Leicester Headlines on One News Page [United Kingdom]

This is Leicestershire --

Leicester's hospitals have lost out on nearly £1.4 million because they are not treating accident and emergency patients quickly enough.

The financial penalty has been imposed by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland primary care trust (PCT) after Leicester Royal Infirmary failed to hit its target of seeing and treating 95 per cent A&E patients within four hours.

Just over 89 per cent of 14,201 patients were seen within the target time last November.

The department has met the target in just three of the eight months between April and November last year.

Health campaigner Zuffar Haq said: "This is a crazy scenario. Leicester's hospitals are effectively being fined for seeing too many patients in accident and emergency.

"The hospital should be given extra resources, not have them taken away."

Jeremy Tozer, interim director of operations at Leicester's hospitals, said: "We have already begun looking at ways to streamline what we do in the emergency department and we have worked with the clinical commissioning groups to develop a joint recovery plan to improve overall performance."

Changes have been made to try to speed up processes such as getting X-rays and blood tests.

A payment of £688,000 was first withheld from Leicester's hospitals in October last year.

At the time, Simon Freeman, managing director of the Leicester City clinical commissioning group, which oversees the contract and which will take on responsibility for city health services in April, said the cash might be paid if the November target was met – but that has not happened.

A report to be discussed by PCT directors today states: "As UHL (Leicester's hospitals) has not recovered the 95 per cent cumulative performance (July to November 2012), the October penalty will not be returned and a further penalty will be levied for the November 2012 performance."

A PCT spokesman said the November penalty amounted to £683,000.

A new plan has also been drawn up with the clinical commissioning group to try to make sure patients are seen within the target time.

The commissioning group is also testing a scheme in which GPs are available to make urgent home visits to patients.

There is also a campaign to encourage patients to contact their GP if feeling unwell. Reported by This is 6 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

The city centre's first public playground is being proposed in an effort to make the middle of Leicester more family friendly.

A patch of land including a paved area with seating in St George Street, opposite the Leicester Mercury building, has been earmarked for a £45,000 redevelopment.

Leicester City Council wants to turn it into a playground and install play equipment for children aged two to six.

Castle ward councillor Patrick Kitterick has been pushing for a play area, next to St George's churchyard, to be established for some time.

He said: "In the city centre, there really are not a lot of green spaces. That is one of them but it is under utilised.

"There are also more families with young children living in the St George's area than you would think.

"There are three nurseries that are very close by which could use it."

In the past, the area has been used by street drinkers but Coun Kitterick said he thought they would move away when the play area was running.

He said: "There are a couple of individuals who go there, but in my experience of dealing with street drinkers they are not confrontational. They will go somewhere else."

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "In the city centre there are no other play areas. This will be the first.

"I hope it will be used by families, as well as visitors. We want to make it a more family-friendly city centre.

"In other cities, where there are lots of apartments, you often see small parks tucked away and that is what we are hoping for."

The mayor said he wanted the project to be funded from money paid by developers in return for being granted planning permission.

There are 13 trees in the proposed play area.

A city council spokeswoman said one of them would have to be felled to allow the play equipment to be put in.

She said: "That one is currently in poor health. The others will be kept but some of them may have to be cut back a bit."

The police have welcomed the proposed play area.

City centre police commander Chris Cockerill said: "I think it's a fantastic idea.

"There have been some reports of anti-social behaviour but the area is not blighted by it.

"It's a lovely area and I think it would make great playground."

The city council's own planning officers are considering the scheme. Reported by This is 6 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

New plans have been drawn up to redevelop part of the site of Leicester City's former Filbert Street ground.

Developer Filbert Ltd wants to build 77 four-bedroom terraced homes on the land.

The area was turned into a temporary car park, but in March last year Leicester City Council refused to extend its use for another year.

Leicester City quit Filbert Street in 2002 to relocate to nearby Filbert Way.

The land was bought for redevelopment and a large student halls complex was built on part of the site.

However, much of the land was left empty after plans for a further 405 flats and 10 houses did not go ahead and developers Downing Development established the 220-space car park – used by nearby hospital workers. An appeal by Downing against the council's refusal to allow continued car parking has yet to be determined but now Filbert Ltd has come in with a new plan.

Tamsin Cottle, of Strutt and Parker, which represents Filbert Ltd, said the previous flats scheme was no longer viable so new plans had been drawn up.

She said: "We have always said the long-term aim was to redevelop the site.

"The original scheme is not viable but the market has now improved and the intention is to develop four-bedroom terraced houses.

"The terraces are intended to fit in with properties in nearby streets and will provide affordable family housing."

Ms Cottle said: "We are still waiting for the result of the appeal.

"Not everybody liked the car park but it was used by hospital workers.

"It is hoped there can be redevelopment of the site."

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said he hoped the remaining part of the site would be redeveloped subject to planning permission being granted.

He said: "I am glad new plans have been prepared.

"I have been concerned the granting of short-term permission for car parking on land earmarked for long-term redevelopment tends to release the pressure on developers to get on with it.

"I hope we will soon be getting much-needed housing on a brownfield site that has remained unused for many years."

Darren Ginns, 27, from Burnmoor Street, near the old football ground, said: "Everyone has wondered what will happen there for ages.

"I'll believe some houses will get built there the moment I see a builder turn up with some bricks.

"I can't see it being built on any time in the near future because the economy is stuffed."

Planning officers at Leicester City Council are considering the scheme. Reported by This is 6 hours ago.

Leicester-based jeweller Goldsmiths lifts profits after sparkling festive sales

This is Leicestershire --

Jewellery chain Goldsmiths has given the high street a much-needed boost after reporting sparkling sales over the Christmas and new year period.

The retailer's Leicester owner, Aurum Holdings, said trading at Goldsmiths stores open for at least a year were up 8 per cent in the eight weeks to January 13.

Sales across all outlets run by Aurum, which includes the Mappin & Webb brand, increased by 9 per cent on the same measure.

Bosses said the success was down to improved product availability and the growth of online sales.

The group, which has more than 120 stores, said the performance is expected to have boosted profits for the year to February 3 above the earnings of £18.3 million reported for the previous 12-month period.

