Scientists believe they have made a breakthrough in potentially providing a test for ageing.

The discovery could lead to slowing the ageing process as well as being used to predict cancer survival.

The study was co-ordinated by Dr Salvador Macip, from the Mechanisms of Cancer and Ageing Lab and the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Leicester.

It was carried out to find new ways of identifying old cells in the body.

Scientists said this is important because the accumulation of old cells - known as senescent - in human tissue can contribute to symptoms of ageing.

But old cells can also appear as a result of the activation of the body trying to fight cancer.

Dr Macip said: "What we have found is a series of novel markers – a way to detect senescent cells.

"What is more, we have shown that they can be used to predict increased survival in certain types of cancer.

"Until now, good protocols to help spot these cells have been sadly lacking."

He added: "Our research has described new markers located on the surface of the old cells.

"This makes these markers particularly useful to quickly identify these cells in laboratory and human samples using a range of techniques."

Researchers found the markers were present in high numbers in samples from different types of cancer.

In turn, these correlated to longer survival from the disease.

This was particularly evident in patients with breast cancer.

Dr Macip said: "These markers could be useful not only to study senescent cells in the laboratory but also they could be developed into diagnostics to help predict survival in cancer patients.

"Moreover, they could also be used in the future to define strategies to selectively eliminate the old cells from the tissues and thus reduce their effects on promoting ageing in healthy subjects."

The work was funded by the Medical Research Council, the University of Leicester, the Saudi Arabian Government and involved scientists from the Departments of Biochemistry and Cancer Studies of the University of Leicester, the Umm AL-Qura University and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The research, which has shown promise in clinical samples, has been published in the scientific journal, Cell Death and Disease.

The research paper can be found at www.nature.com/cddis/journal/v5/n11/f

A foster parent who sexually abused four boys in his care was labelled a "sexual predator" and told to expect a long jail sentence.

Michael John Sharman (71) was convicted by a jury of a catalogue of 15 sex offences, some committed more than two decades ago, against four youngsters who were among dozens of children whose wellbeing he was entrusted with by the authorities.

Sharman crept into the vulnerable victims' bedrooms at night or cornered them in a bathroom.

He told one scared child: "Let's have some fun."

Married Sharman, who denied any wrongdoing, claimed he had properly cared for "lots of children" over many years and accused the four victims of fabricating allegations of sexual abuse to get compensation.

Sharman, of Rowlatts Hill, Leicester, was remanded into custody to await sentencing in February.

After the verdicts at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Simon Hammond said: "You've been rightly convicted of very serious sexual offences against four young lads who were in your care as a foster parent.

"What you did to one particular boy was horrendous.

"The legacy is this sort of abuse is always very grave.

"It affects intimate relationships, trust, can cause self-harming and all sorts of dreadful things.

"The courts have a duty to protect vulnerable people from sexual predators like you.

"I'll be considering a very lengthy sentence in your case to reflect the gravity.

"These were wicked offences.

"The boys were in your care as a foster parent and you abused that position."

Sharman was convicted of five counts of indecent assault, one gross indecency, an attempted buggery and three offences of buggery on one boy. He was convicted of one count each of indecent assault against two boys and three offences of indecent assault on a fourth boy.

The crimes were committed on various dates between 1987 and 1994.

The boys were aged between nine and 15 years old.

James Thomas, prosecuting, said during the trial: "One complainant wasn't able to report the abuse until 2012, after he'd found it increasingly difficult to cope.

"He was drinking excessively, taking drugs, often leaving home for days.

"When his partner confronted him he broke down and made an emotional revelation about the abuse he'd suffered."

After the verdicts, officer in the case Det Con Gareth Gimson said: "We're pleased with the verdicts for the victims who've had the courage to come forward after so many years."

An Uppingham businessman has completed a 12,000-mile, 10-day mission to re-home a tiger from a Greek zoo in a purpose-built sanctuary for big cats in the US.

David Barnes first came across Phevos in 2001 when he helped place him with Athena, a female companion in a zoo in Trikala after the Greek authorities seized the two tigers from a travelling Italian circus.

But following Greece's financial crisis, the condition of the zoo deteriorated and in March this year, following Athena's death after an untreated wound became infected, Phevos was left alone in his enclosure.

David, 62, raised £12,500 through donations - including £1,000 from animal welfare campaigns supporter Joanna Lumley - to fly Phevos, a 15-year-old, 570lb tiger to the Lions, Tigers and Bear Sanctuary in Alpine, near San Diego.

Mr Barnes, who used to work for the Animal Welfare Fund in Greece, has re-homed dozens of exotic animals in the past 20 years.

Back at work at Uppingham Sports and Books yesterday(16) he said:"Everything went well and he's settled in really well, they love him to bits, he's so placid.

"He has to go into quarantine for 30 days when vets will carry out a series of checks, including X-rays to see if there is anything they can do for his hip displacia.

