Alex Regan
BBC News

A man has been arrested after neighbours spotted men carrying cannabis plants out of a house in broad daylight on a Newark street, police have said.

Nottinghamshire Police were called to Cardinal Hinsley Close on Tuesday morning after residents reported seeing the drugs being loaded into a red BMW.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Police said they found a cannabis grow over two floors and cannabis leaves and mud ground into the carpet.

A car matching the description was found in Shirland Drive, Mansfield, where officers said they saw men unpacking drugs into a ground-floor flat.

The 52-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of burglary, possession of class B drugs and production of a class B drug.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Derbyshire's Australia limited-over international fast bowler Billy Stanlake is ruled out for the season after just one game.

BBC Weather

Overcast with outbreaks of rain this afternoon - these will be heavy and persistent in places and accompanied by strong winds.

The rain is expected to continue through the night; although it will become patchier.

Image source, Davj

An elusive golden oriole is back in the air after being nursed back to health by wildlife rescuers.

Rain ruins the return of crowds to cricket as only 26.2 overs are possible on the opening day of Hampshire's game with Leicestershire.

Liam Barnes
BBC News

People in Derbyshire who refused to be evacuated when a reservoir partly collapsed put police and volunteers "at risk", the county's chief constable said.

Rachel Swann, who oversaw the evacuation of Whaley Bridge after a wall at Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged in August 2019, told a meeting of the Risk Assessment and Risk Planning Committee, external rescue workers encountered "a small handful of people" who wouldn't leave their properties, despite the risk of flooding if the reservoir failed.

Responders "repeatedly" went back to threatened homes to encourage residents to leave as a result of some people refusing requests, she said, as they could not force them to evacuate.

She said that powers to get people to leave are provided under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, external "but they've never yet been used or enacted".

Image source, Derbyshire Police

Rikki, one of eight dogs stolen from a kennels in Derbyshire, is found in a field near Basingstoke.

Alex Regan
BBC News

A Leicester City player has donated funds to help a football club that has been blighted by vandalism.

Since the beginning of lockdown last year, Loughborough FC's ground, The Drome, has been attacked several times, most recently in April.

Their offices have been trashed, equipment has been destroyed and seats have been broken.

Image source, Loughborough FC

Secretary John Belton said: "After the first lockdown, nobody had been on the ground so I went down to see what it was like, and I just looked at it and thought, 'it's time to pack up and go away'."

He said the club is trying to raise £10,000 to repair the ground and improve security.

More than £4,000 has been donated so far via a JustGiving page, with some of that coming from a Foxes player, who wishes to remain anonymous, Mr Belton said.

"There's no end of contributions coming from other football clubs, clubs that we've competed with over the years. Football has a family of people," he said.

Image source, Loughborough FC

BBC Weather

It's a dry, bright start to the day, but showers will develop and some could be heavy and thundery with highs of 15C (59F).

Into this evening most of the showers will fade away to leave a dry night and it will be slightly cooler with a minimum temperature of 5C (41F).

Image source, Helen Earth

The 20-year-old died after being stabbed in the heart outside a shopping centre, a court hears.

Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter

Staff at a Leicestershire care home, which had a Covid outbreak last November, changed into their uniform and PPE in a toilet, according to an inspection report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) team has again criticised the service at Huntingdon Court, on Regent Street, in Loughborough and rated it as inadequate for the fourth consecutive time after an unannounced inspection in March.

The CQC report, external stated, the visit to the care home, which has 19 residents, some with dementia, was prompted by concerns about support offered to residents and infection control.

Image source, PA Media

Inspectors found at the latest inspection that there was "a lack of understanding by staff" when managing some residents' behaviour and their needs and said the property "put people and staff at risk of acquiring infectious disease".

Staff also admitted to inspectors that they changed into their uniform in a toilet, described by the CQC as "not an appropriate clean and hygienic area for staff to get changed and put on personal protective equipment (PPE)".

However, staffing levels, an issue raised during previous visits, had improved, inspectors said.

Leicestershire County Care Ltd, which runs the home that has had no registered manager since April 2019, has been approached for comment.

Alex Regan
BBC News

Four new cases of the Indian Covid variant have been found in Derbyshire, the county council has confirmed.