Justin Stead, chief executive of Aurum, said: "Despite a challenging economic and trading environment, we have achieved another very strong performance over the festive period.

"These results show our strategy to constantly improve our product offering, online position and customer experience has been a success and one which we will continue to implement in 2013 to deliver significant growth."

Aurum's buoyant sales follow the collapse of Leicester-based camera chain Jessops, entertainment group HMV and DVD rental chain Blockbuster over the past week.

Other major high street names are reported to be vulnerable to collapse thanks to the double whammy of economic uncertainty and tough competition from supermarkets and online operators.

The jewellery group's success highlights the fact that some retailers are still performing well, despite the gloom hanging over the sector.

The performance of Aurum, like Enderby fashion chain Next – which has notched up four consecutive years of record profits – is down to skilled management and a strong online business.

Last month, Aurum was bought by private equity firm Apollo Global Management for £175 million. It came three years after Icelandic shareholder Baugur put the group's UK arm into administration. This was followed by a restructuring, with Aurum swapping £47 million of debt with Icelanic bank Landsbanki for a bigger share in the business.

The group ended up being controlled by the resolution committee of Landsbanki, with Aurum's management holding a smaller stake.

Aurum employs about 380 people at its head office in Elland Road, Braunstone Frith, and more than 20 staff at two Goldsmiths stores in Leicester's Highcross shopping centre.

Founded in 1778, Goldsmiths has more than 120 stores. It has the UK's largest distribution network for Rolex and Omega watches. Mappin & Webb was founded in 1774, while Aurum also owns Watches of Switzerland. Reported by This is 3 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Dan Greaves and Crista Cullen have been named the 2012 Leicester Mercury Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, following their heroics in London last summer.

Greaves was the only Leicestershire track and field athlete to bring home a medal from the Paralympic Games, as he took silver in the discus.

Former Leicester City and England goalkeeper Peter Shilton became the second recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, while the Neville Hamilton Award went to former world title contender Rendall Munroe, who called time on his boxing career in December.

Cullen was a key member of the Great Britain hockey side which won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games, the Leicester Ladies' star scoring in the 3-1 win over New Zealand which secured third place.

Cullen's Leicester colleagues were named Team of the Year after clinching a famous double of national indoor and Premier League titles.

Mercury editor Richard Bettsworth said: "Congratulations to Crista Cullen and Dan Greaves and to all the winners in the Leicester Mercury Sports Awards.

"2012 was an incredible year for sport, with the London Olympics and Paralympics, and several of our award-winners, including Crista and Dan, flew the flag for Leicestershire in these unforgettable events.

"Our awards also feature many young Leicestershire athletes, showing there is plenty more to come, and we may see some of them featuring in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and beyond.

"We would also like to thank our sponsors for their support in making the sports awards possible.

"Their involvement is essential in ensuring we are able to celebrate Leicestershire sport in this way and give the county's athletes and clubs the recognition they so richly deserve."

The awards night at Leicester Tigers' Welford Road stadium proved memorable for Leicester Riders basketball club.

Fresh from Sunday's triumph in the BBL Cup final against Newcastle Eagles, Rob Paternostro was named Coach of the Year.

The Riders took home a second trophy when they were selected as Club of the Year for the work they carry out away from the court.

As ever, youth was very much to the fore.

Charnwood AC sprint prospect Owin Sinclair won the Young Sportsman title, while double world junior road race champion Lucy Garner repeated her 2011 success in the Young Sportswoman category.

The Cosby cyclist, who collected nine major honours last year, headed an ultra-competitive list of names in her section, which led the judges to name four finalists rather than the usual three.

Lucy was unable to attend, as she is in Spain at a training camp with the Argos-Shimano professional team.

The trophy was collected by her younger sister, Grace, another of Britain's pool of cycling prospects.

The 18-year-old former Countesthorpe College student said: "It is always a special feeling to win an award like this, most of all because it is my home town.''

*Last night's winners*

SPORTSMAN

Dan Greaves.

Commended: Mark Selby, Manu Tuilagi

SPORTSWOMAN

Crista Cullen.

Commended: Lucy Hall, Gemma Steel

COACH/MANAGER

Rob Paternostro.

Commended: Alex Dawson, Chris Mayer.

TEAM

Leicester Ladies.

Commended: Leicester Riders, Leicester Monarchs Ladies.

CLUB

Leicester Riders.

Commended: CKI School of Martial Arts, Hinckley Town CC

UNDER-19 TEAM

St Andrews under-16s.

Commended: De Lisle under-16s, Lancaster School under-13s.

YOUNG SPORTSMAN

Owin Sinclair.

Commended: Joe O'Connor, Jevann Parmar.

YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN

Lucy Garner.

Commended: Sophie Smith, Harriet Cooper, Grace Garner.

JUNIOR SPORTSMAN

William Goode.

Commended: Callum Rowley, Tom Herbert.

JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN

Charlotte Broughton.

Commended: Lizzie Warner, Hope Warner.

COMMUNITY

Sileby Boxing Academy.

Commended: Coalville ABC, Rutland Netball League.

ACTIVE4LIFE

Antonio Di Palma.

Commended: Samantha Osman, Dave Tomkins.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Peter Shilton

NEVILLE HAMILTON AWARD

Rendall Munroe. Reported by This is 9 hours ago.

Six men in court over incident at Moghul Durbar restaurant in Leicester

This is Leicestershire -- Six men accused of conspiring to commit violent disorder at the Moghul Durbar restaurant in Spinney Hills, Leicester, appeared in court today. Surjit Pandher (date of birth, November 18, 1984), Gurmukh Singh Cheema (June 13, 1987), Ranjit Singh (April 13, 1991), Sundeep Singh Sangha (April 16, 1987), Rajveer Sangha (May 1, 1988), and Ranvir Singh (April 13, 1991), appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court. They all face a charge of conspiracy to commit violent disorder, after an alleged incident at a restaurant, in East Park Road, on Monday. About a dozen family members watched from the public gallery. No application for bail was made and they will next appear at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, February 1. Magistrates imposed an order forbidding the press from reporting the addresses of the accused. Reported by This is 21 hours ago.

