in 16 attempts while posting 49 points between them. And with six players in double figures, Riders will be satisfied with their opening night's work, particularly the second half.

Cheshire Phoenix 59

Watts 21, Karp 21, Aliu 7, Murray 5, Bailey 3, Pauline 2, McGinn, Cuic, Pyke.

Leicester Riders 65

Bernardini 16, Watson 16, Losonsky 11, Anderson 6, Hassan 6, Washington 6, Roland 2, Lamble 2, Noel, Gamble, Rowe.

Leicester Riders survived a second half comeback by Cheshire Phoenix to post back-to-back victories on the opening weekend of the season. 

Leicester led by as many as 18 before a resurgent Cheshire side rallied in the closing stages to make the game tight.

Riders got off to a fast start netting six of the opening seven points of the game, before a run of 13 points to two saw them into a commanding 25-13 lead by the end of the first period.

Leicester edged further clear thanks to Neil Watson early in the second quarter and another strong finish to the half had them 39-21 in front at the break.

Brad Karp though led the fight back by the home side in the second half, scoring the first nine of his side's points as they closed out the third quarter with a 14-3 spell, which had Riders' lead down to only 48-42.

Tyler Bernardini stretched the gap back to eight at the start of the final quarter, but the Nix, playing their first game of the season, continued to charge.

Three minutes into the fourth they had cut the lead to 50-49 before a triple from Conner Washington and a Pavol Losonsky score re-established a 55-49 cushion. 

A three-pointer from David Aliu had Riders' lead down to three, but again the visitors replied with back-to-back scores to make it 61-54.

And when Watson hit from behind the arc with two minutes to go, Riders had all the cushion they needed to see the game out.

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill says he will "seek clarification" into the punishment for punching after a controversial incident in his side's 22-19 defeat London Irish.

A 79^th-minute Shane Geraghty penalty earned the Exiles a first win in 11 attempts over Tigers in the Aviva Premiership clash at Welford Road.

Tigers, who were missing 21 players with injury, suspension and unavailability, fought back from a 13-3 first-half deficit to take the game to the wire.

And while three missed kicks and number of silly penalties costs Tigers dearly, a first-half incident involving Irish back-rower Blair Cowan was a key point in the contest.

As Tigers flanker Jamie Gibson held an Irish forward around the neck area, Cowan responded by looking at the 24-year-old before jabbing him in the face.

Referee Greg Garner called for the TMO to review the incident and then watched it several times on the big screen inside the ground.

When he called the protagonists over afterwards, most of the 21,682 crowd expected Cowan to be shown a red card. But instead Garner just gave Tigers a penalty and play continued.

Later on in the second half, Garner did reach into his pocket to yellow card Tigers No.8 Jordan Crane for a shoulder barge at a ruck just minutes after the hosts had levelled the scores at 16-16.

"I need to understand from the officials what the regulations are if a punch in the face is just a penalty and a ticking off," said Cockerill. "I thought that was an automatic red card.

"Then a player drops a shoulder into someone who is lying on the wrong side and he gets a yellow.

"That was the difference in the game. I didn't think he (referee) had a good performance today and I am unhappy with the way that he officiated.

"That was a crucial part of the game. Greg Garner thinks it is okay to punch someone in the face and that is just a penalty.

"I could see it on the big screen from 50 metres away. Their player punched our player in the face. That's fine - if we are going to play by those rules.

"Next week, if our player punches one of theirs in the face, is that going to be just a penalty?

"If that is okay, we need to revamp that (the rules). In the semi-final last season, a punch in the face is a red card.

"That's not right. He needs to be accurate. I don't want any sympathy, I just want it to be refereed properly."

When asked if he had spoken to Garner about the decision's, he responded: "They don't speak to you or explain their decisions until Wednesday next week."

Away from the controversy, Cockerill said he was "not frustrated" with his team after a second successive defeat.

