Everyone at Leicester City is itching to see new signing Andrej Kramaric in action, said defender Danny Simpson.

The Croatian is expected to get the green light to make his debut against Stoke at the King Power Stadium on Saturday after the FA this week endorsed City's bid to gain the 23-year-old a work permit.

The Home Office is expected to approve the permit so Kramaric can complete his £9.5million move from HNK Rijeka.

Kramaric has been around the City training ground since the end of last week, although he won't be allowed to train with his new team-mates until his permit comes through, but Simpson said he was already making his presence felt.

"He hasn't been allowed to train with us yet but he seems like a good lad," said Simpson. "He is there watching and chatting to everyone.

"It would have been good for him to watch the Villa game and see the atmosphere.

"I am sure he can't wait to get going with us but there is a good little vibe among us.

"I have seen a bit of video footage of him in action and in one goal he turns about 30 yards out and volleys it into the corner. If he does a few like that I will be happy.

"His goalscoring record is impressive and hopefully he can bring that to the Premier League and get us goals."

After having to show great patience early in the season, Simpson has started the last seven league games and says he feels he is getting up to speed and developing a good understanding with his team-mates.

"I feel fit and I have had a good run," he said. "I feel I am starting to get into my rhythm. I am settling in well and it helps when you keep clean sheets and win games.

"I have to keep going and help the team keep clean sheets and be part of a winning team.

"The manager said to be me to try to organise and I am trying to do that on the pitch.

"Whoever is playing on the wing, against Villa it was Marc Albrighton who has played in the Premier League before, it is about partnerships.

"Me and Marcin (Wasilewski) have created a good partnership. It has got to the point where I know what he is going to do and he knows what I am going to do.

"We are always talking and communicating, and I think that is important.

"Communication is key in these games."

Leicester City are in talks with Wigan forward Shaun Maloney over a potential move to the King Power Stadium.

City have been given permission to approach the Scotland international after drawing up a deal with the Championship side.

However, the Mercury understands talks are still in a very early stage and a deal is not imminent.

City are believed to have made a bid of around £750,000 for the player which has been accepted. 

The two clubs do have a sour history, of course, mainly over dealings for midfielder James McArthur.

Wigan originally rejected a bid of £5m for McArthur before chairman Dave Whelan publicly stated the midfielder was set to join Leicester after accepting an improved offer of nearly £7m.

However, a payment structure was not agreed and the transfer collapsed. McArthur was left in limbo, eventually moving to Crystal Palace, while City boss Nigel Pearson was unhappy at the public nature of the proceedings.

If a deal is agreed with Maloney, the player would bring added Premier League experience to Pearson's squad. He joined Wigan in 2011, and made nearly 50 top-flight appearances for the Latics before their relegation in 2013.

The Scotland international, who was won 27 caps, can play in a wide role or behind the striker and is renowned for his excellent delivery from set-plays.

It was his corner that led to Wigan's last-minute winner in the 2013 FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Maloney has scored twice in 19 appearances for the Latics this season, with Wigan currently languishing in the Championship relegation zone.

Meanwhile, it looks like City will miss out on Jermain Defoe with the Toronto striker set for a move to Premier League rivals Sunderland.

The 32-year-old is set to sign a three-and-a-half-year deal worth more than £70,000 a week.

Defoe had his medical with the Black Cats yesterday and could make his debut against his former club, Tottenham, at the weekend.

The move is part of a swap deal with Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore heading in the opposite direction to the Canadian MLS side.

Defoe had been a target for a host of Premier League clubs, including City, with Pearson interested in bringing the former England striker to the King Power Stadium in both the summer and January transfer windows.

Another City target, Japan striker Shinji Okazaki, has confirmed he will not consider a move to Leicester while on duty at the Asian Cup.

City have reportedly had an £8m bid for the 28-year-old rejected by his Bundesliga side Mainz.

"For the time being that's finished for me. I will stop thinking about it," said Okazaki.

