Leicester City could move back into the automatic promotion places tonight with victory at Leeds.

City rose to third on Saturday after their impressive win at Sheffield Wednesday, and Nigel Pearson's men will be bidding to repeat the feat at Elland Road tonight and put pressure on second-placed Crystal Palace, who lost to Leeds on Saturday.

City have scored eight goals and kept consecutive clean sheets in the last two games, and Pearson said he was pleased with his side's current good form.

"It is good to see the players are performing well as a team," he said.

"That is the most pleasing aspect for me when people pay us compliments, that we have a good team. It is nice because we know we have good players, we had good players last season, but as a team we are much better now.

"There is a collective spirit and, even when we have not been at our best, we have still been able to get good results. That is what you have to do throughout the season.

"It is still early days and there is a long way to go. It is too early to be giving ourselves a pat on the back. It is work in progress but we are doing okay."

Pearson is expecting a similar challenge tonight to the one they experienced at Hillsborough.

Wednesday adopted a direct approach, but City coped well and Pearson believes his side will again come under aerial bombardment tonight.

"Looking at how Leeds played against Palace, they will try to get bodies into the box and get themselves into goalscoring positions," he said.

"We have to show the same resilience we showed on Saturday but also play our football.

"On Saturday, in difficult conditions, against a side that can cause problems, we managed the ball very well.

"We controlled the game for long periods. If we get our performance in order, then we have a good chance of winning.

"It is business as usual as far as we concerned in how we approach any game. They had a good result at the weekend, but so did we.

"We know they are capable of producing good performances, and I know Neil (Warnock, Leeds manager) well.

"It is traditionally a tough place to get a result, but we are upbeat and I know that if we get our performance right, we will cause them problems."

City will again be without striker David Nugent (neck) and Sean St Ledger (hamstring), but Pearson said the pair were not far away from a return to action.

"They are improving, but there are no real changes from the weekend," he said.

Schools were shut, roads remained closed and stranded animals had to be tended by RSPCA officers as floodwater continued to create problems.

Two primary schools – Dovelands in Western Park, Leicester, and Latimer in Anstey – were forced to shut their doors yesterday after water filled their boiler rooms, cutting off the heating.

Emma Turner, head teacher at Latimer, said the school's premises officer discovered the cellar's boiler room filled with water on Sunday.

"He spent his birthday weekend bailing water out of the cellar," she said. "The water had turned the boiler off and we had to close the school to check that it was okay, and that it could be lit again. Engineers came out to check, and it was fine."

Miss Turner said the school was due to be open as normal today.

Overflowing drains caused the boiler room at Dovelands to flood with two feet of water.

In a message on its website, head teacher Cathy Moss said the broken heating system meant the school would still be closed today.

In the county, RSPCA officers had to wade through waist-deep water to feed six horses stranded in a field.

Sharon Knight, animal collection officer at the RSPCA worked with the fire service to deliver hay to the six horses trapped in flooded fields off Granite Way, Mountsorrel.

During the weekend RSPCA officers attended about 10 reports of animals affected by flooding.

Inspector Michelle McNab said her team helped rescue four horses in a field off Slash Lane, in Sileby.

"Most of our incidents were a case of going out to monitor and check the animals were okay to just be left," she said.

"One that we got tons of calls about was horses in water in a field behind PC World, at Fosse Park.

"We thought they might be stuck in the mud, but upon inspection they were fine – they were just having a dip," she said.

Tom Duffin, of Stonehurst Farm, spent yesterday morning leading 40 of his cows to safety after water continued to pour over the banks of the River Soar in Mountsorrel.

"Fifty years of farming and I have never seen anything like this," he said. "It was wet over the weekend, but by this morning it was up to their bellies.

"We had to take food out to them to lead them out to a drier field."

Tom and his colleagues began the rescue at 6am, finishing at lunch.

"We are supposed to be gearing up for the busy Christmas period, but instead we were leading cattle through two-and-a-half feet of water," he said.