"We fronted up very well and it was a very tight game that could have gone either way. I am not frustrated with the team," he said.

"With the casualty count that we had, I cannot be anything but pleased with the performance and with 20 bodies missing, to go out there and nearly be good enough to win is testament to them.

"They had two or three players out and they beat us by three points. We dropped a kick-off and that led to their try and we missed points with kicks. That is not Freddie Burns' fault but it happens.

"It was not our set-piece that cost us. Again, we need to manage things better and we played too much of the game in our own half."

Bowel Cancer UK has complained about "patchy" care in the UK following the announcement by Oxo mum Lynda Bellingham that she was dying of the cancer.

The actress, best known for her role in the 1980s Oxo TV adverts, plans to end life-extending chemotherapy treatment, allowing her to die.

The 66-year-old star, who has colon cancer that has spread to her lungs and liver, said she wanted to spend one more Christmas with her family before she passes away.

Deborah Alsina, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK said: "At Bowel Cancer UK, we were all saddened to hear of the news of Lynda Bellingham's diagnosis of advanced bowel cancer.

"But unfortunately it's all too common. Bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer and that's why we launched our Time for Guts campaign to improve survival rates and support for people with advanced bowel cancer, in an urgent bid to save more lives. 

"Access to best treatment and care is critical and currently in the UK that can be patchy. Some people are dying early because of late diagnosis and variations in treatment and care. This must be addressed urgently.

"Every year 41,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer which equates to a diagnosis every 15 minutes and around 16,000 people die of the disease.

"A diagnosis of incurable cancer obviously has a huge impact on the patient but also their family and friends, which is often underestimated."

For more information visit www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk

County sides face a spate of replays in the FA Cup tomorrow night.

Coalville Town, Barwell and Blaby and Whetstone Athletic all have to travel as they look to progress from the second round qualifying stage.

Town had to settle for a goalless draw against Conference North outfit Lowestoft at Owen Street.

And it was a similar stalemate over at Kirkby Road where Barwell and Norwich United were unable to break the deadlock.

Blaby drew 1-1 with Stourbridge at Warwick Road. Aaron Preston fired Athletic in front but the Northern Premier League outfit levelled to earn a replay.

There is no second chance for Ellistown and Ibstock United as they were unable to produce the first round heroics of their clash against Hereford United.

They were soundly beaten 7-1 at home by another NPL outfit, Halesowen.

On the East Midlands Counties League front there was an important win for Anstey Nomads who put their early season struggles aside to beat Holbrook 3-2 at Cropston Road.

Darren Taylor scored twice, Sam Beck getting the winner four minutes from time.

Barrow Town ran out 3-1 victors in their all-Leicestershire affair at Aylestone Park. Joe Hanlon, David Coleman and Jamie Sharman grabbed the Barrow goals.

Ashby Ivanhoe claimed a useful point at home to second-placed South Normanton. Dan Stevenson got the hosts' goal in a 1-1 draw.

Bardon Hill Sports were unable to improve their league position. They were beaten 3-2 at home by Radford.

Leicester Riders started the new BBL season in style with a weekend double, following up their 104-82 home win against Manchester Giants on Saturday with a hard-fought 65-59 away victory against Cheshire Phoenix on Sunday.

Wins apart, Riders head coach Rob Paternostro was happy with his side's performances.

"It was a great weekend for us," Paternostro said. "Anytime you can go 2-0 in two days you know you earned it.

"What I liked about the weekend was we won two games in two totally different ways.

"On Saturday night against Manchester, we used our speed and ability to play in the open floor to dominate the second half and win comfortably in the end.

"On Sunday at Cheshire, we started out with a lot of energy and were in total control at half-time. But in the second half, the legs got a bit heavy and we had to turn the game into a half-court defensive battle, and were able to come out on top."

Despite the flying start, Paternostro says there is still plenty of work to do. "We have a long way to go, both with execution and conditioning," he said. "But I have really liked the toughness and togetherness that this group has shown.

