Two men walked into a bank and threatened staff with a gun yesterday morning.

The pair struck at Nat West in High Street, Lutterworth, shortly before 10.30am and aimed what is believed to have been a shotgun at terrified staff.

People in the town said they heard a single gunshot, although nobody was injured.

Customers were also inside the bank during the raid.

Police believe the men left the branch empty-handed.

Armed officers were called to the scene after the alarm was sounded and the branch was cordoned off.

Police forensics officers were examining the scene throughout yesterday afternoon, including searching the area for evidence of whether a gun had been fired.

Later, three men – all from Leicestershire – were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the raid.

They remained in police custody last night while they were questioned by detectives.

Lutterworth councillor Rosita Page said: "It's such a shock that there has been a robbery at the bank in a quiet town such as Lutterworth.

"A jeweller's has been robbed before, but nothing like this – especially as there seems to have been a gun involved.

"I'm just delighted that nobody has been hurt."

Town resident Eileen Derrick was in a car in nearby George Street at the time of the raid.

She said: "There was a young man running down the middle of the road, without wearing a coat. He was dodging the traffic. Then a short time later he ran back and disappeared.

"A short while later the police helicopter came overhead."

A Nat West spokeswoman confirmed no customers or members of staff were harmed.

The bank, which is owned by Royal Bank of Scotland, is offering counselling to staff.

The spokeswoman said: "The safety of our customers and staff is very important, and we are working closely with the police at this time."

A police spokeswoman said: "Two men entered the premises and threatened a staff member with what is thought to be a firearm.

"They left the premises in a dark Volvo estate.

"In the interest of public safety, a firearms response was deployed.

"Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently in police custody.

"Investigations are in the very early stages."

Detective Inspector Shaun Orton said: "I'd like to speak to anyone who saw the vehicle either before or after the incident. Were you in the area? Have you seen the vehicle since?"

If you can help, contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.

Leicester Tigers Prop Kieran Brookes has been added to the replacements' bench for tonight's England Saxons match against  Ireland Wolfhounds in Galway (7.35pm).

He takes over from Shaun Knight (Gloucester), who has not fully recovered from some soreness in his left knee. Knight will be assessed further by his club medical team next week.

Tonight's team

15 Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
14 Christian Wade (London Wasps)
13 Joel Tomkins (Saracens)
12 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
11 Tom Biggs (Bath Rugby)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
9 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
1 Nick Wood (Gloucester)
2 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
3 Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints)
4 Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
5 George Robson (Harlequins)
6 George Kruis (Saracens)
7 Will Fraser (Saracens)
8 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers, captain)

Replacements:
16 Rob Buchanan (Harlequins)
17 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
18 Kieran Brookes (Leicester Tigers)
19 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
20 Jamie Gibson (London Irish)
21 Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
22 George Lowe (Harlequins)
23 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)

The grim economic news yesterday that the economy shrank in the last three months of 2012 felt just as wintry as the weather. It has inevitably given rise to the fear of a triple-dip recession. The official definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of contraction. That means that if there is negative growth in the current quarter the triple-dip will be official.

However, these statistical definitions are not really that important. Whether it is a double-dip or a triple-dip is not the issue. The reality is that the economy is simply stagnant and has shown absolutely no sign of sustained growth since the financial crash in 2008.

The current government's strategy has been to cut spending and reduce the budget deficit. This has been a painful but necessary process. The country currently spends more money on paying debt interest than the cost of the entire defence budget. This cannot go on.

However, it has failed so far to put together a substantial and coherent plan for growth. Deficit reduction and investment are not mutually exclusive. Ministers should have been bolder from the outset with a much more robust strategy for investment in capital projects.

This has been acknowledged by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who has said the coalition made a mistake in cutting back capital spending when it came to office.

And yesterday, London mayor Boris Johnson called on the Government to "junk the rhetoric of austerity" and instead take steps to boost confidence and spending. "We need investment in housing and transport, things that make a big difference," he said.

Chancellor George Osborne has said that he agrees that capital investment is important, adding "which is why we have added £20 billion of capital investment to our plans over the last couple of years".