The Environment Agency removed several "imminent" flood warnings it put in place over the weekend, but alerts were still in place for the River Wreake at Frisby on Wreake, and the River Soar at Sileby, Mountsorrel, Barrow upon Soar and Zouch.

Several roads throughout the county still had problems yesterday, with flooding closing all four main routes into Barrow upon Soar, forcing residents to take long detours through either Loughborough or Cossington to get in and out of the village.

Leeds United boss Neil Warnock believes his side are facing the best squad in the Championship tonight when Leicester City visit Elland Road.

Warnock's men beat second-placed Crystal Palace on Saturday, But he says City are the best-equipped to go for automatic promotion.

"I think Palace are the best team in the league at the moment, but now we have to face Leicester, who have the best squad in the league," said Warnock.

"I think they will probably finish at the top of the league at the end of the season.

"Leicester have got a fabulous squad. Yes, they have spent a lot of money, but they still have to spend it correctly and he (City boss Nigel Pearson) has some really good players. If we could finish above them, we would be automatically promoted.

"Cardiff and Leicester have spent decent money and that is why they are where they are. I think they will be looking forward to getting into that Promised Land."

Leeds have been buoyed by the completion of the drawn-out takeover of the club and now have financial resources of their own.

Warnock has brought in Jerome Thomas on loan from West Bromwich Albion and Alan Tate from Swansea, and admits it has boosted his team's fortunes.

"It was important not just to beat Palace, but perform well. The new players gave us all a lift," he said. "The Leicester game will be ever so difficult."

Lollipop man Bob Pole has been abused, sworn at and threatened by motorists as he guides children across the road.

The 73-year-old great-grandfather, who has been a lollipop man in Knighton, Leicester, for eight years, said: "It is just getting worse and worse."

He spoke out about the daily barrage of abuse he has to put up with in a bid to get drivers to slow outside St Thomas More School, in Knighton Road.

Mr Pole said: "I cannot believe how fast some of these drivers travel up and down here when they know there is a school.

"All I am trying to do is to get a lot of little children safely across a road and into the school. Many seem to react as if I am personally trying to ruin their day."

Mr Pole, of Wigston, who has four children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, said he was threatened recently.

He said: "There were two men in a car and I had stepped out with my lollipop to stop the traffic to allow children to cross.

"They took exception to my stopping them and shouted abuse at me.

"The car had already stopped and then one man got out and approached me.

"He was shouting very loudly and was very aggressive. He came near to me and said 'Have we got a problem?'.

I told him I did not have a problem but that he would have one with the police if he did not leave.

"This is the type of rubbish that some drivers are capable of. Why? It seems to be just because they have to slow down or maybe stop to let little children cross the road to get to school."

Mr Pole, a part-time cellarman at the Horse and Trumpet pub, in Wigston, said it was not just male drivers who subjected him to abuse.

He said: "Sometimes the women are worse. I can't believe some of the abuse that comes out of their mouths.

"I think drivers should think twice about their speed and their behaviour. I am here to help protect the children and I love my job."

Parents of pupils at the primary school supported Mr Pole's call for drivers to slow down.

Elizabeth Pateman, 30, of Knighton, whose five-year-old son Samson goes to the school said: "It is awful. I have seen and heard some of the abuse directed at Bob the lollipop man.

"It is terrible that parents and children should have to hear this. The drivers who do this should be ashamed.

"Bob is a lovely man and all the children love him to bits. He is always smiling and helpful and is only doing his job."

Head teacher Pat Mason also appealed to drivers to go slower on the two main roads outside her school.

Mrs Mason, who has been at the 278-pupil school for 18 years, said: "We have always had a problem with car going too quickly near the school.

"The main problem is in Knighton Road but there are also drivers speeding along Ratcliffe Road at the back.

"Mr Pole is a lovely man who does a great job for us.

"If this gets drivers to think twice and to slow near all schools, then that would be great."

Ben Marshall is determined to cement his place in the Leicester City starting line-up.