"I'm a Mainz player and for now I want to focus on the Asian Cup."

When Pauline Houghton volunteered to take part in the search for Richard III's remains, she never dreamed she would one day attend their re-interment ceremony at Leicester Cathedral.

But the 54-year-old is one of the first people to find out they are among the lucky 600 who have secured seats for the event, in a special ballot being run by the cathedral.

Pauline, who lives off Anstey Road, in Leicester, said: "When I got the phone call I didn't know what to do.

"I screamed, I shouted, I ran around the living room and I cried. I didn't know what to think.

"I had to ask when it was because I wasn't thinking straight I was that happy."

Pauline, who works in the University of Leicester's estates department and also as a cleaner at a doctors' surgery, added: "I will definitely make sure my diary's clear.

"It's phenomenal. I was part of the search so I hoped I could be there for the re-interment.

"I've never won anything in my life. I thought it there would be a one in a million chance of getting an invite."

In fact, she had a one in 23 chance of success, as 14,000 people from across the globe entered the ballot.

Her husband, Paul, also entered but was not successful, so he will be looking out for her on television as he watches at home.

Acting cathedral canon missioner Reverend Pete Hobson said: "It's brilliant to see how excited Pauline was to get the invitation.

"I think everyone who gets one will be the same because the ceremonies really will be special events."

There will be three ceremonies, each attended by 200 of the 600 ballot winners as well as other guests including the Bosworth Peers - heirs of the noble families who fought on both sides at the Bosworth in 1485, when Richard was slain.

Pauline will attend main re-interment service on Thursday, March 26, when the coffin is lowered into the ground and sealed in its tomb.

The other services will take place at the cathedral during a week of events which run from Sunday, March 22, until Friday, March 27.

People successful in the ballot will be contacted by the end of next week.

It will cost £2.5 million to re-inter King Richard, and the cathedral still needs £585,000.

Cathedral canon missioner Reverend Pete Hobson said: "We are having discussions with individuals and looking at grants, but the cathedral doesn't have any hidden reserves.

"I think we will get there, but if we don't it will be embarrassing for the cathedral and the city of Leicester as a whole."

To find out more about the re-interment, and to donate to the appeal, go to:

www.kingrichardinleicester.com

A woman has spoken about the horrific moment she discovered she had been raped more than 300 times by her husband while she slept.

Sarah Tetley, of Melton, appeared on ITV's This Morning to talk about her ordeal.

The 26-year-old said that in November 2013, she woke up and found her husband, Charles, molesting her.

She later confided in a friend who urged her to contact the police - and the nightmare then began to unfold.

Recalling the time she found her husband molesting her, Sarah told This Morning presenters Philip Schofield and Christine Bleakley: "I woke up drowsy.

"I realised he was molesting me.

"At the time, I thought I would just pretend to be asleep and see what was going on."

Sarah said Tetley stopped quickly, at which point she left the bedroom and went downstairs.

When he had gone to work, Sarah confided in a neighbour.

"My neighbour said I needed to ring the police," she said.

The police unlocked the files on Tetley's computer and discovered 316 videos of him molesting Sarah.

"I didn't know what was on them at first," she said.

"But police said they were disgusting. Some of them sounded quite shocked at what was on them."

In March, Sarah watched 16 of the films.

"In a couple of the videos, you couldn't hear me breathing, I wasn't moving, it did look like I was dead in some of them," she said.

Philip said: "You can only assume that perhaps you were drugged, although the tests come back inconclusive, because you would've certainly woken up."

Tetley appeared in Leicester Crown Court in August, where he pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, attempted rape, eight counts of assault by penetration and three counts of sexual assault. He also admitted 10 counts of making indecent images of children.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

People in Leicestershire and Rutland would be willing to pay more towards policing, according to a survey.

The survey, carried out online and by telephone involved 850 residents of the city, county and Rutland.

It asked whether they would be prepared to pay more in the element of their council tax bills which is spent on policing - known as the policing precept.

