Leicester Headlines on One News Page [United Kingdom]

• Wales second-row out of Sunday's Heineken Cup tie
• Ashley Beck also likely to miss the match

Ospreys will be without their Wales second-row Ian Evans for Sunday's Heineken Cup match against Leicester at the Liberty Stadium, a game the Welsh region need to win to have any chance of making the quarter-finals, and the international centre Ashley Beck is also unlikely to play.

Justin Tipuric, the Wales openside flanker, is rated as 50-50 to be involved as he recovers from a shoulder injury but the Lions prop Adam Jones will start as Ospreys look to counter the most powerful scrum in the Premiership.

Leicester's top try-scorer this season is penalty tries, which number eight – including two in their last match, at Worcester – compared with the five scored by Manu Tuilagi and Adam Thompstone.

"We will not rush anyone back before they are ready," said the head coach, Steve Tandy. "Ian will be reviewed next week and I am waiting for more information on Ashley, but it looks doubtful if he will be ready.

"There is going to be a real edge on Sunday and the scrum is going to be a big area of the game. We felt a few decisions did not go our way there in the first match at Welford Road and that is something we want to put right.

"Leicester have probably not come up against a scrum like ours in the Premiership and I can imagine there will be a few penalties and free-kicks as usual. We are confident in our scrum and in our game."

Ospreys, the RaboDirect Pro 12 champions, have won 10 of their past 11 league matches and defeated Toulouse in their last Heineken Cup outing a month ago. More than 11,000 tickets had been sold by Tuesday morning, with Tandy hoping for strong vocal backing for his players.

"It is a huge game for our area and we need the supporters to get right behind us," he said. "You could feel the energy when the players walked in for training this morning and we want to be winners. We will be without a number of injured players but we are not moaning.

"It gives an opportunity to others and it is surprising what a team that is not reliant on individuals can achieve. We are in a good place at the moment: everyone understands what we are tying to achieve. There is a debate about the future of the regional game, but that is for others; my job is to prepare a team to take the field.

"We want to be the best we can. We have grown as a team and as a business. The victory over Toulouse gave us confidence and we have built on it. We have to be clinical against Leicester and we know that if we do not win, our European season will be over." Reported by guardian.co.uk 5 days ago.

This is Leicestershire -- A man accused of setting fire to a rooftop shisha cafe has been bailed to appear for trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Imtiyas Patel (28), of Herschell Street, off London Road, Leicester, attended the city magistrates' court today charged with arson with intent or being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The blaze took place at the Cloud Nine Shisha Cafe, in Leicester, on October 25 last year.

Around 60 firefighters attended the blaze which destroyed the bar and smoking area on the roof of the Curzonia knitwear factory in Birstall Street, St Matthews, and part of the factory building's fourth floor.

Patel, who gave no plea, was granted bail on condition that he does not contact any prosecution witnesses.

He will attend court again later this month. Reported by This is 4 days ago.

New-found maturity helps teenage tantrums to be forgotten as Wales No10 contender faces Leicester in Heineken Cup

Excuse the pun but Wales are looking at the Biggar picture as they contemplate who will replace the injured Rhys Priestland at fly-half in the Six Nations, which starts with Ireland in Cardiff in three weeks. The No10 position generates more debate than any other and the path to Welsh glory is littered with the bones of those whose talent was buried by the weight of expectation.

Dan Biggar is 23, but he seems to have been around for ever. He had just turned 18 when he made his debut for Swansea against Maesteg, scoring 19 points. Within a few months, he was playing for Ospreys and in one match at Newport Gwent Dragons he argued with anyone prepared to exchange words, remonstrating with the match officials and even barking at Gavin Henson for breaking from deep rather than kicking to safety.

Welsh fly-halves have traditionally had a strut and a swagger, aware of their ability and wanting others to know it, but Biggar, as quiet off the field as he is vocal on it, takes it to another level. He was capped by Wales one month after his 19th birthday and the following season displaced James Hook as the Ospreys fly-half, seen as the successor to Stephen Jones at national level.

But then it started to unravel. He was publicly bawled out by the Wales attack coach, Rob Howley, after a draw against Fiji in 2010, did not go to the 2011 World Cup and was overlooked for last summer's tour to Australia. He won his 11th cap against Samoa in the autumn, but did not see out the first half after being taken out by the lock Filo Paulo at a ruck.

Priestland's season-ending injury has increased Biggar's chances of making his Six Nations bow, but it is the form that earned him praise from Howley, now Wales's interim head coach, that is guiding his destiny. Biggar showed at the Dragons two weeks ago, the ground of his teenage tantrums, that not only had he matured, but he could run a difficult game: he shut out the opposition in the second half, making sure Ospreys played in the right areas, distracted by nothing.

"The season is going well for me at the moment," he says ahead of Ospreys' Heineken Cup meeting with Leicester in Swansea on Sunday. "If I overstepped the mark in the past, now I nurture things. As a 10, you need a bit of authority and confidence or arrogance, call it what you will, but I no longer think it is the end of the world if things do not go right.

"When you are a teenager, you have it all to learn. I acted a bit foolishly in the past, but the difference in me between then and now is enormous. It is not about being less chopsy, but about appreciating how to control games and deal with bad refereeing decisions and mistakes by team-mates. I still have a lot to improve on, but I am more in control of my emotions when I step on to a field now."

