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Fire crews called to blazing car on M1

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Fire crews were called to a burning car on the M1, near Leicester Forest East Services, earlier today.

Crews from Leicester's western and southern fire stations responded to the incident, on the southbound carriageway, just after 12.30pm.

Firefighters wore breathing equipment to deal with the blaze. Crews have now left the scene.

Fire crews called to blazing car on M1


Is it an octopus? Nope, guess again. Take a closer look at the amazing body of work by artist Emma Fay

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Emma Fay is a special kind of artist. Her canvas is the human body. Gemma Peplow takes a close look at her remarkable work

You might be a bit confused by the image you see before you. Because the picture above is not, in fact, an octopus, but four very bendy ladies, who have performed some serious Twister movements and been painted oh-so-carefully by brilliant body artist Emma Fay.

And the next pic: that's a painting of bendy ladies as well, and not a bee, as you might have thought.

Pretty incredible, eh?

"The octopus is one contortionist and three models," says Emma. "It's hard when you have several contortionists making something. The bee was difficult as well. You have to get people to line up, and they can move and sway. It can be tricky.

"Everyone has to be patient and, luckily, they all are. I do feel for the contortionists. But they know they're going to get a good image out of it so they're fine. It's an interesting process."

Emma, 27, has always been "arty''. Her mum was good at art, she says, and encouraged her children to be creative when they were young.

"She would sit us in front of piles of recycling and encourage us to make things, just stupid stuff, lots of animals and things like that. We used to paint a lot and made things with papier mache. That's how we'd spend our time when we were young."

Emma, who still lives in Leicester, went to school at St John's Primary School, in Clarendon Park, and then St Paul's Catholic School, in Evington, where she did A-levels in art and design.

She then got a place at Nottingham Trent University to study theatre design, but soon realised that "uni wasn't the place for me".

Emma liked to manage herself, so she left. Art became a hobby for a while, rather than something she was looking to pursue a career in.

"I ended up doing a massage course, which was brilliant because I thought I could travel anywhere with that, and that appealed. I would look at theatre make-up courses but nothing quite covered what I wanted to do with it. "So, I ended up running a salon in Saffron Lane for six years, doing hairdressing and make-up."

Over the years, Emma brought face painting and body art into the salon. By the time she was 24, she realised she wanted to do more.

"It wasn't enough to keep me happy," she says, "so it made sense to go."

After starting off painting "some very bad flowery things," Emma began to think about using bodies as canvases.

The nature of her work took her to all sorts of unusual places, including The Zoo Project, in Ibiza, where she saw contortionist Beth Sykes in action.

"I'd been looking at her and she was bending away, and I just thought, 'Hmmm, I'd love to make her into something. Into a giraffe.

"I used to paint her for different events and I'd paint her like an Avatar. We became friends from that and she was willing to play, to help with this idea."

Emma finally got the chance to put her idea into practice earlier this year, after setting up a studio in South Wigston. Before that, she was freelancing, "working in different places, as and when".

The giraffe was the first thing she painted there.

"It went really well," she says. "It must have taken about five hours to do, I think."

It looks like a pretty hard thing to do, doesn't it, painting animals on to contortionists?

And it's even harder than it looks, says Emma. Because with contortionists, you have to paint according to how their bodies will stretch and bend, and not just as you see it.

"You have to visualise which parts go where, mark things out, get them to come in and out of a pose. Check them in the pose, get them out, paint a bit more.

"The bends in the body are by far the most interesting thing about it. You have to play with perspectives, as you're not painting them in the pose. It's painting shapes that don't necessarily look correct from any other angle or position."

Fortunately, Emma loves the challenge.

"I love to push what I can do to the absolute limits. Some take longer than others; it all depends on the angles. I enjoy thinking of different ways to solve problems.

"It's seeing through the eyes of the camera and what it's supposed to look like from a distance.

"There's a speed to it, because paint starts cracking, things fade, so you have to work quite quickly."

The giraffe, and all the animals, were about the idea of evolution, "because humans have reached their evolutionary peak with contortion".

Although there are lots of brilliant body artists out there, says Emma, there's no-one using contortionists, that she's aware of.

She and Beth were pleased with their giraffe. They knew it was interesting, that it looked good. But they weren't expecting the reaction it got.

"I put a picture online and it just went viral, it had 100,000 likes in a day. It went all over the place."

So Emma painted another animal, a tarantula, which has proved even more popular. It led to interest from the national press, with a centre spread in The Guardian. The Stan Winston School of Character Arts (a top school for make-up and body art, says Emma), featured her work on its website, and well-known people in the industry started to take notice.

"I always see myself as very lucky, as I've been doing well for a while and I've been doing wonderful work for the past few years anyway, but in terms of becoming mainstream and being in the media, it's definitely picked up

"I've had more commercial jobs as well and I still do entertainment work, either make-up for a large performance team or for meet-and-greet characters, things like that."

The tarantula was featured on the Paul O'Grady show and Emma was also asked to paint a model to blend in with the set.

"That was good fun, with the lighting and cameras, because it only works from one perspective."

For Emma, it's not just about painting pretty pictures. There's a meaning behind her work. She has another series, called Mindsets, "which is a lot to do with illusions and stories and how we see the world".

She said: "I tend to create pieces to push what I can do and don't worry about where they're going. I like things to have depth. There's a reason why certain animals have been chosen. Whatever I do, there's usually a meaning behind it."

She also uses her talent to support various charities and causes she believes in. "I think my favourite thing this year is that I've been able to support certain campaigns that I was already a supporter of, but now I can play a part in raising awareness. I do a lot of projects with Leicester-based Rethink Your Mind. And for World Toilet Day, I made a lady into a toilet. That was brilliant, and a lovely challenge.

"It's important to me to support causes like this. Do you know, 2.5 billion people a year don't have access to good sanitation, so to make people aware of the cause, it's brilliant. To use the female form to do that... things like that have been fantastic."

