BBC Derby Sport

Derby County boss Frank Lampard says Ashley Cole won’t make his debut against Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

He said: “It’d be naive to throw him straight in. We need to bring him up to speed first.”

Derby face the League One side in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

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It would appear that getting a toilet seat stuck on your head isn't as unusual as you might think.

It happened to a child in a Tesco store in Chesterfield yesterday and has got you talking on Facebook, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Helena Mapp said: "Mine did this but I didn't waste the fire services time I greased around his head and popped it off."

Lyn Gamble said: "I did this, but my mum was a strong woman and got it off herself."

Nic Powdrill said: "This is something I would expect of my youngest child."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A wakeboarding couple who are behind plans to build a watersports park in Long Eaton say they're "delighted" to have been given approval.

Katie and Richard Hill, from Mansfield, bought the 133-acre former Trent Meadow gravel pit in Pasture Lane three years ago.

They dreamed of transforming it into a water park with canoeing, paddle-boarding, kayaking and open water swimming.

Last night their plan for the Spring Lakes Watersports Club was given the go ahead by Erewash Borough Council planners, who called it an "exciting and welcome project".

Image source, Weddle Landscape Design

Mr Hill said: "Our plans will make the area even more attractive and accessible for local people."

The pair work with the British Disabled Waterski and Wakeboard Association and also want to develop water sports for people with disabilities and special needs at the club.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A group of allotment holders in Derby are helping people to learn and develop growing skills.

Plot holders at the Ashbourne Road Allotments have set up a "growing academy", believed to be the first in the country.

The academy teaches a timetabled programme of subjects including fruit, vegetables, and perennial flowers.

Classes are taught by volunteers in a newly built polytunnel "classroom".

It's free to go along but you participants are expected to pitch in with maintaining, promoting and improving the allotment site.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Severn Trent said it is sending out engineers to fix a burst water pipe in Market Harborough which has been leaking since Monday for "immediate attention".

A spokesman said the leak in The Broadway had started "as a trickle" but the problem had worsened and repair work was now a priority because of the cold weather and icy conditions.

Image source, Google

In a statement the firm said engineers began fixing the pipe at 21:00 last night but realised "the job was more complicated than previously anticipated."

The road is now flooded and Severn Trent has said workers will return this afternoon to fix the pipe.

Harborough District Council said officers have been handing out sandbags for residents and offering support.

East Midlands Today

A campaign to promote safer driving in Leicestershire's villages has already caught around 10,000 speeding drivers since it began in September.

This week Woodhouse Eaves became the sixth village to have new cameras installed.

The other cameras are in Measham, Walcote, Sharnford, Groby and Oadby. The final cameras in Freeby will be switched on soon.

It's cost the county council about £500,000 and they're now asking the government to allow them to use some of the proceeds to expand the scheme further.

Crews used small cutters to "gently nibble" through the plastic seat and free the girl's head.

Derbyshire fast bowler Hardus Viljoen leaves by mutual consent after two years with the club.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Traffic is now stretching for six miles on the M1 north from J21 because of a four-vehicle crash which has closed the road northbound.

There is also a knock-on effect on the M69 north from J2 to the M1 of 30 minutes.

Ambulance and police are on the scene, but the road is expected to open soon.

Image source, Highways England

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Traffic has been stopped on the M1 north just after J21 because of a crash between four vehicles.

Highways England says there are delays of 15 minutes and their officers are trying to clear the scene but it could become protracted.

Leicestershire Police say they do not have many details at the moment but they were called at 11.13 and fire and ambulance assistance has been requested.

Image source, Highways England

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A bear on a bar - not the sort of sight you'd see in a hotel these days but at the Victoria Hotel in Beeston during the 70s this was fairly normal.

During this time the hotel was run by Dennis Hurt and in the garden he kept a collection of exotic animals including a bear, panther and baboon.

Image source, Malaika Kayani

Sadly Mr Hurt died last week aged 93. His granddaughter Malaika Kayani has been telling her memories of the mini zoo to the BBC.

She said: "As a child my time would be spent outdoors looking at the animals - particularly Ben [the bear]. Ben was my favourite because my granddad had him from a cub so he was very friendly.

"I didn't take to the other animals so much, especially the baboon. I think he scared me quite a lot."

The baboon, called Joey, used to sleep in a cot inside with Ms Kayani's auntie.

Image source, Malaika Kayani

Ms Kayani said running a hotel full of exotic animals wasn't without its difficulties and occasionally things did go wrong for her grandfather.

"Some did escape - my granddad seemed to find everything funny though" said Ms Kayani.

She said when the baboon escaped it was reported to have climbed a neighbours' drainpipe and banged on their window.

On another occasion her cousin got too close to the panther cage and got scratched. "He still has a scar on his head" she said.

The zoo closed when the law changed on keeping wild animals. She said it was "very sad" for her grandfather.

"He adored all the animals they were like his babies."

David Pittam
BBC News Online

There's a few updates from the M1 and the roads around it this afternoon.

Highways England say lane three and four are blocked on the M1 north just after J21 near Leicester because of a crash.

A single lane of the M1 north between J29a and J30 is closed because of a broken-down vehicle, and another lane on the A38 north just before the M1 J28 is shut because of a broken-down lorry

Eddie Bisknell
Local Democracy Reporter

After more than 100 years in the same premises, a Long Eaton furniture shop is to be left homeless after councillors approved plans from the building's landlord to turn the building into bedsits.

Burton's Home Furniture, in Beaconsfield Street, has operated from the same building for 118 years.

Although councillors felt that turning the site into bedsits was "like squashing people into a rabbit hutch" they approved the plans by a vote of seven to five.

Image source, Google

Andrew and Mandy Payne, the current owners of the business, stated the store "brings economic viability to the town" and maintains a strong customer base.

Now the building will be turned into two houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) with a total of 14 bedsits. The ground floor would contain eight bedrooms and a shared kitchen, laundry and sitting area. Each room would have its own bathroom.

Meanwhile, the first floor would have six bedrooms - which would also have their own bathrooms - along with shared kitchen, dining and laundry areas.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

We know that the snow can be a pain - roads closed, schools shut and it all turns to sludge in the end.

But it also looks great. Or at least it does in the Peak District.

Image source, Tracy Pelham-Tooke

These are a couple of shots taken from around Mam Tor by some brave hikers making the most of the photogenic weather yesterday.

Image source, National Trust

Send us yours via eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or Facebook, external.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

A Mansfield woman has been told to pay more than £35,000 after she sold fake diamond and platinum rings through eBay.

Ka Man Lam, 27 of Padstow Close, was fined £3,000 and was ordered to pay £7,000 of court costs and £26,256 - the money she had made from crime - in confiscation at Nottingham Crown Court on 10 January.

This was for eight counts of unfair commercial practices and seven counts under the Hallmark Act.

She had been selling the rings and earrings relatively cheaply - for example, one customer paid £118 for what was described as a 2.5 carat diamond engagement ring - through eBay under the name Angel Diamonds, Nottinghamshire County Council said.

Image source, Nottinghamshire County Council

Mick Finnikin told friends of his wish to "go out with a bang in a rocket" before he died.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Councillors have approved plans for a new crematorium on the A47 outside Hinckley.

Image source, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council

Building is expected begin later this year with the crematorium due to be up and running within two years.

Currently the nearest crematorium to the area is in Nuneaton. Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council said the new £4.6m building will provide an alternative facility and reduced waiting times.

Leicestershire want an overseas specialist for 2019 T20 Blast but it could be several months before they name a new CEO.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Yesterday we reported that Renata Slack had gone missing.

Today the 71-year-old has been found "safe and well" in Somercotes.