The day the sky turned black in Leicester had the Mercury readers snapping away to capture the moment.

We asked if any of you had caught the image of the dark cloud that rolled over the city centre like a scene from the Hollywood movie Independence Day.

It seems it was not just Mercury photographer Alex Hannam who thought the striking phenomenon was worth recording.

We were inundated with photographs from readers from around the county who turned skyward at about 4pm on Monday.

Reader Melanie James switched to the camera mode of her mobile phone as the sky turned black.

Melanie, 36, of Highfields, took her image of the dark cloud as she visited her mother in Braunstone.

She said: "I was walking down Hallam Road at about 4.15pm when I realised just how dark it had become.

"At first I thought the sun had set but then I noticed that half the sky was blue and the rest back.

"It was really quite eerie. The photograph I took shows just how strange the sky looked."

Andrea Winkless, of Groby, took a picture on her phone out of her child's bedroom window after coming back from school.

The 44-year-old said: "I was just about to close the curtains to get ready for the evening when I looked up and saw this big black line right across the sky.

"It really was like the film Independence Day. It was a bit scary.

"I went out and brought the guinea pigs in from the garden because I expected a big downpour but no rain came. I have never seen anything quite like it."

Mercury weatherman Dave Mutton allayed fears of an alien invasion like the scene in Independence Day when a massive extra-terrestrial spacecraft blacks out the sky above Washington DC.

Dave explained that the striking phenomenon was caused by cold air meeting warm air.

He said: "It was very dramatic illustration of what happens when two different temperatures of air meet.

"Conditions like that can lead to the forming of mini-twisters and mini-tornados.

"The same conditions could be created again as we have the warm air during the late morning and afternoon meeting much colder air coming in later."

For more pictures of the dark cloud go to our website at www.leicestermercury.co.uk/pictures

Two landmark city buildings have been given new leases of life.

The curved Victorian building on the corner of Welford Place and Pocklington's Walk is being turned into a pizza restaurant.

And former real ale pub The Shakespeare's Head, in Southgates, has been re-opened as a sports bar.

The Victorian building - a Grade II-listed former businessmen's club - has been home to a number of businesses in recent years, including the former Welford Place restaurant and a nightclub.

The new pizza restaurant, called Peter and That's Enough Pizzeria, is due to open on February 14 next year, and will create 15 full and part-time jobs.

Raffaele Russo, founder of Peter's, said: "We feel like Leicester has a void in terms of what we do, which is provide our customers with a casual dining experience with great pizza.

"We aim to be a destination venue, rather than a stop-off point, and want our customers to feel that it is worth the extra five minute's walk to get there."

The restaurant, which will feature upcycled furniture that is available to buy, will be the second Peter's branch. The first branch opened in Loughborough more than a year ago.

The pizzas will cost between £6 and £12 and will feature ingredients such as salami and black truffle.

Peter's will also offer a breakfast option, where customers can create their own version of pizzas using a scrambled egg base and an assortment of toppings.

Raffaele said: "We value our products and ingredients, which are from both the south of Italy and locally in Leicestershire.

"We want our customers to feel that they can come and spend between £10 to £15 and still feel like they have had a good evening.

"We don't want to be an Italian restaurant. We like to think of ourselves as an English pizzeria with a community atmosphere.

"We love the location because it's relatively close to De Montfort University. We're very passionate about it and it's very important to us.

"Our demographic currently consists of 50 per cent students and 50 per cent from the local community."

Rafaele also runs Loughborough student lettings agency Loc8me.

The Shakespeare's Head, a 1960s pub which overlooks Southgates underpass, shut in 2012 after the site was sold by the brewery that owned it. 

It has now re-opened as Fat Budha, which is described as a sports bar, grill and cafe.

The Shakespeare's Head was the Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) Pub Of The Month in May 2006, and was included in the Good Beer Guide each year from 2006 until its closure in 2012.

Local Camra chairman Keith Williams said: "It used to be one of the best pubs in town for real ale but the brewery that used to own it - Oakwell Brewery in Barnsley - sold all its pubs off."

The new bar is open from 6pm until 2am each day.