She was also commissioned by Macmillan Cancer Support to create a teapot and teacup, a mug and a cupcake, as part of the charity's annual World's Biggest Coffee Morning event.

"Macmillan were brilliant. They say, can you create this as a body art piece I say let me have a think about it. And I could.

"I also did a giraffe again, this time for the National History Museum, live, for people to have pictures with it. Another favourite for me is that I've now been featured as an artist schools will study. That's lovely."

As well as her artwork, Emma also teaches musical theatre and drama, running after-school groups in Leicester.

"It's all kind of within the same realm," she says. "Fine body art is very theatrical. It all ties in well and means the theatre I create is quite different as it has art elements in it.

"The teaching is something I've done for so long now and I still enjoy it. It's great getting kids engaged in theatre."

For the New Year, Emma has a few projects, "some interesting pieces," that she's working on, although she can't say too much at the minute.

"I'm playing around more with making people into other things," she says. "A lot of illusion perspective work, painting 3-D objects on to people, playing with concepts and the meanings behind things. Camouflaging people."

Has she ever been asked to paint something she couldn't do?

"Hmm, no. I've not had anything impossible yet. It would be interesting to find something, wouldn't it? But I'd always have a go."

Follow us on Twitter: @MoreLeicester

Is it an octopus? Nope, guess again. Take a closer look at the amazing body of work by artist Emma Fay

Top of the Shops: Our 10 favourites from the new stores that arrived in Leicestershire in 2014

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Happy New Year, shoppers, writes Gemma Peplow. We hope all your bargain dreams came true. Seeing as it's a new year, we thought we'd kick things off by celebrating some of the best additions to the high street from recent months. Because it's brilliant to see empty shops being filled and the high street thriving, isn't it?

So, without further ado, here are our top 10 favourite shop additions of 2014. We hope they'll be joined by many more this year.

Alkaline

A vintage and retro furniture shop packed with items to make your home look fab. With mid-century sideboards and lovely teak tables combined with quirky artwork and cool home accessories, it's all down to owner Jennifer Pethick, who has a real eye for the best pieces to make a retro home.

She also runs upcycling workshops – the next one being lampshade making on Saturday, January 31.

Find Alkaline at 58 Hinckley Road, in Leicester's West End.

www.alkalineleic.co.uk

Urban Outfitters

Anyone who knows us here at Counter Culture will know we've always been big fans of Urban Outfitters. So we were pretty ecstatic to see the store set up a home in Leicester this year. Featuring a range of cool fashion brands for men and women, plus all sorts of home accessories, coffee table books and music, it's a welcome addition to the city.

Find Urban Outfitters in the Highcross, in the city centre, at the Clock Tower entrance.

www.urbanoutfitters.com/uk

Audrey Star's Boutique

We've said it before (last week, in fact, when we did a big piece on the newly-opened store) and we'll say it again: Audrey Star's Boutique is vintage-style fashion heaven. Perfect for ladies who love the classic 1940s and 1950s look but want to buy pieces that are new.

Find Audrey Star's in Royal Arcade, just off High Street, in the city centre.

www.audreystarsboutique.com

Keals

If you're after handmade homeware, a quirky gift or a one-off accessory, we recommend Keals, in Market Harborough. Situated in the town's former fire station building, it's full of reclaimed, salvaged and re-purposed items, with handmade local goodies and unique finds from across the world on the shelves. Find Keals at 10a Abbey Street, Market Harborough.

www.facebook.com/kealsofmarketharborough

Prettiez

If you're the kind of shopper who likes to pick up bits and bobs, trinkets and unusual finds from the markets and stores you find on holiday, then Prettiez will be right up your street. From handmade silver jewellery to colourful woven rucksacks, it's a shop that instantly transports you to sunnier climes.

Find Prettiez at 61b Queens Road.

https://www.facebook.com/Prettiez

Queen of Bradgate

Is it a pub? Is it a shop? Well it's both, actually. If you like the chair you're sitting on as you eat your bangers and mash in the Queen of Bradgate, there's a good chance you can take it away with you. And if not, it can be made to order. That goes for the tables, mirrors, clocks and light fittings, too. In fact, pretty much anything you can see is available to buy. Except maybe the till. We think it's a brilliant idea, and it seems to be paying off as it's always busy whenever we walk past.

Find the Queen of Bradgate in High Street, in the city centre.

www.queenofbradgate.co.uk

Harriman & Co

We were thrilled when Harriman & Co popped up in St Martin's a few months ago. Hand-crafted homeware is the order of the day, with lots of pieces made here in Leicestershire.

It's all beautifully presented, too, in a boutique store that has been decked out with love.

Find Harriman & Co in St Martin's, round the corner from St Martin's Square, in the city centre.

www.harrimanandco.com

Al Millard

If it's lingerie you're after, then look no further than Al Millard, which set up home in the city centre in the spring.

You'll find a personal fitting service and bras in sizes ranging from 28 to 44, with a cup range of A to K – a much bigger variety than anything you'll find in most high street stores. Brands include Passionata, Curvy Kate, Pour Moi?, Huit Paris and Calvin Klein.

Find Al Millard in Carts Lane, in the Lanes area of the city centre.

www.almillard.co.uk

Tiger

The most random shop you'll ever come across, we guarantee, Tiger sells pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. From colourful door coat hangers to serving trays for nibbles (two items we invested in ourselves just before Christmas) it's a shop that covers the entire spectrum of stuff you might need for your home. And lots of stuff that you don't need as well, but will definitely want to own once you clap eyes on it.