A brilliantly taken goal by David Nugent gave Leicester City a win that lifted them into the second automatic promotion place in the Championship. The Foxes also hit the woodwork three times, but they needed their goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, to save a stoppage-time penalty in a match of sufficient quality to suggest both these sides could be playing Premier League football next season.

"I think we applied ourselves really well tonight," said the Leicester manager, Nigel Pearson. "We had the best chances throughout the game and Kasper made a great save at the end. It's games like this that can define seasons."

Pearson also thanked supporters who had got to the game, which should arguably not have been played. The pitch was fine but snow caused such chaos around the city that the Middlesbrough team left their coach and walked the final few hundred yards, while several Leicester players abandoned their cars and arrived on foot.

As a result kick-off was delayed until 8pm and to judge by social media and the banks of empty seats thousands of supporters who would have liked to attend either gave up their attempt or did not set out at all. But football has long ceased thinking too hard about supporters when it is being televised live anyway.

Leicester, unsurprisingly, were unchanged on the back of consecutive victories while the Middlesbrough manager, Tony Mowbray, made two changes to the side beaten by Watford last weekend. With four defeats in their last five matches away from home his 4-5-1 formation implied solidity was the priority but it was Boro who had the first good chance. The full-back George Friend drove down the left and his low cross was only half-cleared, sitting up nicely for Scott McDonald to volley over the angle of Schmeichel's goal.

With Nugent setting up Chris Wood for a shot well saved by Jason Steele and McDonald curling a shot disappointingly wide after a swift Middlesbrough counter-attack, those supporters who had trekked in were at least getting value for money.

The closest the first half came to yielding a goal was when Nugent's lay-off gave Anthony Knockaert the chance to run at the Boro defence on the left. The France Under-21 international's shot, slightly deflected by Seb Hines, looped over Steele, hit the underside of the bar, bounced down and spun back against the post before rebounding to safety.

Michael Keane also hit the top of the bar with a header from a Wood cross but the visitors had created good opportunities, and did so again when Josh McEachran put Emmanuel Ledesma through with only Schmeichel to beat, only for the Argentinian to chip his effort wide.

Remarkably, Leicester hit the woodwork again when Wood headed a Paul Konchesky cross against the post but Nugent finally broke the deadlock 20 minutes from time. Wood flicked the ball on and from a difficult angle 15 yards from goal Nugent, on the half-volley, lifted it brilliantly beyond Steele.

Middlesbrough should have taken a point after Jamie Vardy brought down Rhys Williams in the City penalty area, only for Marvin Emnes to hit his penalty too close to Schmeichel. "I thought we did enough not to lose," said Mowbray. "We created more than enough chances to get something and we have to be more clinical." Reported by guardian.co.uk 15 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire -- Police have charged a seventh person in connection with the disorder at the Moghul Durbar restaurant in Leicester.
The 26-year-old man has been charged with conspiracy to commit violent disorder.

He is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court this morning.
He was arrested on Wednesday following an incident which happened at about 9pm on Monday, January 14.
A large group of people smashed the windows of the Moghul Durbar in East Park Road, Spinney Hills.

Once members of the group were inside the restaurant, a number of people were assaulted and others were injured.
A total of six people attended the Leicester Royal Infirmary for treatment to both minor and serious injuries.
The latest charge comes after six men were charged yesterday in connection with the incident.

Surjit Pandher (date of birth, November 18, 1984), Gurmukh Singh Cheema (June 13, 1987), Ranjit Singh (April 13, 1991), Sundeep Singh Sangha (April 16, 1987), Rajveer Sangha (May 1, 1988), and Ranvir Singh (April 13, 1991), appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court, and afterwards were remanded into custody.

They all face a charge of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.

Police said local officers were continuing to work with community leaders and people living and working in the East Park Road to offer reassurance.

They are urging people not to listen to rumours or get involved in speculation, but to report any concerns to the police.
Police added that officers investigating a separate incident, in which concerns for the welfare of a young girl were raised, are continuing to speak with the girl and her family.
Additional resources have been added to the investigation, said police, and officers are "actively carrying out thorough and detailed inquiries, along with in depth intelligence gathering, which will all form part of the lengthy investigation". Reported by This is 4 hours ago.

The Tigers and Toulouse have been dozing giants this season but both know Sunday's Heineken Cup match is no time to yawn

Even if Leicester and Toulouse were bottom of the Aviva Premiership and Top 14 respectively, a scenario about as likely as every scrum across the continent remaining upright and true this weekend, any meeting between the two would count as a clash of European heavyweights. Leicester have been to five Heineken Cup finals, winning two, the back-to-back triumphs of 2001 and 2002; Toulouse have won more finals than any other side, four, and been runners-up twice.

As it is, they both currently lie third in their domestic leagues and, while this may be no more than an exercising of the right of giants to yawn and stretch until the table before them is fully laden with offerings, it may also suggest that these are not the best of times for the two city clubs that can claim to be the beating heart of rugby in England and France.

Above Toulouse in the Top 14 lie Toulon and Clermont, the one grabbing headlines for all their marquee signings and consistency, the other frightening rivals in all competitions with their combination of the clinical and the exuberant. Above Leicester in the Premiership are Saracens and Harlequins: ditto the above. That is, others lead the way in the transfer market and in the search for the elusive cocktail of accuracy, speed and extravagance.

Both Leicester and Toulouse are too big to dare to admit ever to finding themselves in a period of transition. You do not reinforce Mont Blanc; it is simply there, towering. But for the Toulousains the Australia scrum-half, Luke Burgess, is no Byron Kelleher, the slightly off-message but hugely influential All Black, who left them in 2011.

At Leicester, if the rumours in the French rugby press are true, then Martin Castrogiovanni, the Italy prop and darling of Welford Road, is on his way to Toulon. The transfer deal – there is a year left to run on his contract – would help Richard Cockerill, the Tigers coach battling against the English salary cap, no end.