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Taxi drivers, pub managers and hotel owners are being encouraged to keep an eye out for paedophiles abusing children.

The campaign targets people working in certain jobs who are likely to spot children in inappropriate situations with adults.

Leaflets and log books are also being sent to businesses in Leicestershire and Rutland such as cafes, B&Bs and late night takeaways as part of the campaign so staff can record and report any suspicious behaviour.

Police are also visiting hotels and B&Bs to talk to reception and bar staff and help them recognise potential signs of a child at risk.

As well as asking staff to be on the look-out, the new leaflet, which has been created by the Leicestershire and Rutland Local Safeguarding Children Board, reminds licensed premises they have legal responsibilities to protect children from harm.

David Jones, chairman of the board, said: "We all have a responsibility to do what we can to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.

"Hotel and bar staff can play a crucial role in keeping young people safe.

"Helping them to be aware of the possible signs and how to raise any concerns they have is an excellent initiative and a vital aspect of this important campaign."

The campaign is backed by Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council, Rutland County Council, the NHS and district and borough councils.

The campaign has also involved a Twitter campaign to make young people, parents and professionals aware of the signs of child sexual exploitation, and where to report concerns.

Child sexual exploitation refers to any situation where children are being manipulated or forced into taking part in any kind of sex act.

Hidden signs families and friends of children can look out for include sudden changes in mood, physical appearance and eating habits, the appearance of unexplained gifts, secretive mobile phone use and children regularly missing school.

According to the board, those statistically most at risk of sexual exploitation include children with violent, criminal or mentally ill parents, youngsters with learning disabilities, the recently bereaved, children with few friends and young people unsure about their sexual orientation.

Children in care or living in hostels are also more likely to be sexually exploited.

Paul Burnett, an independent member of the board, said: "Last year, we launched our campaign to start a conversation about child sexual exploitation.

"Initial results suggest more people are now able to spot the tell-tale signs.

"This part of the drive focuses on creating awareness amongst licensed business owners and staff and we've designed tailored materials which they can use as part of their everyday business."

For more information visit www.lrsb.org.uk/cse

A shopkeeper has been jailed for selling illegal tobacco.

Sardar Khedir Harris (36) who used to run the International Supermarket in Sparrow Hill, Loughborough, has been sentenced to eight weeks in prison after a raid uncovered the counterfeit goods.

A specially trained sniffer dog found the tobacco haul during the raid at the shop in December last year by Leicestershire County Council's Trading Standards Service and police.

The officers seized a total of 123 packets of cigarettes and 53 pouches of hand rolling tobacco, which were in drawstring bags found hanging from a pipe outside the property.

The value of the fake tobacco products, had they been genuine and legal, would have been more than £1,800.

Harris pleaded guilty to three separate counts of possessing counterfeit goods for supply, as well as a further guilty plea to having cigarettes which failed to meet the European safety requirements.

Magistrates at Leicester Magistrates' Court concluded on Friday that Harris had caused a loss of revenue to HMRC, put public safety at risk and caused damage to the legitimate economy.

Magistrates heard that because Harris was short of money he decided to take the risk of selling the items, knowing it was wrong to do so.

The Magistrates also heard Harris had previous convictions for fraud.

The goods seized from him will now be destroyed.

Joe Orson, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for Trading Standards, said: "This is a strong message from the courts about how seriously they regard these offences.

"The supply and sale of illegal tobacco products, whether counterfeit or non-duty paid items is illegal and is detrimental to the local economy and communities."

Earlier this year Trading Standards and the Fire and Rescue Service launched a campaign about the fire risk posed by illegal cigarettes.

David Bull, head of Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards Service said: "Counterfeit and illicit tobacco products are extremely dangerous, as the cigarettes will not have been manufactured with the special self-extinguishing paper.

"Without this there is a far greater risk of fire if a cigarette is left unattended.

"Anyone who is selling such products should take a warning from this conviction, as the next person we prosecute could be them."

After Harris's arrest the store was transferred to new management but it lost its licence earlier this month after selling alcohol to a 15-year-old.