Find Tiger on the ground floor of Highcross.

www.tigerstores.co.uk

Deli Flavour/ Deli in the Square

We love a good deli and we simply can't pick a favourite between these two. We love Deli Flavour's halloumi kebabs, but then we love Deli in the Square's Parma ham, Buffalo mozzarella and sun-kissed tomato sandwich, too. Nope, we just can't decide which is our fave. So try them both for yourselves. Find Deli Flavour in Silver Arcade, and Deli in the Square in St Martin's Square, both in the city centre.

www.deliflavour.net

www.deliinthesquare.com

Follow us on Twitter:

@MoreLeicester

@gemmapeplow

Top of the Shops: Our 10 favourites from the new stores that arrived in Leicestershire in 2014

Leicester Riders 74 Leeds Force 54: Quickfire start to new year for Riders

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Leicester Riders posted a dominate 74-54 victory over Leeds Force on Saturday night to get 2015 off to a winning start.

Riders led from start to finish at Loughborough University's Sir David Wallace Sports Centre, and were driven by Neil Watson, who handed out an amazing 17 assists, many of them to Rashad Hassan who top-scored with 20 points.

The pattern was set in the opening 30 seconds of the game.

Leeds won the jump ball, but Riders' defence was all over them, denying them an easy look.

When Leicester got the ball, they raced down court, Watson threw a 40-foot alley-oop pass for TrayVonn Wright to slam home.

Riders did not allow Leeds a score for the first five minutes of the game, easing out to a 12-0 lead.

Force managed to half the deficit momentarily, but a Yorick Williams triple, followed by a steal and score by Tyler Bernardini, saw Leicester 28-16 ahead as the first buzzer sounded.

Leeds again cut the gap to only six points, but a time-out by coach Rob Paternostro sparked a run by Riders which essentially wrapped up the victory before half-time.

Two three-pointers from Conner Washington were part of his eight points in a 16-2 spell, capped off by a thunderous one-handed slam by Wright, again courtesy of another spectacular pass from Watson.

That had Riders 46-26 ahead with still more than two minutes to go until half-time, and Leeds' race was effectively run.

The teams traded scores in the third quarter, but the visitors managed five points in a row to cut Leicester's lead to 59-45.

In the fourth quarter, Hassan had six of 11 Riders points in a three-minute spell that had them into their biggest lead of the game at 72-48.

Riders held Leeds to single figures in the last 10 minutes, to equal the fewest points they have conceded in a game this season at 54.

As well as Watson's assists number, TrayVonn Wright was dominant inside defensively with six blocked shots.

Riders: Hassan 20, Wright 14, Washington 13, Lamble 7, Williams 6, Watson 5, Bernardini 4, Gamble 3, Rowe 2, Anderson, Noel.

Force: Hall 15, McCann 9, Attah 9, Anebo 8, Bethune 6, Mikulic 4, Hylands 2, Diez 1, Fetske, Estrada, Holland.

Leicester Riders 74 Leeds Force 54: Quickfire start to new year for Riders

First Up: Singer Lucy Campbell, of classical crossover duo Eden

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Lucy Campbell, who grew up in Leicestershire, is one of the voices behind Eden. The duo will be performing at the Y Theatre, in East Street, Leicester, for Singing 4 Happiness on January 16 and 17. Tickets are on sale now.

FIRST MEMORY: I have always been terribly accident prone/completely clumsy. My first memory is of me falling over and landing with a teapot spout impaled in my head…Yes, it actually happened. For a second I looked like I was creating a new version of the film Dumbo. Luckily, I came out a little shaken-up, but with no permanent damage.

FIRST ALBUM: Not technically an album, but I remember being completely in love with the Glenn Medeiros song, Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You. Not cool.

FIRST GIG: I grew up in a family heavily in to musical theatre, so I was more of a show-goer than a gig-goer, but I do remember going to a Chesney Hawkes concert…loved it!

FIRST SCHOOL: I went to St Patrick's RC School, in Leicester.

FIRST CAR: Black Beauty Peugeot 306, recently deceased!

FIRST LOVE: Holiday romance in Spain when I was 17, a boy called Craig. Young love.

FIRST JOB: I worked in Costume Corner, in Welford Road, for a while, it was fantastic. Great people to work for and with, it was a laugh a minute. The place just makes you smile.

FIRST TIME ON STAGE: My first time on stage was at the Y Theatre when I was four. Unfortunately, as all of the dancers were strutting their stuff, I became obsessed with a nail I found on the floor. I spent the entire three-minute routine attempting to pull it from the stage. Not my greatest moment, but the audience seemed to love it. We have video footage somewhere.

FIRST "PINCH ME'' MOMENT: Backstage at Party in the Park, with my former band, Deluxe, waiting to go on to sing. I remember looking out at a crowd of 50,000 and thinking, "Wow, this is what all the hard work was for'' . It was an amazing feeling. Elating.

FIRST PLACE OF MY OWN: Probably the den I built with my brother and sister in my nan's back garden. I have, however, recently become a homeowner and I can't believe how obsessed it makes you. I spent half-an-hour in Debenhams, Highcross, picking out tea, coffee and sugar containers. They are nice, but I seriously need to get a grip.

FIRST HOLIDAY ABROAD: I didn't go abroad until I was 12. We used to spend our summer holidays with my mum's family on a farm on the south coast. Fantastic memories. When I eventually did make it abroad I went on a family holiday to Majorca.

 For details and tour dates, visit:

www.edengb.com

First Up: Singer Lucy Campbell, of classical crossover duo Eden

Reasons to buy your Monday Mercury

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There's a whole raft of reasons to buy the Leicester Mercury tomorrow.

Top of the list is the launch of £10 Holidays – there's a full page of all the information you need – and the tokens and passwords to collect.

You can also win a 3D LED TV & 12 month Picturebox subscription.

For children - Get all the info you need to enter our 'I Love my Mum – Drawing Competition'

And there's Sports, Sports, Sports!

Get your match reports and reactions from;

Leicester City's FA Cup third round tie with Newcastle

Leicester Tigers' game against arch rivals Bath

Leicester Riders' weekend matches against Leeds Force and London Lions.