The midfielder came back with a bang at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and was man of the match in City's 2-0 victory.

The England under-21 international, who replaced Anthony Knockaert, set up Danny Drinkwater for the first goal and scored a stunning second to cap a top-class performance.

It was only his second start since the 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough at the end of September, with the rest of time spent on the bench.

Now, he is hoping to kick on when City travel to Leeds United tonight (7.45).

Marshall admits his form had dipped after an excellent start to the season, which was rewarded with a call-up to the England under-21 squad, but said his confidence was now returning.

"I haven't been frustrated at all on the bench," he said. "It is all down to my performances. Sometimes you have to take your chance.

"I have just been waiting for my chance and it has come and it is up to me to stay in the side now.

"My form may have dipped a bit but that wasn't to do with the England under-21s. Every player goes through it, a drop in confidence.

"Confidence is one of the main things in football. But now I want to put it behind me and crack on.

"It is always hard coming on as sub and trying to get into the pace of a game. I have managed to get 80 minutes in. I did all right, scored a goal and I can't do much more."

The victory put City up to third in the table and Marshall said it was vital they remained in the top three and in contention for automatic promotion.

"We are up there now and it is our job to stay there and push on," he said. "If we can get back to top spot again then it will be up to us to stay there."

City head to Elland Road, where they will face former defender Lee Peltier.

"I am good friends with Pelts and he is a good player," said Marshall. "It will be a tough game," he said.

"Three points is the target and, if we show the same spirit that we showed at Sheffield on Saturday, we can come away with the victory."

Leicester City's miserly defensive record will be key to a promotion push, says manager Nigel Pearson.

City took their tally of clean sheets to eight on Saturday with victory at Sheffield Wednesday, the highest number in the Championship.

City also have the joint-lowest number of goals-against in the division, along with Brighton, on 16.

Pearson said the entire team, and not just the back four and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, could take credit for their excellent record.

"We have an experienced back five, but we also defend well as a team," said Pearson.

"The energy levels we have in our forwards is excellent. You start defending from the front and I think the intensity with which we are able to press the opposition is vital.

"The players understand how we defend as a team, that is from the front. If you have forwards who are willing to work hard for the team, it triggers the rest off.

"Sheffield Wednesday are a big side and we had to deal with a lot of dangerous aerial situations, and did that very well.

"Players are in the side for different reasons and we know we have some very good defenders at the club. But, all in all, it is about us defending and attacking well as a team.

"The goals we are scoring are being spread through the team, and that is important through the duration of the season.

"But if you keep clean sheets, it does give you a better chance to win games. Things are going pretty well and it shows the group ethic we have got."

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HUNDREDS of people braved the cold, wet weather to meet everyone's favourite TV chef, Nigella Lawson today. 

Arriving at Waterstones in Market Street, to sign copies of her new book, Nigellissimo, she was met with a round of applause from the hoards of people who had gathered in and around the shop. 

At the front of the line was Morag Clarke (58), from Leicester Forest East, who had been queueing for over two hours.

She said: "I booked the morning off work just so I could be here and I'm thrilled to be at the front of the queue."

Lance Prescott (28), was second in the line and had travelled to Leicester from Nottingham that morning to meet the star. 

He said: "I met her at a book signing in London three years ago. She was really sweet and down to earth. I remember thinking she looks a lot smaller than

she does on TV. "

Nigella arrived at the store at 12.30pm and was expected to be there for most of the afternoon. 

A pig brought chaos to rush-hour commuters after running loose on the M1 yesterday.

The pig, which had to be put down, was reported on the motorway between junctions 21 and 21A at about 3pm.

Police closed off the northbound carriageway for a short time, causing long tailbacks.

They reopened two of the lanes, but the other two remained closed while officers kept the animal contained in a ditch by the side of the motorway .

The RSPCA and a vet called to the scene had to put the pig down.

The motorway was fully reopened shortly before 7pm.

De Montfort University's latest rebuilding project is set to add some futuristic buildings to the skyline of the city.