Charnwood Borough Council's licensing sub-committee heard the new owner had previously been warned about selling alcohol to under-18s but had ignored the warnings.

The shop remains open despite losing its alcohol licence on December 9.

Anyone with any information about the sale and supply of illegal tobacco products can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

For more information on Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards Service visit: www.leics.gov.uk/tradingstandards

A specialist sport and exercise medicine centre at a university is to become an Olympic research centre.

The National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine based at Loughborough University has been named an International Olympic Committee (IOC) research centre for prevention of injury and protection of athlete health, and is one of just nine in the world.

The IOC has made the protection of athletes' health and the prevention of injuries and illness in sport a top priority for its Medical Commission.

It will now be tasked with researching, developing and implementing effective preventive and treatment strategies for sports-related injuries and illnesses.

It will receive financial support from the IOC and join an international network of expert scientists and clinicians in sports-injury and diseases-prevention research.

"We're delighted to have appointed nine highly qualified centres from the four corners of the world to assist us with our mission," said Dr Ugur Erdener, IOC medical commission chair.

"These centres have demonstrated that they are at the forefront of research in sports medicine and are committed to our shared goal of using knowledge and resources to ensure that athletes can perform at their best level with minimal risks to their health."

Professor Mark Lewis, director of the NCSEM and dean of Loughborough University's school of sport, exercise and health sciences, said: "I'm delighted that our centre has been recognised in this way by the IOC.

"The NCSEM will integrate research, education and clinical services to accelerate the translation of scientific research into new models of healthcare provision, helping to ensure that the UK remains at the cutting edge of the prevention and treatment of sports-related injuries."

As well as looking at athlete injuries and illness, the NCSEM will focus on the wellbeing of the general population.

It will treat injuries caused by exercise and conditions associated with lack of exercise, and help people to cope with existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, through physical activity.

The centre itself is a collaboration of six university and hospital partners – Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham, the University of Leicester, Nottingham University NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Nottingham Healthcare NHS Trust.

leicestermercury.co.uk/news

Three young children who lost their mum in a car crash two months before Christmas are going to Disneyland Paris next year - thanks to the generosity of fund raisers.

Michelle Davies was killed when her Mazda Premacy was involved in a collision with a Volvo lorry on the A606 between Melton and Oakham, in October.

The 29-year-old died at the scene of the crash.

Michelle, of Dorothy Avenue, Melton, left behind children Levi, nine, Aeron, eight and two-year-old daughter, Neveah.

On Sunday, family and friends organised a fund-raising day to realise Michelle's dream of taking her children to the French fantasy park.

A surprise £2,000 donation at the event, held at Melton Training Centre Ltd, in the town's Snow Hill industrial estate, from a woman who wants to remain anonymous, will ensure a bumper trip for the children.

And Totally Tangled Parties, of Melton, who provided characters from the hit children's film, Frozen, at the event, donated four tickets to the theme park.

Michelle's stepmother, Shelagh Foreman, 54, of Melton, said: "What happened to Michelle was a tragedy for the adults in the family, for the children it is heartbreaking.

"When Neveah sees pictures of Michelle, she shouts 'Mama' and the boys, who are older and understand more are very upset at the loss of their mum - they can't understand what's happened.

"It was such an absolute shock to all of us, you just don't foresee things like this happening, it will take us a long time to recover."

She added: "Events like yesterday's help, the children are very excited about going to Disneyland.

"We are so overwhelmed by people's generosity, particularly by the anonymous donation of £2,000 which will go towards the trip.

"People in Melton have been so fabulously generous, I can't thank them enough.

"Any money which is left over and money from other fund raising events we are planning will go towards a fund for the children's college and university education."

Michelle's sister, Natasha Miller 30, said: "The lady who made the donation had been through a similar experience and turned up at the event, but doesn't want to be identified. She asked us to let her know how things are getting on.

"I would like family and friends and the wider community to know that their generosity will put a smile on the children's faces - it won't bring their mum back, but it will give them a little bit of help.

"Were planning another big event for June, when it would have been Michelle's 30th birthday, which will include a big family fun day and a charity football match."