Leicester would quite rightly say that Dan Cole has made the No3 shirt his own. There is no doubt that Toulouse, even with the formidable weight of Romain Millo-Chluski and Patricio Albacete coming through from the second row, will not push the Tigers around at the scrum. Cole, on the tighthead side, will be the target of much of this French-Argentinian thrust and will once again reveal why he is just about the most important player, bar none, in England. The more the viewing world rages against the diabolical spectacle of the scrum as it has become, complete with collapses, resets, penalties and free-kicks for anything and everything bar the universal crooked feed, the more it is important to have the upper hand there.

Cole is a treasure, a one-man resistance to the clear disparity in spending power between English and French clubs. But if he alone can withstand the drive of three or four opponents, at some stage the numbers may begin to tell. Take the centre for example, where the sensational 18‑year‑old, Gaël Fickou, will miss the match with an injured ankle.It barely matters at Toulouse, where they still have Luke McAlister, Yann David, Florian Fritz and Yannick Jauzion at their disposal.

Mind you, Toulouse may well need each and every star from this well-stocked stable of centres to stop Manu Tuilagi. Inside him Toby Flood and Ben Youngs play without hesitancy for their club, not always the case when they play for England. Their brief is simpler with the Tigers, where the half-backs are slaves to momentum. Leicester at their best, not bad for a place so far from the sea, establish a coastal environment – not as in pretty seaside rollers but surging waves that batter defences into submission. The No8 Thomas Waldrom, hooker Tom Youngs and Tuilagi may be the ball-carriers but it is the work of players behind them, the ground-clearers, the body-removers, that makes Leicester on their day irresistible.

To play with this intensity requires minute co-ordination. If Julian Salvi can pinpoint the collision point created by Tuilagi beyond the advantage line, the wing–forward can be there first, the support wave behind the initial surge. If, on the other side, Yannick Nyanga or Thierry Dusautoir – another example of how Toulouse can stockpile quality players in one position – have to pause, rock on their heels, as they work out where the battering ram is going to strike, then the advantage of the attack is compounded.

No yawning, then, by either giant will do on Sunday, no holding position behind the pace-setters will suffice. This is for real. They say you should wrap up warm at Welford Road on Sunday afternoon. Or you could just hold out your hands and feel the heat of a freezing field on fire. Reported by guardian.co.uk 17 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Leicester memorably sent four-time European champions Toulouse skidding out of the Heineken Cup at a snow-swept Welford Road to book their place in this season's quarter-finals this afternoon.
The Tigers will be away to Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon in early April, where the weather should be considerably warmer than on an Arctic East Midlands afternoon when Toulouse saw their hopes of a fifth European title plunged into cold storage.
Fly-half Toby Flood was the Leicester matchwinner, making light of punishing conditions by kicking three penalties, while Toulouse marksmen Lionel Beauxis and Luke McAlister crucially missed five shots at goal between them.
Flood, though, could have gone from hero to villain when he was sin-binned by referee George Clancy for a deliberate knock-on 12 minutes from time, but the Tigers held out by showcasing all their trademark resilience.
Toulouse wing Yann Huget scored the only try in a Pool Two encounter dominated by the incessant wintry weather, with Leicester ultimately joining their Aviva Premiership colleagues Harlequins and Saracens as quarter-finalists alongside Toulon, Munster, Ulster, Clermont Auvergne and Montpellier.
It was the first time since 2007 that Toulouse failed to progress from their group as Leicester thwarted them on the back of Flood's goalkicking accuracy and mighty contributions from forward warriors like Louis Deacon, Tom Youngs and Julian Salvi.
Leicester, unbeaten at Welford Road in the Heineken Cup since Munster beat them more than six years ago, suffered a late injury blow when their England centre Manu Tuilagi withdrew due to an ankle problem. Matt Smith replaced him.
One other change from the side held 15-15 by the Ospreys last weekend saw number eight Thomas Waldrom replace Jordan Crane as Tigers looked to avoid making a fourth pool stage exit in the past six seasons.
Toulouse had only missed out on the tournament's knockout phase three times since it began in 1995, and they paraded a stellar starting XV skippered by Thierry Dusautoir.
But it was Leicester who flew out of the blocks, going within inches of claiming a fifth-minute try after wing Adam Thompstone's searing midfield break.
Thompstone found his fellow wing Niall Morris on the overlap, but Morris lost control of the ball under pressure from Vincent Clerc's tackle as he attempted to touch down.
Tigers, though, gained a penalty from the resulting scrum, and Flood found his range for an early 3-0 advantage.
Ground-staff added to the surreal conditions by sweeping the touchlines to keep them clear of snow, and an eventful opening quarter saw Beauxis miss two penalties in four minutes before Leicester flanker Steve Mafi went off injured.
Mafi pulled up like a sprinter when he damaged his hamstring chasing a kick, and Crane joined the action as Toulouse continued to enjoy territorial dominance.
But the visitors then wasted a third penalty chance after McAlister took over from Beauxis, only to hit the post from just 30 metres out and allow Leicester another let-off.
Both teams displayed admirable ambition on a treacherous surface, and Toulouse thought they had posted the game's opening try five minutes before half-time.
Number eight Louis Picamoles scattered the Leicester defence through a powerful run, but Tigers just got enough defenders around him to make any try ruling inconclusive and television match official Simon McDowall ruled in their favour.
Toulouse felt aggrieved, and Flood was in no mood to offer any sympathy, booting a superb penalty from just inside his own half that meant Leicester enjoyed a 9-0 interval advantage.
The visitors needed an early second-half score to get themselves back in the contest, and it arrived after 49 minutes when Tigers full-back Mathew Tait suffered a nightmare moment in defence.
McAlister sent a steepling kick in Tait's direction, and when he fumbled it Huget reacted quickest to slip and slither his way over for a try that slashed Leicester's lead.
Huget's touchdown cranked up the tension for a capacity 24,000 crowd, and with a result guaranteed in event of an abandonment once the game passed its 60-minute mark, the closing quarter promised no let-up.
Flood's yellow card meant frayed nerves, yet Leicester sealed the deal when Deacon and Geoff Parling combined to steal a 78th-minute lineout on Toulouse's throw and the Tigers could start their celebrations. Reported by This is 1 day ago.