The university has more than £90 million available to rebuild a large area of its campus, which will involve demolishing most of the two-storey section of the 1960s Fletcher Building.

The multi-storey section of the building will be revamped and surrounded by modern structures with glass paneling and flowing designs, as well as new lawns to enhance Mill Lane, the newly-pedestrianised road through the campus.

The university said the open area would be for students, staff and the general public.

The plans have been welcomed by students.

Journalism student Andrew Brady, 21, said: "I think it's really good. It will make it better for students.

"I like the other new buildings they've done recently – they're really good.

"I'm in my final year, so I won't be here to see it, but it's going to be great in summer for students, having the extra green area."

His friend Nichola Munroe, 22, also a third-year journalism student, said: "It's really good they're doing this.

"Although they have closed off Mill Lane it still feels like a road, but when there's the green space it will be different.

"The University of Leicester has good green space around the campus but we've just got Bede Park and that's it.

"It's going to be good."

The Fletcher Building houses the art, design and humanities department, which will benefit from a revamped interior with better teaching areas.

Another big change will be the moving of the campus dining area from the ground floor of the campus centre to the Fletcher Building site.

This will mean more space in the campus centre for the Students Union to use.

The cash for the work came from a "public bond" – a 30-year loan provided by financial institutions.

Professor Dominic Shellard, vice-chancellor of the university, said: "Everything we do at De Montfort University is focused on our students, so I am very proud we have become the first university in the country to secure a bond to fund such a distinctive programme of campus enhancements."

Some of the money will be spent off-campus at the John Sandford sports centre in Western Boulevard, which will become an exhibition and conference centre, as well as being available for some sports. There will also be some cash spent continuing the job of refurbishing Main Building, in Mill Lane, which will include extra teaching space.

Solar panels will be installed on the roofs of Edith Murphy, Gateway House and Hugh Aston buildings.

They are expected to power the buildings and make money through the sale of extra energy produced.

A man who broke a hostel resident's jaw in a fight about a pool game has been jailed for 12 months.

Alan Gonter (24) admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on August 7.

Leicester Crown Court was told the defendant and the 21-year-old victim were both staying in Kennedy House homeless hostel, Tigers Close, Wigston, when the fight broke out.

John Hallissey, prosecuting, said, at 10pm, Gonter went into the hostel's pool room and demanded an opportunity to play.

The victim explained there was a rule that the winner of the last game usually continued to play the next game.

The defendant told him: "Let's go and sort it outside."

The victim agreed and they both went outside.

Mr Hallissey said: "The defendant punched him from behind to the jaw.

"The complainant turned to face him, grabbing Gonter's arms to deflect the blows."

The victim stopped fighting and the defendant stood up.

While the victim was still on the ground, Gonter set about kicking him.

Mr Hallissey said: "He delivered one blow to his ribs and at least three to his face, causing a fractured jaw."

Lynsey Knott, mitigating, said: "He apologised. He knows what he did was totally unacceptable."

Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said Gonter had previous convictions for offences including assaults.

He said: "There was no excuse for kicking someone four times while they are on the ground."

Volunteers at a wildlife hospital are celebrating the return of stolen animal cages worth thousands of pounds.

The stainless steel and aluminium enclosures were stolen in a break-in at the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital, near Kibworth, in the summer.

During the raid, some of the ailing birds and hedgehogs kept in the cages were thrown out and killed.

The burglary left the hospital desperately trying to raise money to replace the cages.

Now, most of the cages are back where they belong after being discovered by police in Northamptonshire.

Hospital founder Angie Downham said she was delighted the cages had been found. We want to thank the police and all those involved in finding them," she said.

"They are worth up to £16,000.

"The recovery is a real boost for us financially as we can now concentrate on raising funds to maintain the hospital rather than replace so many cages."

A total of 28 cages were stolen in the raid and police have recovered 17. Twelve are specifically to care for hedgehogs, the other five for larger animals.