The overwhelming majority of respondents said they would be prepared to pay an extra 2 per cent on their bills for the financial year 2015/2016 – the equivalent of an extra 7p per week, or £3.64 per year, for the average household.

Sir Clive Loader, Leicestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner, who ordered the survey, said: "The consultation results show a clear preference towards a 2 per cent increase despite the fact that this would represent an extra financial burden – albeit relatively small – on often hard-pressed families.

"To me, that clearly demonstrates the importance the public place on having a well resourced police service."

He added: "I will now consider very carefully the views of those respondents, along with many other significant factors, as I decide my proposed precept for 2015/16 for presentation to the police and crime panel at its meeting on January 29.

"Over recent years, the Leicestershire Police Force has faced significant financial challenges as the funding provided by central government has reduced; during a four year period, savings of over £23m have been found.

"Should I propose an increase in the policing precept – a decision that will be taken anything other than lightly – this would go some way to meeting some of those financial challenges whilst also allowing the chief constable to continue to address key policing priorities that lie ahead."

He added: "I want to thank everyone who took part in the survey and for giving me their views.

"Without doubt, those opinions will help me in deciding the amount of money to be charged to residents for policing in the coming year."

A total of 163 people completed an on-line survey about the policing budget, and around 700 took part in a telephone survey.

Snibston Discovery Museum is set to close after Leicestershire County Council said it could not afford to run the tourist attraction. The Conservative-run council says it faces tens of millions of pounds of cuts in the future and does not have the £900,000 it costs each year to run the museum. But what do you think? Will it be a loss to the county? Have your say by voting in our poll - which is position at the bottom right of this story.

Thurnby Nirvana set their sights on a place in the last-16 of the FA Vase this weekend when they entertain United Counties League rivals Holbeach United.

The Dakyn Road outfit have already won five matches to reach this stage, beginning their campaign in September when they beat Greenwood Meadows 2-1.

Their most recent victory came when they pipped Bromsgrove Sporting by the same scoreline, with Ash Day and Liam Canavan finding the net.

The fourth-round draw was kind in that it gave Thurnby a home game, but it is still a tough assignment against a Holbeach side who are among the favourites for promotion from the UCL Premier.

They currently lie in second place, five points behind AFC Rushden & Diamonds but with three games in hand.

Their progress has been built around a solid defence with just 18 league goals conceded to date – the best record in the division.

However, Thurnby have the men to unlock that rearguard in the shape of Day, Canavan and Matt Melbourne, and will no doubt be buoyed by the knowledge that Leicester rivals St Andrews reached the semi-finals of this competition last term.

On the league front, Oadby Town will be out to build on last week's excellent 2-0 win over the leaders.

They are again at home, this time to a Harrowby United side that has had a woeful time on the road this season.

Harborough Town's search for points to take them away from trouble sees them go to Wisbech, a side who are far from out of the promotion picture.

Lutterworth Athletic's First Division promotion campaign resumes when they host Northampton ON Chenecks.

Athletic head into the game just three points ahead of third-placed Potton United and having played a game more.

The fight at the top of the East Midlands Counties League is heating up.

Blaby & Whetstone Athletic lead the way after their excellent win at Bardon Hill Sports last week. It gave them breathing space at the top but the eventual title winners could yet come from any of the leading half-dozen.

Blaby continue their challenge at Borrowash Victoria, a side who have been out of the frame this season. Bardon are also on the road as they set about putting together another winning run. They go to Arnold Town.

St Andrews currently split Blaby and Bardon but have played a couple of games more than the latter. They visit Stapenhill, a side who have been unable to build on last season's good showing.

The Andrews go into the match on form after a stunning 5-0 win over Loughborough Dynamo in the Westerby Cup in midweek when Dan Henfrey cracked a hat-trick.

Back-to-back wins have reinvigorated the Ashby Ivanhoe camp and the 9-1 thrashing of Greenwood Meadows can only have added to their belief.