Jan Box, director and tutor at Melton Training Ltd, who organised the event, which also raised more than £300 on the day, said:"People have really rallied round and the generosity of the people of Melton is amazing."

Alison Martin is deputy news editor at the Leicester Mercury and a mother of one. Here she talks about her views on breastfeeding: 

I didn't really want to breastfeed my baby while in the grounds of a historic Welsh castle that was heaving with tourists. But my four-month-old had been screaming for 15 minutes and it was that ear-piercing cry which meant: "Give me food NOW, Mum!"

So I found a comfortable bench and fed him. Nobody batted an eyelid. Nobody cared. And my insecurity about breastfeeding my little boy in a busy public place, which was quite crippling and difficult in the first few months of being a mum, suddenly evaporated.

I'm telling you this as it has been a week since Nigel Farage's comments backing staff at Claridge's in London who asked a breastfeeding mum to cover up. He said that mothers should "perhaps sit in the corner" when they breastfeed. Then he backtracked and things got a lot vaguer. But his comments made me realise that a lot of people don't think it's okay for mums to breastfeed in public.

I've been getting angry about this all week.

As all breastfeeding mums understand, when your baby is hungry in those chaotic first few months, you can't just hang on until you arrive at a convenient private place. That baby needs his milk there and then, or else everyone in the surrounding mile radius will be deafened by his cries.

They also know that it's not always possible to feed that baby discreetly. As soon as a baby becomes aware of what's going on around him, he wants to turn his head and look at it. That's really not very helpful if you are trying to be discreet. Yes, you can splash out on over-priced nursing clothes and breastfeeding aprons. Or you can just improvise and hope for the best.

The thing is: it's really tough being a new mum – whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your baby. Well-meaning people, from medical professionals to your own family, are constantly giving you advice and telling you how to do things.

There is a lot of pressure to breastfeed even though the world is full of healthy people who were bottle-fed as youngsters. And in the first few months of being a parent you are at the bottom of a very, very steep learning curve.

So I have a message to Nigel Farage, the staff at Claridge's and everyone else who has commented on this issue. New mums have got far higher priorities – mainly making sure their little one is fed, happy and healthy – than trying not to offend someone who could easily just look away if they didn't like what they saw.

More than 175,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Prime Minister to sack Conservative Charnwood MP Stephen Dorrell.

Mr Dorrell has recently started working for accountancy firm KPMG and has said he will not seek re-election in May.

However the petition, on the 38 Degrees website, urges David Cameron to force Mr Dorrell to make a choice between his MP's role and his employment at KPMG as he sees out his term.

Critics of the former health secretary say there is a conflict of interest because his new job is to help KPMG get a contract to manage NHS medical records.

The petition reads: "Dear Mr Cameron, MPs should work for voters, not private companies - especially not private companies with an interest in privatising our NHS.

"Force Stephen Dorrell MP to pick a job now. It's completely inappropriate to work for KPMG, a private company that wants to bid on a £1 billion NHS contract, and stay on as an MP till May 2015.

"Please sack him from your party if he refuses to put an end to this huge conflict of interest."

Mr Dorrell told the Mercury today there was no conflict of interest between his roles and stressed he felt it was important MPs have "outside activities" beyond politics.

He said he was still committed to working for his constituents and that his 21 weekly hours at KPMG part of a working week that was "seldom less than 100 hours".

He said he would not be stepping down adding: "This is a political campaign by people trying to making a political point.

"There is no basis whatsoever that I should stand down.

"There is no conflict of interest at all. Absolutely none."

Mr Dorrell also said the David Cameron had not raised the issue with him.

Nobody from 10 Downing Street was available for comment.

The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson had been asked to look into Mr Dorrell's position by Labour MP Graham Morris who sat on the parliamentary health select committee chaired by the Conservative.

Mr Dorrell said she concluded there was nothing improper about him holding both roles at once.

A spokesman for Ms Hudson's office said: "The commissioner has not received a formal complaint about Mr Dorrell and she is not currently undertaking any inquiry concerning him. It follows that she has not taken any view."

The Charnwood Conservative Association is in the process of picking a candidate to defend the seat in May.