Biggar has been credited with leading Ospreys' revival this season. The champions have won nine of their past 10 RaboDirect Pro12 matches after losing their first three and defeated Toulouse in the last round of the Heineken Cup: they will probably have to secure a bonus point victory over Leicester to have a realistic prospect of making the quarter-finals, but they also have the target of making the last eight of the Amlin Challenge Cup.

"The forwards have been magnificent," said Biggar, "and Kahn Fotuali'i has been outstanding at scrum-half. If he were Welsh, everyone would be raving about him. Steve Tandy [the head coach] has given us a licence to play. We have structures in place, but they are guidelines, a default position. You are not criticised for trying things and as half-backs you have to find the balance: there are times when the forwards are screaming to you to get the ball downfield for a lineout and the backs are demanding you go wide."

Biggar has always been a fly-half since being invited by a teacher at his Swansea school to stay behind one afternoon and play in a match. The 10s he admired were Jonny Wilkinson and, particularly, Australia's Stephen Larkham, both World Cup winners. "Larkham was a naturally good rugby player, not big, quick or particularly athletic but he had a brain," he said. "He is the player I like to base my game around: he was more naturally talented than I am and I probably have to work a lot harder, but partnering Kahn helps me."

Despite Howley's words of encouragement, Biggar is not assuming he will be the fly-half against Ireland. "There is always stiff competition at 10," he said. "I feel for Rhys, a top player who took a lot of unwarranted flak last year, but there are other candidates for his jersey, James Hook and Rhys Patchell. I get on with Hookie, as naturally talented a player as you will see, very well and we will push each other in training.

"It was encouraging to read what Rob Howley said about me, but sport, like life, is about ups and downs and what matters is how you deal with disappointments. Rob's words after Fiji in 2010 hurt and affected me, but I realised I had to use them as motivation and show I had the character to succeed. I never doubted my own ability and when I was left out of the World Cup squad it made me realise how hard I had to work. It became even more determined."

Biggar rates his opposite number on Sunday, Toby Flood, as one of the most threatening No10s around. His contract with Ospreys, like that of Fotuali'i, ends in May and he is in talks about an extension. A number of Welsh players opting for a pay increase and moving abroad and Biggar has received offers from French clubs, but his heart is telling him to stay in Wales.

"It is difficult because the Welsh regions are competing in Europe with teams armed with much bigger playing budgets, but there are three questions I want ticked off as I consider my future: am I happy here? Yes, very much so. Am I looked after and appreciated and taken care of financially. Yes, no complaints. Is the team going to be competitive? That is the most important question for me.

"I think we'll continue to be, but what I'd really like to see in Wales are big crowds for regional matches. The interest is there, as we showed on Boxing Day when 19,000 watched us beat Scarlets – it is a matter of harnessing it. A full house against Leicester would be worth 10 points to us and I feel jealous when I watch Premiership matches on TV and see packed grounds. We have a passion for the game in Wales and we must exploit it." Reported by guardian.co.uk 23 hours ago.

This is South Wales -- OSPREYS substitute Jonathan Spratt scored a 77th-minute try to deny Leicester victory in their Heineken Cup clash at the Liberty Stadium.
The visitors looked to have done enough through second-half touchdowns from scrum-half Ben Youngs and wing Niall Morris, though they trailed for much of the contest after the home side went in front thanks to a Joe Bearman try.
Dan Biggar and Toby Flood each kicked a conversion and penalty, but the Ospreys would have won had Biggar not missed four penalties and a late conversion.
Biggar was totally out of luck as two of his attempts struck the post and another hit the bar.
A breakaway inspired by Ospreys scrum-half Kahn Fotuali'i cut open Leicester's defence and it took a fine tackle by Mathew Tait on home flanker Justin Tipuric to snuff out the threat.
But further pressure gave Biggar another penalty chance, which this time he landed.
The home pressure eventually paid off six minutes before the break when the ball was recycled quickly and Bearman strode over.
Biggar landed the conversion.
Flood kicked a penalty to open Leicester's account.
The Tigers delivered an equalising try after the break when Youngs sniped his way over for a score that Flood converted.
Morris struck with eight minutes remaining, but the Ospreys were not finished and a break from Eli Walker caused enough mayhem in Leicester's defence for Spratt to finish off.
Biggar's conversion attempt was wide. Reported by This is 2 hours ago.

• Ospreys 15-15 Leicester

Give the Tigers an inch and, more often than not, they will take the proverbial mile. It may be some time before the Ospreys work out precisely how they failed to win a gripping contest on a cold, still Swansea afternoon but the situation in Pool Two is now simple. The winners of this Sunday's game between Leicester and Toulouse will qualify for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, while the losers can put away their passports for another year.

As Richard Cockerill bullishly stressed afterwards, Leicester will always back themselves at Welford Road but their supporters should not get overly excited. Although this draw has kept their title hopes intact, it almost certainly means their reward for qualifying would be a trip to one of the two French giants, Clermont Auvergne or Toulon. An economy-class seat on a long-haul flight next to Gerard Depardieu would be a marginally more attractive prize.

Then again, Leicester are nothing if not resourceful in a tight corner. They proved it again here, somehow contriving to lead 15-10 in the closing minutes after poor Dan Biggar had seen three penalty attempts bounce agonisingly away off the woodwork. It took a searing break from the impressively swift Eli Walker and a diving late finish from replacement Jonathan Spratt to pull them back level, but Biggar's touchline conversion faded left of the posts, taking with it Ospreys' remaining hopes of qualification.