Leicester 9-5 Toulouse

The Heineken Cup is a tournament for all seasons but rarely has the weather tested the resolve and character of its big-name participants to this extent. Leicester did not so much win as survive a freezing afternoon fit for only the grittiest of polar bears to earn themselves a prized place in this season's last eight. If an away tie in Toulon sounds a tough reward, it should at least be warmer than at Ice Station Tiger.

So bad were the conditions, with a chill wind sweeping across a snow-covered east midlands steppe, that some of the last-quarter replacements appeared to be made because of creeping frostbite rather than anything else. For that reason alone, Leicester will rate this among their more memorable European victories, a triumph of heart, soul and desire on a day when any kind of sophisticated rugby was virtually impossible.

It should also be remembered that Leicester have had to battle from the outset after losing without a bonus point in Toulouse on the opening pool weekend. To have subsequently emerged victorious – and knocked the French champions out at this stage for only the third time in the competition's history – says a lot for the competitive instincts of Richard Cockerill's team. "We've knocked Toulouse out of the competition. We've gone from being told it was a catastrophe when we lost away and that we were rubbish to topping the pool. That's the game sometimes. I'm delighted for the players that they've made their own little bit of history today," Cockerill said.

The final moments were certainly as gripping as any in this season's tournament to date; two behemoths scrapping over ice-cold shards, the ball almost an afterthought. For 10 of the last 12 minutes Leicester were reduced to 14 men, Toby Flood having been sent to the sin-bin for deliberately knocking down an attempted pass by Lionel Beauxis. Toulouse did not make the most of his absence, ignoring the obvious option down the unguarded Tigers right flank, and there was a huge sigh of local relief when Flood came charging back on with a couple of minutes left.

Even then there were some distinctly hairy moments but luckily a Ben Youngs knock-on came after the game clock had clicked beyond 80 minutes and George Clancy ruled there was no time for a final scrum. "The game wasn't a spectacle… it was always going to be like that because of the weather," stressed Cockerill. "It was easier to play without the ball."

Leicester also had to cope with some ill-timed injuries, Manu Tuilagi being withdrawn from the contest 20 minutes before the start when Cockerill decided the centre's ankle was not quite right. Steve Mafi went down with a torn hamstring in the first quarter which forced the hosts into a backrow reshuffle, not ideal against an opposing trio including Thierry Dusautoir and Louis Picamoles, two of the best in the business.

On the flip side, Leicester did enjoy a sizeable slice of luck courtesy of Toulouse's wayward goalkickers. Beauxis and Luke McAlister missed four penalties, a conversion and a drop-goal between them, in stark contrast to Flood, who landed three out of four attempts including a monster 55-yarder from inside his own half.

The 9-0 first-half margin might have been wider still had Niall Morris, inside the first five minutes, not lost the ball in the act of scoring. The Irish winger also subsequently failed to hold on to a pass in midfield which might well have yielded a further scoring opportunity. It would be harsh to blame him entirely; even seeing a slippery white ball, never mind catching it, in the conditions was an achievement in itself. It is entirely reasonable to ask why, given the grim advance forecast, there was no coloured ball available to assist both the players and spectators. Luminous bladder or not, Toulouse will reflect they should have won even without a decent goalkicker. Picamoles was crucially held up over the line, the decision presumably made by the television match official on the advice of the nearest available St Bernard. They also enjoyed significantly more territory and possession but could manage only a solitary try when Mathew Tait could not hang on to a wicked hanging punt from McAlister and Yoann Huget, on his hands and knees, touched down in the slush.

It was not enough. Flood's punch of the arctic air when he landed his huge 38th-minute kick was, ultimately, prescient, though he was far from certain at the time. "Louis Deacon kept saying: 'Are you sure? Are you really sure?' It was probably a celebration that he wasn't going to punch me in the face at the next ruck." Such is the uncompromising culture in the Leicester dressing-room. When the going gets tough, they get going more often than not.

*Leicester* Tait (Ford, 69); Morris, Smith, Allen, Thompstone (Hamilton, 67); Flood, B Youngs; Ayerza, T Youngs, Cole (Castrogiovanni, 64), Deacon (capt), Parling, Mafi (Crane, 16), Salvi, Waldrom.

*Pens* Flood 3.

*Toulouse* Poitrenaud (Medard, 74); Clerc, Fritz, McAlister, Huget; Beauxis, Doussain (Burgess, 72); Steenkamp (Kakovin, 66), Tolofua (Botha, 59), Johnston (Morris, 66), Maestri (Millo-Chluski, 59), Albacete, Lamboley (Nyanga, 46), Dusautoir (capt), Picamoles.

*Try* Huget.

*Referee* G Clancy (Ire). *Att*: 24.000. Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson praised the professionalism of his players after they overcame chaotic preparations to beat Middlesbrough and move into the top two.

Some of Pearson's squad were trapped in the horrendous traffic around Leicester, caused by the wintry weather, and had to abandon their cars and run to the stadium.

Winger Anthony Knockaert ran from Leicester rail station to make the kick-off, which was put back by 15 minutes as the Middlesbrough team coach was trapped in traffic on Narborough Road for two hours.

An hour before kick-off, Pearson only had nine first-team players at the stadium.

City overcame the disruption to beat promotion rivals Boro, courtesy of a stunning David Nugent strike in the second half and a last-minute penalty save by Kasper Schmeichel.

"I was a little bit worried that they could have their full complement of players here before us," said Pearson.

"A lot of our players and staff found it difficult to get here. Some of our lads ditched their cars and ran.

"We do pride ourselves in getting our preparation right but sometimes there is not a lot you can do when it takes you three or four hours to travel five or six miles.

"It wasn't ideal but both sides performed in a way which is a credit to the division.

"There isn't a lot you can do in situations like this. It is just a matter of going out there and performing as best you can.

"Having said that, I thought it was a pretty good game."

The weather meant only 8,585 fans made it to the game, City's lowest attendance since 8,444 attended the 3-0 win over Brighton at Filbert Street, in 1991.