It is considered a safe seat because Mr Dorrell won a 15,000 majority at the last election.

Association chairman Hanif Asmal said: "We hope to have selected a candidate in January or February.

"It has been popular. I will probably get somewhere like 200 applications." 

Firefighters tackled a blaze at an empty house in Oadby this morning.

Crews were called to Regent Street, just after 6.30am.

A fire has started on the ground floor of a two-storey terrace house.

A total of four engines were sent to the incident, two from Wigston and two from Central.

The blaze was located in the front room, which was heavily smoke logged.

Smoke had also spread to neighbouring properties.

The property, which measured approximately four by six metres, was vacant but under renovation.

The fire had been extinguished by 7.15am and crews were damping down the area.

The owner of the property has been contacted.

A spokesman from Leicestershire Fire Service said that the cause of the fire was believed to be an electrical fault.

The family of a murdered man say they are relieved one of his killers has been refused the chance to appeal his conviction.

Paul Fyfe, an Iraq war veteran who later became a Leicestershire police constable, died after a savage knife attack at a house in Rowlatts Hill, Leicester, in June 2011.

He was killed by Mohammed Adnam Hirsi (26), of Halstead Street, Leicester.

Ameen Hassan Jogee (25), of Dronfield Street, Spinney Hills, Leicester, was also convicted of murder on the basis he knew Hirsi might use the blade on Mr Fyfe and encouraged him.

Yesterday, Lord Justice Laws refused Jogee permission to appeal to the country's highest court – the Supreme Court.

Paul's widow Tracey, of Old Dalby, said the family welcomed the ruling.

"We are just so relieved," she said. "Absolutely."

Mrs Fyfe said she had only learned the appeal hearing was going ahead last week.

She said: "It was a huge blow, especially coming just before Christmas. We are extremely pleased as it's been hanging over our heads.

"It sets us back every time he appeals. The whole family is just extremely relieved."

The 2012 trial at Nottingham Crown Court heard Jogee and Hirsi took cocaine on the night of June 9, 2011 and went to the home where Mr Fyfe was staying, in Balderstone Close.

Uninvited, the pair soon left, but despite Jogee being told in a text message not to bring "that guy" again, they returned in the early hours.

Evidence was given that the householder watched as Hirsi stabbed Mr Fyfe with a knife taken from the kitchen, while Jogee remained outside, damaging a car.

In July last year, Jogee saw his appeal to the Court of Appeal thrown out by three senior judges. At his appeal, Jogee's barrister Frances Oldham QC argued that the way the trial judge directed the jury was wrong and resulted in an unsafe conviction.

She said the jury needed to be satisfied Jogee knew that Hirsi had the knife and then, with that knowledge, encouraged him in his actions.

Dismissing the appeal last year, Lord Justice Laws said there was nothing in Jogee's arguments.

In his ruling on Jogee's Supreme Court application today, he said: "We refuse leave to appeal."

A young man who had sex with a 14-year-old schoolgirl in woodland was jailed for three years and four months.

Lewis Colclough pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child in November last year, when he was 20.

Leicester Crown Court was told the defendant communicated with the girl on Facebook and they later exchanged phone text messages before meeting up.

Judge Simon Hammond said: "He he took her to Leicester's Braunstone Park.

"She said she was cold and he hugged her and when they sat on a bench they hugged and kissed.

"He took her into a wood and told her to get on the floor."

The judge said Colclough then had unprotected sex with the girl, who was a virgin.

Afterwards he walked her away from the woods and told her not to tell anyone.

However, the child's mother found out and the defendant was arrested.

Colclough, now aged 21, of Cressida Place, Braunstone, initially denied any wrongdoing, but his DNA was found on her jeans.

Judge Hammond said: "This was planned.

"He knew she was 14 and he took her into the woods.

"She was a vulnerable girl with learning difficulties and there was a six year age gap.

"These provisions in law are there to protect young girls from sexual predators, as in this case."

Judge Hammond said the pre-sentence report stated the defendant lacked insight into his offending and portrayed himself as the victim.

In mitigation, Mary Loran said Colclough was immature for his years and left "emotionally crippled" by a difficult childhood.