Biggar also missed four other kicks by a combined total of a foot or two, underlining the old truism that a miss is as good as a mile. Welsh pain at failing to provide a single quarter-finalist was further magnified afterwards when it emerged that former Wales captain Ryan Jones had suffered a nasty thumb injury which threatens to add to the national squad's already hefty Six Nations casualty list.

"We think he's got a dislocated thumb and it may have popped through the skin as well," reported Ospreys' head coach Steve Tandy. With hooker Richard Hibbard (shoulder) also leaving the fray prematurely and Alun Wyn Jones, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris and Ian Evans already hors de combat, there are some sizeable forward holes to be filled in the Welsh squad to be named on Tuesday.

Leicester, for their part, insist their England internationals Manu Tuilagi and Tom Youngs should be fit for the Toulouse showdown after both players limped off with strained calves. Given Tuilagi left Swansea wearing a protective boot that may yet prove an optimistic assessment, but Cockerill, on virtually every topic, was firmly in glass half-full mode.

"We'd back ourselves to win against anyone at Welford Road," he insisted afterwards. "Toulouse haven't played that well away from home this season…it should be a classic. I'd question some of our decision-making at times but the character of this side is never in doubt."

Even Cockerill acknowledged, though, that Leicester will have to be far sharper to see off the French aristocrats. Had Ospreys finished everything they started in a one-sided first-half, it might have been a rout and the watching Rob Howley, wearing both his Welsh and Lions hats, will have enjoyed some of what he saw. Justin Tipuric was outstanding on the openside flank and Leicester also had no-one with the inventiveness out wide of Richard Fussell and Walker. One delightful twist and turn by Tipuric past a startled Jordan Crane was almost worth the price of admission alone, the effect ruined only by a clumsy kick ahead and a vain penalty box dive which would have embarrassed Gareth Bale.

By far the game's dominant individual, nevertheless, was Ospreys' Samoan scrum-half Kahn Fotuali'i, who did little to dilute the argument he is currently the best No9 anywhere on the planet. For the first hour he helped put the Ospreys in total control everywhere save the scoreboard. Sadly for the home team the unfortunate Biggar spent virtually the whole game waiting for better things to materialise. Two of the fly-half's first three long-range penalty attempts hit the woodwork, with the other falling a couple of inches short. On another day the Tigers might have been staring at a 20-point interval deficit.

Instead it was only 10-3, with the Ospreys scoring only one try through Joe Bearman after fine approach work by Fotuali'i, Tipuric and Ryan Bevington. They also had to contend with the late withdrawal of winger Ross Jones, who twisted an ankle in the warm-up and was replaced by scrum-half Tom Habberfield. The subsequent departure of Jones and Hibbard also boosted the Tigers and close-range second-half tries by Ben Youngs and Niall Morris took them within touching distance of victory. They reckoned without the determined Spratt leaping in like a salmon at the right corner flag. It was the least the spirited Ospreys deserved.

*Ospreys *Fussell; Habberfield (Spratt, 62) Isaacs, Bishop, Walker; Biggar, Fotuali'i (capt); Bevington (D Jones, 74), Hibbard (Baldwin, 60), A Jones, Gough (Lewis, 74), King, R Jones (Peers, 35), Tipuric, Bearman.

*Tries* Bearman, Spratt. *Con* Biggar. *Pen* Biggar.

*Leicester* Tait; Morris, Tuilagi (Smith, 71), Allen, Thompstone; Flood, B Youngs; Ayerza (Mulipola, 60), T Youngs (Hawkins, 69), Cole (Castrogiovanni, 60), Deacon (capt), Parling, Mafi, Salvi, Crane (Waldrom, 56).

*Tries *B Youngs, Morris. *Con* Flood. *Pen *Flood.

*Referee* J Lacey (Ire). *Att* 13,126. Reported by guardian.co.uk 35 minutes ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill expects the Heineken Cup winner-takes-all showdown against Toulouse this weekend to be a "classic" match.

Leicester's 15-15 draw with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium yesterday eliminated the Welsh region from the competition.

With Toulouse beating Treviso, it means that whoever wins the Anglo-French clash at Welford Road on Sunday will top Pool Two and progress to what is most likely to be an away quarter-final.

Toulouse won the first-round meeting in southern France 23-9, but the four-times winners have not enjoyed great form on their travels in both league and cup. Tigers, meanwhile, have only lost once at home since October 8, 2011.

Cockerill believes they are the ingredients for a day to remember.

"We are set up for a winner-takes-all game against Toulouse at Welford Road and, in a tough pool, that is where we wanted to be," said Cockerill, who received a huge boost yesterday with the news that lock-forward Geoff Parling has agreed terms on a new deal to extend his stay at the club.

"It should be a classic. We are good enough to beat anyone at home, and Toulouse have not been in the best of form.

"They are a very good side and they know how to win games, but they have not played particularly well away from home this season.

"We know they have enough class in their team to go anywhere and win, and we will be wary of that."

Cockerill admitted that his team will have to play a lot better on Sunday after they were second best in Swansea for much of the opening hour before a late fightback put them in a position to steal an unlikely win.

Tigers were 10-0 down at one stage, but tries from Ben Youngs and Niall Morris, on 67 and 73 minutes, put Leicester 15-10 ahead before Jonathan Spratt levelled the scores on 75 minutes to give both sides two points.

Leicester rode their luck, with the usually dead-eye Ospreys' fly-half Dan Biggar missing five out of seven kicks at goal, with three of those hitting the post or bar.