Pearson hoped City's win, which was televised live, was of some consolation to those fans.

"A lot of fans couldn't make it but, hopefully, we have put on a good display if they stayed at home and watched it," he said.

"Our ground staff worked exceptionally hard to get the game on and I don't think it was ever going to be the pitch conditions which have put the game in doubt. It was going to be the surrounding areas" Reported by This is 12 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

An epic occasion. Soaked in drama and drenched in snow. Leicester Tigers are in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

Tigers showed all the attributes that the club's proud heritage has been built on.

They gritted their teeth, rolled their sleeves up and simply out-fought a club that reportedly spends £14million on wages, compared to Leicester's £4.5m.

It was not a day for finesse as morning snow picked up in intensity during the game making handling a lottery.

It was, however, a day for Leicester's dogs-of-war and the likes of Geoff Parling, Julian Salvi and man-of-the-match Louis Deacon were rabid.

Tigers will travel to the south of France, in April, for a quarter-final against a Toulon side whose wage bill makes Toulouse's look like a child's pocket money.

Before then, Leicester can bask in the glory of their biggest win at Welford Road since beating Stade Francais in a quarter-final thriller, in 2007.

It began well in the first half after the frost protector had been lifted from the surface.

Toby Flood kicked the hosts ahead in the sixth minute after the strong start they needed.

Toulouse fought back in style as their famed off-loading game hit top form, even in the atrocious conditions.

Crucially through, Luke McAlister and the truly dreadful Lionel Beauxis missed three penalties in a six-minute spell.

Flood missed one of his own on 27 minutes and Niall Morris missed two try-scoring chances as he dropped the ball diving over the line before knocking-on in midfield with the try-line begging. Flood made it 6-0 on 31 minutes though and then landed a third penalty from inside his own half just before the break to give Tigers a 9-0 lead.

That seemed huge in the arctic conditions but Toulouse flew out of the blocks in the second half.

A wonderful up-and-under from McAlister put Mathew Tait and Morris in trouble near their own line and when the ball bobbled free, winger Yoann Huget dived on it over the line for a try on 49 minutes.

It was no surprise that Beauxis missed the conversion but momentum had changed.

With some excellent kicking from McAlister and livewire scrum-half Jean-Marc Doussain, Tigers' back three of Adam Thompstone, Morris and Tait were given a torrid time.

Toulouse also threw bodies into the breakdown and Tigers were pinged repeatedly, but the Frenchmen's profligacy with the boot continued to kill them.

Beauxis and McAlister ended up missing five from five and it quite simply cost them the game.

The closing stages were almost unbearable as the home crowd whipped themselves up into a nerve-ridden frenzy. The noise in the final seconds was truly deafening.

When Flood was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on with 12 minutes to go and Toulouse enjoyed a succession of five-metre lineouts, it looked as though their pressure would finally tell.

But Leicester dug in. Great defence in the middle of the park forced a turnover, then Tigers remained calm and organised to continually thwart Toulouse's driving mauls – as they had done wonderfully all afternoon.

As Flood ran back on with two minutes to go, Parling rose superbly to disrupt another five-metre lineout, Leicester dived on the bouncing ball and Ben Youngs cleared.

The end came as a messy scrum was whistled dead and 24,015 people went into orbit.

Bizarrely, Toulouse ran off without shaking hands or clapping off the winning team.

"That was strange and not really in the spirit of rugby," said Tigers' flanker Salvi afterwards. "Still, they are in the Amlin Cup and we are in the quarter-finals, so who cares?"

With Toulouse back in the changing room, Leicester left the field with a warm glow and the adulation of their supporters ringing in their ears.

It was a day to remember. Reported by This is 12 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire -- Blockbusters is to close its store in Beaumont Leys, Leicester with the loss of around five jobs.
The DVD and video rental chain, which has 528 stores, went into administration last week, putting 4,190 jobs in jeopardy.
The store, in Fletcher Mall, is one of 129 store closures which have been announced by administrators Deloitte. There are no plans to close any of the other six Leicestershire stores. It also has branches at Abbey Lane, Leicester; Narborough Road, Leicester; Loughborough, Coalville, Melton and Market Harborough.
Administrators would not give a date for when the store would close, only that it would shut "in a few weeks".
Joint administrator Lee Manning said: "Having reviewed the portfolio with management, the store closure plan is an inevitable consequence of having to restructure the company to a profitable core which is capable of being sold. We would like to thank the company's employees for their support and professionalism during this difficult time. We are also grateful to the customers for their continued support."
Blockbuster's collapse on Wednesday came a day after entertainment chain HMV plunged into administration, putting more than 4,000 jobs at risk, including dozens at stores in Leicester and Loughborough.
Leicester-based camera chain Jessops closed all its 187 stores earlier this month after major financial problems, with the loss of around 1,500 jobs, including 177 in the county. Reported by This is 9 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Looking for somewhere to celebrate the life and poetry of the late Scottish poet Robert Burns?

Or maybe you are just in need of an excuse to have a few whiskies and a knees-up.

Well there are one or two Burns Night celebrations taking place in Leicester.

Here are just a few. If you know of others and would like them listed here, then send the details to maria.thompson@thisis.co.uk

The Belmont Hotel ext

, New Walk Leicester. A Burns supper will be served on January 25 in the Cherry Tree Restaurant. A traditional menu including Haggis, tatties and neaps is on offer for £24.95 per person. Call 0116 252 9602 to book.

The Red Cow ext

in Hinckley Road, Leicester is also hosting a Burns Supper on January 24 and 25. A traditional Burns Night menu will be served as well as a large collection of whiskies to taste. Call 0116 2387878 to book.

The Radmoor Centre in Loughborough is hosting its Burns night on January 24 from 6pm. The Burns Night themed three course meal is £10 per person. Call 08443320205 for further details and to book. Reported by This is 6 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Textile firms are looking to repatriate their manufacturing from India and China to Leicester in a move that could create hundreds of jobs.

Six companies which moved their production from the city in the 1990s to cut costs have applied for Government grants to help them move back, reversing a trend stretching back decades.

