Mum's appeal two years after son's killing
Woman charged with intimidating witness
New Labour leader elected in Derby
Naval reserves handed freedom of Nottingham
Bramley apple tree will be 'available to visit'
Councils join forces to tackle homelessness
Updates on Wednesday 9 May 2018
Jennifer Harby
BBC News
Could tonight be Leicester City manager Claude Puel's last home match in charge of the Foxes?
The Frenchman is coming under increasing pressure, following a run of four wins in 19 matches.
The team faces Arsenal at the King Power Stadium tonight, with some fans claiming his position is "untenable".
Image source, Getty Images
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
HMS Sherwood, the East Midlands’ only Royal Naval Reserve unit, is to be granted the Freedom of the City of Nottingham, external.
An official scroll presentation to mark the occasion is due to take place at a city council meeting on Monday and a Freedom Parade will take place in Nottingham later in the year.
Lt Cdr Rod Grant from HMS Sherwood explained: “We are immensely proud to receive the award. To receive this fantastic accolade is extremely rare, particularly for a Royal Naval Reserve unit like HMS Sherwood.
“We plan to march through the city with the band’s drums beating, colours flying, and our bayonets fixed."
Image source, Nottingham City CouncilBrian Grocock, Nottingham City Council’s Armed Forces champion, said: “The granting of the Freedom of the City is a ceremonial honour, and the oldest and highest civic honour that can be bestowed on a military unit."
A Leicestershire man has described how he had his leg amputated after being bitten by a spider.
Andy Perry was working as a landscaper when he fell ill after a fencing job in Thorpe Astley, external.
Jennifer Harby
BBC News
Should dogs be allowed off the lead in public places?
Listeners on Radio Leicester have been unleashing their views on the subject.
The heated exchange has been prompted by Bradgate Park's consultation to extend recently-introduced rules to keep dogs on leads following an increase in deer being killed in dog attacks.
"Parks are for children to play in - they are not for dogs," according to Richard, from Kirby Muxloe.
"In a public place, dogs should always be on a lead. There are, in my opinion, too many irresponsible dog owners," added John, from Leicester.
However, Nick in Shepshed disagreed, saying it was wrong to blame dogs for the actions of their owners.
Jennifer Harby
BBC News
A university which has bought the original Bramley apple tree has said it will be available for the community to visit.
Nottingham Trent University has purchased the 200-year-old Southwell fruit tree, which was planted in 1809.
Image source, Nottingham Trent UniversityJulia Davies, head of environmental sciences at the university, said: "It really is a very special tree and the community is very fond of it.
"Originally a local lady was looking after it very well, but unfortunately she died and it came up for sale."
The tree is dying from an incurable fungal infection.
"It's a 200-year-old tree, so it's not going to live forever," said Ms Davies. "We're going to prolong it as long as possible and take cuttings to preserve it.
"We want it to be available for the community to visit."
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
An 18-year-old man is recovering after being robbed in Killamarsh, external.
Police said the teenager had his money taken by two older men who approached him in Station Road in the early hours of Friday.
The robbers were described as being between 30-40 and wearing dark clothing with the hoods pulled up.
Image source, Google
East Midlands Today
The number of people being charged with racial and religious hate crimes has dropped in Derbyshire and Leicestershire over the past four years - but risen in Nottinghamshire.
Figures released following a Freedom of Information request showed the number of people charged in Notts had risen from 42 in 2013 to 46 last year (up 9.5%).
In Derbyshire the figure dropped from 134 to 75 (down 44%) and in Leicestershire the number fell from 225 to 144 (down 36%).
Nationally, the number of people charged with racial and religious hate crimes dropped by 10% in the same period.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Police say they're concerned for the safety of a 30-year-old woman who's gone missing in Nottingham.
Hazel McPhee vanished from the city centre yesterday afternoon. She's thought to be wearing a black vest, blue jeans and Nike trainers.
Call 101 if you've seen her or know where she is.
Image source, Nottinghamshire PoliceJennifer Harby
BBC News
A family friend of an 11-year-old girl who died after falling from a theme park water ride said her inquest seems to have been "put on the back-burner".