Ashby visit Kimberley in the latest round of fixtures.

Ellistown & Ibstock United lost ground when they suffered defeat last time out at home to Arnold. They cannot afford a similar slip when they host Anstey Nomads. Barrow Town will fancy their chances of picking up three points at Greenwood, while Holwell Sports are just a win or so away from the top half of the chart. They entertain eighth-placed Holbrook.

Aylestone Park desperately need a win to boost their battle against relegation. South Normanton Athletic visit the Linwood on Saturday.

A GP is on trial accused of sexually assaulting five male patients under the pretence of examining them in his surgery.

Bharat Shikotra, 53, also allegedly made remarks about their sexuality and discussed sexual activity with some of the alleged victims.

The doctor, who has since retired from the Saffron Surgery, at 612 Saffron Lane, Leicester, denies any deliberate wrongdoing.

He has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting five adult males, and one count of assault by penetration with one of them, between February 2011 and September 2012.

Claire Howell, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court: "He abused the trust placed in him by patients by sexually assaulting them."

She said one man, in his 30's, originally made a complaint and "as a result four other men came forward.

"None of them knew each other.

"They all make strikingly similar allegations about Dr Shikotra's behaviour towards them, including various things they described him saying.

"Some present as quite vulnerable people and it's for you to consider whether it was a factor in him targeting them - in other words 'who's going to believe their word against mine.'

Miss Howell said: "A number are gay and he seemed interested in their sexuality."

She claimed that the doctor, whilst examining one person intimately allegedly indicated if he continued what he was doing the patient would have a sexual experience and discussed "sex aids and vibrators."

"All report he touched their genitals," said Miss Howell.

The doctor failed to record at least one intimate examination in his notes, it was claimed.

Miss Howell said: "He's not on trial for violating good medical practice guidelines, but it's relevant to consider what good practice is when considering these counts.

"Not all GPs follow the guidelines all the time, but Dr Shikotra had a particular reason to be careful because in 2003 he was interviewed by the police after a patient made a complaint.

"No professional or criminal charges were made against him but during the process he was spoken to by the Primary Care Trust and reminded about the particular need to take care, particularly the use of chaperones.

"He never offered a chaperone to any of these people."

Shikotra, of Elmsleigh Avenue, Leicester, claims he was only carrying out legitimate medical practices.

The patients claim, in some cases, his examinations lasted for longer than they thought was necessary and left them feeling uncomfortable.

One alleged victim claims the defendant talked about sexual positions and two others claim he told them about male vibrators and showed them sex aids on the website.

The trial continues.

Leicester Riders head to Sheffield tomorrow night (7.30) looking to keep up their chase of leaders Newcastle at the top of the BBL Championship table.

The Sharks, who finished runners-up in the league last season, have had a stuttering campaign.

A string of narrow defeats saw them off to a slow start, but then a run a of five straight leagues wins appeared to have them turning the corner.

That momentum was halted by a shock home defeat to Leeds followed by a loss to form side Cheshire last weekend.

"Even the games they've lost this season, they've been right in them," said Riders coach Rob Paternostro. "They seem to have had a lot of close games that haven't gone their way.

"They are a very difficult team to play against, they play great defence and have a lot of veterans who have played in the league for a long while."

Sheffield have been boosted by the recent return from injury of influential playmaker BJ Holmes and recently re-signed Mike Cook, who was named player of the year in the BBL in his first spell in Sheffield in 2010-11.

"I thought they did a pretty good job without BJ because he is a guy who does a lot of things for them," said Paternostro. "That will help their players as the season goes on.

"Cook can really put the ball in the basket, but he is a playmaker as well, so it gives them another option to score and make plays and I believe that a lot of their players will benefit from that."

Riders should be back to full strength, with Pavol Losonsky, having "had a good week of practice", expected to return after missing the last three games with a leg problem.

