Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online
Leicester Cathedral is to host a giant sculpture of the planet Earth.
Gaia is a seven-metre (23ft) touring artwork by artist, Luke Jerram, which he created using NASA images.
Image source, Luke JerramThe cathedral hosted Jerram's "Museum of the Moon" sculpture in 2018 and 2019.
It will be available to view from 17 May to 6 June.
Leicester's Scotland hooker Jake Kerr leaves the Premiership club after almost four years.
Read MoreJeff Thomas ties the knot with his partner Pauline on "a magical day".
Read MoreToday will be dry and fine with temperatures ranging from 12C to 15C (54F to 59F).
It will feel mild in the lengthy spells of sunshine, and skies will be crystal clear except for the odd patch of fair weather cloud.
Image source, Helen EarthVoters express views on potholes, social care and Mansfield town centre ahead of the May elections.
Read MoreLewis Grabban scores a 98th-minute penalty for Nottingham Forest against Birmingham as both sides add another point towards survival.
Read More
Sonia Kataria
BBC News
A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after a car crashed on a dual carriageway in Derbyshire.
The single-car crash happened on the A38 northbound, near the M1 junction, just after midnight on Tuesday.
Derbyshire Police said the driver of the vehicle and three passengers suffered minor injuries and received hospital treatment.
Image source, Derbyshire PoliceDerbyshire Roads Policing Unit tweeted that the crash could have been fatal.
The road has since reopened and investigations are continuing.
Image source, Derbyshire PoliceA coroner says she has "reason to suspect" the deaths may not be natural.
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Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter
Leicestershire's director of public health has said there is a plan in place to roll out surge testing should a new coronavirus variant of concern be detected locally.
Surge testing is a method where large parts of a population, who may not have symptoms, are tested at the same time - sometimes door-to-door - in a bid to get a full picture of the spread of a new virus strain.
Mike Sandys told the Local Democracy Reporting Service an increasing number of test results are now being genome sequenced, meaning the more people taking the rapid tests, the better picture there is of the current situation.
Image source, ReutersHe has renewed appeals for people to make testing part of everyday routines, especially as lockdown restrictions ease.
Mr Sandys said: "If we can build regular testing into everyday life, it allows us to keep a close eye on what is happening and react as soon as we need to.
"The other thing that testing allows us to do is keep an eye on variants, with more results being sent off, we get more information about the virus.
"Current data suggests that no variants of concern have been detected locally, but the county council is ready to act, should that change.
"We have plans in place should we need to roll out surge testing similar to that in south London."
Sandish Shoker
BBC News
A man who forced a modern slavery victim to sleep in cramped conditions on a sofa and live with little food and sleep has been jailed.
Elvis Scripcaru (pictured), 35, was found guilty at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday of arranging or facilitate the travel of another with a view to exploitation, requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour and possession of criminal property, namely cash.
He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
Nottinghamhire Police said Scripcaru, of Falcon Grove in New Basford, Nottingham, controlled the victim's finances and only gave him access to £30 of his wages each week.
The force said the 29-year-old victim, originally from Romania, was brought to England with the promise of double pay by Scripcaru and moved into a house in Radford.
Police were alerted to the crimes after the victim told his employer he could not afford to eat.
Image source, Nottinghamshire PoliceDet Con Matthew Wakeling said the victim had been "brought into this country with the sole purpose of being exploited".
"But on arriving he was made to work long hours for no money," he said.
The victim has since returned to Romania, the force added.
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
An evening vaccine clinic has been set up for people in Leicestershire observing the Ramadan fast.
The clinic, run by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), will operate on a drop-in basis so no appointment is needed.
Image source, Getty ImagesIt will take place on Saturday, from 17:00 to 21:00, at the Leicester Islamic Centre on Conduit Street.
Caroline Trevithick, from the CCGs, said: "We were so encouraged by the success of our first pop-up clinic at the Al Furqan mosque and community centre in March and we hope that this Saturday's twilight clinic will also be well-attended.
"The British Islamic Medical Association has been very clear that it is acceptable to receive the vaccine during Ramadan as it is not nutritional, and it does not contain any animal or fetal products."
Sandish Shoker
BBC News
The owner of a forest school in Leicestershire says their work is under threat after two fires in the woodland destroyed parts of the site.
Karen Shephard runs Better Outdoors at the Burroughs Woods in Ratby which helps children and young people with behavioural issues, as well as projects for adults and families.
She said fires set in the woods over the last two weekends had used up their resources and wood around the site which was for use by the school.
Image source, Better Outdoors"It happens from time to time but groups get together and meet in the woods to drink and light a fire but the last two fires have been the biggest and most destructive, using resources there for other people to use," said Ms Shephard.
A den and a windbreaker around the seating area had also been broken up and burned.
"It's frustrating," she added. "I'm sad for the kids that we work with and the members of the public and families who have visited during lockdown and used the site and built extra things for it which shows they were getting a lot from it."
She said the Woodland Trust was considering installing gates to close the car park at night or installing signage.
Ralph Goodson, from Derby, says lockdown gave him the time to finally complete the restoration.
Read MoreThis morning will see sunny spells in between patchy cloud. Cloud will sink away to the south through the morning, with plenty of sunshine expected by the afternoon.
Image source, Made in FinlandThe closure of the service has left people who depended upon it feeling stranded.
Read MoreHelen Illsley, who was born with brain damage, had her vaccination at a specially-tailored clinic.
Read MoreDerby County's relegation worries deepen as Wayne Rooney's men lose 3-0 at Preston - their fourth successive league defeat.
Read MoreSandish Shoker
BBC News
Five people have been arrested in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshre and Warwickshire after an investigation into the illegal burying of waste.
Nottinghamshire Police said it supported Environment Agency officers to search a house in Main Street, Bleasby shortly after 06:00 this morning.
An address in Kilburn, Derbyshire was also searched and three in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Officers arrested five people on suspicion of offences under the Environmental Protection Act relating to the illegal disposal of waste.
Image source, GoogleThe Environment Agency said their investigation, which is expected to continue for several months, was looking into waste disposed of at sites in Warwickshire, Derbyshire and Buckinghamshire.
An environmental campaigner is suing police after having a relationship with an undercover officer.
Read MoreSandish Shoker
BBC News
A man who repeatedly ran over his former partner in an attempt to kill her has been imprisoned for 18 years.
Leicestershire Police said Zack Coleman, 26, committed the offence on 3 December 2019 in Sturdee Road, Leicester before fleeing.
The force said he then messaged a family member, stating that he thought he had killed the woman.
Coleman, of Auburn Road, Blaby was found guilty of attempted murder after a trial at Leicester Crown Court in January.
On Monday, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison and told he would serve a further five years on extended licence.
Image source, Leicestershire PoliceColeman also admitted one charge of breaching a restraining order and was handed an indefinite restraining order against the victim.
Det Con Kerry Washington, from the Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit (DAIU), said Coleman's sentence was "significant" for an "undoubtedly planned attempt" on the woman's life.
She said: "Before it happened, he sent messages in which he suggested he would run someone over – and after doing so sent further messages stating he believed he’d killed her.
“I hope the sentence handed down to him today will provide a degree of relief that she is able to move on with her life.”