"We cannot be too frustrated because, to be in the lead with a few minutes to go, was an achievement," said Cockerill.

"We are disappointed that we didn't win and don't have a chance to be at home in the quarters, but this has been a tough pool.

"We have to be more accurate and a lot better next weekend, because that game was a bit like the tale of our season."

Cockerill added that both Tom Youngs and Manu Tuilagi, who hobbled off in the second half, had "tight calves" and that both would be "fine" for the Toulouse clash.

He also hailed Parling's new deal as "fantastic" news for the club, especially after speculation linking the 29-year-old with a move to Gloucester.

"Geoff has agreed terms with us and has decided that he wants to stay," said Cockerill. "He was always part of our plans going forward. I think that shows the strength of the environment we have here. It's fantastic for the club." Reported by This is 18 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

A man involved in putting false registration plates on cars after they were stolen during house burglaries has been jailed for three years and four months.

Kyle Ross arranged for three vehicles which had been taken from driveways to receive new plates.

Sentencing him at Leicester Crown Court, Recorder Keith Raynor told the 20-year-old: "You were facilitating new identities for the cars as part of a group.

"It was professional and reasonably well organised."

Ross, of Winton Avenue, off Narborough Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to handling an Audi A3 worth £1,000 after it was taken during a burglary in Evesham Road, Leicester, on September 14, 2011.

The car keys were taken from inside the property and the vehicle driven away.

Ross also admitted involvement in a burglary in St Mary's Avenue, Braunstone Town, when two Minis, worth £11,000 and £6,500, were stolen, on September 27, 2011.

Ross further admitted possessing a prohibited item, a CS gas canister, recovered from his home when he was arrested in November 2011.

Jonathan Cox, prosecuting, said both homes were targeted because of the cars outside and were broken into while the occupants were asleep.

He said the stolen Audi and the £6,500 Mini were later found bearing false registration plates. The other Mini was not recovered.

Mr Cox said incriminating text messages were found on Ross's mobile phone, asking an associate to get false plates.

He said: "The defendant was involved in obtaining cloned identities for them."

Ross had no previous convictions, the court was told.

Louise McManus, mitigating, said Ross accepted being at a friend's home near to the scene of the St Mary's Avenue burglary and knew what others intended doing, but did not go into the house.

She said: "He was there when his friends were planning the offence and he facilitated matters by sending a text in relation to the car number plates."

The defendant's brother had been jailed a few days earlier in relation to similar offences.

Miss McManus said he was "stepping into the role" of his brother.

She said: "He felt a degree of pressure and coercion."

Recorder Raynor said that although Ross was not the ringleader "he accepts he was part of a joint enterprise."

Miss McManus said: "His involvement spanned a couple of days. He wasn't part of a regular outlet for stolen vehicles, it was a one-off episode.

"He lacked the maturity to realise the severity of his actions by facilitating the plates." Reported by This is 18 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

A key deadline has been missed in a campaign to try to force a referendum on whether Leicester's elected mayor post should be scrapped.

A petition launched by city businessman Callum McKeefery in November aimed to trigger a vote on whether to abolish Sir Peter Soulsby's position.

If 12,000 names – five per cent of the city electorate – had been submitted it would have secured the vote at the earliest opportunity, in May.

Leicester City Council has said no petition has been handed in to date.

Mr McKeefery has not responded to attempts by the Mercury in the past few weeks to find out how his campaign has progressed. It has led to speculation among councillors that he may have abandoned it.

Mr McKeefery, the owner of a bar and nightclub in the city centre, launched the campaign because of his opposition to Sir Peter's plans to turn St Nicholas Place into a £4 million public plaza, Jubilee Square.

Colin Copus, professor of local politics at De Montfort University, said: "The campaign has missed the boat in terms of getting a referendum at the first possible date.

"That is not to say the petition may not be doing well, but if it was proving popular I think we would have heard about it.

"Perhaps there has not been the support anticipated.

"Any petition that is to be successful in getting signatures needs activity and publicity.

"There has not been much sign of that and people will start to draw their own conclusions about what that means."

Elections are normally held on the first Thursday of May.

A city council spokesman said: "For a referendum to be held on May 2, the deadline for the receipt of a valid petition was January 3.

"No such petition has been received by the council.

"Should the council receive a valid petition in the future, the likely date for a referendum would be six months after the receipt of that petition."

Most cities that have held a referendum on whether to have their council run by an elected mayor have rejected the idea.

In Leicester, the system was introduced by the majority of Labour councillors and implemented in May 2010 without voters being offered a referendum.

Sir Peter, however, said he was confident he would win such a vote.

He said: "I would welcome it. I can't imagine people will want to return to the old, undemocratic system where an anonymous council leader and his colleagues run things.

"People may disagree with me on some things but at least they know who to blame if they don't like what happens. They will be able to decide whether to keep me or not at the next election."

Even if the petition secured a referendum and people voted against the mayoral system, under current legislation Sir Peter would see out his term as mayor, which lasts until May 2015. Reported by This is 18 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

X Factor judge and Take That singer/songwriter Gary Barlow, put on a sparkling show for his adoring fans at Leicester's De Montfort Hall last night, (January 13).

Many standing only ticket holders queued for more than 11 hours in order to get a place in the front row.

Among them was Natalie Jacobs from Hinckley.

The self proclaimed "biggest fan" was very exited to be seeing her hero for the fifth time thanks to her husband buying her tickets for Christmas, and she certainly wasn't dissapointed.