The trouble with capital investment, however, is that it takes a while to translate into economic benefits because of the long lead-in time to projects. The reality is that far more should have been done earlier and we remain unconvinced that enough is being done now.

This is a critical issue because without the kick-start of investment there is a serious danger that the country's economic stagnation will continue for many more years.

A paralysed man who is raising money for a robotic suit so he can walk again has won £2,000 in a charity lottery.

Andy Harrison, of Melton, was delighted to find out he had won the cash on the Loros hospice lottery, which he has been playing since 2001.

The money will go straight into his fund-raising pot, taking the total raised so far to £30,000.

The 47-year-old needs £43,000 to pay for a ReWalk suit – the type worn by London Marathon heroine Claire Lomas.

He said the lottery win was a great boost.

"It was fantastic to win," Andy said.

"I found out last week and it was a really nice surprise when I got the call.

"Loros is a great cause to support and you don't do it to get something back, but it is nice to have this.

"It's great that I'll be able to put it towards the suit."

Andy has had to use a wheelchair since an operation to remove a tumour from his spine 15 years ago. He was able to also use crutches up until July 2010, but an infection caught after a routine operation then left him in a wheelchair permanently.

His appeal was launched in 2011 by his two children, Hannah, 17, and Elliott, 15, after they saw how excited he was seeing one of the suits demonstrated at an exhibition.

The ReWalk, developed in Israel, can be hidden under clothes and works with motion sensors, robotic controls and computers.

Next week, he will spend two days at a clinic run by Cyclone Technologies, a UK company marketing the suits and training people to use them.

Andy is hoping to have made progress since his last assessment in November.

"I've been working hard on my physio and I want to be able to take a few more steps than last time," he said. "I've spoken to the Cyclone people and they've said it will only take a week to order the suit.

"So, if next week is successful, I'd like to think about getting it as soon as possible, so I'll have to get back and think about making that final fund-raising push. It really is my dream to walk again and I want to do it as soon as possible. That's what my prayers are for.

"We've got a couple of fund-raising events coming up.

"Everyone has been so generous already, though. We can't believe how generous people have been, but it's hard because you don't want to keep asking the same people."

Loros lottery manager Liz Singleton said: "Andy is a lovely man and a very worthy winner."

A man who was part of a group which lured girls to a house for sex cannot be deported because he is a member of a "persecuted tribe".

Jumaa Kater Saleh (24) went to the High Court in a bid to claim damages for unlawful detention during the Government's failed bid to send him back to Sudan.

Saleh, who is now living in Leicester, was sentenced in May 2008 to four years in a young offender institution for sexual activity with a female under 16.

The judge described how Saleh, who arrived in the UK in 2004 hidden in a lorry, was one of five immigrants who had lured girls to a house for sex. Three were aged 13 and one 14.

Saleh was convicted of two sample charges of sexual activity with a 13-year-old and sentenced on the basis they were planned offences and he knew the girl's age.

In addition to a custodial sentence, the judge recommended him for deportation.

The court heard Saleh's application for asylum was refused in January 2005.

Because he was a minor, he was granted discretionary leave to remain in the country until his 18th birthday in October 2006.

Later, he applied for permission to stay, but in May 2007 he was arrested.

When he became eligible for release after serving his sentence, he was detained under the 2007 Borders Act pending moves to deport him "for the public good".

He was eventually released from immigration detention in May 2011 after it was established that, under human rights laws, he could not be deported to Sudan because of the risk of persecution.

Saleh asked Deputy High Court judge Philip Mott QC for a declaration he had been wrongfully detained, entitling him to damages.

The judge, sitting at London's High Court, said it was now accepted Saleh was a member of the Zaghawa tribe which was subject to widespread persecution, and it was "not possible" to return him to Sudan.

But Judge Mott ruled there was no evidence of him being held unlawfully or unreasonably and ruled that his case failed "on all grounds".

A man who threatened to blow up a filling station put a petrol pump hose around his neck and flicked a cigarette lighter, a court heard.

Jaroslaw Gredka (36) then changed his mind and tried to run away.