"He's a big tiger, the biggest they've got, he's just so laid back, they can't believe it."

He added:"When we arrived at the airport there were television cameras and reporters and a lorry on the tarmac.

"British Airways were fantastic and as a memento they gave me a drawing of a tiger's head signed by all the crew.

"He's eating well - 30lbs of meat at a time, he's been eating chicken, turkey and beef. He had two whole chickens and a turkey for a snack yesterday.

"His enclosure is being finished, it looks great, it has under-floor heating, a pool, everything."

He added: "Phevos is the latest in a long line of animals I've moved - he just happens to be the biggest one.

"It's fantastic he's over there, it's hard to believe it's done and dusted and he's there.

"I'm planning to go out again next year, I'd love to go and see him in his proper enclosure. There is no doubt in my minds it's the best thing that ever happened to him."

David has now launched a second fund raising page to rescue other animals in need.

He added: "The sad story of Phevos and the tragic death of his mate Athena is now coming to a happy end as he starts a new life, but there are still many other exotic animals in dire situations that need help.

"I have three others at the same Greek zoo that need to come out. Monkeys are still being kept in cramped and unsuitable conditions and a vet friend in Thessaloniki is struggling to save injured dolphins, seals and turtles."

www.justgiving.com/yimby/rescuingexotics

Screaming children, TV celebrities, great costumes, waving arms, dancing in the aisles – it must be panto season at Leicester's De Montfort Hall.

Audiences have been flocking to see a spectacular production of Cinderella since the Christmas show opened in the city on Saturday.

The traditional family show, with a 21st century twist, has brought the magical fairytale back to life for several generations of panto lovers.

Written and directed exclusively for De Montfort Hall by Leicester's Susie McKenna – artistic director at Hackney Empire – the show has all the right ingredients.

Madison Baker, nine, from Wigston was in the audience at the Sunday afternoon matinee show with dad Geoff, 41.

He said: "It was an absolutely fantastic show. We were on a 'daddy-daughter date' because with my job I often have to work very long hours.

"We had a lot of fun."

He added: "I was really impressed with the performance, which I have to admit had us both dancing in the aisles – it was really good."

Last year's X-Factor winner Sam Bailey – who own Cinderella story saw her trade life as a prison officer for pop stardom – was also in the audience on Sunday, after turning down an invitation to attend the X-Factor 2014 final.

It meant Madison also got the chance to meet and have her photo taken with the star prior to the show.

Geoff said: "We were waiting in a room before it started when all of a sudden Sam Bailey walks.

"I said to Madison 'isn't that.....?' and she said 'Yes!'. She was very excited and Sam came over and had a little chat with her.

"Sam complimented her on her large 'fluffy' coat and they had a bit of a chin wag.

"Madison was thrilled, and it was really nice for Sam to spend a bit of time with her."

Sam, 37, had told the Mercury before the show: "I could have gone to the X-Factor final on Sunday but I wanted to take the kids to see Cinderella."

CBeebies' TV presenter Alex Winters is among the cast, playing the loveable Buttons.

He is joined by Goodness Gracious Me's Kulvinder Ghir stars as Baron Hardup and Rina Fatania as the Wicked Stepmother.

Popular TV actor Tony Whittle, who has appeared in Coronation Street, The Bill and Peak Practice, dons a frock to play one of the Ugly sisters, while Carly Thoms plays the title role of Cinderella.

Anne Harley-Barber, 59, a volunteer personal assistant from Loughborough, brought Michelle Rigley, 39, from Castle Donington, who has a learning disability, to see the show.

She said: "We really enjoyed it. Michelle loves pantos and loved every moment.

"The kids were all screaming and there was a great atmosphere. Her favourite character was Buttons. Alex Winter plays the part so well.

"I thought is was a very slick production and highly recommend it."

Norma Herczl (CORR - Hungarian), 72, from Enderby, accompanied her granddaughter and two great granddaughters to Sunday's matinee.

She said: "It was absolutely wonderful, from start to finish. You had the old songs but also some new ones.

"It was beautiful, it really was, and it goes without saying, we really enjoyed ourselves."

Cinderella is at De Montfort Hall until Sunday, January 4.

For details call 0116 233 3111 or visit: www.demontforthall.co.uk

Private and voluntary ambulance services have had to be called in to keep up with the demand on 999 calls.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (Emas) has been struggling to meet response time targets as calls soar.

On Saturday controllers took 3,032 calls, nearly 400 more calls than on the same day last year.

It is also up on the New Year's Day figure of 2,949 - usually one of the busiest times of the year.

Adding to the delays is pressure on the A&E department at Leicester Royal Infirmary where it is taking longer for ambulances to hand over their patients and get back on the road.

Latest figures show that since April, crews across Leicestershire are reaching 70 per cent of the most urgent calls within eight minutes when the target is to get to 75 per cent within the time.

Irene Helps, had to wait nearly two hours for an ambulance after she slipped and fell outside her daughter's house in Eyres Monsell.