The businesses are hoping to secure grants of up to £150,000 from an £8 million Regional Growth Fund being administered by Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).

LLEP head Mandip Rai said: "These six companies had their production in Leicester in the 1990s but then moved abroad because it was cheaper to produce there.

"They are now interested in coming back because of the rising costs of wages in those countries and the growing cost of flying goods across the world.

"Comparatively, China and India are not as cheap as they were 20 years ago. We are seeing a huge wave of repatriation for that particular sector."

Mr Rai said there was also a growing kudos associated with a "Made in Britain" label and manufacturers were being attracted by the reputation of the city for fashion and clothing design associated with De Montfort University.

He said: "We are talking about a huge volume of jobs. One of the companies has said it would create 100 jobs.

"The skills of the workforce needed are still in the city."

Mr Rai said he could not reveal the names of the firms looking to relocate until after the bids for cash had been assessed. That is due to happen at the end of March.

He said any company succeeding would have to match the funding and would use the cash for capital costs such as building extensions or buying up-to-date machinery.

Leicester Asian Business Association president Jaspal Singh Minhas said: "Leicester became a very rich city thanks to the textile trade, but there was a point where it was simply cheaper to take their manufacturing to India or China.

"Now, the cost of air freight is going up and companies are having to meet that because they cannot pass it on to retailers. Retailers don't want to wait four or five weeks for their products to arrive from the other side of the world

"Wages are also going up in India and China, so it is not that much more expensive to produce here.

"Textile manufacturing has never entirely left the city and there are lots of small companies making clothes here, but it is encouraging ones that left really want to come back.

"We will never see the big old factories that employed thousands, but there will be operations with 40, 60 or 100 staff." Reported by This is 15 hours ago.

Sculptures and sledging are all the rage as snow covers Leicester

This is Leicestershire --

People have been getting their fill of wintry fun.

From city streets transformed with snow sculptures, to families sledging on icy hills, residents have been making the most of all the excitement the weather has to offer.

Plamen Slavov, 24, built a gorilla in Sweetbriar Road, West End, Leicester.

He said: "It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, really."

He said he and friend Alex Ignatov "were messing about making snowmen when we thought 'why not make something different?'".

"It took us about two hours to finish," he said.

"We didn't really feel the cold – I think we were working too hard. It was a lot of fun."

Some businesses also benefited.

Leicester footwear chain Shoe Zone, which has more than 500 stores in the UK and Ireland, said it had sold 51,000 pairs of wellington boots in the past week across the country – or nearly 15 pairs every minute.

However, the snow and ice brought misery for many people. There was a big leap in the number of car crashes.

Leicestershire Police received reports of 133 collisions since Friday's heavy snow, compared with 73 for the previous weekend.

Air ambulances were called out three times at the weekend to sledging accidents.

Two occurred on Saturday, one near Coalville and one at Burrough on the Hill, near Melton.

On each occasion, a man was thought to have suffered a fractured leg.

On Sunday, an air ambulance was called to Melton Country Park, off Redwood Avenue, in the town, after reports that a man in his 20s had broken his leg sliding down a hill on an improvised sledge.

No information about the condition of any of the injured people has been released.

East Midlands Ambulance Service (Emas) dealt with 6,335 calls between Thursday and Sunday – 900 more than for the same time last year.

Of the calls, 1,118 related to falls and 140 to road accidents.

Paul St Clair, Emas's deputy director of operations, said he was "proud of the fantastic job our staff are doing in assisting patients, despite difficult weather conditions".

Bosses at Arriva, which ferries people to and from hospital appointments, said many of its staff had stayed on past the end of their shifts over the weekend to make sure people got to the clinic or home.

However, mum Ayesha Acharya, of Highfields, Leicester, said her son, Muhammad-Ismail Wellington, nine, who has cancer, had to spend an extra night at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday when his Arriva transport did not arrive.

She said: "We didn't know what was happening.

"We were supposed to go home at 2pm on Friday and by about 4.15pm we were told it could be another two or three hours if not longer." The pair were eventually given a lift at 2pm the next day.

A spokesman for Arriva said: "We are very sorry that Muhammad-Ismail was not provided with transport on Friday afternoon due to traffic and weather conditions.

"We will review what happened to see if we could have communicated better with Ms Acharya."

East Midlands Airport was closed yesterday morning due to the snow, eventually opening at 2pm.

Numerous cargo and 32 passenger flights were delayed by the closure of the runway.

There is some good news for people dreading the predicted extra snowfall this week.

The outlook for the next few days has improved.

Previously, the Met Office had predicted snowfall later in the week, but the latest forecasts suggest the extra snow will be restricted to the north of the country and will not reach this far south.

To view our pictures of people having fun in the snow, visit:

www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk Reported by This is 15 hours ago.

Parents of former Leicester City keeper Peter Shilton so proud of son's sports achievement honour

This is Leicestershire --

The proud parents of Peter Shilton have told how they were moved to tears after discovering he had picked up a lifetime achievement award.

On Thursday, the former Leicester City and England goalkeeper was presented with the prize at the Leicester Mercury Sports Awards.

Accepting it, he paid tribute to his mum and dad, May and Leslie, and said he knew they would be incredibly moved when they found out about it.

Mr Shilton senior, who is 92, said: "When we read about the award, May and I did shed a tear or two. Peter has won so many trophies and awards, but to be recognised by his home-town newspaper was very special.

"And, of course, we had to read it in the Mercury."

The couple have been avid readers of the paper for 71 years.

During Peter's 30-year career, they would cut out his match reports, building up a huge file of memories.

Mr Shilton senior, who served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and then ran a number of businesses, follows the fortunes of City, the Tigers and Leicestershire County Cricket Club through the Mercury.

"I always go straight to the back pages first to see what's going on," he said.

"Tigers did well to beat Toulouse and I am sure City will do well in the promotion chase.

"I followed Peter's sporting exploits through the Mercury over the years and three things stand out.

"I remember reading about his save for England from Kenny Dalglish at Hampden Park.

"Also, about the save Peter made for Forest which clinched a 0-0 draw against Coventry City, which critics regarded as his greatest ever.