Having patiently queued for hours in the freezing cold for a spot in the front row, she was more than a little made up when she shouted to the singer and he replied.

Natalie said: "I shouted to Gary, 'I'm over here', and he looked me straight in the eye and replied, 'hello love, this one's for you'. Then he sang a Million Love Songs. It didn't just make my day, it made my whole life. It was all worth the long wait in the cold."

Also at the gig was Jane Bates and her two friends Natalie and Carol Allen.

Jane, who works at the Spire Hospital in Oadby with Carol, said: "The show was just amazing, it was really, really good. I couldn't pick out one bit as a highlight because it was all so good. He was energetic, smiley and lively. In fact he said he liked the audience in Leicester so much that he promised to return.

"I think as well the staff at De Montfort Hall were brilliant. As the first 40 people in the queue we all had our hands stamped and then we were let in two minutes before everyone else so we could get to the front. Considering they had such a big star performing I thought they were just great and deserved a mention."

And she added: "If Gary sticks to his word and does come back to Leicester I recommend people go and see him, he's amazing."

Tickets for the gig at between £35 and £55, went on sale at the end of November last year and sold out within a matter of hours.

Around 2,000 people are believed to have attended last night's concert which also saw a special guest appearance from American singer/songwriter Nell Bryden. Reported by This is 12 hours ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Cases dealt with at Leicester Magistrates' Court include:

Barry Phillips (37), of Harrow Road, off Narborough Road, Leicester, was found guilty of careless driving on November 25, 2011.

He was fined £750 with £400 costs. Six penalty points were endorsed on his licence.

Stephen Walsh (42), of Hawkesbury Road, Aylestone, Leicester, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis on July 31.

He was fined £60, with £40 costs, and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Sharon Macken (42), of Pen Close, Saffron Lane, Leicester, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman on November 17.

She was ordered to pay her victim £50 compensation. She was also fined £100, with £85 costs, and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

Sanjay Dattani (36), of June Avenue, Thurmaston, Leicester, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance on November 18. He also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis on the same date.

He was ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work in the community and was banned from driving for six months. He was also fined £65, with £85 costs.

Billy Dyson (24), of Preston Drive, Newbold Verdon, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit.

He was banned from driving for 16 months and fined £110, with £85 costs.

Emeka Onuchukwu (30), of Neston Gardens, Aylestone, Leicester, was found guilty of assaulting a man on July 31.

He was given a conditional discharge for a year.

He was also ordered to pay £150 costs.

Neil Bullous (43), of Eastway Road, Wigston, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit on November 12.

He was banned from driving for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community. He was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge. Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire --

A health watchdog has lifted its threat of action against Leicester Royal Infirmary following a series of improvements at the hospital.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued a warning notice to the infirmary in June, saying the hospital was not meeting certain standards.

Inspectors discovered medicines were not always being locked away or stored properly and that not enough was being done to support and listen to staff.

Following a spot check in November, the CQC found bosses at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust had made improvements to make sure the hospital was meeting all the necessary standards.

In their latest report, inspectors said: "The trust has replaced a significant number of drug fridges to ensure that medicines were kept appropriately and securely at lower temperatures.

"Drug cupboards now have either a key or digital lock to ensure the security of medications."

Inspectors also found that there had been improvements in staff communication with managers in the emergency department and medical assessment unit.

They said: "Staff told us that senior managers were more visible and often 'walked the floor'.

"There were a range of forums and meetings for staff to attend and meet senior managers to have a say in developments at the trust.

"These included breakfast with the CEO (chief executive officer).

"Staff felt supported and staffing levels ensured patients received the standard of care required."

Inspectors said the appointment of an interim director of operations and the splitting of the chief nurse and chief operating officer roles "should strengthen the management capacity of the organisation".

They said improvements had been made to audit and risk-assessment systems.

A check at Leicester General Hospital on December 5 found it was meeting all standards.

One patient told the CQC inspection team: "Staff are lovely, it's very calm. The matron does a good job, checking on things all the time."

Another said: "I have no complaints. I was worried when I came in but they have had a calming influence."

A similar check at Glenfield Hospital on November 22 found that it was also meeting all the necessary standards.

One patient told inspectors: "Staff are fabulous and very, very kind. They understand what you need."

Suzanne Hinchliffe, chief nurse at the hospitals trust, said: "Following recent visits, the CQC confirmed all three of our hospitals are compliant against its standards.

"This is excellent news and very pleasing for all of us.

"Since receiving some criticism earlier in the year, we have invested in new medicine fridges and staff told CQC inspectors they feel better communicated with and had opportunity to attend breakfast meetings with directors." Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Businesses which have been targeted by prolific graffiti vandals have backed a campaign to track down the culprits by offering a reward for information.

The tags – Kase and SO 12 – have appeared at more than 2,500 locations in the past few months and removing them has cost Leicester City Council and businesses tens of thousands of pounds.

Businesses and groups who have been targeted by the vandals urged "public spirited" people to pass on the vandals' names.

The council is offering a reward of £500 for information which leads to the taggers' arrest and conviction.

Atin Patel, owner of Howitts pharmacy in Saffron Lane, said: "We are moving to a location in Saffron Lane and we've had both Kase and SO 12 sprayed on to the security shutters at the new shop.

"The shutters cost us £10,000 to £15,000 and the graffiti appeared as soon as we put them in. It was very annoying and inconvenient.