The 73-year-old was left lying in the frosty front garden while her daughter Gail Read and neighbours tried to comfort her and keep her warm.

She is now in hospital with fractured hip and shoulder.

Mrs Read, 55, said: "We couldn't move my mother - all we could do was try and keep her warm.

"I rang for an ambulance at 1.28pm and was told someone would get there as soon as possible but that they were really busy.

"I rang again at 2.07pm to be told the same and again at 2.48pm."

She added: "A little while later, about 3.10pm I rang again because we couldn't stop my mother shaking and I thought she was going into shock.

"An ambulance from Amvale medical transport arrived about 15 minutes later."

Ms Read has now written a letter of complaint to Emas.

Tim Slater, general manager for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We are sorry we were unable to provide a quicker response to the lady and will look into the reasons why.

"We were experiencing a significant rise in demand on our service over the weekend, some days we received more calls than we do on an average New Years Eve."

He added: "One of the ways to support that demand is to use voluntary and private ambulance services as additional resources, this allows us to continue to provide the best possible service to the public.

"The same approach is used across the NHS, for example, agency nurses in hospitals and locum GPs.

"Our longer term aim is to reduce reliance on this type of support."

Mr Slater said that the service was recruiting more frontline staff.

However, he added: "It takes three years at university for an individual to be trained to paramedic level.

"The services of Amvale Medical therefore meet our needs and those of the community, almost immediately."

A jockey involved in a three-car crash whilst trying to overtake in fog, fled the scene and later jumped bail, a court heard.

Robert Gault (26) was arrested in Northern Ireland three years after the collision in Braunston, Rutland, which resulted in the two other drivers being hospitalised.

At Leicester Crown Court, Gault pleaded guilty to dangerously driving a car on a road called The Wisp, on September 29 in 2011.

He also admitted failing to attend court in December last year.

Gault, of Maybin Park, Ballymena Kells, Antrim, was jailed for six months and banned from driving for 12 months.

Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: "You were driving from Leicester towards Oakham in thick fog and pulled out because you were becoming impatient.

"Instead of pulling back and staying back you continued a manoeuvre which resulted in an accident and two other drivers were injured.

"Patience is required when driving in difficult conditions.

"Two people had to receive hospital treatment because of this."

"You failed to attend court and fled to Northern Ireland.

"I accept you're a hard-working man and have no previous convictions."

Ben Gow, prosecuting, said that a woman driver in front of the defendant had been driving slowly whilst following a tractor for some distance.

He said: "She noticed the car kept pulling out behind her.

"There was a patch of dense fog ahead when the defendant overtook her.

"She could see the headlights of an oncoming car approaching.

"She then heard an almighty bang as she was involved in the collision with both cars.

"The oncoming car was attempted to overtake the car ahead of him but was pulling back because he could not see.

"Gault's response wasn't to stay at the scene but to run off and was not caught despite police dogs trying to track him.

"When arrested some time later but denied being the driver.

"However, his DNA matched DNA found on the driver's airbag, which had activated."

The police executed a warrant in Northern Ireland at the end of October this year, and he was brought to Leicester Crown Court on September 2, and remanded into custody.

Louise McGhee, mitigating, said the car he crashed had belonged to his then girlfriend, with whom he was living in the UK, but they split up after the collision.

She said: "He struck the oncoming car, because it was straddling both lanes as he pulled over.

A legal challenge has prompted the city council to rethink its controversial plans to cut funding for voluntary groups in Leicester.

A number of organisations have been given grants by the authority in the past but are to be asked to bid for contracts in the future to provide community services for less money.

The potential change affects the Racial Equality Council, the African Caribbean Citizens Forum, the Federation of Muslim Organisations, the Gujarat Hindu Association, the Leicester Council of Faiths and the Somali Development Service.

The groups generally supply advice and training to residents.

They all opposed the review and it has now emerged an individual launched a legal challenge questing the lawfulness of the decision making process.

The council has not revealed who made the challenge of what its exact nature was

However city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "We had an objection from an individual and it caused our lawyers to look again. They felt they had done everything according to the book.

"However they thought, if the matter were to go to court, it would not be worth the cost of the barristers fighting it out so they decided to make sure all the Ts were cross crossed and the is were dotted."

The funding for the groups - which was under threat from January - will now be extended by nine months while a fresh consultation is carried out.

Sir Peter added: "It remains the case that when we are handing out large amounts of public we should want to know we are getting value for that.

"In the modern era it is no longer appropriate to award large sums on of money on the basis we like the people who are receiving it."

A council spokesperson said: "We have extended our funding contracts with all six organisations affected by this review while we look again at specific proposals.

"It is important that this review has the full confidence of all stakeholders and we have listened carefully to concerns raised.

"We will begin consulting again in January on one particular strand of the review and present revised proposals by summer 2015.

"In the meantime, all six groups will continue to receive full funding until October 2015.