Three of the cases were discovered in the Glossop area, and another in the Derbyshire Dales.

Previously one case of the South African variant and another of the Indian variant, both variants of concern, were confirmed in Erewash.

Image source, Reuters

Derbyshire's director of public health Dean Wallace has called on residents in these areas to get tested whether they have symptoms or not.

He said: "We've come so far in our fight against this pandemic and the vaccine has been a real turning point, but this outbreak is a timely reminder that Covid hasn't gone away and we still need to take precautions to protect those we love from this illness, especially those not yet vaccinated."

Alex Regan
BBC News

Image source, Syston Town Council

A pair of postbox toppers, celebrating Leicester City's historic win in the FA Cup final at the weekend, are to be auctioned off for charity.

A secret needlesmith, who has become known as Syston's "knitting Bansky", struck again with the creations pictured here.

One appeared before the game against Chelsea on Saturday and one, showing the team with the FA Cup, appeared this week.

Proceeds from the sale of the toppers, which feature the Foxes' mascot and all 11 players, will go to the Syston Branch of the Royal British Legion, according to community newspaper Syston Town News, external.

Bids can be sent to Syston Town News by email, and the online auction will close on 15 June.

Image source, Syston Town Council

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

People seeking medical help are being urged to use the 111 service before going to A&E.

The appeal by the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire clinical commissioning group (CCG) has been prompted by a rise in the numbers going to emergency departments in Nottinghamshire and the easing of Covid restrictions.

Image source, PA

Thilan Bartholomeuz, a GP at the Blidworth Surgery near Mansfield, said: "We are seeing a high volume of people attending our emergency departments and sometimes this isn't the right place to be seen.

"To make sure you get the help you need, in the right place and at the right time, I would urge the public to call 111 first to ensure they are then signposted to the correct place."

Dr Bartholomeuz said latest figures revealing Nottinghamshire had the lowest number of referrals from 111 to A&E in the Midlands, showed people were being directed to the most suitable service for their needs.

BBC Weather

Today has started sunny for many, and bright spells will continue throughout the day.

There will be some scattered showers, occasionally heavy and thundery, but they will be less widespread than the previous day.

Image source, AbbeyDale

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

Health bosses in Nottingham have said they have identified a handful of new cases of the Indian variant after targeted testing in the city centre.

More than 2,000 tests will have been carried out on shared accommodation blocks, which began last week and is due to finish tomorrow.

David Johns, interim director of public health in Nottingham, said: "This has helped identify a handful of additional cases so far, who will be supported to isolate and prevent new chains of transmission."

Image source, Google

Mr Johns said testing for the variant of concern also started today at Henry Whipple Primary in the city.

"More than a quarter of pupils and parents were tested on the first morning, which is a great response," he said.

"This will continue throughout the week."

He added: “We will continue to target testing in settings linked to variants of concern in Nottingham but it is important that no-one is alarmed by the need for this testing in our city.

“There is no evidence that this variant poses any greater risk to health."

Further restrictions eased today in England, but the government has warned the Indian variant could delay full relaxation of rules in June.

Pupils wearing caps and hoodies gather outside a school in support of Ella Goodwin on Monday.

Simon Hare
BBC East Midlands

The pandemic cost Derbyshire's visitor economy more than £1bn in lost revenue last year, according to the tourist board.

Research by Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire found businesses suffered a 50% loss of income after England went into lockdown in March 2020.

Managing director Jo Dilley said she hoped a new campaign, external, aimed at promoting short breaks in the area, will help the tourism industry recover.

Lord Edward Manners, owner of The Peacock in Rowsley, Derbyshire, a hotel which reopened today, said: “In the short-term it’s going to be odd with fewer people from abroad and more from the domestic market.

"Hopefully as things settle down it will even out and get back to normal, but from our point of view bookings are solid and we’re looking forward to a really strong summer.”

BBC Weather

It's a fairly cloudy start this morning with scattered showers moving in from the north west.

Some of the showers could turn heavy and thundery this afternoon with a few spells of sunshine between the downpours and highs of about 14C (57F).

The rain will steadily fizzle out through this evening, leaving a mostly dry night with clearer skies in the early hours, a few patches of cloud and lows of about 5C (41F) in rural areas.

Image source, Curly Claire