For Leicester, it is the first of yet another double-header with Leeds coming to Loughborough on Saturday night for a Trophy clash.

Paternostro said: "We have a lot of players that are looking to get minutes so I anticipate a lot of different guys to making an impact over the weekend."

Sharks: Cook, G Brownell, E Brownell, Holmes, Backovic, Lewis, Babalola, Tuck, Horstmann, Barber, Sing, Gachette.

Riders: Williams, Bernardini, Watson, McSwiggan, Maynard, Noel, Gamble, Washington, Lamble, Anderson, Hassan, Losonsky, Rowe, Wright.

The final whistle against Aston Villa last Saturday saw some happy scenes among Leicester City fans that have been all too rare this season.

It had been a hell of a battle, quite literally at one point, and a cynic might say that they had made hard work of beating a poor side, but those precious three points were all that mattered.

Somewhat cruelly, Crystal Palace's win over Tottenham later that evening saw the points gap to safety extend from two to three, but the important thing is despite City's terrible run through October, November and December, they are not cut adrift.

Only five points separate the bottom nine sides, so none of them can consider themselves safe. Everton do not do relegation, West Brom have brought in football's equivalent of Red Adair, Tony Pulis, so I don't see them falling through the trapdoor.

But that leaves six clubs that City could realistically finish above.

Stoke at home on Saturday will be every bit as tough a battle as last week. But looking at the up-coming fixture list, it has to be labelled a 'must win'.

The prospect of Stoke at home always causes me to do a little involuntary shiver.

It occurred to me that we don't often get any shockingly dull, nothing-happens-at-all games any more.

I'm sure that a few years ago the soul-deadening non-event that could actually make you feel a bit depressed happened – I don't know, perhaps every third or fourth game?

I recall the absolute worst ever – 30 years ago now, when Leicester "entertained" Stoke at Filbert Street in January 1985.

It was a 0-0 draw in which absolutely nothing whatsoever of note happened, and we all agreed was the most boring game we had ever seen (although Stoke probably considered it a grand day out in a season where they were relegated with an embarrassing 17 points).

And, just to add insult to injury, if the entertainment value was absolute zero, then so was the weather.

It was absolutely freezing and, for some idiotic reason, we had elected to go in a draughty and half-empty Double Decker rather than nestle among the warm crowd at the back of Pen Three of the Kop.

I recall at one point we were so cold our teeth were uncontrollably chattering, like you might see in a cartoon.

And still worse, the Midland Fox buses were on strike and we had to walk the seven miles home.

The fashion requirements of the mid-80s meant that coats were frowned upon in favour of lambswool golf jumpers, and by the time we got back to our firesides I was lucky not to have lost my core heat to an irretrievable measure. No longer having to bend to the whims of fashion, I will be wearing my biggest coat on Saturday, and hoping to see a good game, although a boring win will do fine.

Leicester Tigers' all-or-nothing Champions Cup clash with Scarlets at Welford Road tomorrow night will be a new experience for stand-in skipper Ben Youngs.

To keep alive their slim hopes of quarter-final qualification, nothing less than a bonus-point win will do, and Youngs, in his ninth season at Tigers, said that is a first for him.

With Scarlets also chasing a four-try victory to boost their chances of advancing to the knock-out stages, Youngs is expecting an exciting encounter.

"It's going to be a real challenge for us," said the 25-year-old. "It's something I've never experienced at Tigers, going into a game really needing to win with a bonus point.

"It's a new challenge for us and it's one that will test our leadership and tactics.

"Our mind-set will be to win the game first, but we've got to make sure we get maximum points.

"They'll come a time when we just have chuck it about to try to get the bonus point.

"They've got to do the same, so it makes for an exciting game.

"If we get two tries in the first half, we don't want to rush to get them in the second half, and we'll be composed in what we do.

"However, if we don't get any in the first half, then we'll be forced to go after it, which is dangerous.

