Sonia Kataria
BBC News

Schoolchildren in Nottingham have written supportive letters to the England footballers who faced racist abuse after the Euro 2020 final against Italy on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all received messages of hate after missing penalties which led to the national side losing the game.

Emma Beardah, head teacher at Walter Halls Primary School, in Mapperley, said: "We've put a positive piece together to look at all of the amazing reasons why all of the England players should be seen as fantastic role models for our children."

Eight-year-old Alex, from the school, said he felt "angry and annoyed" after hearing about the abuse towards Rashford adding "he tried his best... and I'm really proud of him".

The Year 3 pupil, who drew a poster to reflect his thoughts, said: "I just drew Marcus Rashford, saying be kind and no racism, cos it's very rude.

"Even if somebody was green, yellow, red, orange or purple we would still treat them the same cos their all humans.

"Without sportsmanship it's all going to fall apart. It's just wrong to be racist.

"These people that are being mean are just embarrassing themselves."

Olivia, also eight, said: "I felt quite mad because most of the people in my family are mixed race.

"I'm disappointed in them [abusers] because they're letting down the whole of England.

"No-one should be racist to anyone and they should treat people the way they want to be treated."

Luton Town sign striker Admiral Muskwe from Premier League side Leicester City for an undisclosed fee.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Arson attacks which have destroyed more than a dozen vehicles - including two police cars - have prompted a £1,000 reward for information.

Four attacks between 21 June and the early hours of today have resulted in 16 cars being destroyed in Nottinghamshire.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

The first saw two police cars being set on fire at Worksop Police Station on Potter Street in the early hours of 21 June.

Following this, six vehicles were set on fire in the Kilton area of Worksop in the early hours of 26 June. Two were parked on Wingfield Avenue and four others in residential parking spaces in Southdene.

Two cars, a Porsche and an Audi, were then set on fire in Talbot Road, Worksop, in the early hours of 4 July.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

At about 01:15 today, six cars were set alight in a car park off Main Street in Bothamsall, near Retford.

Four people, including two teenage boys, have been arrested and released on bail.

Insp Neil Bellamy, said: "We believe at least two people are behind these attacks and have reason to believe they travelled to the scenes on motorbikes.

"Arson is an incredibly serious offence and we are absolutely determined to catch those responsible."

The Crimestoppers charity has put forward the reward for information which leads to the conviction of the culprits.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A woman who was driving with her young child was surrounded by "drunken football fans" and racially abused, police have said.

Nottinghamshire Police said the victim, who was driving along Talbot Street in Nottingham city centre at about 18:50 on 29 June - shortly after England beat Germany 2-0 in Euro 2020 - found her way blocked by about 20 young people.

She asked the crowd to move but abuse was shouted in her direction and liquids, believed to be alcohol, were poured into the car.

At least one person climbed on the vehicle, the force added.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

She was unharmed but police described it as an "absolutely disgraceful incident".

Police said they would like to speak to the man pictured to help them with their inquiries.

Anyone with mobile phone footage or information about what happened has been asked to contact the force.

BBC Weather

A dry start with sunny spells and variable cloud.

It will then become largely sunny and warm for the rest of the day, with just a few patches of cloud in places.

Image source, Luke and Nicola

It comes after an investigation found dozens of babies died or were left with serious injuries.

Researchers say the dwelling may have been home to a deposed Anglo-Saxon king.

Only six teams can now become county champions this summer at the end of the competition's initial group stage.

Nottinghamshire finish top of Group One in the County Championship after drawing with Durham on the final day at Chester-le-Street.

Alex Regan
BBC News

A man in his 30s remains in hospital with serious injuries after being stabbed in Leicester.

Leicestershire Police were called to reports of a fight between a group of men near the entrance of Abbey Park at about 13:00 on Tuesday.

Image source, Google

Shortly after, it was reported a man had attended hospital with a serious stab wound "believed to be connected to the incident reported".

Det Insp Esther Scott said: "We know a number of people were in the area for the fair and so may have seen something or have some information that could help.

"We are treating this as an isolated incident and the incident does not have any connection to the fair."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the force on 101.