The hospital, which moved to bigger premises two years ago, cares for about 2,000 animals a year, with the help of a team of volunteers.

Mrs Downham said: "We understand the cages were being used to house poultry. Police raided premises on Friday and officers recognised our cages.

"They had been damaged and were filthy when they were returned on Friday and Saturday.

"Our volunteers have worked tirelessly over the weekend to clean them and some are being used to house hedgehogs already.

"Some have been badly damaged and bits are missing and need to be repaired. It looks as if those who stole them did not know how to operate the sliding doors properly."

Northamptonshire Police executed a warrant on a premises on Friday. The rest of the cages, which were used to house injured birds, are still missing.

Police said inquiries were ongoing.

Pc Claire Salmon, of Northamptonshire Police, said: "During the execution of a warrant in Northampton on Friday, November 23, officers discovered a number of cages.

"We suspected they were the property of the wildlife hospital in Kibworth following a burglary there. This was confirmed and the cages were returned to their rightful owners."

People who want to donate to the hospital can visit its website at:

www.leicesterwildlife hospital.org

Two college students robbed a teenager at knifepoint in daylight.

The 18-year-old victim was walking along The Newarke when he was accosted by the pair, who were wearing hoods and scarves.

One – Joseph Makande (18) – grabbed the victim, putting his hand across his chest.

He shoved him against railings, saying: "What have you got?"

Makande's 17-year-old accomplice blocked the victim's path and attempted to search his pockets, demanding his mobile phone.

When he resisted, Makande threatened: "Let us have your phone or I'll stab you."

The victim felt a sharp point in the lower left side of his back and looked down to see a knife with a four-inch blade.

Leicester Crown Court heard that passers-by appeared too frightened to respond to pleas for help.

The 17-year-old juvenile took the victim's phone.

The incident left the victim traumatised and suffering from panic attacks and nightmares, the court heard.

He was too frightened to walk to work afterwards and had the expense of taking taxis and moving closer to work.

He feared the robbers would strike again and, because he did not see their faces, felt scared when he saw males of a generally similar appearance.

CCTV cameras captured the defendants afterwards changing their clothes.

Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: "This is an example of a case where CCTV footage assisted greatly."

He said footage showed them appearing to "swagger" away looking pleased, before they were arrested.

Makande, of Tomlin Road, Northfields, Leicester, admitted robbery and possessing a knife during the incident, which happened at 5.50pm on June 15.

He received 16 months' detention.

The juvenile, also from Leicester, cannot be named because of a court order.

He was given a two-year youth rehabilitation order, with 12 months' supervision, and 180 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £700 compensation to the victim and £500 costs, the responsibility for which falls to his parents.

He admitted robbery on the basis he had no advance knowledge Makande was going to produce a knife.

In mitigation, the court heard the defendants were both college students, from respectable homes.

Their parents disapproved of their actions.

Justine Robinson, for Makande, said: "He is remorseful and understands the effect upon the complainant."

A dentist who defrauded the NHS is at risk of serving a suspended jail sentence after failing to carry out unpaid work.

John Atkinson was found guilty of 17 charges of false accounting involving claims to the NHS for more than £20,000, after a trial this year.

He made 91 fraudulent claims to the NHS for treatment which he had carried out privately at Clarendon Road dental practice, in Hinckley.

At Leicester Crown Court in August, Atkinson (64), of Finham Road, Kenilworth, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

But at Warwick Crown Court this month, Atkinson admitted breaching the suspended sentence order by failing to carry out the work.

It was claimed he had been unable to do the work because of a medical condition, so Judge Alan Parker adjourned the case for a report from Atkinson's doctor.

But at the resumed hearing, Ian Speed, defending, conceded a report handed to the judge from the doctor was "not sufficient".

Judge Parker said: "Either he is unfit to start work or he is fit and has not started it – and if that is the case, I expect him to be before Judge Hammond and to be sentenced to prison."

He adjourned the case for a further report from the doctor and to give Atkinson the chance to start the work.