"We have done it this weekend with guys not at 100 per cent. As a coach, it's always nice to know that your guys can still compete when they are banged up."

Elsewhere in the BBL, new boys Bristol Flyers got off to the best possible start also posting two wins from two. They followed Saturday's success against Plymouth Raiders with a late rally on Sunday to beat Glasgow Rocks.

The Flyers went into the final 10 minutes on Sunday holding a 56-53 advantage against Rocks, but came out firing in the final quarter, outscoring their hosts 23-9 to complete a memorable maiden weekend in the BBL.

Against Plymouth on Saturday, Doug McLaughlin-Williams led them to the win with 14 points, including crucial baskets either side of the third-quarter break.

In the match-up of last year's play-off finalists, Worcester Wolves came out on top at Newcastle Eagles, winning 86-81 thanks to an impressive 27 points and 13 rebounds from new signing Robert Thurman.

There was nothing in the game, with the scores see-sawing until the final minute, when Thurman made a dunk and hit two from two free throws to seal the Wolves victory.

After the loss to Riders, Manchester marked their first BBL game at a new home on Sunday with a 76-72 victory against last year's runners-up Sheffield Sharks thanks to 24 points and some clutch play from Stefan Gill.

Durham Wildcats bounced back from their opening night 83-70 loss at Sheffield to spoil the debut of this season's other new team, Leeds Force, winning at home 80-46.

David Evans hit all six of his three-pointers en route to a game-high 28 points as Plymouth Raiders beat Surrey United 94-74 for their first win of the season.

On Friday, Surrey were no match for a powerful London Lions team who won 89-73, with centre Makal Stibbins dominant for the Lions with 27 points and 12 rebounds.

Police have named the two men who died in a car crash in Dingley last week.

Matthew McKnight, 41, and Paul Jones, 54, both from Market Harborough, died when the car they were travelling in left the road and collided with a tree in Northamptonshire.

The crash happened at about 5.30pm, on Friday, on the A427.

Both men, who were passengers in the car, died at the scene.

The driver, a 58-year-old man, and another passenger, a 52-year-old man, were both taken to Kettering General Hospital with chest and back injuries.

Officers from Northants Police are appealing for witnesses and would like to speak to anyone who was travelling in the line of traffic behind the car, a white Vauxhall Insignia, and who may have information that can help with the investigation.

Anyone with information can call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174 615 or Northamptonshire Police on 101.

I bought a new car a few weeks ago. Not 'NEW' new. I work at the Mercury, for God's sake. I can't afford things like that. I bought a second-hand one. It should be an exciting time, shouldn't it, buying a new car?

It's not, though. Not for me. I find it all a bit traumatising. When we moved house a few years ago, I blithely signed on the dotted line for a mortgage that meant, essentially, I was a slave to the Mercury and the HSBC bank until the day I retired.

This should have made me tremble with fear but it didn't. I signed my life away for an eye-watering amount of money and we moved in.

I had no jitters. No second thoughts. No waking up at 5am, twitching, thinking about service histories and cam-belts. This has been the story of my past few weeks.

I did a ludicrous amount of research for this. I read car magazines and motoring websites. I compared reviews and scoured owners' reviews. For three weeks, I knew so much about the second-hand car market I could have hosted Top Gear.

I went to a garage that advertises regularly in the Mercury. They looked good. Well, in a big advert they paid for they said they were good. My experience was slightly different.

I'd picked out three cars that day – two in Leicester, one in Peterborough.

We packed some sandwiches, me and my boy, some old rock CDs, some cans of pop and some chocolates and we set off. It would be a road trip, I told him. Just me and him, the open road and the next chapter in his musical education. He seemed to think that would be all right.

I arrived at the first garage, the one that advertises in the Mercury, on Saturday morning.

I'd called them the night before about the car I liked. "We'll see you tomorrow," the man said. He sounded nice.