Tim Murtagh takes 4-36 as Middlesex beat Leicestershire by 121 runs, only their second County Championship win of 2021.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

It's not what you usually expect to see when catching your bus, but a swarm of bees made themselves at home at a stop in Derby this afternoon.

Dannii Louise Riddings spotted them while walking past the X38 bus stop on Corporation Street in the city centre.

"It was amazing to see," she said.

Image source, Dannii Louise Riddings

PA Media

Experts are trialling a dietary supplement that aims to cut cows' methane emissions in the hope of reducing the dairy industry's greenhouse gas output.

The University of Nottingham research, commissioned by supermarket giant Tesco and conservation organisation WWF, is using monitoring equipment to assess the effectiveness of the supplement being added to the cows' normal diet.

Methane emitted by cows belching is being measured by sensors on food bins and milking stalls at the university's farm in Sutton Bonington.

If successful, it is hoped the supplement could reduce methane emissions by as much as 30%.

Under the trial, each cow has a "digital tag" which records food consumption, milk production and, most importantly, methane output as she is milked.

The cows are divided into two groups, with one being fed their normal diet while the other is fed with the methane-reducing supplement in order to monitor the impact on their methane emissions.

Image source, PA Media

Phil Garnsworthy, professor of dairy science at the university, said the supplement given to cows was similar to people taking an antacid for an upset stomach, but added it "aids normal processes in the cow's digestive system".

"It's more like eating a live yoghurt to improve your gut microbes, but this supplement discourages the bacteria in the cow's gut from producing methane," he said.

The results of the trial will be known later this month.

According to a UN report released in May, cutting methane pollution would "rapidly reduce the rate of global warming, while boosting health and food production".

A man with terminal lung cancer has achieved his dream of wing walking.

Derbyshire's remaining T20 Blast games against Northants and Yorkshire are called off because of Covid issues

Pilot Andrew Davidson said he had never experienced such a landing in more than 30 years of flying.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Some public transport companies in the East Midlands have said they will not be enforcing mask-wearing after 19 July.

NET, which runs Nottingham's tram service, and Trent Barton, which runs bus services across the region, said they will allow passengers to make their own decisions.

Mike Mabey, operations director for NET, said during a meeting this week it would be removing signage asking for masks to be worn but advising passengers to "do the right thing".

He said: "Personally I would [wear a mask] in a confined space like public transport, but it’s up to individuals over what action they take."

Image source, Nottingham City Council

It comes after London's mayor Sadiq Khan said mask wearing would remain compulsory on the capital's public transport even after government guidelines change.

Trent Barton managing director, Jeff Counsell, said: "We will leave it up to the rights of the individual and will support our customers either way.

"At busy times they may choose to wear a mask and not when it's less busy, and if they choose they don't want to wear one any longer, we can do very little but support that as well."

Nottingham City Transport (NCT), which runs buses in the city, is meeting today to finalise its approach, it said.

Meanwhile, Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood said customers not wearing masks on public transport was a "huge concern" and that mask-wearing should continue to be mandatory.

"We know that when you wear a mask in an indoor crowded space that it protects other people from contracting the virus if you unknowingly have it," she said.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A man who deliberately started three fires in his shared house has been jailed.

Thomas Bailey, 28, set fire to a pair of curtains in a communal living room and also started fires in a man's bedroom and in a cupboard on the landing of his house on Comyn Gardens, in St Ann's, Nottingham, in February 2021, police said.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Nottinghamshire Police also said one man, who was asleep when the smoke alarm woke him up, managed to escape and reported the fire. Other residents also fled their home.

Bailey, who left the city but was arrested in South Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether the life of another would be endangered.

He was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Det Con Michelle Whitham said it must have been a "terrifying ordeal" for the residents living in the property.

"They quickly evacuated their accommodation but it is incredibly lucky no-one was physically harmed," she said.

"Bailey showed little regard for the safety of others by deliberately starting these fires which could easily have spread to neighbouring properties and put lives in danger."

From one of the best mystery spinners in the men's game, to one of the most destructive and consistent all-rounders in the women's, here's BBC Sport's guide to the Trent Rockets team in The Hundred.

Nottingham Forest sign USA goalkeeper Ethan Horvath on a three-year contract after his exit from Club Bruges.