Local Democracy Reporting Service

Leicestershire County Council says it has all the equipment it needs to start deploying rapid result lateral flow tests from next week.

The authority has received 16,000 tests, which it hopes to use to drive down infection rates in local coronavirus hotspots, with the option to request more if needed.

Yesterday it emerged Leicester City Council had been left with 10,000 tests that cannot be used yet due to missing barcodes.

Image source, Getty Images

Mike Sandys, Leicestershire's director of public health, said: "The challenge has always been that some people who have Covid-19 don't show any symptoms.

"Where the lateral flow tests differ from the usual swab kits is that there'll be a test result within an hour, without the need for lab processing.

"It now means we can test high-risk groups, help identify cases and then get people to self-isolate quickly to break the chain of infection."

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

As well as non-essential shops, leisure centres across the region can also reopen from today.

Nearly all swimming pools are operating once again, with Covid security measures in place.

Image source, Getty Images

Lorenzo Clark, from Everyone Active - which runs Hucknall Leisure Centre and Sutton's Lammas Leisure Centre in Nottinghamshire - said: "You come in, you stick to the left hand side when you come up the stairs, one person in a lift. One-way systems on the pool side so you don't come in contact with anybody.

"There are limited changing facilities, bookable sessions which are limited to 10 people per lane and same for the gym."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

This morning's major announcement about UK regulators approving Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine means we could be just days away from the first jabs being given to people in the East Midlands.

Last week Derby City Council gave the green light for Derby Arena to be used as a temporary mass vaccination centre by the NHS if it is required.

Image source, Reuters

Health bosses in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire have been working towards a 9 December start date for a roll-out of the vaccine, subject to it being approved.

And the Local Democracy Reporting Service has said Leicester Racecourse in Oadby is also on standby to be used as a potential temporary vaccination centre, though the local clinical commissioning group would not confirm any sites it planned to use.

Alex Smith
BBC News Online

England has returned to the three-tier system of coronavirus measures after the second national lockdown ended.

The rules came into force after being approved by MPs last night.

It means Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire have all moved into tier three - the highest alert level with the toughest restrictions.

Image source, PA Media

Rutland, however, has moved into tier two.

Businesses such as non-essential shops, hairdressers and beauty salons can now reopen for the first time in four weeks, but a number of measures remain.

BBC Weather

It will be a mainly cloudy start with patchy light rain edging in before brighter spells appear later.

Image source, Happy Walker Heanor WG

Tonight, it will be clear at first, but it will cloud over later on.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A van driver who admitted causing the death of another motorist while under the influence of drugs has been jailed.

Jamie Tarbert's Mercedes Sprinter van crashed with Richard Nicholls' Skoda Yeti, on Rearsby Lane, in Gaddesby, Leicestershire, on 22 July 2019. Both vehicles left the carriageway.

Mr Nicholls, 34, was flown to hospital, but died of his injuries days later.

Leicestershire Police said Tarbert, who suffered minor injuries, was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the crash.

The 32-year-old, of Ashleigh Road, in Glenfield, pleaded guilty to causing death by driving without due care and attention while over the prescribed limit for drugs at Leicester Crown Court on Monday.

He has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison and banned from driving for five years.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

Det Sgt Paul Hawkins, from the force’s serious collision investigation unit, said: "I am pleased Tarbert admitted his actions, meaning Mr Nicholls’s family did not have to live through his final moments by way of a crown court trial.

"I hope they feel that justice has been done in this case and the outcome will provide a degree of closure for them.”

Image source, Google

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Leicestershire County Council has received 16,000 coronavirus test kits, which provide a result within an hour.

The authority said the lateral flow tests put the county at the forefront of the plan to expand asymptomatic testing across the country.

Image source, PA Media

Council leader, Nick Rushton said: “We can now start the work of getting them to ‘hotspots’ where infection rates are high."

The infection rate in Leicestershire between 19 to 25 November was 193.7 per 100,000 people.

That's higher than the national rate of 175.8.

Mike Sandys, director of public health for the county, said the new tests will be used on high-risk groups.

The council said it can request more testing kits when needed and is looking to have a stock of 10,000 at any one time.