His mother left him on his grandmother's doorstep when he was 15.

Miss Loran said: "He stands by his guilty plea and has taken the first step in a long journey to address what he's done.

"He feels deep shame.

"He's a young man who makes incredibly bad decisions and has had no boundaries in life.

"The victim did not want to make a complaint or even be involved in any part of this investigation at one time."

Jude Hammond told the defendant: "You have to learn sexual boundaries."

Colclough was placed on a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years and will also have to enrol on a sex offender register. 

Leicester City are eyeing up a move for for Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle, according to the Daily Mirror.

The 24-year-old is believed to be frustrated with his lack of starts under Palace boss Neil Warnock despite having scored six goals this season, including a hat-trick in the League Cup against Walsall.

City boss Nigel Pearson is looking to bring in at least one more striker in January with his side bottom of the Premier League and struggling for goals.

It is reported that Palace want around £5million for the front man with City, as well as relegation rivals Burnley, considering making a move for the former Peterborough striker once the transfer window opens.

At least 3,500 homes will have to be built in the Harborough district over the next five years to hit government targets.

Shock new figures were released to councillors at a meeting yesterday.

The new rate is nearly double the former annual requirement which the council had failed to meet.

The new figure means 700 homes will have to be built each year if the council is to catch up by 2019.

But the increased figure has been criticised by the leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on the council Phil Knowles.

He said: "I am very concerned about the proposed numbers. The roads, and other infrastructure in the district is creaking at the moment. I do not know how we will cope."

He said: "We have not managed to meet the 350 a year requirement, nor the increased rate of 475 which was introduced in 2011/12.

"The suggestion we will now have to build 700 a year is very worrying."

To accommodate the new requirement the council is having to overturn its previous policies since an intervention earlier this year by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.

Mr Pickles said the council did not have the required five year supply of housing land.

A few weeks ago the council approved a controversial 275-home development on rolling farmland on the eastern edge of Leicester in the village of Bushby.

The council had previously rejected the scheme as an unwanted intrusion in the countryside.

Thurnby and Bushby Society chairman Jeff Rosenthal who opposed the scheme said the society had challenged the way the council has changed the annual housing requirement with the Local Government Ombudsman.

He said: "I cannot comment on the detail of the proposal for 700 homes a year.

"But we have challenged the methodology used to produce the figure of 475 in the complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.

"We have told the Ombudsman that we believe this figure was produced largely by officers without the full involvement of councillors.

"I anticipate a response from the Ombudsman in the next few days."

The 700-home requirement was proposed in a report to an executive panel meeting yesterday which said it was necessary to catch up and meet future targets.

The report said: "Of the past 8.5 years including the current, the annual housing targets (of 350 dwellings per annum from 2006, and 475 per annum from 2011) have only been met in three years.

"Due to the under delivery against annual targets in 5 of the past 8.5 years, the council has applied a 20 percent buffer. Should delivery performance improve, the Council may review its position on using a 20 per cent buffer in the future."

Gas network chiefs have issued a warning after a survey revealed that one in ten boilers inspected in Leicester were faulty.

National Grid said that when more than 11,000 gas boilers, cookers and fires were inspected in the city one in ten were found to be faulty.

The findings come from emergency incidents attended by National Grid and inspections by Gas Safe Registered engineers in Leicester between 2010 and 2013.

The statistics were collated by Gas Safe Register – the official list of engineers qualified to work safely and legally on gas appliances.

Following the ninth annual Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness week, in November, National Grid is hoping people will take action before Christmas and buy themselves an audible CO alarm.

James Harrison, Head of Network, said: "We want everyone to have a happy, safe Christmas but faulty appliances could lead to gas leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning or even fires and explosions.

"People should make sure all gas appliances are serviced annually by a Gas Safe Registered engineer and, as a back-up, buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm.

"A carbon monoxide alarm may not be top of people's Christmas shopping list but it could save a life."

Every year 40 people in the UK die of carbon monoxide, 200 are hospitalised and a further 4,000 visit accident and emergency departments with the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mr Harrison said: "Our engineers will be working 24/7 over the Christmas and New Year periods responding to emergencies.