"Scarlets play quite a loose game, and you don't want to be loose, give them opportunities and end up losing because you've tried to chuck it about too much.

"Scarlets are probably better than us at chucking it around. Because we've got such a good set-piece, we tend to use that, whereas Scarlets' set-piece isn't quite as strong as ours.

"We've got to make sure we're not naïve to that and fall into the traps."

Tigers' predicament in Europe, just eight points from four games, is partly due to their 15-3 defeat at Parc Y Scarlets in October, where chances went begging and tries were given up with ease.

Post-match, Youngs described the loss as "brutal", and it has proven so, with Tigers now five points off the pace in the chase for one of the three best runners-up spots.

The scrum-half is hoping for revenge in front of a home crowd tomorrow night.

"That was a really disappointing game," he said. "In big games like that, you've got to be clinical.

"We're looking forward to putting things right.

"Being at home is a big thing for us. We feel that our best performances have been at home this season.

"It's nice to know that, with everything to play for, we'll be at our home ground."

Leicester Tigers have erected a cheeky billboard outside the new Coventry home of their historic Premiership rivals Wasps.

The hoarding, which reads "on your doorstep since 1880", was placed next to the Ricoh Arena on Monday.

The ad features Tigers' Samoan prop Logovi'i Mulipola, and gives the sat nav co-ordinates of Welford Road, just 24.3 miles away.

Leicester Tigers said it was a "conscious decision" to choose that location for the billboard.

A club spokesman said: "The billboard speaks for itself. The club has a long association with the area and has a lot of supporters in Coventry and we're keen to remind people we're here."

He said the Coventry region had also been a rich area from which to recruit top-level playing talent, including Tigers' director of rugby Richard Cockerill and former Tigers' favourite and current Wasps fly half Andy Goode.

Wasps were a London team for 135 years before they set up home at the Adams Park Stadium, in High Wycombe, not far from the capital, in 2002.

The move to the 32,600 capacity Ricoh in December raised eyebrows across the Premiership, particularly as some diehard Wasps fans still congregate at the old clubhouse in Sudbury, Middlesex, on home matchdays, believing it to be the club's spiritual home.

The club has responded good-naturedly to Tigers' billboard provocation.

They said in a statement: "We're flattered a club like Leicester Tigers has decided to spend money on marketing themselves on our doorstep.

"We'll continue to concentrate on trying to build a fan base in the region; we don't tend to worry too much about what our competitors are doing."

Wasps started life in a north London pub in 1867.

They drew a crowd of 28,254 at their first match at the Ricoh against London Irish on December 21.

The Wasps spokesman said the club had been "overwhelmed and humbled" by the support they had received since moving to the region.

The billboard stunt has caused some amusement among Tigers fans on one of the club's social forums.

One fan, who uses the name tigercaspian, wrote: "Delighted to say this pic has wound up a lot of my Pests pals down here in Aylesbury!! Excellent value for money."

Another fan, named Roly, wrote: "Interesting but i'm not sure who Tigers think they're going to poach supporter wise. Anybody in to rugby from that neck of the woods will already know fine well who Leicester Tigers are and most likely already be a supporter anyway."

Wasps RUFC was formed in a pub in Hampstead north London. It took its name as part of the Victorian fashion to name themselves after insects, birds and animals.

The club's first home was in Finchley Road, North London although subsequent years saw grounds being rented in various parts of London. In 1923 Wasps moved to their previous home of Sudbury, in Middlesex eventually buying the ground outright. In 1999 they adopted the name London Wasps and shared Loftus Road with Queen's Park Rangers.

In 2002 London Wasps moved to the 10,300 capacity Adams Park Stadium, High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire.

On home matchdays, the Sudbury clubhouse still exists and Sudbury is still considered the club's spiritual home by diehard fans.

Players from Coventry have made a great impact for Tigers in recent years.

Richard Cockerill, Leicester's director of rugby, began his career at Coventry RFC before becoming part of the formidable ABC Club front row.

