BBC Business Live

Sports Direct has been ranked above Apple for innovation in retail.

The Internationalisation Retail Index, produced by Loqate along with Planet Retail RNG and Retail Week Connect, places the sportswear company fourth in the world - one spot higher than Apple.

The Shirebrook-based firm was so excited it decided to trumpet it with a stock exchange announcement, external today.

However, it's not entirely clear why the purveyor of trainers and tracksuits merits this honour.

Image source, PA

Michael Murray, Sports Direct's head of elevation (which is nothing to do with lifts, apparently) says the honour shows "our elevation strategy, along with our approach to innovative initiatives, is continuing to gain traction".

Dave Wade
BBC News

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue has joined the effort to tackle the huge fire on Saddleworth Moor which has been burning now for four days.

Image source, PA

Three crew members from Stapleford fire station are currently on the way.

The fire service said on Twitter it's also sending a welfare unit to support Greater Manchester and Derbyshire firefighters who are tackling the fire.

The vehicle has a seating area, microwave and a hot water facility as well as two toilets for emergency service workers.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

The fires on Saddleworth Moor could last for weeks if there is no substantial rain, a fire chief has said.

Tony Hunter, assistant chief fire officer at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We can see this being prolonged for days if not weeks, particularly with the fact that the wind has drawn the fires towards the residential [area] but actually away from the centre of the moor.

"We only need a change in wind direction to then see that fire increasing into where the greater fuel source is, so we could see a dramatic change."

Image source, Reuters

He added: "We have not seen an indication of any rain coming so we can see this being prolonged for days, if not weeks.

"It is dependent on a downpour of rain - and it would have to be a significant downpour of rain because it is so dry it would be absorbed very, very quickly."

About 100 soldiers are today joining efforts to put out the blaze, close to the border between Derbyshire and Greater Manchester.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

A drink-driver has been jailed following a crash in the Peak District that led to a cyclist having his leg amputated.

Levi Leuty, from Hope Valley, hit Chris Abell when he lost control of his BMW 116 in Rushup Edge in October.

A paramedic at the scene told officers the injuries Mr Abell received were the worst she had ever seen.

Leuty was arrested at the scene after being found to be twice the legal alcohol limit for driving.

Image source, Derbyshire Police

The 24-year-old was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and to drink-driving.

He also received a four-year-and-10-month driving ban and will have to take an extended re-test afterwards.

Image source, Derbyshire Police

Sgt Scott Riley, from Derbyshire Police’s collision investigation unit, said: “This accident could easily have been a double fatality.

“As it is, Chris has received serious life-changing injuries and the life of the driver has been changed forever. He will have to live with the actions that he took that night for the rest of his life."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

File this one under "unexpected" - former Derby County goalkeeper Lee Grant is being linked with a move to Manchester United. Read more in BBC Sport's football gossip column.

Image source, Getty Images

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Two men have been arrested after a woman's bank card was stolen in Borrowash., external

Police rushed to the village following reports from concerned members of the public about three men riding a moped.

While en route, officers received a further call that a woman's bank card had been stolen outside Nationwide in the village centre.

After their moped was spotted by police, the trio fled on foot but two of them were found a short time nearby - one was hiding in a wheelie bin. The third man is still being sought.

Image source, Google

BBC Radio Leicester

A Hinckley councillor is urging residents to take part in a public consultation to improve rail services out of the town.

Cross Country currently provides two trains an hour during the morning rush hour but only one per hour throughout the rest of the day.

The train company is currently holding a consultation on the future of the franchise and Liberal Democrat Michael Mullaney says now is the chance to ask for more trains to stop at the station throughout the day.

Image source, Google

He said: "Hopefully the people making decisions on the future franchise will see there's a big demand for more trains to run through Hinckley.

"If they see repeatedly people making the same point then they'll thank 'ah - clearly there's a need here'."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Footage has been released of a robbery at a Co-op supermarket in Wilford last week.

The video shows three men armed with a crowbar emptying shelves of cigarettes and tobacco products into a large bag at the Wilford Lane store.

Nobody was hurt in the raid on 19 June but police have appealed for witnesses, external.

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BBC Radio Derby

Severn Trent Water says it's putting 300m extra litres of water a day into the system due to a spike in demand during the current heatwave.

A number of villages in Derbyshire were left without water yesterday, including Parwich, Aldwark and Longcliffe, due to air getting into the water system.

Image source, Severn Trent

Water efficiency manager Doug Clark said: "The massive demand we've seen is drawing so much more water through the system, it's created air locks.

"We've had our teams out working through the night going back and forth trying to put water straight back into the pipes as well as clearing the air from the system."

The firm has also made bottled water available at Sainbury's in Ashbourne, Co-op in Wirksworth and Biggin Village Hall.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

This remarkable footage shows flames from the Saddleworth Moor fire illuminating the night sky as the blaze grew in intensity.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Soldiers and an RAF helicopter are due to get involved with efforts to fight a massive moorland fire near the Derbyshire/Greater Manchester border today.

About 100 troops from the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, were sent from their barracks in Catterick, North Yorkshire, to Saddleworth Moor overnight.

A Chinook helicopter will fly out of RAF Odiham, Hampshire, later to move water-pumping equipment by air.

Image source, PA

The fire which started on Sunday, has spread across 3.7miles (6km) of moorland above Stalybridge.

At one stage the blaze spread into Derbyshire but firefighters were able to push it back over the border.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

It's not going to be as warm as yesterday but it's still set to be a sunny and warm day.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Hi everyone on this sunny Thursday morning. Today's news, sport, travel and weather coverage is going to be brought to you by myself and Dave Wade.