"We value the vital role played by Leicester's voluntary and community sector, made up of many organisations doing important work across the city."

Surinder Sharma, of The Racial Equality Council, said his organisation provided services that would otherwise be left to the council to provide and had always met performance targets set by the council.

He said: "We always question the process and we feared our funding would end in March. It has caused a lot of uncertainty for people who need our help and our staff who have mortgages to pay and families to feed.

Some of the voluntary organisations have warned they may have to close their offices and make staff redundant if they do not succeed in bids for contracts and have said vulnerable people will suffer.

What the council gives the voluntary sector organisations

The Racial Equality Council - £117,800

African Caribbean Citizens Forum - £43,100

Federation of Muslim Organisations - £25,000

Gujarat Hindu Association - £30,000

Leicester Council of Faiths - £25,000

Somali Development Service - £45,400

Work on the massive redevelopment of a De Montfort University building is well underway.

The £42million contract will totally transform the Fletcher complex and create new buildings for the schools of Art, Architecture and Design.

Work began three months ago and, although in the early stages of the development, a time lapse video has been created which captures the progress made.

Umesh Desai, DMU's Deputy Director of Estates, said: "A building project of this size is obviously a complex matter requiring a brilliant team effort between architects, contractors and our Estates staff and we are really pleased with the progress so far."

It shows diggers clearing and levelling the land where the former Students Union building and ceramics block stood.

Machinery can also be viewed, carrying out piling works for the foundations of a new wing, running parallel to the Newarke Point student halls.

The video also shows master climbers being erected on the outside of the Fletcher Tower Block

As well, windows are removed from Fletcher Tower Block as each floor is stripped out.

De Montfort is planning on updating their website with time lapse footage on a regular basis, so that staff, students and alumni can keep track of the progress being made.

The work, which is being led by construction company Balfour Beatty, is part of a £136million project which will provide De Montfort University with one of the finest higher education complexes in the UK.

Councillors want Sir Peter Soulsby's decision to close one of Leicester's municipal golf courses to be reconsidered.

The city mayor has said the 18-hole course in Western Park will shut in October as he looks to cut the £123,000 annual subsidy it receives.

However some city councillors are trying to secure a "call-in" of the decision.

They need to collect the names of five members which would trigger the call in and a debate at the next the full council meeting.

The deadline for the call-in is 5pm today (Thurs) but it is unclear if five signatures will be secured as there are two separate call-ins - neither of which, at the time of going to press, had enough names.

Liberal Democrat councillor Nigel Porter wants to call in the decision because he says it has been made with out consulting Sport England.

He had collected the signatures of Tory Ross Grant, independent Wayne Naylor and Labour councillor Anne Glover.

Western Park councillor George Cole also signed it but then withdrew and chose to sign a call-in by fellow Labour ward councillor Su Barton.

Coun Porter said: "It's very strange situation. We had Coun Coles signature but then the next day it was scrubbed out so we were still short.

"I'm not sure why he'd sign and then change his mind. Perhaps someone leaned on him."

Coun Cole told the Mercury he preferred to support Coun Barton's call in.

He said: "I received a call from someone saying they were a member of the public asking me to sign the call in. I agreed to do it.

"I hadn't been aware my co-councillor was also proposing a call in so I scrubbed my name out and signed heard."

He said nobody had pressured him to withdrawn his first signature.

He said: "I am mindful of the difficulties financially and I am aware the mayor's hands are tied financially but this is an expression of dissatisfaction with the outcome."

Coun Barton said her call-in was "not about being hostile" to the mayor but was "to assure the public that every option for the future had been considered."

She said she wanted it to be signed by councillors in wards close to the Western Park course.

Conservative Coun Grant said: "I really don't know why that would matter. That golf course serves the whole city not just the surrounding wards.

"I'd sign her call in but I'd have something to say if Coun Cole's withdrawn signature meant the neither got enough names to qualify."

Sir Peter said: "I have already given this a considerable amount of thought but I entirely understand if the ward councillors have particular interests in representing their residents. That is what they are there to do,"

Sir Peter has said their will be investment in the council's other golf course at Humberstone Heights – which is subsidised to the tune of £63,000 a year.

He also insisted there were no plans yet for the future of Western Park's course after it closes. Players and campaigners believe some of the land is likely to be sold off for redevelopment.

A group of children and young people from a Leicestershire hospice were invited to 10 Downing Street for the Prime Minister's Christmas Party.

Ten families from Rainbows, in Loughborough were whisked to Number 10 where they met David Cameron and his wife Samantha on Monday.(15)

Children's entertainers Dick and Dom, some of the cast of Paddington along with Paddington Bear himself, princesses and Santa Claus were also there to greet the youngsters.

Rainbows was one of several charities chosen to attend the annual party, thanks to Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan who organised the visit.

Due to limited places, the children were all selected by ballot.

