BBC Radio Derby

A school in Derby is appealing for help from the public after it was damaged by flooding.

Oakwood Infant and Nursery School in Alvaston was closed last week due to heavy rainfall causing damage to its hall and several classrooms.

Image source, Oakwood Infant and Nursery School

The school is asking for books and storage units to be donated after the flood water completely ruined the library.

Head teacher Julie Carter said: "I could have cried on the spot. Just seeing the room devastated, children's work dripping off the walls, it was a very sad sight."

Image source, Oakwood Infant and Primary School

East Midlands Today

Police forces in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire have been provisionally granted almost £900,000 each to set up specialist teams to help prevent serious violence.

The idea is create Violence Reduction Units to treat things like knife crime as a public health issue - bringing together health, education and social services alongside the police.

They're two of 18 forces across the country, allocated the money, based on the number of knife-related hospital admissions.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

A 24-year-old man has been arrested, external after suspicious items were found in a vehicle in Sneinton.

Police, fire, ambulance and an army bomb squad were all called to an industrial estate in Daleside Road following the discovery at about 14:45 yesterday.

After checking the items, it was concluded there was no threat to the public and the cordon was taken down at about 20:00.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

A damp and cloudy start with showers and possibly thunder expected later but we could also see bright spells towards the end of the day.

Do collectors still pay big money for the vintage toys and does anybody bother collecting the new ones?

Mazoomy Mohamed remains in hospital after he was struck by a vehicle when leaving late night prayers.

Division One bottom side Nottinghamshire eye a first-innings lead over Kent after losing just four wickets on day two.

Graham Onions takes three wickets after tea as Division Two leaders Lancashire edge towards victory against Derbyshire.

Mohammad Abbas takes 3-10 as a dominant Leicestershire seize control against Gloucestershire at the end of day two.

Kaye Forster
Weather Presenter

Showers will pep up this evening with the risk of a thundery downpour here and there.

They will be fairly hit and miss and they will ease up for a time overnight.

It will remain cloudy, damp and humid overnight with lows of 12C.

The rain has the potential to pep up again through tomorrow morning bringing the risk of a thundery downpour again.

They will again be hit and miss but with the ground already saturated from last week’s rain, the Met Office is warning of the potential of very localised flooding. The rain will clear away by late afternoon giving a dry and perhaps bright end to the day.

Nick Smith
BBC News Online

The army's bomb disposal unit is currently investigating "suspicious items" found in a car in Nottingham.

A 100 metre cordon has been put in place on Daleside Road, Sneinton, while the investigation is carried out.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A mother from Leicestershire has raised more than £5,000 to pay for a possible judicial review into schools issuing fines to parents whose children are too traumatised to go to class.

Lousie Engels runs Not Fine In School, a campaign group that supports pupils who struggle with attendance due to bullying, trauma, physical illness, disability or excessive anxiety.

She said parents were being unfairly punished as their children did not fit into any of the 23 absence codes used by schools.

Image source, Reuters

Ms Engels said: "These children don't fall into any of the codes available and are therefore wrongly recorded.

"This not only presents problems with their attendance record but also means that the problem is being masked."

The DfE said: "All parents have a duty to ensure that their child of compulsory school age receives a full-time education either by attendance at school or otherwise.

"However, we do understand that some children with special educational needs and disabilities may struggle with school attendance - which is why our guidance is clear that schools must work with parents if there are challenges with attendance and provide additional support."

Nick Smith
BBC News Online

Police are looking for a 15-year-old girl who went missing from Swadlincote yesterday morning.

Georgia Mundy was last seen at around 11:30 in Alexandra Road and it is believed she may have travelled to Tamworth.

She is described as 5ft 4in tall, of slim build and is believed to have been wearing a black Nike jacket, blue skinny jeans, dark-coloured Nike trainers and carrying a beige shoulder bag when she was last seen.

Image source, Derbyshire Police

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A mother-of-eight who complained about Charnwood Borough Council being unable to find a large enough house for her family says she has received "awful abuse" since her story went public.

Fay Hunter has been living in temporary accommodation - a four-bedroom house in Thurmaston - with her partner and children for the past year since the landlord at their previous home decided to sell up.

Ms Hunter said negative comments made about her situation online after it featured in the Leicester Mercury and BBC News website had left her not wanting to go out in public.

Image source, Google

She said: "It's been awful, we have already had nasty letters through the door before but since the story went online it's got even worse.

"I've not wanted to go out of the house, the kids have been bullied at school about it, some of the stuff people have said is awful.

"They've not read the story and said we should get a job and stuff about the size of our family, my husband does work, he works full time."

Ms Hunter said she has spotted a council-owned five bedroom property in Syston that would suit her family.

Charnwood Borough Council said the house was recently purchased and would be allocated when it is ready.

Nick Smith
BBC News Online

A cordon has been put in place and the army's bomb disposal unit has been called after reports of suspicious items found in a vehicle.

The 100 metre cordon is in place in Daleside Road, Sneinton, Nottingham, and will remain while an investigation is carried out.

Nottinghamshire Police, the service and the ambulance service were also called to the road at around 14:45 this afternoon

Image source, Google

Saroj Seth says there was "no compassion, no kindness" shown towards her.

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas agrees to return as Leicestershire's overseas player next season.

The new lease was agreed at a Nottingham City Council meeting on Tuesday.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Police said people could have died when a 25kg bag of grit was "hurled" at passengers at Nottingham railway station from the sixth floor of a car park.

British Transport Police said it was "lucky no-one was seriously injured" on 28 April.

Image source, BTP

Officers said the glass covering the walkway did not shatter but if it had "the consequences of this reckless act do not bear thinking about".

Today they released the images of two men they want to speak to about it.

Ben Jones accidentally left the photo on a bus last month after buying it at a car boot sale.