"I told the police and the city council about it and they came and did a demonstration with a graffiti removal kit and that got rid of them.

"We've had no more problems in the past few weeks.

"But these people will do it again if they are not caught."

Age UK had to take one of its minibuses off the road for two weeks in November after the Kase tag was sprayed on to the vehicle while it was parked in Yeoman Street, in the city centre.

Adrian Wilkinson, transport manager for the charity, said: "It is a good idea for the council to offer a reward – hopefully public spirited people will respond.

"The minibus was off the road for two weeks and we had to bring in a replacement. The vehicles are used to pick people up and take them to our day centres, so it was very inconvenient.

"I'm not sure of the exact cost of removing it but it was a substantial sum.

"The people who did this to our vehicle had no thought for the ramifications of what they did and I hope the council's appeal is successful."

Jennifer Chase, owner of Hair and Booty salon in Market Place, Leicester city centre, said the Kase tag was sprayed on her business a few weeks ago.

She said: "It was on one of our windows which we had to replace anyway, but when I saw it I was so upset.

"We are in a five-storey listed building which is about 500 years old but they didn't respect that and sprayed this thing on anyway."

By yesterday afternoon, four people had contacted the council with information.

Launching the appeal yesterday, assistant city mayor, Councillor Sarah Russell said: "In the past, we have shied away from offering rewards for information.

"But given the scale and cost of this problem we feel we have to try something new to encourage people to come forward with information.

"Hopefully, it will work and we will get the information we need to secure convictions."

Anyone with information about the people responsible for either of the two tags should contact Leicester City Council's city wardens team on 0116 252 6430.

All calls can be treated as confidential.

Names and other details can also be e-mailed to:

city.warden@leicester.gov.uk Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Twelve years of hurt have come to a triumphant and emotional end for devoted Leicester Riders fans following the stunning victory in the British Basketball League Cup Final at the weekend.

The players' hard-fought 85-80 victory over championship rivals, cup holders and favourites Newcastle Eagles, secured the club its first silverware since its championship play-off win at Wembley Arena, in 2001.

It has been a rocky road for the club in the intervening years – they were forced to move from the city to Loughborough in 2000 and faced the prospect of folding completely just four seasons ago.

However, all that was forgotten for the impressive Riders faithful among the 7,500-strong crowd in Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on Sunday.

Ursula Routledge, 62, of Victoria Park Road, Leicester, has followed the club through thick and thin for 40 years.

"It's just fabulous," she said. "I've seen all the highs – when we had crowds of 3,000 at Granby Halls – and the lows, like when we had to leave Leicester.

"This is right up there. I'm still on a high. When I looked around the arena on Sunday and saw a sea of red it gave me goosebumps.

"We all shed a few tears afterwards – it was just fantastic.

"This is the best bunch of lads we've ever had. They are just lovely.

"They give me and my friend Karen a hug every game and we went to the team hotel to celebrate with them.

"I didn't get back home until midnight, when I watched the game back on TV. I didn't get to bed until 3am."

Basketball fans have looked on as Leicester's illustrious rugby and – to a slightly lesser extent – football clubs have hogged the headlines and newspaper column inches. "This is our time," said Mark Ellis, 50, from Wigston, who has been following the club since 1991.

"What a game. The final quarter, when Newcastle fought back, was really nerve-wracking.

"They made us suffer in the final quarter, but you expect that from a Leicester sports team don't you?

"This puts us well and truly back on the sporting map after years in the wilderness.

"It's something the whole city and county should feel rightly proud of.

"Being the oldest club in the country, with such a fine tradition, makes it extra special to see us back up there at the top.

"It's been a long time coming but well worth the wait."

Russell Levenston, Riders' general manager, paid tribute to the club's supporters.

He said: "This one was for the fans and sponsors who have supported the club through many ups and downs."

Founded in 1967 as the Loughborough All Stars, the Riders moved to Leicester in 1981, but had to leave the city for Loughborough with the closure of Granby Halls in 2000.

In 2004, they returned to the city thanks to a sponsorship deal with De Montfort University, and they now play at the university's John Sandford Sports Centre.

Fans helped stave off liquidation in 2007 by forming a consortium to raise funds and, when financial crisis loomed again the following year, county builder Jelson Homes stepped in to save the club.

Darren Chown, 36, of Earl Shilton, said: "We've had some hard times but it makes Sunday's triumph all the sweeter."

Alan Johnson, 65, from Narborough, said: "Brilliant. I've been watching the Riders home and away since 1984.

"It's a world away from being so close to folding.

"Coach Rob (Paternostro), the management and owners deserve so much credit." Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire --

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill believes Geoff Parling's decision to stay at Leicester was based around his desire to keep improving.

The out-of-contract 29-year-old ended weeks of speculation surrounding his future by agreeing terms to remain at Welford Road.

That means Parling turned down the advances of Gloucester, who were keen to sign him as Jim Hamilton is off to Montpellier this summer.

Cockerill said he was delighted with former Newcastle man Parling's decision, and hopes he will continue improving as much as he has done since joining Tigers in 2009.

"Geoff's decision shows the quality of the environment we have at Leicester Tigers, and that plays a big part in players wanting to stay here," said Cockerill.

"Geoff wants to continue to develop as a player, and he agrees with us that he can do that best by playing for Leicester Tigers."

Parling has made more than 50 starts for the club, and his consistency has made him an ever-present in the squad.

He bounced back from knee reconstruction surgery to lead Tigers' line-out and make 12 appearances for England in the last year.