Six-year-old Reece, of Leicestershire was one of the children who attended the event. Reece has several rare genetic conditions to contend with, which meant he spent the first year of his life in the high dependency ward at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

He is able to walk, but is unable to cover any real distance due to his lung condition.

This is further complicated by the fact Reece, who has a tracheostomy, is very reliant on a ventilator and suction machine to help him breathe.

He is unable to speak but is quite proficient at signing.

Reece's foster mum, Yvonne, 57, said:"Despite Reece's ill health and complications, he is such a massive character.

"If he could talk, he would be the jester of the pack; he has such a fantastic sense of humour.

Yvonne, who to date has fostered 156 children, including four with palliative needs, added: "Reece just loved the visit to Downing Street; the whole day was amazing and he didn't stop.

"I would never have been able to put this on our list of things we would like to do and thanks to Rainbows it was achievable."

Amisha Patel (15), of Leicester, who is unable to talk or walk and has delayed development, also went to the party.

She also has epilepsy, is unable to feed and is blind in one eye.

Mum Meena said: "It was just a beautiful day, we really loved it. And it is something we never thought we would do.

"Amisha loved meeting Santa and she was also very excited to meet the Prime Minister."

Jo Sims, head of family support at Rainbows, added: "This was a wonderful day for the families who attended the Christmas party and they all said it was a magical and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"We are delighted to have been given the chance to attend such a prestigious occasion and it is a memory our families can treasure."

A senior councillor has defended plans to sell a council-owned plot of land for £1 so an estate of environmentally friendly homes can be built.

Leicester City Council is to dispose of the 13 acre former allotment site off Heathcott Road, near Leicester's Saffron Lane, for the nominal sum after planning permission was granted for a 68 home development.

The family homes will be managed by the East Midlands Housing Association and the council will be able to place tenants on the housing waiting list in them.

However some councillors have raised concerns that the disused site, which has a value of £1.5 million, should not be sold so cheaply.

Councillor Patrick Kitterick, chairman of the planning committee that approved the scheme, said the £1.5 million would provide much needed new social housing at a cost to the council of £22,000 for each property.

He said: "If anyone can find a home to this standard for £22,000 let me know and I will bring my chequebook."

Fellow committee member councillor Bill Shelton said the site fell within the Freeman ward that he represents.

He said: "The area is derelict. It is disused allotments.

"It has had quite a long history of arson and drug taking and quite a lot of anti-social behaviour.

"I am sure I speak for the residents when I say I am in favour of it."

The committee heard that developers Westleigh, who will build the homes, were unable to make the usual financial contributions to provide open spaces and education.

Committee member councillor Barbara Potter was the only one of seven members to vote against the scheme. She said she was shocked there was to be no financial contribution to local schools and questioned whether the land should be sold for £1.

The land is now set to be transferred to Saffron Lane Neighbourhood Council (SLNC), a charity set up for the benefit of people on the estate.

It is anticipated the development will cost £7 million and the council has pointed out this investment would not have been secured with out the sale for the nominal sum.

There were no formal planning objections to the scheme lodged.

The homes will be built to what is described as Passivhaus standards – meaning they will have high levels of insulation and carefully controlled ventilation standards.

The council says it will be the largest affordable Passivhaus scheme in the country.

The Homes and Communities Agency is contributing £1.5 million to the project.

SLNC will also extend its Saffron Acres Project, a community allotment and food production scheme, that will run alongside the development.

X-Factor star Sam Bailey handed certificates to a group of young people on a Princes Trust programme, marking the end of a 12-week personal development course.

The 11 young people, aged 16-25, who have been based at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service's (LFRS) central fire station, were given their certificates at the King Power stadium yesterday.

The young people were all unemployed when they started the course, which involved team building activities, a residential trip, community project at a scout hut in Knighton and two weeks work experience.

They were also given advice on how to write CVs and gained nationally recognised qualifications from their work during the course.

Three have since found jobs, two others have gone back into education and the others have gone onto further training programmes.

Juliet Briggs, of LFRS, said: "Too many young people feel they don't have any skills and talents and feel they'll never amount to anything.

"The team programme really does help them to turn their lives around, helping them into work, education or training. We are all proud of their achievements over the past 12 weeks."

Her deputy, Mark Cross, said:"It was lovely for the group to have their certificates presented to them by a big celebrity, but they were the stars of the show."

The TV reporter who confronted a woman believed to have sent more than 4,000 abusive tweets about the parents of missing youngster Madeleine McCann is to give evidence at her inquest.

Martin Brunt, crime correspondent at Sky News, is to be called as a witness at the inquest into the death of Brenda Katheryn Gabrielle Leyland, of Burton Overy, who was found dead in a room at the Leicester Marriott Hotel in Enderby on October 4.

Mr Brunt questioned Ms Leyland, 63, at her home on Thursday October 2.

At a pre-inquest review at Leicester town hall today coroner Catherine Mason said that Mr Brunt and Jonathan Levy, director of news gathering operations at Sky News, would be called to give evidence.