But staff and customers wrestled him to the ground on the forecourt of the Tesco petrol station, in Fosse Road North, Leicester.

The city's crown court heard Gredka had earlier behaved bizarrely at the petrol station shop, telling a security guard he had a bomb strapped to his body.

The worse for drink, Gredka then pulled up his clothing to show there was no bomb.

The father-of-two started acting strangely after suffering a serious head injury at work, three weeks before the petrol station incident.

He suffered a gash needing 17 stitches. The bang on his head had also made him mentally ill at the time of the offence, according to a psychiatric report.

Gredka, described as a hard-working family man with no previous convictions, admitted threatening to destroy or damage property by fire on July 21.

He was sentenced to a two-year community order with supervision and a requirement to attend a 20-day education, training and employment programme.

Sentencing him, Judge Simon Hammond said: "If it wasn't for the psychiatric report, he would have got two years.

"It's not in the public interest to send this man to prison because he's ill and needs help.

"He was mentally ill and he wasn't himself. He also attempted suicide and is very vulnerable and fragile."

The court heard Gredka, of Pool Road, Dane Hills, Leicester, went to the shop at the filling station the worse for drink and, when refused service, left, swearing.

He returned at 11pm and mentioned to a security guard he had a bomb, but he was not taken seriously.

Gredka began demanding the police be called and threw some items around in the shop.

He claimed to have domestic problems, saying his partner had left him – when, in fact, their relationship was fine and she was visiting relatives in Poland.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said: "He said he was going to torch a petrol pump."

The staff turned off the fuel supply to the pumps, switched all the lights off and alerted the police.

"He ran to one of the pumps and wrapped the hose around his neck," said Mr Murphy.

"He held a lighter one or two feet from the nozzle and began squeezing the handle and threatened to ignite the petrol.

"He started to flick the ignition on the lighter."

The incident lasted about 10 minutes.

Gredka made full admissions to the police, accepting he might have threatened to "blow up the petrol station".

Philip Gibbs, mitigating, said he was unused to drinking and had consumed some with a friend. "He was acting in an extremely odd way," said Mr Gibbs.

"Until the accident at work, he has been a decent, honest citizen of Europe."

On that day, he had locked himself out of his home and car and wanted to get help.

Mr Gibbs said: "He was in an altered mental state and his mind began to play tricks.

"He was suffering from concussion syndrome and he is voluntarily having therapy.

"He's on medication."

Teenager Jack Ball has been offered a scholarship at an American college after a coach saw an internet video of him playing football.

The 17-year-old, from Mountsorrel, was made the offer of a two-year scholarship after the coach of a Californian college spotted his potential.

The Loughborough College student, who plays for Griffin FC, in the town, edited the video of himself after trials with private coaching company PASS4Soccer.

Jack, a striker, said: "It was hard work and I had to go through a lot of trials but it has been worth it.

"The company makes a video so coaches in America can see you and I helped edit that.

"Having this opportunity is a dream come true for me."

Coach Benjamin Wade, director of soccer operations and head men's coach at Lassen Community College, in Susanville, north-eastern California, said he was delighted to offer Jack the scholarship.

He said: "I am thrilled that Jack has decided to commit to Lassen College of California.

"I knew he was just the type of player I am looking for as soon as I watched his video on the internet."

Jack will set off for California in August, but is hoping to raise £15,000 to help pay for his scholarship.

He is planning fund-raising events when the weather improves, including bike rides and distance runs to help raise some of the money.

Police are trying to trace the owners of jewellery that officers found when they raided a house.

Officers have issued the appeal after they carried out a warrant at a property in Churchill Road, Mountsorrel. The jewellery is believed to have been stolen and officers hope the owners will recognise the items and contact them.

A 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman have been arrested in connection with the incident and released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Detective Constable Sean Lynch, of the Operation Dynamo team, said: "A number of items were recovered after a warrant was executed on January 16. There are some quite distinctive items among the find and we hope the photograph will help us reunite them with the owners. If you believe any of these items belong to you and you can provide proof of ownership we would urge you to contact us."