They weren't quite so welcoming when I arrived on Saturday morning.

"Hello," I said. "My name is Mr Leicester. I called yesterday about the car?"

"Yeah," said the man. "It's at the other garage."

"But I said I was coming this morning?"

Oh, it didn't matter. The other garage was just down the road. So I went to the other garage and looked around for someone to help.

I found lots of men standing outside the shop, smoking and swearing. I was with my 11-year-old son. As much as he loves to hear grown men swearing – it really is one of his favourite past-times – I'd rather he didn't.

"I'm here to test drive the car," I said.

Ah, one of the blokes said.

He showed me round the corner. The car I'd come to drive was at the far end. There were seven cars in front of it. I counted them. We looked at each other. "Did you want to drive it, then?" he said and I wondered if he thought I might buy it just by looking at it.

He didn't have the key. He would have to call someone from the other garage, the garage I'd just come from.

They would have to bring the key. It made the Mercury middle-management team look like a crack squad of Navy Seals, something I thought was impossible.

"Barry," he shouted. "You need to go and fetch the key for him to drive the car." He took a huge pull on his cigarette and theatrically blew out a huge cloud of smoke.

He went back to his friends and resumed smoking and swearing.

"I tell you what," I said. "Let's just leave it there, shall we?"

I had money in my pocket. Money I wanted to leave as a deposit for a new car, possibly his car, that day. I left without even sitting in it.

"I don't think you should have bought it from them, Dad," my son said. "They looked like baddies from a film."

We drove to see another car at another garage in Leicester. It was black. It looked nice.

It drove nice, too. But then I had a cursory look through the service history book and it looked like it had been compiled by Hans Christian Anderson. I left again, my deposit money intact.

We headed out to Peterborough, me and my boy. It was Saturday morning. Danny Baker's show was on the radio. I held off with the Thin Lizzy CDs because I like Danny Baker's show.

This was something of a revelation to my boy. He's only heard call-in shows on Radio Leicester, where the presenters, so utterly desperate for "listener involvement", urge callers to ring in with views on their favourite pie or colour of sock or, this week's red-hot debate, whether they prefer an online diary or a paper one.

On Danny Baker's show that morning, a woman rang in to tell him how her three-year-old son somehow got a saucepan stuck on his head and they had to call for the firefighters to free it.

Baker, the perfect ringmaster, took a step back and let her talk. He prodded her just enough and at just the right moments – NB, please note Radio Leicester presenters, he didn't wade in with his own under-whelming anecdote that wasn't as funny as the caller's, he just let her talk – and we drove along the A47, me and my boy, laughing like chimps.

We arrived at the garage in Peterborough. You should head out to Peterborough the next time you feel despondent about Leicester. It will help to put things in perspective.

Another car. I looked under the bonnet, pulled a few approving faces like I knew what I was looking at and I liked what I saw – I had no idea, really – and I took it for a drive. It was nice.

He dropped the price a tiny bit but nowhere near enough so we had a tedious debate about that which ended with him steadfastly refusing to budge. So I left. "Always be prepared to walk away," is the line you should keep in mind when you're buying a car. So I stood up and walked out.

We drove home, listening to the majesty that is Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous album and I told my boy all about the majesty of the Gibson Les Paul – he loved that – and three days later the man from the garage rang. "That offer you made," he said. "Yeah, fair enough, we'll take it."

So we had a deal. A week later, I was back on the A47 out to Peterborough to pick it up.

That was a few weeks ago. And ever since then, the car – it's just five years old, full service history, one careful owner – has creaked and croaked and been in and out of the garage. Oh, it's a joy and no mistake.

I have had several tetchy telephone conversations with the garage owner. He's gone from obliging to dismissive. I've gone from polite to furious. The last time we spoke, he put the phone down on me. I love that, me.

My wife likes to give her cars a name. "I'm calling this one The White Elephant," she said.