Reasons to buy your Monday Mercury

Ebola nurse from West End, Leicester, says living with the dangers of catching the deadly virus is just part of the job as she treats sufferers in Sierra Leone

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A Leicester A&E nurse at the forefront of the fight against ebola has spoken of living with the dangers of catching the deadly virus as she treats sufferers in west Africa.

Hannah McReynolds, 31, who flew to Sierra Leone early last month, spent her Christmas and New Year treating more than 100 patients.

She said there was always a danger of catching the virus, but it was just part of the job.

"You have to have a healthy level of fear, but you can't let that slip into paranoia because you won't be able to do the job properly.

Hannah is stationed at a make-shift medical camp, in Makeni, and is one of about 200 international volunteers.

She said: "The only way I can describe it is being an extreme of emotions.

"On New Year's Eve we discharged our first ebola survivors, which was fantastic.

"But on the flip side there was a five-month old baby who had been breast feeding from a mother who had ebola.

"The mother died - it was incredibly sad. And the baby is being cared for now."

She said they also had one patient who they thought had given up.

"At one point she was palliative but now we're looking at discharging her, so we're really happy.

"It's a real spectrum of emotions."

She said: "It has felt at times that we are fighting a losing battle, but when you see the first patient discharged a survivor it's amazing. I'll never forget our first survivor."

Hannah was full of praise for the dedication and resilience of the national staff.

"Many have personal experience of the effects of ebola and choose to work in the ETC (Ebola Treatment Centre) and play their part in the fight against it.

"They live this everyday...they are the true heroes."

"I would also really like to mention my support back home, my family friends and the A&E staff at Leicester Royal Infirmary."

She said she felt strongly about the vital role the NHS had to play in the aid that was being provided.

"This is a global issue and the only way to help west Africa and prevent the epidemic spreading to the UK is to fight it at its source."

Hannah said she was looking forward to coming home, but would return "in a heartbeat".

She is due to fly back to the UK in about three weeks.

Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey who was diagnosed with ebola after recently returning from Sierra Leone was said to be in a "critical" condition today at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

Ebola nurse from West End, Leicester, says living with the dangers of catching the deadly virus is just part of the job as she treats sufferers in Sierra Leone

Leicester Tigers 17 Bath 8: Revenge is sweet for Tigers

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Leicester Tigers produced their most physical performance of the season to gain revenge on Bath with a 17-8 Aviva Premiership victory at Welford Road.

The home team were the better side throughout and their win was built on a tremendously physical breakdown and a wonderfully-drilled driving maul defence which stifled Bath's attempts to impose themselves on the game.

Hooker Tom Youngs capped a memorable showing with his side's only try of the game in the first half as Tigers built up an 11-3 lead at the break.

They extended that to 17-3 before Bath finally crossed the line with just 19 seconds left in the game.

A miserable day for former Tiger George Ford was compounded with the game's final act as he missed a simple conversion which denied Bath the losing bonus point.

Ford's day at least started well as he kicked a fifth-minute penalty when the hosts had gone off their feet at the breakdown.

Owen Williams levelled the scores soon after and Tigers grabbed the bull by the horns and took control of the game.

Hugely physical at the breakdown, they piled forward in numbers and turned down repeated chances to kick for goal to maintain the pressure on the visitors.

Roared on by a sell-out crowd of 24,000, that pressure finally paid dividends when a huge driving maul – which also included a number of the backs – crossed the line with Youngs the man in charge of the ball.

Williams missed the conversion but it did not seem to matter as Bath struggled to get out of their own half, 8-3 behind.

The visitors looked rattled. Rob Webber overthrew a line-out by a mile and there were numerous scuffles all over the pitch as both sides squared up to each other with testosterone oozing out of every pore.

Williams added another three points on 20 minutes and it looked like Leicester must add to their score as they had lengthy possession deep in the Bath half.

But the visitors defended resolutely and although they were very lucky to escape a team yellow card after a string of penalties, they managed to clear their lines with no addition to the Leicester score when Dave Attwood stole line-out ball on his own five-metre line.

Bath enjoyed their best spell of the game up to half-time. League convert Sam Burgess went over the line but the try was pulled back for a forward pass.

Right on half-time, Ford had a simple chance to pull the gap back to five points but dragged it wide to jeers from a lively home crowd and Tigers led 11-3 at the break.

That became 14-3 just four minutes into the second half and, much as they tried, Bath – who won the corresponding fixture 45-0 at the Rec – struggled to get any foothold in the game.

The visitors certainly had much more ball in the second period but they were making far too many errors. Kyle Eastmond was missed in midfield after limping off early on and the much talked-about Burgess made little impact.

When Bath repeatedly turned down kicks at goal during one purple patch, to kick to the corner and affect a line-out drive, Leicester were more than equal to the task. Their maul defence was simply magnificent and the visitors were repelled time and time again.

Williams' fourth penalty of the afternoon put Tigers 17-3 ahead on the hour and, as Bath threw everything into an attempted comeback, the work of Graham Kitchener, Niki Goneva and man of the match Julian Salvi, among others, stopped them closing the gap.

They finally crossed the line in the last minute but Ford's day to forget finished on another sour note as he missed a simple conversion to the delight of a sell-out crowd, and the chance of a losing bonus point had gone.

Leicester Tigers 17 Bath 8: Revenge is sweet for Tigers


Heavens above!Team of 10 vicars take part in Tigers' "Big Boot" competition for charity before sell-out crowd

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A team of 10 Church of England clergy took part in Leicester Tigers 'Big Boot' competition yesterday(4)to raise money for Leicester Cathedral's King Richard III Community Appeal.

The team, dressed in full clerical cassocks, tried to catch rugby balls mechanically projected high into the air during the half time interval, in front of a sell-out Welford Road crowd at Tigers' game against arch-rivals Bath.

The pack of priests, including three female vicars, have been in strict training over Christmas.