The warrant was carried out as part of Operation Dynamo, which was launched in August, 2012, in response to an increase in burglaries.

Since then, 130 warrants have been carried out and 153 people arrested.

Anyone who believes the jewellery may belong to them should contact Det Con Sean Lynch on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A group of charities has launched a campaign calling for governments to help hungry people in poor countries.

The Enough Food for Everyone If campaign, being run by Christian Aid, Oxfam and Tearfund, was launched at Leicester Cathedral yesterday.

Dozens of people, including Bishop of Leicester the Rt Rev Tim Stevens and assistant city mayor Manjula Sood, attended.

The campaign is based around four "ifs'' it wants members of the world's richest eight countries to agree to when they meet in Northern Ireland in June.

The four "ifs'' involve cracking down on legal loopholes which let multi-national companies operate in developing countries without paying fair taxes, ensuring land is used for food instead of biofuels, having more transparency over business deals in poor countries and pressuring the UK and other governments into sticking to their pledges about combating world hunger.

Judi Perry, of Christian Aid, said: "The campaign is about bringing an end to hunger.

"We produce enough food for everyone and yet one in eight people go to bed hungry each day.

"The G8 leaders are coming to Northern Ireland this year and we want people to bring their voices together to demand more openness and fairness in dealing with poor countries."

The campaign will involve lobbying members of Parliament, a march in London and a demonstration in Northern Ireland in June.

Police arrested a woman and seized a quantity of suspected drugs thanks to tip-offs from members of the public.

Officers raided a house in Vernon Road, Aylestone, Leicester, on Thursday.

A 23-year-old woman was arrested and what officers believe to be class A drugs were recovered when the house was searched.

The raid was conducted by officers from Welford Road police station with a warrant granted under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Leicestershire Police said there had been a number of complaints about alleged drug activity in the area. The arrested woman has been released on bail as officers continue their inquiry.

Inspector Richard Toone said: "We have had a number of calls from members of the public in relation to issues of anti-social behaviour, particularly relating to the use of drugs, and it's from that information we acted.

"We will continue to work with our communities to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and would urge anyone who has information to get in touch. Please don't hesitate to call us."

Information about drugs misuse can be reported to police on 101 or anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.

An award-winning garden project targeted by arsonists has had offers of help from as far afield as America.

A Place to Grow – which helps the young, disabled and people with depression – lost all its tools and other items in the attack last week.

After the story appeared in the Mercury, offers of cash and replacement sheds and tools have come flooding in.

Project leader Abdul Asghar said: "It's been amazing. We've had offers of financial help from all over the county and even from a similar project in America.

"The Freemasons have offered us £500 and Caterpillar, in Desford, has offered £1,000 and some help on the site.

"Lots of people are calling about tools, sheds, spades and donations of cash. It's been a massive response."

A Place to Grow, run by Community Action Partnership and Blaby District Council, is an allotment site for schools and community groups, and helps people with mental health problems who benefit from the chance to work outdoors, socialise and watch their plants flourish.

The fire at its Enderby base destroyed a chalet and two storage sheds. The arsonists also broke into other, privately-owned allotments during the incident on January 19.

Freemason David Turner, who arranged for the organisation to donate £500, also hopes to provide a new, secure metal container for the site.

He said: "I thought it was absolutely despicable that something like this could happen. I couldn't believe anyone could do something like this to a place that does so much for people in need of help.

"We've pledged the money and I'm waiting to hear back about the metal container."

Caterpillar contacted Abdul to offer £1,000 cash, plus free labour to help clear the site.

David Nixon, human resources manager, said: "We, like everyone else in the area, were very disappointed to hear of the recent damage sustained at A Place to Grow, as it provides valuable support to many in the community.

"We are delighted to be able to help by providing labour to help clear the area and prepare it for the forthcoming year."

Donations of cash and offers of items have also been made by numerous members of the public.

An 83-year-old woman, from Frisby on the Wreake, who wished to remain anonymous, has offered A Place to Grow two tables and six chairs similar to the ones lost in the fire.

She said: "I felt ever so sorry for them. I've got the tables and chairs in my shed. I've recently lost my husband and don't really need all of them now.