Meanwhile, in Leicester, the testing kits can't be used because they've been sent without a barcode, which is needed to allow results to be centrally recorded.

Drayton Manor Park Ltd is accused of safety breaches after Evha Jannath drowned on a water ride.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Witnesses to a stabbing who may have been stood at a bus stop when it happened are being urged to speak to police.

Derbyshire Police said a 14-year-old boy was stabbed on 11 November on Tamworth Road, Sawley, just before 14:40.

Witnesses told the BBC a bus driver and passengers helped the boy to safety.

Police are now appealing for anyone who was stood at the bus stop at the time and may have seen what happened to get in touch.

Image source, Spotted: Long Eaton

A 15-year-old boy has since been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was remanded into custody last month.

Leicestershire opening batsman Sam Evans extends his contract with the county for a further two seasons.

BBC Weather

As millions prise open the first door of their advent calendar today, parts of the East Midlands could be set for some festive snow later this week.

The white stuff is currently forecast to fall in Ashbourne and Buxton on Friday, with sub-zero temperatures expected in the early hours.

Image source, Annan

Most other parts of the region are likely to see sleet on the same day.

Get the latest forecast for your area here.

BBC Weather

After a cold start, plenty of sunshine is expected throughout the day.

Image source, Johann van der Leigh

It will be mainly clear this evening and then cloud will increase through the night.

The facility has the capacity to process 50,000 Covid-19 tests a day.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

An overturned lorry trailer has caused congestion on one of the region's busiest roads.

A trailer came off a lorry on a roundabout where the A38 meets the M1 at junction 28 in Derbyshire at about 11:20.

Two lanes on the A38 have been closed and tailbacks of up to 30 minutes have been reported.

Image source, Highways England

A Highways England spokesman said the lorry was carrying building supplies.

Queues stretched back on to the M1 slip roads, he added.

There have been no reports of injuries.

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

A fourth man has been arrested by police after a man was shot in the arm.

A 23-year-old man was injured near Hickings Lane Park, Stapleford, on 18 November.

An 18-year-old was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of attempted murder.

Image source, Google

Two men, both aged 21, have already been arrested on suspicion of the same offence and released on bail.

A third man, aged 58, has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and is currently on police bail.

The victim has since been discharged from hospital.

BBC Weather

There will be patchy rain and overcast skies for most of the day but it will turn drier later.

Image source, sunnyjen

Skies are set to gradually clear overnight and winds will diminish.

The latest news, sport, travel and weather for the East Midlands.

Derbyshire confirm the signing of Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Ben McDermott - delayed from 2020 - for all one-day cricket in 2021.

Non-native quagga mussels, which can block pipes, have been discovered in the East Midlands.

Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter

Two Leicestershire MPs have revealed they will lobby the government to split the city from the county when the tier allocations are next reviewed.

Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire and the representative for Melton, Alicia Kearns, said they lobbied government not to include their constituencies in tier three restrictions.

Both Melton and North West Leicestershire have seen their infection rates and confirmed cases drop.

In Melton, the seven-day infection rate up to 22 November was 250 per 100,000 people, down from 371 the week before, with 128 cases down from 190 in the same period.

North West Leicestershire recorded a rate of 279.9 - down from 393.8 - according to official figures, registering 290 cases of coronavirus.

In Leicester, rates are higher but they too have decreased - from 512.4 to 383.4 - with 1,358 confirmed cases. The average weekly rate for England was 202.4.

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Bridgen (pictured) said: "If Leicestershire continues to be combined with Leicester with regard to the Covid risk, our constituents and businesses will start to lose hope of ever being released from the tier three restrictions."

Alicia Kearns added: "Although our rates are above the national average, and there's work to be done, they are far below Leicester city. This grouping cannot remain long-term."

Some areas of the county were included when the local lockdown for Leicester was originally announced in June, but neither Melton nor North West Leicestershire have ever been subject to these tougher restrictions.

Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby disagreed with the MPs, saying it is not practical to split the county as the virus "knows no boundaries".

He said: "If we want these new restrictions to work I don't see how you can split the city from the county."