Canon Pete Hobson, Acting Canon Missioner and Tigers season ticket holder, who, led the team, said:"Leicester is preparing to bury the warrior King, Richard III. Tigers are Leicester's modern day warriors.

"It was a good day and we were well received by the crowd, people were pretty generous to the appeal and got the re-interment year off to a great start.

"While the Big Boot was a bit of fun, the Community Appeal is part of our effort to raise money which jointly supports the CombatStress charity for military veterans and Leicester Cathedral's costs of re-burying Richard III. "

Just one of the team, Hinckley curate Jonathan Surridge(c) managed to catch a ball, fired to the height of the main stand.

The King Richard III Community Appeal is a project for Leicester and Leicestershire, which aims to raise £60,000 before the end of February.

Half of the money will go to the CombatStress charity. The other half will contribute towards the costs of re-burying King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral in March.

The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, who had been due to lead the team, had to withdraw because of ill health. 

Heavens above!Team of 10 vicars take part in Tigers'

London Lions 76 Leicester Riders 91: Hassan leads Riders to victory

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A powerful fourth quarter led by Rashad Hassan saw Leicester Riders to a relatively comfortable 91-76 victory over London Lions as they attempt to keep pace with league leaders Newcastle Eagles.

The sides were level with eight minutes to go, before Hassan scored 11 of his game-high 31 points to ease Riders home.

Neil Watson capped a stunning weekend of point-guard play, with 13 assists taking his tally to 30 in two days.

Riders got off to a slow start and trailed 7-0 before Hassan's dunk got them on the board, but with former Leicester stars Drew Sullivan and Zaire Taylor both hitting from behind the arc, the home side were 18-7 ahead after six minutes.

Another three-pointer, this time from Lovell Cook, had Riders 21-9 behind but, as the first quarter came to an end, Leicester started to find their range.

Tyler Bernardini connected from long range either side of the first break and then Neil Watson hit back-to-back long-range efforts as a 14-2 spell had Riders leading 29-28.

Anthony Rowe netted a three-point play and Jamell Anderson's corner triple helped Riders win the second period 20-9 and head into half-time with a 39-35 advantage.

London were back in front by the mid-point of the third period, but Riders went on a 10-2 spurt to regain the lead at 59-53.

Lions levelled the game at
63-63 two minutes into the final stanza, before Riders' big men took the game away from the home team.

Anthony Rowe got things going with six quick points before Hassan added nine more in four minutes as the pair scored all but two points in a 15-3 tear that had Riders 78-66 clear.

Any hopes of a home recovery were crushed by TrayVonn Wright and Bernardini slotting home three three-pointers.

Hassan made 13 of his 18 shot attempts, but fell a rebound short of a double-double, whilst Bernardini made five three-pointers in his 19 points as Riders shot an impressive 44% from behind the arc.

Lions: Stibbins 22, Cook 20, Brown 12, Sullivan 11, Taylor 9, Salter 2, Freckleton, Lawson, Irish, Roberts.

Riders: Hassan 31, Bernardini 19, Anderson 14, Rowe 9, Wright 8, Watson 8, Lamble 2, Williams, Noel, Gamble, Washington.

London Lions 76 Leicester Riders 91: Hassan leads Riders to victory

Leicester Tigers: Fraser Balmain says hard-hitting training sessions were key factor in Bath win

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Leicester Tigers prop Fraser Balmain has revealed one of the key factors in the club's rousing win against Bath was born out of some hard-hitting training sessions in the week leading up to the game.

Tigers' maul defence was so good on repeated occasions that one of the visitors' main weapons was repelled time and time again throughout the game.

Having had so much success this season with their driving maul from a line-out, Bath turned down several kicks at goal during the game to try to score from a close-range line-out.

They finally found success with just 19 seconds to go but that was too late to affect the result.

Balmain, who put in a huge shift during the game, was heavily involved in Leicester's efforts at the line-out both with and without the ball, and he admitted their success there did not just come by accident.

"We tend to have a go at each other in training and go as hard on Tuesdays as we do in a game," said the 23-year-old.

"It paid dividends against Bath. It was great to see and gives us a good platform for us to build on.

"We fronted up really well. That is the standard we have to keep for the rest of the season. 

"Tom Youngs and Geoff Parling spoke before the game and were helping the team get geed up.

"There were certainly some whispers in my ear that I need to get geed up for it too, not being a regular starter.

"I am happy to start the game and happy to play a bit longer than I normally do, especially with it being one of the biggest games I have played in. 

"I was pleased to play against Bath because I had a tough time at the Rec (when Tigers lost 45-0 in September).

"As a prop, you can learn a lot from having a bad day.

"I did better this time than when I was down there so I am happy.

"Game by game, I like to think that I am learning and progressing."

Leicester Tigers have confirmed the news that fly-half Owen Williams has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Welford Road.

The 22-year-old's decision comes after speculation that he was set to move back to the Principality after interest from Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill said: "Owen has done an excellent job for us since he came here 18 months ago and I'm delighted that he wants to stay in the longer term and has now agreed a new contract.

"He has settled very well here and has gained experience of some massive occasions with Tigers both in Aviva Premiership and in Europe during the last two seasons.

"Owen has shown a great attitude to his work."

Leicester Tigers: Fraser Balmain says hard-hitting training sessions were key factor in Bath win

Gary Barlow: Super Take That fan desperate for singer to perform at her wedding

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A super Take That fan who even has the band's autographs tattooed on her arm is desperate to get Gary Barlow to sing at her wedding.

Katie Griffiths is campaigning to get the singer to perform on her big day, after he promised he would sing at the weddings on three "huge fans".

Gary tweeted his 3.7million followers on Saturday: "Ready for some fun?

"Every week I receive thousands of requests to sing at someone's wedding.

"I want to sing at three weddings.

"The only deal is, they have to be huge fans. And all you have to do is stalk me on here."