It looks like it might stick.

fredleicester@leicestermercury.co.uk

A councillor stepped in to mend an 81-year-old woman's broken garden gate after officials told her it could take them up to three weeks to get round to mending it.

Coun Nigel Porter decided to grab his toolbox after Zelda Rubinstein complained about how long it would take Leicester City Council to sort the problem through official channels.

Zelda said council workmen came to fix the gate, which would not open, on September 15 but did not solve the problem.

The former teacher, who lives in a council bungalow in Montrose Road South, Aylestone, was then told it could be October 8 or 15 before they could return meaning her rubbish would not be able to be collected for weeks.

She said: "I called councillor Porter because I thought that was just too long. He agreed with me but I didn't expect him to come round and do it himself.

"It was very good of him. He didn't have to do it. It really should have been the council's responsibility but they were not very helpful.

"I have an assisted bin collection and the rubbish goes out of that gate so it needed.

"Also if there had been an emergency that meant I couldn't get out my front door I would have been stuck in the back garden."

The Liberal Democrat councillor for Aylestone said: "I just thought it was stupid that she would have to wait that long.

"She would have had to manhandle a six foot gate to get it open and an elderly lady shouldn't have to do that.

"It only took ten minutes to do. I just had to adjust the latch and plane a bit off.

"The council didn't do a proper job first time and wouldn't then sort it out promptly after that.

"It's ludicrous and not really good enough."

A city council spokesman said the repairs would have been completed within the five week target for non-urgent work.

He said: "We were asked to repair the gate on September 3 and carried out the work on September 15. However, 10 days later Miss Rubinstein rang to say the gate wasn't working once again, so we arranged to revisit and repair it once more.

"We understand it has been an inconvenience for Miss Rubinstein, but the work is not an emergency, and so we are well within the target time we set for non-urgent repairs, which is five weeks."

Winger Miles Benjamin insists the club's injury-stricken squad is not feeling sorry for itself after Saturday's last-gasp loss to London Irish.

The 26-year-old made his first start for Tigers since the Heineken Cup fixture in Treviso eight months ago having now recovered from a knee injury.

His absence from the team has been one of several well-documented injuries that have once again decimated Leicester's ranks at the start of their Aviva Premiership campaign.

But Benjamin says that Leicester's problems are similar to those of other clubs around the country and that the squad will just get on with the job at hand.

"We have got some injuries but we don't feel sorry for ourselves," he said.

"Everyone in the squad feels good enough to play in this side and we are not the only side in the league crippled by injuries, that's the way the game is going.

"Every team has a big squad these days and when you have periods with plenty of injuries, you have to try and get the results while you are going through it."

With wingers like Niall Morris, Scott Hamilton and Gonzalo Camacho all on the long-term injury list, Benjamin is likely to get a second straight start at Gloucester next weekend.

With the Cherry & Whites struggling to find some form too, Kingsholm may not be a place for the faint-hearted.

"They have struggled on their travels but are a different side at home," said Benjamin, "especially if a side like Leicester are going there.

"We will be geared up for the trip and we need to turn our season around and get back on track to where we want to be."

The former Worcester man thought that a lack of accuracy at key moments cost Leicester a second successive defeat in the 22-19 reverse at home to London Irish on Saturday.

Benjamin took some solace in an injury-free return to action but was frustrated by the narrow defeat.

"We wanted a response after last week at Bath and, up to a point, we got it," he said. "And I am glad to come through it unscathed on a personal point of view.

"Training has been good and everyone was very motivated. All last week, everyone was geared up to getting it right.

"We were not as competitive as we wanted to be at Bath. But we were way more competitive this week.

"It went down to the wire against a good side who have been in good form. We were evenly matched and someone had to lose.

"Unfortunately, they were more accurate than us at crucial moments and it was quite a scatty game because neither side put many phases together.

"It came down to penalties and they were more accurate at converting the opportunities they had."