Evha Jannath, from Leicester, fell from the Splash Canyon ride on a school trip to Drayton Manor theme park exactly one year ago.
The friend, who had a daughter on the same trip and who does not wish to be named, said investigations into Evha's death were "taking too long".
Image source, Family handout"It would be good to have some form of closure," she said. "The accident at Alton Towers - things were resolved. What's happening about this young girl? Where were the safeguarding rules? It could happen again and one life is enough.
"I have friends and family who have children in primary schools and when the schools send out details regarding theme parks, they just turn around and say, 'no thank-you'. That's the effect it's had on the community - nobody wants to go to a theme park."
Kit Sandeman
Local Democracy Reporter
Ambulance service bosses in the East Midlands say they're waiting to hear whether there will be any disruption caused by the proposed HS2 line being built near their regional headquarters in Strelley, Nottingham.
The high-speed route, which which has not yet been finalised in its entirety, will pass less than 200m from Horizon Place, the headquarters of East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) in Mellors Way.
Peter Mason, head of blue light collaboration at EMAS, said: "We are aware that the current proposed HS2 line will pass close to our regional headquarters.
"We are currently waiting to hear from HS2 regarding what this will mean for us."
Image source, GoogleA spokeswoman for HS2 said: "As part of our commitment to be a good neighbour to communities affected by the railway, we have gone beyond what is required by law and have introduced a number of additional discretionary schemes for other, nearby property owners who may be affected by the railway.
"We liaise closely with affected public sector organisations, and as we continue to design the railway we'll be looking at the impacts on the ambulance HQ and discussing appropriate mitigations with them."
Jennifer Harby
BBC News
Radio Nottingham has tracked down the mystery of the so-called "bleakest bench" - a seat that has been installed down an alleyway along the back of the city's Broadmarsh shopping centre.
Freddie Moorshead, an American arts student who is studying at Nottingham New College, said he is the man behind the much-discussed piece of street furniture.
"I was using it for a stop-motion piece," he said.
"I was going to draw on the wall with chalk and then rub it away, draw it back and take pictures. It was going to take hours. I was going to get tired and I needed a bench to sit down on while I was doing it."
The bench has attracted several comments on social media, external - something Freddie said had made him chuckle.
"It was just for me to sit on and I didn't expect anyone to take much notice of it," he said.
A great-grandmother was handed a parking fine for staying 11 minutes too long at a McDonald’s after an issue in the fast food outlet delayed her meal, external.
Jacqui Parry-Seal, 73, received a ticket after a visit to the golden arches at Fosse Park on April 5.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A woman has been charged with witness intimidation, external following reports malicious comments were posted on Facebook.
Nottinghamshire Police said the 28-year-old, from Bestwood, was arrested after the force was made aware of the comments on Thursday.
She has been bailed to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 22 May.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A new strategy to tackle homelessness across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland has been announced.
Nine local councils have joined forces to launch a new service that will see one-to-one mentoring offered to vulnerable people at risk of becoming homeless.
Leicester City Council, which is leading the project, secured government funding for the service last year.
The authority's assistant city mayor for housing, Andy Connelly, said: "Last year the city council was approached by more than 3,000 households who needed help to prevent them from becoming homeless.
“This new coaching scheme will enable us to provide more intensive support to help vulnerable people develop the skills and confidence they need to prevent their homelessness now and in the future.”
The coaching service will be provided by the charity P3 (People, Potential, Possibilities), which specialises in working with socially excluded and vulnerable people.
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Labour in Derby have picked Lisa Eldret to replace Ranjit Banwait as their leader.
Eldret, who represents the Darley area of the city, has been known to have her frustrations with Banwait's leadership, although she served in his cabinet between 2015 and 2017.
Labour is still the biggest party in the city and Eldret says she wants to work with other parties to form an administration - mathematically they only need the support of the Lib Dems to do it.
Cross-party negotiations are likely to start later.
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
It's sunny to start with but there will be some rain later this evening
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Hi everyone. Today's news, sport, travel and weather updates for the East Midlands will be served up by myself and Jennifer Harby.