Katie, 32, of Loughborough, is getting married to her fiance Stephen Hardy in August, following an eight year engagement.

"I am Gary's number one fan," said Katie, who has loved the band since she was eight-years-old.

"I was always going to walk down the isle to 'Rule The World' but it would be amazing if Gary could actually sing it live.

"I can't put into words home incredible it would be.

"It would be a dream come true."

Katie has got each of the original band member's autographs tattooed on her arm, apart from Jason Orange, who left Take That last year.

"Take That have always been a part of my life. They're a part of me, they make me who I am," she added.

"It just made sense to get their names tattooed on me, as well as the Take That symbol."

Since Gary made the announcement, hundreds of Katie and Stephen's friends and family have been constantly tweeting messages to the Take That singer pleading with him to choose the couple as one of his three.

Stephen has also written a poem to Gary, which includes the title of dozens of Take That songs. To view the poem, click here.

Since Saturday, hundreds of couples have tweeted the singer begging him to sing at their wedding.

By 3pm today, Gary had already chosen one lucky couple but was yet to give any details away.

Reporter Samantha Fisher asked a handful of our readers who they would want to sing at their wedding. See what they had to say:

Phil Gillett, 25, West End, student

"I think if anything, my girlfriend would sort it out. But, I suppose Barry White, Just The Way You Are. I just think the lyrics are perfect."

Wendy James, 67, Eyres Monsell, retired

"I would have anything by Elvis. An American Trilogy is my favourite, but it is a bit strong for a wedding - probably Always On My Mind. He is nice - it is the looks and the voice."

Leen Rahman, 23, from the city centre, student

"I would say, as an artist, Bruno Mars because he knows what to say to women.

"I like all of his songs - a typical choice would be Marry Me, it is a wedding type of song.

"I like his songs because of their lyrics. They are so honest. He is a sweet talker."

Chris Hercek, 51, city centre, restaurant manager

"I would go with Rose Royce singing Wishing On A Star because it is romantic.

"I do like Heroes by David Bowie, but that would not be romantic."

Manjit Shergill, 40, Oadby, deputy manager

"Gurdas Mann, a Punjabi folk singer, I like all of his slow meaningful songs. I would choose him as he has always been one of my favourite singers."

Alan Mulholland, 44, of Knighton Fields, carpenter

"John Lennon singing Imagine - that is my all-time Lennon favourite. I would choose it because it is very poignant to my family."

Lauren Greenwood, 18, Hinckley, student

"I would probably chose Jack Johnson singing I Got You mainly because of the lyrics."

Uzo Okeke, 35, Rowlatts Hill, driver

"That is a difficult one, I would like Celine Dion to sing Heart Will Go On. It is a very lovely song and my wife would definitely like it."

Gary Barlow: Super Take That fan desperate for singer to perform at her wedding

Air ambulance called to Barwell

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An air ambulance landed in Barwell yesterday after a woman in her 70s suffered from a cardiac arrest.

The helicopter landed on the green next to Moore Road shop shortly after 11.15am.

An Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance spokeswoman said: "We did attend an incident in Barwell, but in spite of advanced life support the patient passed away and suffered a cardiac arrest."

A road ambulance was also called to the scene.

Air ambulance called to Barwell

Killer bug salmonella prompts warnings over chocolates sold in Aldi stores in Leicestershire

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Chocolates made in Germany have been pulled from the shelves of Aldi stores in Leicestershire over fears they might be contaminated by killer bug salmonella.

The German manufacturer of Choceur Treasures raised the alert after finding the pathogen in its product, leading to Aldi and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) issuing an urgent recall across the Midlands, where the item was on sale.

A spokesman for the FSA said there had been no illnesses reported in the UK as a result of the bug, which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

He said: "Salmonella is a type of bacteria which lives in the gut of many farm animals and can affect meat, eggs, poultry and milk.

"Other foods can become contaminated through contact with manure in the soil or sewage in the water.

"Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever and these usually last for four to seven days.

"Most people recover without treatment. In more serious cases, hospital care may be needed because the dehydration caused by the illness can be life-threatening.

"The action taken by the company in this case has been precautionary and no cases of illness have been reported."

The products being recalled are the 200g packs of Choceur Treasures, which are hazelnuts wrapped in waffle and milk chocolate, with best before dates of September 1, 2015.

Anyone who has bought the product can take them back to the store for a refund.

The stores in Leicestershire where the products have been sold are: St George's Retail Park, Leicester; Springfield Street, Market Harborough; Welford Road, Blaby; Belton Road, Loughborough; Bullhead Street, Wigston; Meridian Way, Braunstone; Woodgate, Leicester; Melton Road, Syston; Adcock Road, Coalville; Aylestone Road, Leicester; Watling Street, Hinckley; and Dents Road, Ashby.

Other stores selling the product included those in Birmingham, Worcester, Derby, Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Grantham.

In the UK, there are about 1,200 food-related incidents dealt with by the FSA each year, but few involve microbiological risks and salmonella scares are rare.

The old, young and people with weak immune systems are most at risk from the bacteria.

Salmonella killed three people in Glasgow in 2002, and in 2006 a major recall saw more than a million Cadbury chocolate bars being removed from shelves over salmonella fears, and the company being fined £1 million.

The Leicester Mercury has contacted Aldi for a comment, but none has yet been received.

What is salmonella?

Salmonella is a pathogen that usually comes from faecal contamination and is most commonly associated with eggs and poultry.

The disease reached its peak in 1993 and became front-page news in Britain.

But cases have plummeted since vaccinations and new laws over testing birds and slaughtering infected livestock were introduced for the poultry industry in the 1990s.