"Our contact centre at Hinckley, Leicestershire, is on standby to receive tens of thousands of emergency calls from the members of the public across the country over the festive season.

"If anyone smells gas or experience the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately."

National Grid are urging people to follow simple steps to stay gas safe this Christmas which include making sure gas appliances, such as boilers, fires and cookers, are serviced annually by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer.

People should also install an audible carbon monoxide alarm as a back-up and check for warning signs that appliances aren't working correctly, such as lazy yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.

For more information about gas safety and carbon monoxide poisoning go to www.nationalgrid.com.

A list of Gas Safe Registered engineers is available from the Gas Safe Register website at www.gassaferegister.co.uk. Sign up at www.staygassafe.co.uk for a free reminder service.

If anyone has a gas-related emergency they should call 0800 111 999 to report it.

Whether you don't mind it or hate it, a television licence is just one of things most people have to have.

But some people try their hardest to wriggle out of the obligation.

TV Licensing has today issued its top 10 list of the daftest excuses people have offered for not having a TV Licence when they should be paying for one.

Leicester makes it into the list thanks to a dedicated cat owner...

Enjoy!

TV LICENSING – TOP 10 EXCUSES OF THE YEAR

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has accepted the FA charge following a bust-up with a fan and has requested a personal hearing.

The City boss was charged with using "abusive and/or insulting words towards a spectator" during his side's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at the King Power Stadium.

The FA announced the charge on December 11, after a video emerged on social media which apparently showed Pearson swearing at a fan in the stand behind the home dugout, and the City boss had until 6pm yesterday to respond.

The date of Pearson's personal hearing before an Independent Regulatory Commission, which will determine the scale of any punishment, will be decided in due course

A doctor and two nurses have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the death of a six-year-old boy at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

The charges against Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, Sister Theresa Taylor and Staff Nurse Isabel Amaro were announced by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) this morning following a review into the death of Jack Adcock.

Jack, of Glen Parva, died at the hospital on February 18, 2011.

In a statement released today, Fiona Morrison, specialist prosecutor with the CPS Special Crime Division, said: "We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by Leicestershire Police into the treatment and care of Jack Adcock by Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, Sister Theresa Taylor and Staff Nurse Isabel Amaro.

"Having completed our review, we have concluded there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Dr Bawa-Garba, Sister Taylor and Staff Nurse Amaro to each face charges of gross negligence manslaughter. The decision to prosecute has been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

"May I remind all concerned that Dr Bawa-Garba, Sister Taylor and Staff Nurse Amaro have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings."

Dr Bawa-Garba, Sister Taylor and Staff Nurse Amaro will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday, 23 January.

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Timothy York Heath (38), of Conery Lane, Enderby, pleaded guilty to stealing £70 from Westleigh Developments, Grange Business Park, Enderby Road, Whetstone, on June 13. He was given a community order including attending probation appointments when and where required for six months and told to pay £70 compensation.

Edward ArokIyaraj Jothinath (40), of Cavendish Road, Aylestone, pleaded guilty to stealing two wallets, worth £49.98, from Menkind, Highcross Shopping Centre, Leicester, on October 23.

He was given a community order including 80 hours' unpaid work to be completed within the next 12 months.

The order also covered a common assault offence committed on the same date and place to which he pleaded guilty. He was ordered to pay £50 compensation.

Liam Wilcox (24), of Morcote Road, Braunstone, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle-taking without the owner's consent at Hallam Cresent East, Leicester, on September 7. He was given a community order including 100 hours' unpaid work to be completed within the next 10 months.

Aggravating features included the vehicle being involved in an accident and being driven while under the influence of cocaine and alcohol.

He was ordered to pay £250 compensation and £85 costs.

Wilcox was also found guilty of driving otherwise than in accordance with a driving licence, for which he received no separate penalty. His driving licence was endorsed with six penalty points.

Menelik Frank (32), of Cordelia Close, Humberstone, Leicester, pleaded guilty to assault by beating on June 30. He was ordered to pay £75 compensation.