"I hope they'll be able to put them to good use."

People who can help with the tools appeal can contact Abdul on 0116 272 7670. Anyone with information about the attack can call police on 101.

Changes to the benefits system will see council tax rises for thousands of low-income households from April.

The Government is to stop fully funding a benefit scheme which supports residents who need help paying their council tax bills and has told local authorities to run their own system.

Leicester City Council has now approved a scheme, but warned the poorest residents would be hit hard as it will see a 10 per cent cut in the £32 million it gets from the Government to meet the costs.

Council tax benefit is currently claimed by 40,000 people in the city.

The council said the cut meant it would no longer be able to pay 100 per cent of the council tax of 25,000 claimants of working age.

They will get 80 per cent of the bill paid.

That works out as a weekly rise of about £4.35 for couples living in band B properties, £3.26 for a single person in a band B home.

About 16,000 people will be paying council tax for the first time.

Councillor Sarah Russell, assistant mayor for neighbourhood services, who proposed the new scheme, said: "This is one of the worst things I have ever had to do as a councillor.

"It does not affect pensioners, who are protected in the legislation, but it will hit some of the poorest people in the city who are working but earning a lower income – those who are on other benefits or receiving children's tax credits.

"£4.35 a week might not sound much but some families are already struggling with the rising cost of living.

"We have tried to come up with a system which reduces the impact on people but it has been hard.

"I would have liked to have pulled a rabbit out of the hat but there was no rabbit. There wasn't even a hat."

Other elements of the scheme include changing the amount of savings people can have before they are entitled to benefit.

Currently, the figure is £16,000. That will drop to £6,000.

The council has set £315,000 for a relief fund to help those who cannot afford their bills.

The cash will be issued on a discretionary basis. Coun Russell said all the people affected would be written to.

She said: "What I would say to people is that if they are struggling, they should call us as soon as they can so we can try to help in some way.

"That would usually be through a payment plan."

St Andrew's Tenants' Association chairman Angie Beales, 60, said: "I understand there is a need to save money on benefits but it will hit working families who don't have much money left when all their other costs have gone.

"It is worrying people on the estate and I don't think they properly understand why they will have to pay more."

The county's district councils are also having to devise their own council tax benefit schemes.

Labour city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has seen off a challenge from within his own party on his controversial decision to develop two managed travellers sites.

On Thursday night, members of Leicester City Council endorsed the mayor's plans to set up council-controlled pitches in Red Hill Way, Mowmacre Hill, and Greengate Lane, Beaumont Leys, to try to reduce the number of illegal camps in the city.

It followed a challenge to the decision by five councillors representing the Beaumont Leys and Abbey wards, who said residents were strongly opposed to having the sites near their homes.

They used "call in" rules to try to force a debate to get Sir Peter to rethink the decision, which he had been set to sign off.

It was the first time the legislation had been used to challenge a mayoral decision since Sir Peter was elected.

Beaumont Leys councillor Paul Westley called for his colleagues to reject Sir Peter's decision but only eight out of 54 supported him. He said: "I am disappointed. It's totally unacceptable to my constituents. They feel this part of the city is being unfairly burdened by too many plots."

Fellow ward councillor Sundip Meghani said illegal camps were a citywide problem needing a citywide solution.

He said: "All of us recognise the problem with illegal encampments. It's been going on for decades, but this approach is the completely wrong approach."

He said he was disappointed more members of the Labour-dominated council did not support a rethink, but said the sites would still be fought over at the planning stage.

Labour members of the planning committee, except for Coun Meghani, opted not to take part in the debate at the town hall, despite council lawyers telling them it would not prejudice any future decision.

Sir Peter told councillors that successive administrations had for years run away from tackling the issue of illegal camps.

He also said the problem had been historically greater in the north west part of the city and that was the best place to solve it.

He also said that the 16 pitches proposed at the two sites were not a panacea and that a need for 40 had been identified.

He said: "This is just the start of the process.

"It is good that we have had this debate. There was no whip on it and it is right the councillors should represent the views of the people in their wards.

"I am glad the council has endorsed my decision."