Cockerill added: "We told Geoff that he has always been part of our plans going forward, and it is very good news that he has decided to stay." Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire --

A disused theatre should be sold for just £1 so it no longer leaves taxpayers with a yearly bill of £150,000, a councillor has suggested.

The Haymarket Theatre closed in 2007 and efforts by Leicester City Council to find a buyer have so far failed.

The council, which is about a third of the way through a 99-year lease on the former 753-seat venue, is looking to dispose of it for £500,000.

But Liberal Democrat councillor Nigel Porter said the asking price was putting off potential purchasers.

He urged mayor Sir Peter Soulsby to give the building away for a nominal sum so it is no longer a financial burden.

Under the terms of the lease, the council has to pay £120,000 as a service charge to the landlord – the next-door shopping centre – as well as £20,000 in rates and about £10,000 in maintenance.

Coun Porter has raised the issue at the council and it will now be investigated by one of the authority's scrutiny committees.

He said the theatre, which closed to be replaced by Curve, was an unacceptable drain on the council's resources when finances were tight.

He said: "Attempts to sell the Haymarket have been unsuccessful and each year it remains unsold it will be a huge cost.

"The asking price is obviously deterring potential buyers.

"The mayor should look at selling it for a £1 just to get it off the books. In the short term it is a loss, but if the lease continues to run its course it could cost the council millions.

"It wouldn't be the first time a council has done this and I think it makes good sense financially."

Sir Peter has previously said he would be willing to listen to reasonable offers for the property, which is being marketed as a potential museum, art gallery, cinema, meeting hall, sports venue or theatre.

He agreed there was a need to dispose of the building but said giving it away was not the answer.

The mayor also said he had been contacted by two religious organisations and a leisure firm interested in taking on the building.

"I would not say we are close to exchanging contracts but they are interested and the council is continuing to work with them," Sir Peter said. "What Nigel does not seem to have got his head around is the purchase price is not the issue. The asking price is reasonable.

"It is the large expense of refitting the building that is the challenge .

"It is a shell – all the seats have been stripped out."

However, Coun Porter said a peppercorn price would allow any interested parties to spend any money they had on a refit.

"The council would of course need to see a proper business plan but it just gives a potential buyer more of a chance to do something with a prominent city centre building that could and should be in use," he said.

Former Haymarket theatre-goer Diane Jones, 51, of Knighton, Leicester, said: "If the council has a realistic sale on the horizon then obviously it shouldn't give the place away.

"If not, it should be considered."

Angelos Minter, 19, of Highfields, Leicester, said: "It's stupid so much of our money is being spent on it. Whatever it takes, get shot of it." Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire -- Cliff Vanstone had never set foot in Leicester until a "momentous" career opportunity came his way. The chance to run the city's John Lewis store was what Cliff had been working towards, 20 years after he started as a sales assistant with the company. So a visit to Leicester was in order and, after getting lost on the ring road, his future workplace with its towering glass facade made quite an impression on him when it finally appeared. "I came around the corner and saw this big glittering building and my first thought was 'wow'," said Cliff. "I found it pretty impressive." The 40-year-old has been in the post of managing director for a couple of months since taking over from his predecessor, Amanda Dammers, who transferred to John Lewis in Nottingham. "When Amanda handed over to me she said, 'it's all yours now, enjoy it' – it was quite a momentous moment. "I had spent all those years working towards it," he said. Cliff had only been general manager of John Lewis in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, for 18 months when he went for the Leicester job. His started out at the branch in Kingston, on the outskirts of London, where he stayed for 19 years – first as sales assistant, working in every department, from china to ladies wear and fitted kitchens. He worked his way through management tiers and had a stint at the Peter Jones store in Chelsea, owned by John Lewis, before the Bristol job. Cliff knew he wanted to get on to the John Lewis management ladder straight away. "I come from a family of retailers – from a very young age I had been interested in retailing," he said. "My father had worked for a department store and I had spent some time at work with him." John Lewis in Leicester, which employs more than 400 people, is five years old this year – it opened just as the economic downturn hit, with Amanda at the helm. Cliff said: "It's still such a young branch, but the team have a shop to be proud of. It opened when the recession hit and all things considered the branch has done well to achieve what it has. "My focus is to maintain that but we have to give customers a reason to shop at John Lewis. "We have even more of a focus now on customer service and making it an environment that is second to none." The store has had it most successful Christmas to date, with sales up by 4.3 per cent in the last full week before Christmas, compared to the previous year. Cliff said the performance over the festive period had been a "record year" for the shop. Online sales, including a home delivery and "click and collect" from store have rocketed by 40 per cent this year within Leicestershire. Online accounts for 20 per cent of the business and Cliff is confident the branch and online sides of it can co-exist happily. "Our vision is that online will increase to 40 per cent", he said. "Online sales are not harming our branch sales, shops are still at the heart of what we do. "Customers still like to come in and research and browse. "We have good growth in both areas but we will always need a shop. "People's shopping habits have changed so much – a few years ago who would have thought people would be sitting with a laptop actually shopping on Christmas Day? interested "Twelve years ago, we didn't have an online business to speak of – now, it's huge." Since he took over the reins in Leicester, Cliff has moved into an apartment in the city, a stone's throw from the store. He lives there during the week and spends weekends in Bath, where he has a home. "I've seen a lot of the empty factories here, especially along the canal, and I've been really interested to read about Leicester's history. "You can see there is deprivation in parts of the city, which makes it a challenge, but then other areas outside Leicester are much more affluent. Nationally, John Lewis performed strongly at Christmas compared to Marks & Spencer, which experienced a sales slump. What is Cliff's outlook for this year? "We have gone into 2013 optimistically cautious – the economic conditions are not going to change dramatically and there is pressure on consumer spending. "People are being more discerning about where they buy from and with the casualties on the high street if they are buying something like electricals they want the guarantee they can bring something back if they need to." Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire -- Six men have been arrested in connection with disorder at an Indian restaurant in Leicester.
Police were called to the Moghul Durbar restaurant, in East Park Road, at about 9pm last night.
Officers found a gang had smashed the business's windows and assaulted people inside.
Paramedics treated the victims for both serious and minor injuries before taking them to Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The six men were arrested shortly after and remain in police custody.
A large stretch of East Park Road has been cordoned off between the junctions of Leicester Street and Nottingham Road.
A police spokeswoman said the road would remain closed for most of the day while officers carried out inquiries.
She said: "The investigation is in its very early stages but officers would like to urge anyone with information about the incident to call them immediately."
Call police on 101. Reported by This is 1 day ago.