In the USA, where regulations are more relaxed, about one million people a year contract salmonella and several hundred die, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Killer bug salmonella prompts warnings over chocolates sold in Aldi stores in Leicestershire

Jilted boyfriend puts his honeymoon on eBay after fiancée dumps him over Christmas

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A jilted boyfriend is advertising for someone to join him on his honeymoon after his fiancée dumped him over Christmas. John Whitbread, from Donisthorpe, put the spare ticket for his holiday on eBay after his girlfriend told him she did not want to get married. The £1,950 trip to the Dominican Republic includes all-inclusive accommodation at a four star luxury resort. John is looking for a female of any age, with a good sense of humour, to join on the two-week break. The 32-year-old, who works at a brick plant, said: "I was gutted when she said she didn't want to get married. "But I realised I couldn't mope forever and I didn't want what I'd already paid to the holiday to go to waste. "Besides, I think it will be good for me to get away. "I'm just looking for a new friend who fancies a holiday with someone fun." After John's girlfriend of two years, Amy Jackson, told him she had pre-wedding nerves and could not go through with the ceremony, he headed straight to the travel agent to see if he could cancel their break. But when the company told him he would only be able to claim half the cost back, he decided to keep the holiday and advertise for a new companion to join him. With the help of his best friend Craig Gibson, he set up an eBay auction for the spare ticket. He is also filming the project, including the moment he told his parents what was happening, utilising the hashtag #girlfromthepublictodominicanrepublic. After just two days online, the bidding this afternoon stood at £800. John describes himself as someone who is slim, 5ft 9, with dark hair, and enjoys a good laugh. His advert reads: "I'm not boring, I'm adventurous otherwise I wouldn't be doing something as ridiculous as this. "I've got no criminal record but sometimes I should be locked up for my snoring!" Although the couple had been engaged for a year and were due to marry in just five weeks' time, on Valentine's Day, John said he harboured no bitterness towards his ex-fiancee. He said: "I'm just really glad she told me before we went through with the vows on our big day – I suppose I've got to respect her honesty. "But I'm certainly not going to let the money or the opportunity pass me by." He added: "Everyone I know is taken and I'd rather go and enjoy it with someone new that I'd never otherwise get to meet. "I'm not looking for a relationship – this could be an opportunity for someone who has never had the chance to take a holiday like this before. "I'm not looking for anything apart from a fun holiday. If the girl is sporty and wants to do some scuba diving with me that would be great too. "So if you're up for a laugh and fancy a fantastic holiday – let me know!" John has pledged to donate any money he gets over £1,050 to testicular cancer research. Amy said: "We split up over the Christmas period and it was my doing, not his, but the split was really hard decision as I have a six year old daughter to think of.

"I just didn't feel ready to get married and John wasn't my soulmate.

"Obviously it's difficult for John, I'm finding it hard too.

"It's obviously not nice to finish with someone over Christmas but I thought it was better that he knew now, sooner rather than later.

"It was better that I called it off now than getting to the altar and not being able to go through with it.

"Fair play to John. I'm pleased that he's doing something positive."

The flight out leaves Manchester for Puerto Plata on Monday, February 16. John and his companion will arrive back on Tuesday, March 3. The auction can be found at: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331437376466

Jilted boyfriend puts his honeymoon on eBay after fiancée dumps him over Christmas


Developer's second attempt to build 45 homes on field in Ullesthorpe

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A planning inspector is due to decide whether or not to allow an unpopular plan to build 45 new houses in Ullesthorpe.

Last year Mulberry Property Developments failed with its application to build 45 homes in the village.

The plan, objected to by villagers and the parish council, was turned down by Harborough District Council.

But last month Mulberry appealed to the Government's Planning Inspector to overturn the decision and people in the area have until Thursday to get their objections in.

The land, which is to the south of Claybrooke Road on the east side of Ullesthorpe, is a medieval ridge and furrow field that has been used as a paddock in the recent past.

Kay Louis, who lives in Manor Road in the village, is calling on more villagers to object.

She is worried people might miss the deadline on Thursday.

She said: "This is a village of 400 homes and another 45 on this site would have a big impact and ruin the village.

"The planning application was overwhelmingly declined and nothing happened until December 23 when I received a letter from the Planning Inspectorate telling me there was an appeal I had until January 8 to get objections in.

"It seems a bit of a cheat to have all this happening over Christmas when many people will have been away and won't have had time to object," she said.

Kay said the development, if allowed to go ahead, would be on higher ground that the surrounding area and dominate the village.

"It's the nicest part of the village alongside a nice bridleway and if they are allowed to build on this land other fields will be next."

Ullesthorpe Parish Council has sent its objections to the Planning Inspectorate and a spokeswoman said the appeal was being strongly opposed.

She said: "The parish council has reiterated what we have already said - that the development is not appropriate to the character of the village, would be a hazard for pedestrians and traffic and that there is already pressure on the local doctors and schools.

"I think we would lose the village feel if this land was build on. It's also the stretch of green land that separates Ullesthorpe from Claybrooke up the road.

"With every 50 new houses you get 100 new cars and the roads around here are all small, rural roads and there's no money spent around here.

"Pedestrian access to that site is also a big problem.

"There are suggestions for pavements but people would just get in their cars and drive into the village."

The Mercury contacted Mulberry Property Developments but no comment had been received at the time of going to press.

To comment on the appeal online visit http://www.pcs.planningportal.gov.uk/pcsportal/casesearch.asp and search for "Ullesthorpe".

Developer's second attempt to build 45 homes on field in Ullesthorpe

Footballer George Taft dedicates his first ever goal to MH17 plane crash victim Richard Mayne

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Former Leicester City defender George Taft has dedicated his first career goal to a family friend who died in the MH17 Malaysia Airlines disaster.

Taft, 21, who now plays for League Two side Burton Albion, secured a 1-0 win for his team on Saturday against Shrewsbury.

But the goal had a special significance for the 6'5" centre back who was quick to point to the sky as he remembered student Richard Mayne, who was killed in a plane crash in Ukraine, last July.

He said: "Delighted to get my first ever league goal today and go on and win 1-0.

