Calum McKenzie
BBC Local Live

Over 6,500 people have so far responded to the consultation on the future of heart surgery at Glenfield.

The consultation, which ends later today, has asked for people's opinions on plans to move services away from the Leicester-based hospital.

NHS England said the hospital's three surgeons are not meeting a total target of performing 375 operations a year.

But, Alison Poole, from University Hospitals Leicester, praised staff for their "commitment" during the uncertainty of the consultation and said that the unit's results "are improving."

A final decision on the unit's future will be made at a public meeting by NHS England, on a date yet to be specified.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

There was an emergency evacuation at the IKEA store at Giltbrook at lunchtime today.

The duty manager of the store said it was an "accidental alarm" and staff and customers were allowed back into the building soon after the initial alert.

This shopper praised staff at the store:

Image source, Google

Calum McKenzie
BBC Local Live

Lee Westwood will tee off at 14:59 in Thursday's first round of the The Open at Royal Birkdale.

Image source, PA

Westwood, 44, from Worksop, will play alongside Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed for the first two rounds.

Gavin Bevis
BBC Local Live

I went along to the Elvaston Castle Food and Drink Festival at the weekend.

The free two-day event looked well attended. The car park was pretty full and there were plenty of people at each stall and inside the marquees.

I saw quite a wide selection of locally-produced food and drink on offer - burgers, hot dogs, hog roasts, beer, Derbyshire wine - and even cup cakes for dogs.

Of course Elvaston is no stranger to this type of event - it hosted the Derbyshire Food and Drink Fair in 2014 before the event relocated to Kedleston Hall.

League One side MK Dons sign winger Gboly Ariyibi on a season-long loan deal from Nottingham Forest.

The coat, taken with the scarecrow, is needed for the school play.

Calum McKenzie
BBC Local Live

Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher Sam's House for this stunning pic of Curbar in the Derbyshire Dales.

Image source, Sam's House/BBC Weather Watchers

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

Work is under way at Nottingham Castle to uncover new evidence of the city's history including information about the English Civil War.

The team from We Dig the Castle is returning for its annual excavation in the hope of finding never before seen treasures and clues to Nottingham's past.

Alison Montgomery, from Trent and Peak Archaeology, which is behind We Dig the Castle, said: "This year we are going down lower than ever and we are hoping possibly we may find evidence of the civil war.

"It was at Nottingham Castle that civil war started, where the king rose his standard, in effect announced war and we know that the castle was under siege throughout the war.

"We know that a cannon was fired from the top of St Nicholas' Church, on Maid Marion Way but we have never found any evidence of that in the castle ground, and now this might be our year."

Friends of Shane Bryant, who fell ill during an arrest outside a shop, say he was "much loved".

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

Can you help find Joseph?

He's actually a scarecrow - not a human child - and has gone missing from Scargill School in West Hallam.

Image source, Scargill Primary School

The school, which has appealed to people on Facebook to help find him, said he was behind a 6ft fence and are not sure how he was taken.

They need the costume for a school play next week.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

You may want to avoid the A46 in Nottingham for a while...

Calum McKenzie
BBC Local Live

A group of enterprising parents across Leicester have teamed up to try to ensure fewer children go hungry this summer.

Across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, nearly 12,000 children eat a free school meal during term time.

But this provision ends during the school holidays, with many parents struggling to provide food.

Verity Bryan, who organised the scheme, told BBC East Midlands Today: "We've had parents having to go without meals for days on end to make sure that their children get something to eat."

A spokesperson for Leicestershire County Council, said: "If any families contact us, we'd encourage them to contact local charities who provide support, including the Trussell Trust and Fareshare."

BBC Weather Watchers

There was a beautiful sunrise across the East Midlands this morning. Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher Anne for this pic from Brailsford, Derbyshire.

Image source, Anne

This was how it looked in Kegworth, Leicestershire. Captured on camera by BBC Weather Watcher scrappy.

Image source, scrappy

And finally, thanks to blackcat13 for this pic of the sunrise over Wollaton Hall.

Image source, blackcat13

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

You don't see this everyday...

Image source, Derbyshire Constabulary

Members of the public were spotted desperately trying to stop the sheep from joining the M1 motorway near Chesterfield.

PC Pete Harley and PCSO Simon Galley managed to catch the sheep and get it safely into the back of their car before returning it to its field last week.

The "baaa-rmy" tale raised eyebrows on Instagram when the officers posted it on the force's account. .

BBC Radio Derby

Plants in roadsides, verges and roundabouts are set for a return to Derby, according to the city council.

Image source, David Ramos/Getty Images

The authority, which stopped the planting in 2013, has said it will be paid for by reducing the number of times the grass is cut in places like Pride Park, Alvaston, Mackworth and Spondon.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

It appears Nottingham is a hotspot for illegal trade in puppies, according to the RSPCA.

The animal charity says the city is one of the areas with the highest number of ads offering dogs for sale.

Nationally criminal gangs have been found making £35,000 a week.

Amy Ockleford, from the RSPCA, says simply asking about a puppy's background may not be enough.

She said: "These people will bring in fake mums, they will hire houses, and dress them to look like family homes, they will really go to any lengths to convince the public that they are buying from families who can be trusted when in fact they have probably come from a farm yard or a couple of sheds out the back where they are being kept in awful conditions."

Calum McKenzie
BBC Local Live

England's batsmen must look to dig in for 180 overs to have any chance of saving the second test against South Africa at Trent Bridge.

Set a world record 474 to win, England's openers Alastair Cook (above) and Keaton Jennings survived a nervous four overs late on Sunday evening.

"The groundsman here at Trent Bridge reckons the pitch will get flatter the more the sun comes out," ex-England batsman and BBC commentator Ed Smith said.

"Let's hope for England's sake he is correct."

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

The owner of an independent cafe in Nottingham is selling up after almost 25 years, blaming big national chains.

Wendy Baird opened The Picnic Basket in Carrington Street in 1994 but said the change in the area, including the influx of chain establishments, is one of the reasons she's shutting up shop.

She said: "Tesco's was the first, and Starbucks, and Sainsbury's, and Greggs, Subway, (Caffè) Nero, I could go on and on, considering it is only a very short street."

Image source, Google

Wendy added: "Every time someone opens we take a big hit of some sort... 10% or 20%.

"It is important to support the independents because not only are you supporting me... my suppliers are small suppliers.

"My coffee guy is in Basford, my bread supply is in Carlton, my veg supplier is in Hyson Green, so it is not just about me, it is about whoever else I support."

Calum McKenzie
BBC Local Live

The final route of the HS2 high-speed rail link through the East Midlands will be announced later.

Image source, PA

Phase 2b of the project, from Birmingham to the East Midlands and Leeds, is due to open in 2033.

The East Midlands hub station will be at Toton, in Nottinghamshire.

Meanwhile, Carillion, the manufacturer which built the first Nottingham tram line, has been announced as one of the contractors to help build phase one of HS2 between London and Birmingham.

Dave Wade
BBC Local Live

This Jammie Dodger definitely won't fit in your afternoon brew.

It was created at Hambleton Bakery in Rutland after a challenge from Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn, from Market Harborough.

It was acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the largest jam filled biscuit ever made.

And it's shaped like a tennis racquet because it's Wimbledon, of course.