She said: "I understand from my officers that of all of the witnesses to be called to give oral evidence there is nobody who will have any criminal action taken against them."

Mrs Mason heard that the police investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of Ms Leyland had been completed.

Ms Leyland, a mother-of-two, was named on national television on October 4 as an internet troll accused of targeting Kate and Gerry McCann with vile messages on Twitter.

Her tweets included accusations the Rothley couple were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

Posting on Twitter under the pseudonym @Sweepyface, her messages included: "I 'hate' cruelty, liars, those who profit from another's tragedy, ergo my 'hate for Kate and Gerry' is justified."

Another post read: "To Kate and Gerry, you will be hated by millions for the rest of your miserable, evil, conniving lives, have a nice day!"

Mrs Mason had opened an inquest into Ms Leyland's death on October 8.

That hearing was told that the cause of her death had not yet been determined. It was not revealed at today's hearing.

Sergeant Kevin Taylor, of Braunstone police station, was the first officer on the scene and found Ms Leyland's body.

Giving evidence at the first hearing, he said her body had been taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary on Sunday and formally identified by family member Michael Leyland.

Sgt Taylor confirmed a postmortem examination had taken place but no cause of death had been determined.

Mrs Mason asked if foul play had been involved, to which Sgt Taylor replied: "There did not appear to be. No."

Sgt Taylor is to be called to give evidence at the full inquest.

The inquest will also hear from Ben Leyland, one of Ms Leyland's sons.

Mrs Mason said that Ms Leyland had been in touch with her son Ben, who lives in Los Angeles, prior to her death.

The full inquest, which will not feature a jury, is to be held at Leicester town hall on March 20.

The recent US Senate Intelligence Committee report condemned the United States' use of "enhanced interrogation" – a euphemism for torture. One technique, waterboarding, simulated drowning. Waterboarding had only one purpose – to terrorise the subject.

Intelligence obtained by such methods is unreliable. The torturers knew this, so why did they persist? Vindictiveness? Revenge?

The 9/11 attacks terrorised the Free World. "Lone Wolf" attacks like the assault on the Canadian Parliament and on the Sydney coffee bar are intended to unnerve.

Regardless of such episodes, if we resort to torture we are handing victory to deviant organisations like Al-Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban. By resorting to torture we cede the moral high ground to the aggressor. He presents himself as the victim. We present ourselves as morally bankrupt.

Sometimes everything seems hopeless, until someone comes along who reminds us of humankind's potential for goodness. One such person is 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Shot by the Taliban because she argued for universal education, Malala's story is inspirational.

According to the Taliban's wrong-headed reading of Islam, girls are socially unequal to boys. Being inferior, they do not require education. Their only purpose is to serve the needs of men.

Because she challenged this sexist, if not misogynistic credo, Malala was shot in the head. She survived to be heard by the world.

If you have not read her acceptance speech, you should. It is inspirational. She said that when the Taliban infiltrated her neighbourhood "I had two options: one was to remain silent and wait to be killed; the second was to speak up and then be killed. I chose the second one; I decided to speak up".

The price she paid was a bullet to the head from a coward.

By eliminating their critics, fundamentalist movements – the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and ISIS – confirm their sociopathic tendencies... and weakness.

The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the closest thing we have to a rule book of civilised behaviour.

Too many religions persecute those who don't "fit" with their model of the ideal citizen. Look at how many of the so-called "great religions of the world" persecute adulterers, single mothers and homosexuals. Why do we allow them to do this?

In a crisis, why do reporters ask Church leaders to comment? Clergy are self-appointed spokespeople. They have no democratic legitimacy.

The sooner we consign religion to the dustbin of history, the better.

Dr Simon Bennett is the director of the Civil Safety and Security Unit, at the University of Leicester.

Schoolgirl Emily Smith decided to collect food for "hungry people" after watching a TV advert by the Salvation Army.

The seven-year-old from Saffron Lane, Leicester, was so upset that some people might not have enough food to eat that she asked her mum if she could start a collection.

Her mother Vicky agreed and posted a message on her Facebook site telling everyone about her daughter's mercy mission.

David Frosi, who lives in Market Harborough, saw the online message and invited Emily to join him on a three-minute supermarket trolley dash he won in a raffle.

Through the trolley dash and donations from friends, relatives and neighbours Emily has handed over £400 of food to the Salvation Army.

Andrew Richardson, community centre manager at the Salvation Army at Leicester South, said: "This is a marvellous thing for a seven-year-old girl to do.

"We run a food bank which is open five days a week and this food that Emily has collected together is most welcome.

"It has been a pleasure to meet her and thank her in person for her efforts."

Emily, a pupil at Marriott Primary School, Saffron Lane, said she wanted to help collect food after seeing the advert.

She said: "I was watching telly and it made me sad to think that there were hungry people.

"I told my mum I felt sorry for them and wanted to get food for them.

"The trolley dash was fun. It was kind of the man to ask me to go with him and for him to give me his food."

