Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

The number of hate crimes targeting mosques has more than doubled in a year, according to new figures.

Police forces across the country have recorded 110 offences between March and July - up from 47 over the same six month period last year.

Image source, Google

Three offences were recorded in Nottinghamshire this year, compared to just one in 2016.

In June two men were charged with hate offences after meat, believed to be pork, was allegedly smeared on the front door of Al-Quba Masjid mosque in Sherwood.

Facebook

Lots of you have been talking on Facebook , externalabout plans to redevelop a site in Leicester where three early 19th Century buildings currently stand.

Developers want to replace the former slum houses near Abbey Street Car Park with a new complex of flats, offices and shops.

Kelvin Moon said: "Get rid, they are an eyesore."

Alan Rees said: "They should be repaired... preserved and opened to public and tourists for historical interest."

Anne Bocking said: "There's way too much of this going on everywhere, tearing down the old to make way for more corporate stuff. There needs to be a balance. What's wrong with spending the money on restoring these buildings and bringing them back into use?

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

Ay-up me duck...

This duck-shaped potato was grown in Nottingham by Heidi Hargreaves and her partner Ian Jones.

Image source, Dukki Gifts and Souvenirs

The couple who run the Dukki gift and souvenir shop found the perfectly shaped vegetable as they dug their batch of potatoes this season.

Image source, Dukki Gifts and Souvenirs

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

This crash on the A42 near Appleby Magna at the weekend resulted is two very damaged cars.

Police posted the photos on Twitter yesterday and said there were "no serious injuries" to those involved.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

Image source, Leicestershire Police

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

After years of campaigning Clifton is finally getting a Lidl supermarket.

It will be part of the Clifton Triangle redevelopment project that will include five other retail units, a restaurant and 24 apartments in Green Lane.

MP Lilian Greenwood had campaigned and organised a petition for a Lidl to be built in the area.

She said: "People have been saying for ages to me that they would like better shops, they would like a bit of competition for Morrisons and particularly they would like an Aldi or a Lidl."

BBC Leicester Sport

Harry Maguire has said his decision to join Leicester City rather than Tottenham has been vindicated after he made his England debut last night.

Image source, Getty Images

Gareth Southgate's side beat Luthuania 1-0 in their final World Cup qualifying group match

Maguire moved to the East Midands club as he believed he would have a better chance of regular first team football.

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Leicester's annual Diwali celebrations are thought to be one of the largest outside India.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

Money has been stolen from the Tuck and Tanner pub in Top Valley during a robbery.

Nottinghamshire Police, external said a man entered the pub and threatened an employee on Saturday at about 23:00.

The suspect was last seen running in the direction of Ridgeway.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

A teenage speed skater says he is frustrated that he can't choose his favourite sport after a change in government policy.

Kyle Ross-Waddell from Bramcote thought that his skating would count towards his GCSE in P.E. but has now been told it's no longer part of the syllabus.

The department for education has changed regulations which means it is not a GCSE option anymore.

He will now have to choose two different sports.

Kyle said: "I felt very annoyed and frustrated at the same time because this is my favourite sport that I do six days a week and train very hard for... it is very annoying I can't pick it for GCSE."

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

This is what Garden Street Island in Leicester could soon look like if the redevelopment of three early 19th Century slum buildings goes ahead.

Image source, Meesha Group

Developers want to replace the old buildings near Abbey Street Car Park with a new complex of flats, offices and shops.

Image source, Meesha Group

A campaign has been launched by the Leicester Civic Society, calling on the city council to protect the current buildings by recognising them on the Local Heritage Asset Register.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

People were invited to take their pets to St Martin of Tours church in Alfreton for a special service yesterday.

It was a chance for parishioners to give thanks for all the good pets give to humans.

About 20 people turned up to have their animals blessed including dogs, a budgie and even a tarantula.

I hope the reverend isn't scared of spiders.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

This is the moment Julie Freeman from Rutland won the World Conker Championships 2017, beating the men's champion John Riley.

The new "conker queen" told the BBC "there's not a lot of training involved" and it's down to luck that she won.

We think you're very modest.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

A smart helmet to protect soldiers from hearing injuries is being developed by Nottingham Trent University.

Tiny microphones, which will not interfere with any military activities, will be knitted into the fabric covering army helmets.

Image source, Nottingham Trent University

The project is being led by the advanced textiles research group, who will develop technology to measure and record the levels of noise which soldiers experience in the field.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

Fire crews in Leicester are responding to a large volume of calls about a caravan on fire in the car park on Harrison Close in Glenfield.

They've received reports that explosions were heard.

More on this as we get it.

Boss Steve Evans says he cannot understand the negative response from Mansfield's fans after Saturday's loss at Colchester.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

A brand new, state-of-the-art Professional Development Centre is being officially opened at LOROS.

It's phase one of the hospice's £6m site development project at their base on Groby Road in Leicester.

The centre will be used as an education facility so LOROS can deliver palliative care training to fellow professionals within the sector.

Image source, LOROS

The centre will be opened by Baroness Finlay, an internationally renowned expert in palliative care.

LOROS chief executive John Knight said: "It has been an extremely exciting year for the hospice, as staff, volunteers, patients and their families have witnessed the creation of the centre, as it has developed from a plot of land to a five seminar room modern building.

"The centre will also include a lecture hall, which can seat up to 80 people, a library, IT training rooms and a canteen.

"Making the centre even more unique, will be a clinical skills viewing room which will be set up like a patient's bedroom, giving students the opportunity to train using real-life situations."

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

The Fire Brigades Union has said plans to reduce staffing at some fire stations is "dangerous and concerning".

Two of either Ashfield, Retford and Worksop stations could have no full-time firefighters at night under proposed plans to save around £1m a year.

They would use retained staff instead.

But the fire authority says retained firefighters can't work at great heights or use chemical suits. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service say they are confident the proposals are safe.

Maryam Qaiser
BBC Local Live

Intu in Derby is celebrating its 10th birthday today.

The £340m building, which was previously called Westfield, created almost 3,000 jobs.

There were more than 150,000 visitors when it was officially opened by Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly.

It has 200 stores, with Judith Hart Jewellers being the first independent retailer to move in.

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

Preserve or demolish? A campaign is underway, external to save one of Leicester's last remaining examples of early 19th Century slum housing.

Developers are hoping to knock down these three houses on the Garden Street Island near Abbey Street Car Park.

The plan is to replace them with a new complex of flats, offices and shops.

Howard Wilkins from Leicester Civic Society told the BBC: "To lose these will be like demolishing part of our heritage."

Raj Patel owns one of the houses and claims the building isn't safe as it is, and that Historic England has "no interest" preserving it.