"I dedicate my goal to Richard Mayne who lost his life on MH17 flight.

"A guy who did so much for others. A real role model.

"RIP pal, I know you're looking down on everyone."

The footballer also posted the goal and the tribute on his Facebook page.

The sentiment got a lot of positive reaction from his friends and followers.

Darren Haushinka Styne posted: "Valuable goal and awesome gesture... Great to see you on the score sheet."

Also commenting on the post was Bradley Parker.

He said: "Love this post Tafty, well done on the goal and performance too mate!"

Julie Snelling wrote: "Great moment, well done George and a lovely dedication. Never forget the inspiration you give to lots of kids too."

Leeds University student Richard, 20, who was in a relationship with Taft's girlfriend's sister before he died, was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when his plane was apparently shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Also aboard was another student, Ben Pocock, also 20, who was studying business at Loughborough University.

They were among the 298 people killed in the alleged attack.

A final report into the crash is due to be released by air accident investigators later this year.

More than 400 people paid their final respects to Richard at his funeral, at St Anne's Parish Church, in Western Park, in September.

Speaking at the time, his brother, William, compared Richard to F Scott Fitzgerald's Jay Gatsby.

He said: "The Great Gatsby was one of Richard's favourite novels and there was a significant similarity between Gatsby and my brother.

"Richard also followed his own personal dream in life.

"If he wanted something, he would go out and get it and, if he wanted to see Mount Everest with is own eyes, he would go.

"Just as Gatsby's life ended in tragic circumstances pursuing his own ideal dream, so has my brother's."

Footballer George Taft dedicates his first ever goal to MH17 plane crash victim Richard Mayne

Weird and valuable items left at Travelodge hotels in 2014

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A three-foot rubber duck, a personalised zimmer frame, a Tiffany bangle and divorce papers were among the weird things left in hotel rooms in Leicestershire.

Travelodge's list of lost and found items from 2014 also included a child's bike, a pair of topiary trees, a crystal lamp, a large zebra cuddly toy and an Xbox with a suitcase full of games.

The rubber duck was found at the chain's Hinckley hotel, while the divorce papers and the zebra were left behind on separate occasions in rooms at the Markfield hotel.

The most common items to be left behind were electric chargers of all kinds, followed by phones, books, tablet computers and laptops.

Travelodge spokeswoman Shakila Ahmed said: "This year's lost and found inventory has revealed some new unique items being left behind.

"Our 2014 register also reveals how much smart technology has become a part of our everyday lives, as we have had 12,000 tablets and smartphones left behind in our hotels in the last 12 months.

"This is a significant increase from previous years.

"What is becoming evident after speaking to our customers is that the pace of life has become so fast and we are so eager to get from A to B that valuable possessions are easily being forgotten."

All items left behind in Travelodge hotels which have not been claimed within three months, are donated to charity shops. 

Weird and valuable items left at Travelodge hotels in 2014

Teenager becomes the youngest ever Harvard University graduate

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A 16-year-old University of Leicester student has become the youngest ever person to graduate from Harvard University.

Eugenie de Silva completed a Master's in Liberal Arts at the esteemed American institution while also studying for a PhD in Politics and International Relations at Leicester.

She is carrying out her postgraduate studies by distance learning, as she lives in Tennessee, in the US, but she said chose to study at Leicester in order to work with Professor Mark Phythian.

She said: "My desire to attend the University of Leicester was fuelled by the fact that Professor Mark Phythian was a research supervisor at the university.

"During my undergraduate studies and graduate studies, I used Professor Phythian's work in my own reports - hence, I knew attending this university would provide me with a unique opportunity to work under a specialist and expert in my chosen field.

"I would like to say that I am proud to be a student of the University of Leicester."

Eugenie's specific area of study at Leicester is Denial and Deception in World War II.

Prof Phythian said: "Eugenie's field of research is an area of ongoing importance, and her research is set to advance knowledge and understanding of it."

She is also the youngest recipient of the Luce Leader Award for 2015 - which recognises "young leaders making a difference on a global level".

Jim Luce, from the Luce Foundation, said: " Through her sincerity, academic achievement, focus on global studies, background in Sri Lanka, the UK and the US, and belief that humanity can improve itself through education, Eugenie Carys de Silva embodies the virtues of young global leadership."

Teenager becomes the youngest ever Harvard University graduate

Leicestershire landmarks feature in new online Royal Mail stamp collection

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Three Leicester landmarks feature in a new online gallery of Royal Mail's 50th anniversary Special Stamps.

The National Space Centre, Great Central Railway and the University of Leicester all appear on the assortment of postage stamps.

Former postmaster general MP Tony Benn introduced the special issues in 1965 by using an iconic image of Winston Churchill.

Since then, more than 2,600 alternative editions have been created featuring everything from a hovercraft to Harry Potter.

The idea behind the collection was to celebrate people, events and anniversaries relevant to UK heritage and explore the British way of life.

One of the featured landmarks is the Gowan-Stirling engineering building at the University of Leicester, which was released in 1971.

Simon Dixon, digital humanities and special collections manager at the university, said: "The university is associated with two of the stamps in this special collection.

"The landmark Gowan-Stirling engineering building is given pride of place in the 1971 collection while the National Space Centre, which is the brainchild of the University of Leicester, is featured in the 2000 collection.

"Both these distinctive buildings are of national interest and importance which is duly reflected in the 50th year of Royal Mail's Special Stamp programme."

The National Space Centre was included in the 200 collection, while the Great Central Railway appeared in 2004m in a collection called Classic Locomotives.

Stuart Bailey, chair of the Leicester Civic Society, said: "It's quite an eclectic mix of buildings, but all of them have merit.

"It's nice to see so many Leicester buildings on the list."

To view all of the stamps visit: www.rmspecialstamps.com

Leicestershire landmarks feature in new online Royal Mail stamp collection

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