Her mother Vicky, 26, said: "It is typical of Emily to want to help.

"She is such a caring little girl. She is lovely.

"It was very generous of David to invite my daughter to his trolley dash and to donate all the food to her cause."

David Frosi, 32, of Market Harborough, said he was delighted to help Emily.

He said: "To want to organise a collection like this is an amazing thing for a girl of her age to do.

"When I found out about Emily was doing there was no question that I wanted to help her.

"The dash was at Sainsbury's in Market Harborough and I was just supposed to have one trolley but they gave Emily one as well and we had a ball."

Emily's grandfather David Smith, who lives three doors away from her, said he was very proud.

He said: "Emily is a fabulous little girl and never ceases to amaze me.

"We are all so, so proud of her." 

The organisation that is now The Salvation Army was founded in London's Whitechapel by William Booth in July, 1865.

In 1869, the organisation was named The Christian Mission.

Its positive influence spread rapidly, and by the following year, 1870, it had 18 'stations'.

An early indicator of William's social concern was his establishment that year of a programme called Food-for-the-Millions, which provided cheap meals for the poor.

The Christian Mission was renamed The Salvation Army in 1878. As military terminology became more commonplace, William became known as the 'General'.

Mission station preachers were given the rank of Captain and uniforms suitable to the ranks followed.

Writing in 1879, William summed up the purpose of the Army. He wrote: "We are a salvation people - this is our specialty - getting saved and keeping saved, and then getting somebody else saved, and then getting saved ourselves more and more until full salvation on earth makes the heaven within."

In 1886, saw William made his first overseas trip, to North America, "to survey the distant front and to encourage the loyalists".

Today The Salvation Army is a worldwide movement, established in 126 countries.

It "supports and empowers vulnerable and marginalised people, including people without a home or a job, those who are lonely and victims of trafficking".

Information taken from: www.salvationarmy.org.uk.

The Salvation Army is currently running a Christmas fund-raising appeal. For more information, visit your local Salvation Army or go to:

www.salvationarmyappeals.org.uk

The case of footballer Ched Evans hit the headlines when he was released from prison in October after serving half of a five-year sentence for rape. Evans was convicted of the offence in 2012 after he had had sexual intercourse with a 19-year-old woman who was at the time of the incident exceptionally – and voluntarily – drunk.

Obtaining a rape conviction is difficult in most cases and this is exacerbated when the rape complainant had been drinking, let alone when the defendant is famous. His appeal against his conviction and his sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal in November 2012.

Following his release, controversy ensued with respect to whether or not his former football club – Sheffield United – should allow him back into training and also offer him a contract of employment. While the media attention may – for the moment – have abated, the subsequent debate demonstrated the ongoing impact of misperceptions with regards to the law of rape.

There was a perception that as Evans's conduct did not involve violence and his victim was drunk, it was in some way a lesser form of rape. This view, however, fails to appreciate that the law of rape is concerned to protect sexual autonomy. The central question is whether the victim consented to the sexual intercourse and in cases where the complainant was drunk, the issue is whether she was in a fit state to consent to the sexual activity.

It would, of course, be beyond sense to criminalise all drunken sexual encounters. The law recognises that "a drunken consent is still consent" and the fact that one's inhibitions have been lowered due to alcohol is irrelevant.

The law does not – and should not – consider regretted drunken sex to be rape.

However, the law does step in to protect those who are so inebriated they are not able to consent and it is recognised that this inability to consent may occur well before a person becomes unconscious. Just because a person is conscious does not mean they are necessarily able to agree to sex. It is important that the criminal law protects those who are vulnerable – regardless of how they came to be in that state.

As Evans was found guilty, the jury was clearly convinced his victim was too drunk to consent.

As we move into the Christmas period – and the attendant merriment and consumption of alcohol – it is important there is a clearer understanding of the law in this area.

Dr Anna Carline is a senior lecturer in the School of Law at the University of Leicester

A Leicestershire man who was jailed for killing a motorcyclist in a horrific crash has been freed from prison by appeal judges.

The motorcyclist, 47-year-old father-of-two Philip Arnold, died when he was knocked from his motorbike on the A60, in Costock, near Nottingham, in November last year.

In October, the driver who caused the crash, Sukhminder Dhuck, 46, was jailed for six months for causing death by careless driving.

But this week, after an appeal by his lawyers, three senior judges slashed Dhuck's sentence to allow him to go free immediately.

Mr Justice Lewis said Dhuck, of The Arches, East Leake, Loughborough, should not have been sent to prison for the offence.

The Court of Appeal heard that Dhuck had failed to leave enough time to check whether it was safe to cross the A60 on the morning of November 7.

Mr Arnold, an advanced driving instructor, was travelling south and had no time to avoid a collision with Dhuck's car.

He was wearing high-visibility clothing and was travelling at an appropriate speed when the crash happened.

Dhuck pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court and was jailed at the end of October.