"A vicious close-range header from Mick Ferguson seemed destined for the net, with Peter slightly out of position, but he managed to get across the goal to palm it over." It was a save which helped the club win the First Division title.

Two performances for City against Liverpool in the FA Cup in 1969 were also special.

"We drew 0-0 at home and people thought it was a forgone conclusion what would happen in the replay," he said. "But Peter kept a clean sheet and we won 1-0."

Unfortunately, Leicester went on to lose the final 1-0.

Mrs Shilton, 91, said: "We started to read the Mercury just before we were married in 1942.

"I love to read all about the local news.

"We knew about the ceremony, but it was lovely to read about Peter winning the award.

"Peter has always been down to earth and loves his Leicester roots so I am sure it will be very special to him, too."

For more on the Leicester Mercury Sports Awards, see our supplement in today's paper. Reported by This is 15 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Leicester Tigers fly-half George Ford will leave the club at the end of the season.

He is expected to join Bath, where his father Mike is an assistant coach.

The 19-year-old's decision to seek a new challenge at the end of his current 12-month deal comes after lengthy contract negotiations between the two parties.

Tigers are believed to be very disappointed with his decision and feel that they have done everything in their power to keep him at Welford Road.

I understand that Tigers offered Ford a lucrative two-year deal to stay at the club.

They also told the teenager, in no uncertain terms, that they wanted him to stay at Welford Road and they believed the best place for him to continue his development would be to remain at Leicester.

But despite what they see as their best efforts to keep him, Ford has now told the club that he sees his future elsewhere.

I understand the issue of 'game time' has been a constant bone of contention throughout the talks.

Ford has been keen to guarantee as much time on the pitch as possible in any future deal but, with Toby Flood under contract at Leicester until the summer of 2014, Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has told Ford he must be playing better than his team-mate to earn a starting shirt in the big games.

With Flood on England duty during the autumn internationals and Six Nations, Ford would have been almost guaranteed to start between 10 and 14 games a season, if he had agreed to stay here next year.

He could have begun residence as the club's No.1 fly-half, if Flood departed for a new challenge.

Ford started 11 games last season and came off the bench four times.

This year, he has already started nine games with another four appearances as a substitute.

Ford made a huge impact last season and his application, game management and maturity was a leading light in the club's successful run to the LV= Cup final victory.

He also put in an excellent showing the Aviva Premiership semi-final win over Saracens at Welford Road when Flood was injured. But he has struggled at times this season and a series of bad days with the kicking boot could have cost Leicester dearly in a number of games they ended up winning by the skin of their teeth.

His goal-kicking percentage currently stands at 64 per cent.

If, as expected, Ford does decide to join Bath, Gary Gold's club will have to pay Leicester up to £45,000 in compensation for taking the services of a player who is still within the England Under-20s set-up.

As a result of Ford's decision, Kiwi Dan Bowden is expected to be handed the No.10 shirt for the upcoming LV= Cup fixtures. Reported by This is 14 hours ago.

Big freeze shuts schools for the day in Leicester and Leicestershire

This is Leicestershire -- More than 170 schools were shut yesterday ext

due to the snow and freezing conditions.

In Leicester, more than half – 70 schools out of 107 – were either closed or only partially open, to those taking exams.

In the county, 108 out of 286 schools were shut.

Some of the closures were put down to unsafe conditions, while others were made as staff and pupils were unable to make it in.

Education spokesmen for both the city and county councils said they respected head teachers' decision to close.

Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for children, young people and schools, said: "Closing schools is not a decision that head teachers take lightly.

"They are very aware that closing a school will create disruption for working families.

"It also means children are losing a day's education.

"However, this has to be balanced against issues of staffing and safety. The snowfall in Leicestershire this weekend was heavy.

"This will impact on all schools in similar ways, so I'm not surprised that so many head teachers across the city and county have made the same decision."

Councillor Ivan Ould, the county council's schools spokesman, said: "I expect heads to consult with the chairman of their governing body and make a decision that's based on what's best for students, staff and parents.

"Conditions are hazardous and I know commercial buses have had to change routes over the weekend to account for this.

"Head teachers have intimate knowledge of where their children and staff are coming from so it's only right they make the final decision."

Alderman Richard Hallam, in Beaumont Leys – one of the largest city primaries, with 671 pupils – was among schools open yesterday.

Head teacher Jim McGovan said: "I'm incredibly grateful to staff who came in early to help make sure the paths were kept clear.

"A lot of our parents are health professionals who work in the local hospital, so we know how important it is to stay open to keep vital services running."

Belgrave St Peter's School, in Leicester, St Peter's Church of England Primary, in Whetstone, and Marriott Primary, in Saffron Lane, Leicester, were also among the schools that opened.

Youngsters at Belgrave St Peter's made the most of the snow by taking part in a competition to build the best snowman.

A school spokeswoman said: "The decision to open was based on ensuring parents were not inconvenienced, although some pupils were still unable to make it."

Michael Bailey, head teacher of St Peter's, in Whetstone, travelled from his home in Market Harborough to make sure the school opened.

He said: "We've got about 75 per cent of our 234 children in today. I'm fortunate most of our pupils walk to school and we're near a main road.

"I know it can be much more difficult for other schools, however, and it's very much dependent on their location.

"I live the furthest away of any of my staff and I knew that if I could make it, then they should also be able, too."

Marriott Primary stayed open but planned to shut early to allow staff and children to get home in good time.

Chris Hassall, head of Taylor Road Primary, in St Matthew's, Leicester, made the decision to shut.

Mr Hassall, who was at the school at 5am yesterday to check conditions, said: "At least four teachers live 30 miles away and I have a duty of care to them. But we'll be open as normal today."

Rachel Dickinson, strategic director for children at the city council, said most schools were expected to reopen today.

Businesses across the city and county were also affected by the big freeze.

Kevin Harris, a senior partner at Cooper Parry business advisers in Leicester, was among many working from home yesterday.

He said: "People have the ability to work remotely now." Reported by This is 15 hours ago.

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Big freeze shuts schools for the day in Leicester and Leicestershire