Danhi Joseph Omari Kirlew-Haughton (20), of Twycross Street, Highfields, Leicester, pleaded guilty to possessing six wraps of cannabis in Leicester on November 8.

He was fined £70 with a £20 victim surcharge and an order was made for the drug to be forfeited and destroyed. He also pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour on the same date and was fined £70.

Mohammed Baker Miah (45), of Hudson Street, Loughborough, pleaded guilty to contravening part of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 by using, or permitting to be used, wireless FVS telegraphy apparatus on May 23. He was fined £100 with a £20 victim surcharge.

Stuart Homewood (35), of Daring Way, Kibworth Harcourt, pleaded guilty to driving at Morley Street, Market Harborough, on June 8 with 92mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal maximum is 80mg.

He was fined £110 with £75 costs, a £20 victim surcharge and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 12 months.

Shane Patrick Lewis (23), of Lorraine Road, Aylestone, pleaded guilty to assault by beating on February 2.

He was committed to prison for 16 weeks suspended for 12 months, given an eight-week electronically-monitored curfew to remain at home indoors and ordered to pay £100 compensation and an £80 victim surcharge.

Qaiser Ali (50), of Barbara Avenue, Oadby, was committed to prison for three months after changing a not guilty plea to guilty on a charge of stalking between September 24 and September 26 , knowingly causing the victim serious alarm or distress and adversely affecting her day to day activities.

A restraining order was made to prevent him from contacting a named person and from going to named places. Ali was also ordered to pay £100 compensation.

Fathala Abagi (19), of Hopyard Close, Gilmorton Estate, Leicester, pleaded guilty to using a vehicle in Burleys Way, Leicester, on March 29 without third party insurance.

He was fined £350 with £85 costs, a £35 victim surcharge and six penalty points were put on his driving licence.

Union officials have condemned a move to working hours which has led to redundancies at two hospitals.

The redundancies at the Hinckley and Bosworth Community Hospital and the Hinckley and District Community Hospital follow a shake up by the private company Interserve.

The company is changing the shift patterns for cleaning, domestic and portering staff.

One woman, who asked not to be named, has been served with a redundancy notice after seven years at the community hospital.

She said: "I am absolutely gutted. I have been working at the hospital for seven years and just love the place.

"I like working with the nurses and the patients.

"I have always worked from 7.30am-3.30pm so that I can pick my daughter up from school.

"But now the shift patterns have changed to 9.15am-7pm, 9.15am-6pm and 2-7pm which I just can't manage."

The worker added: "I was told I was being made redundant but have been given notice it is going ahead.

"I did appeal against the decision without success - instead I have to work seven weeks notice, one week for every year I have been here.

"I am so sad and feel a bit numb. I will have to find another job when I finish on January 30."

A spokesman for Interserve, which is responsible for domestic services at the hospitals, said changes were needed to meet contractual obligations.

He said: "Since taking over services at the two non-acute hospitals in Hinckley in March 2013 there have been no changes to working patterns.

"We are now changing shift patterns at these two non-acute hospitals to better meet our contractual obligations, and subsequently there will be changes to the hours required.

The spokesman added: "Seventeen staff on domestic, catering and portering duties were affected by this, and all have been fully consulted with.

"We have worked to find alternative solutions for those that these changes do not support, however it is with regret that three roles will be made redundant.

"If any alternative opportunities arise before these employees notice period ends we will share this with those individuals concerned."

Colin Whyatt, regional organiser for GMB union, said: "This company is doing everything it can to cut costs on the contract.

"It is not right. People who have served the NHS and patients fantastically are now being made redundant."

Nicky Mawer, head of communications at the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust which is responsible for community hospitals said regular cleaning inspections are carried out.

She added: "Audits at Hinckley's hospitals regularly exceed the quality targets set.

"We will continue to monitor the contract to ensure quality standards are maintained.

Interserve has faced constant criticism since it won a seven-year, £300 million contract to run catering, maintenance and security services in more than 550 NHS buildings in the county.

A catalogue of concerns followed, including a rise in prices in the restaurants at the infirmary as well as at Leicester General and Glenfield hospitals, along with the introduction of zero-hours contracts for some workers.