Wasps' current fly half Andy Goode had two successful spells at Leicester.

Other notable Coventrians to wear the red ,white and green include Neil Back, Leon Lloyd, Jim Hamilton and Darren Garforth.

Danny Drinkwater has given Leicester City a boost ahead of the visit of Stoke City on Saturday.

The central midfielder has returned to training after a groin injury and is in contention to face Stoke at the King Power Stadium.

Esteban Cambiasso is still struggling with a thigh injury and manager Nigel Pearson said Hammond was a doubt with a calf problem, and with Matty James suspended City could have only Drinkwater and Andy King available to fil the central midfield slots.

"Dean Hammond's unlikely, but we will have to see how things go," said Pearson.

"Cambiasso has not trained fully yet, but Danny Drinkwater is training and in contention. Matty James is unavailable through suspension.

"We've managed a hectic period with just one or two injuries, and they're making good progress."

Jeff Schlupp remains a week or so away from a return after a knee problem which ruled him out of the Africa Cup of Nations, while Matt Upson (foot) and Kasper Schmeichel (foot), both remain long term problems.

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson is hopeful that Andrej Kramaric will get the green light to make his Leicester City debut on Saturday.

City have been waiting on confirmation that he has been granted a work permit and given international clearance so he can be in contention to face Stoke.

The club are hopeful of receiving all the documentation either tonight or first thing tomorrow morning, in time for Kramaric to be registered.

City were given the backing of the FA after a hearing on Monday and Kramaric has been training with the club since then.

Pearson said the Croatia striker had settled in well into the City squad.

"Up until we went down for the meeting on Monday and once we got that effectively sanctioned he was able to train, and has done," said Pearson. "Now it is about overcoming the final hurdle.

"If we get that information to confirm he is available he will be in contention.

"I am hopeful that will be finalised."

Pearson believes Kramaric has the pedigree and the character to make a big impact at City, although he warned there would be a period of adaptation for the 23-year-old.

"Hopefully, when available, he will have a big impact for us," he said.

"He is a player we have been looking at for more than two years. It is not as if it is something that has just come out of the blue.

"I know there has been speculation that other clubs have been interested.

"He is a player who we have been monitoring for a while and a lot of work has gone in, in the sense that we have watched him many times in different competitions.

"We are in a position where we feel we were able to make the move for him.

"I am very pleased we have been able to get the deal almost over the line. If we get that before the weekend he will be in contention.

"There will always be a period of adaptation, but for a young man he is very grounded.

"He has a lot of humility and he is a student of the game.

"He doesn't just play off the cuff. He has broken into the full international side as well as having European club experience.

"That suggests he is a player who will make the progression.

"We are confident he can be that added club in the bag, to use the golfing analogy."

Firefighters were called after a fire started in the attic of a home in Loughborough.

The fire service was called at 1.50pm today to the home in Arthur Street in the town centre.

Crews from the town used carbon dioxide extinguishers to put out the fire, which started in an electric socket and caused fire and smoke damage to the attic.

No one was hurt in the incident and the cause has been recorded as accidental.

A hospital has confirmed that a patient tested for ebola does not have the disease.

The woman was admitted to Northampton General Hospital with an illness after a trip overseas. The hospital carried out tests for malaria and ebola to try to find out what was wrong with the woman.

Public Health England has confirmed she does not have ebola but have not said what she does have.

Meanwhile Pauline Cafferkey, from Glasgow, is still being treated for ebola at London's Royal Free Hospital.

The 39-year-old nurse, who caught the disease in West Africa where she was working for Save the Children, is no longer in a critical condition.

So far more than 7,800 people have been killed by the disease in the past year.

The nominations for this year's Oscars have been announced and five British actors are up for awards.

And two British films - The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything - are both up for Best Film awards.

Benedict Cumberbatch is nominated for his starring role in Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game, while Eddie Redmayne is up for his portrayal of another British genius, Stephen W Hawking, in The Theory of Everything.