"If Dhuck had not been driving carelessly, he would have seen him and this terrible accident would have been avoided," said the judge.

But on Wednesday, his lawyers argued before Mr Justice Lewis, Mr Justice Openshaw and Lord Justice Laws that the sentence was too tough.

Giving judgment, Mr Justice Lewis said a community sentence would have been appropriate. He cut Dhuck's prison term to three months to allow immediate release.

"There's no doubting the tragic nature of this case," Mr Justice Lewis said in his ruling. "Nothing we say is intended to minimise the fact that Mr Arnold died as a result of this accident.

"The impact on his family, in particular his wife and two daughters, was devastating.

"What happened here was more serious than momentary inattention. However, we accept the submission that the driving could not be said to be driving falling not far short of dangerous.

"An immediate custodial sentence wasn't justified in those circumstances, particularly given his personal mitigation."

As Dhuck only has to serve half of his now three-month sentence in prison before release on licence, the decision meant he was entitled to be freed immediately.

He was not present at the Court of Appeal.

Air pollution has been in the news a lot recently. In November, the European Court ruled that the UK Government has not been doing enough to tackle the level of nitrogen dioxide in our cities and they must now produce a plan to reduce pollution from diesel vehicles "as soon as possible". With the Government's current plans, the UK will not meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide until 2030, which will be 20 years after the original deadline.

Three weeks later, the Environmental Audit Committee published a report highlighting that air pollution is the biggest public health problem after smoking and that it causes an estimated 29,000 premature deaths every year. That equates to 250 premature deaths a year in Leicester alone. It also causes a lot of ill-health – it aggravates asthma, contributes to lung cancer and heart disease and impairs children's lung development. MPs say that a generation is at risk of having its health "seriously impaired" as a result of the Government's failure to act.

At the same time, the Government has announced a programme of road building and our city council has lowered the car parking charges in the city centre, which is likely to result in more people choosing to drive into town and more air pollution.

The inability of our politicians to join the dots is astounding – some shout about the damage that motor vehicles are doing to our health while others clamour for more roads. To reduce air pollution, we need to make it easier and more attractive to walk, cycle and use public transport. However, we will also have to find ways of persuading people to leave their cars at home. This will not always be popular but it is necessary – the alternative is to continue blighting our health.

The problem is that the Government and our city council are focussing on cities as economic powerhouses, where the need to move people and goods around quickly takes priority over everything else. They forget that cities are also a human habitat. Most of us live in cities and I suspect that even more of us work in them.

Many children grow up in cities. MPs have said that air filtration systems should be fitted in schools next to busy roads but this will not protect people when they are at home or at work or out and about. If we are going to clean up our air and make our cities healthier for everyone who lives in them, we need to stop the pollution at source: we need fewer cars.

Hannah Wakley is a member of the Leicester Green Party

As we travel through December, differences we live with year round become more striking. Messages of peace, simplicity, comfort and love contrast uncomfortably with news of conflict, poverty, greed and careless commercialism. The Surviving Winter Campaign, now launching its fifth year, reflects in small yet important ways, the best and worst of our humanity.

Surviving Winter is a local campaign which enables people to "redirect" their winter fuel allowance or make a donation to support those in need in our local area.

The campaign is led by three local charities working together: Charity Link, Age UK Leicestershire and Rutland, and the Community Foundation. Together they ensure that all money donated is used well and locally, to help pay fuel bills, fix or replace boilers and provide food parcels and other relevant support to get through the winter. They work with the elderly and with vulnerable families, via a simple informed assessment based on need, and use their experience and links with other charities to bring other help to bear as well.

It is distressing that help is so much-needed. Last winter, Charity Link, which works with families in crisis across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, saw a 500 per cent increase in the number of people who needed their help to buy food – and a 200 per cent increase in those who were unable to heat their homes.

Fifteen per cent of households locally are in fuel poverty. On average, 400 people die each year as a result of cold weather in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Beyond immediate crisis, food and fuel poverty have a profound impact on the health and confidence of those unlucky enough to experience it on a daily basis. And this has an impact on the society in which we all live and work, and on the pleasure and pride we can take in that society.

Yet, against the bleakness of these facts, and the sadness of the human stories behind them, the Surviving Winter Campaign has so far raised £72,000 to support people in our city and counties. It is just one measure of how generous, how active, we can be. If you get an extra £100 landing in your bank account, of course the easiest thing to do is to keep it – even if the money is not of much importance for your own lifestyle. Yet hundreds of Leicestershire and Rutland people have not taken the easy route, and have chosen instead to make the small effort required to direct their fuel allowance, or another similar donation, to someone to whom it is essential.

The gap between those who can look forward to a Christmas of comfort and joy, and those who have to choose between heating and eating, is widening. Just surviving is not enough, but it is better than not surviving, and making a small move to help build a better future for all of us has to be a good step to take this winter.

Tim Stevens is the Bishop of Leicester.