This is Leicestershire -- A man is in a critical condition in hospital after gang attacked several people in a restaurant in Leicester. The attack happened in East Park Road when a large group of people smashed the windows at the Moghul Durbar restaurant. Once inside a number of people were assaulted and others were injured. The incident happened at about 9pm last night. The incident happened at about 9pm last night. Six people were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary for treatment to both minor and serious injuries. Two people, both men, are in a stable condition in hospital and a third man is in a critical condition. Police have arrested six men in connection with the incident and they remain in police custody. Police closed East Park Road and some of the surrounding roads while they carried out inquiries. The roads have since been re-opened but an area around East Park Road and Nottingham Road remains cordoned off. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Detective Inspector Simon Preston said: "We have had a team of officers working on this incident since last night and already have six people arrested. However, that doesn't mean that we don't still need witnesses to come forward. "We are currently working closely with the witnesses and victims we have spoken to so far to find out as much as possible about the incident, and officers are looking into various lines enquiry. "If you think you can help us, or have any information that might be linked to the incident, we would urge you to get in touch. You can call us direct on 101, talk to your local officer, inform a trusted member of your community or even call us anonymously through Crimestoppers. If you think you can help please don't hesitate to call." Chief Superintendant Rob Nixon, who is the police commander for the city area, said: "I would like to reassure the local community in the East Park Road area that we are treating this incident very seriously. Local officers will be patrolling the area to offer reassurance and will be speaking with faith community leaders throughout the coming days to provide regular updates regarding the investigation. "I would ask local people not to listen to rumour or get involved in speculation. If you have any information about the incident or have any concerns please contact the police immediately." Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111. Related article: Six arrested in connection with disorder at Leicester restaurant ext

Reported by This is 17 hours ago.

Leicester Shisha cafe breached smoking laws

This is Leicestershire --

The owner of a city centre shisha cafe has been fined for breaking smoking laws.

Ahmed Kasmany (28), of Gwendolen Road, Leicester, had denied four charges of failing to stop a person smoking in a smoke-free premises at the Al Feena, in St George's Way.

But yesterday, magistrates found him guilty and ordered him to pay fines and costs totalling more than £3,000.

His barrister James Bide-Thomas told the court the verdict would have "a terminal" impact on his client's business.

Council enforcement officers visited the shisha cafe, where customers smoke fruit flavoured tobacco, four times at the end of 2011.

The visits came seven months after a court had cleared Mr Kasmany and a partner of similar offences.

The court heard the cafe includes an outer terrace and an inner area, which were separated by security shutters which were always up during opening hours.

Nicki Agalamanyi, prosecuting for Leicester City Council, said officers from the authority had become concerned over the design and inclusion of the shutters.

She said they commissioned a report by architect Philip Dodd to see if the shisha cafe complied with the law, which states at least 50 per cent of the premises must be open to fresh air.

Mr Dodd said the venue did not comply as the shutters meant the inner area was totally enclosed and therefore smoking was prohibited.

However, Mr Dodd did tell the court if the shutters were removed then the building would comply with regulations.

Mr Kasmany said: "I did not think it included the shutters, as they could only be opened by staff and they were always retracted when we were open."

The court heard council enforcement officer Gurdeep Dosanjh visited the bar in November and December in 2011, and found people smoking in the inner area.

Mr Kasmany told the court that following council advice and securing planning permission for the shutters, he believed his business was legal.

He said following acquittal by Leicester magistrates in March 2011, he felt justified in allowing people to use the inner part of the building.

Magistrate Adrian Bradley said: "We found the prosecution expert Phil Dodd a credible witness. He said the smoking area was divided into two parts and that smoking was not allowed in the inner room because of the shutters."

Mr Bradley said he urged the owner of the cafe to meet council officers to see if there was a way of making the venue comply with the law.

Yesterday's hearing also saw Sameer Socranie (38), of Naseby Road, Northfields, Leicester, convicted of one count of failing to stop people from smoking in a smoke-free area.

Mr Socranie, who acted as a business consultant, was cleared of three other similar charges after he told the court he reduced his connection with the business when the council told him the premises did not comply with the law.

He admitted failing to tell the council who the owner of the bar was within the 15 day legal limit.

He was ordered to pay £2,465 in fines and costs. Reported by This is 2 hours ago.

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