The nominees for best actress include Rosamund Pike, for Gone Girl, and Felicity Jones for her role in The Theory of Everything.

Keira Knightley is nominated in the supporting actress category for her role in The Imitation Game.

Nominees for the top Oscar awards:

Best picture

American Sniper

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Best director

Alejandro González Iñárritu – Birdman

Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher

Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game

Best actor

Steve Carell – Foxcatcher

Bradley Cooper – American Sniper

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game

Michael Keaton – Birdman

Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

Best actress

Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night

Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore – Still Alice

Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon – Wild

Best supporting actor

Robert Duvall – The Judge

Ethan Hawke – Boyhood

Edward Norton – Birdman

Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher

JK Simmons – Whiplash

Best supporting actress

Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Laura Dern – Wild

Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game

Emma Stone – Birdman

Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

Best original screenplay

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr and Armando Bo – Birdman

Richard Linklater – Boyhood

E Max Frye and Dan Futterman – Foxcatcher

Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Dan Gilroy – Nightcrawler

Best adapted screenplay

Jason Hall – American Sniper

Graham Moore – The Imitation Game

Paul Thomas Anderson – Inherent Vice

Anthony McCarten – The Theory of Everything

Damien Chazelle – Whiplash

Best foreign film

Ida

Leviathan

Tangerines

Timbuktu

Wild Tales

Best documentary

CitizenFour

Finding Vivian Maier

Last Days in Vietnam

The Salt of the Earth

Virunga

Best animation

Big Hero 6

The Boxtrolls

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Song of the Sea

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Anti-terror police have carried out a raid in Belgium that has left two dead and one injured.

According to local press reports, police swooped on the town of Verviers where a "jihadist-related" anti-terror operation took place.

Witnesses reported hearing heavy gunfire for several minutes and at least three explosions.

None of the casualties were from the police or armed forces.

There are some reports the operation was one of several being conducted against fighters returning from Syria.

A "greedy" financial administrator stole almost £15,000 from the Leicestershire branch of the National Autistic Society where she worked.

Leicester Crown Court was told that £3,560 of the cash was benefit payments belonging to nine vulnerable victims who lived at one of the charity's residential care homes.

Beverley Holloway (54) was entrusted with the society's finances in Leicestershire - but falsified the accounts to cover her tracks.

She admitted two counts of fraudulently obtaining money by abusing her position, between April 2012 and May last year.

Holloway, of Bladen Close, Countesthorpe, was given a 10 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with 250 hours of unpaid work and £490 costs.

She was ordered to repay all the money within six months - which might involve remortgaging her home – or go to jail for nine months.

Recorder Christopher Tickle said: "Your previous good character has been destroyed by your greed.

"People trusted you and no-one dreamed you were fiddling the books, using more than one method.

"It was a gross abuse of trust and you evolved systems to cover it up.

"You were looking after money for a charity, and vulnerable people in their care.

"You carried on for a couple of years until you were discovered and, of course, you lost your job.

"You were well regarded in the community and have done charitable work helping others in the past."

Alexander Davies, prosecuting, said Holloway was employed by the society since 2009, overseeing the finances based at Edward House, Enderby Road, Whetstone.

She stole £11,230 from the society's safe and petty cash float, as well as £3,560 of residents' DSS payments.

Nine out of the 10 residents suffering from autism and living at the charity's residential home, in Camden Road, Braunstone, Leicester, suffered losses at the hands of the defendant.

She was arrested after an audit showed discrepancies.

Holloway confessed, saying the money went on general day-to-day living expenses.

Her husband had no idea of her dishonesty.

Michael Garvey, mitigating, said: "She struggles to explain why it happened.

"She was under pressure and wasn't coping .

"She did not stash it away or spend it on a lavish lifestyle, but used it for living expenses."

He said Holloway had an ISA account with £5,000 in which would go towards repaying the stolen money, and she would borrow the remainder, possibly through remortgaging her home, to pay it all back.