BBC Radio Nottingham

A Nottingham charity is helping people missing out on the annual Hajj pilgrimage after Saudi Arabia banned international visitors making the journey in a bid to control coronavirus.

The pilgrimage has begun and is normally performed by Muslims from around the world, but only a limited number of people living in Saudi Arabia can make the journey to Mecca.

Image source, Saudi Ministry of Media

Yasrab Shah, from the city-based charity Muslim Hands, said: "For most people it is a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey.

"It is a difficult time for everybody not being able to go."

He added: "In the spirit of that, what we've tried to do at Muslim Hands was develop a couple of series that people can see on our website as well as our YouTube channel to remind Muslims how they can still connect to this holy, spiritual period."

Mr Shah said one series is called the Prophetic Steps, which was filmed during the Hajj three years ago, and shows what happens each day of the pilgrimage.

The other series is The Best 10 Days, which is about the 10 days leading up to and including Eid and has suggestions about ways people can mark it at home.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A man who challenged himself to walk 100,000 steps within 24 hours has raised more than £5,000 for a suicide prevention charity.

Forest fan Deke Hardman set off from the City Ground in Nottingham in the early hours of Tuesday.

He walked to Pride Park in Derby and back again in just over 21 hours.

Along the way, he visited some places that were sentimental to him - including a stop-off at a cemetery where his parents are buried on what would have been his father's 70th birthday.

Image source, @Forza_Garibaldi

The walk marked one year since the start of a bigger challenge for Mr Hardman - giving up alcohol, takeaways and gambling for the duration of the football season.

He said it was something he wanted to do to make himself feel proud.

"I was living miserably for most of my adult life and those were the things I was doing to try and combat that but it was sabotaging myself even further," he said.

He's now lost six stone and describes himself as the "happiest man in Nottinghamshire".

He said: "My head used to be filled with negativity, fear and anxiety - honestly, I can't tell you how much my life has changed."

He was greeted with applause as he arrived back at the City Ground.

He said: "The actual walk - none of it was really a problem - I did hit the wall but I got a second wind and thank goodness I did because I would have struggled to finish."

The money raised will go to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

BBC Radio Derby

Nottinghamshire Police has confirmed it is investigating reports of racism towards a Derby County football player.

Image source, PA Media

Last week, racist comments were sent to midfielder Duane Holmes on Twitter in response to his post mocking Nottingham Forest's failure to make the play-offs.

However, the force hasn't confirmed the identity of the player.

A spokesman said: "Nottinghamshire Police takes all reports of hate incidents very seriously and works closely with other forces to ensure that any allegations of racism are investigated thoroughly.”

Travellers are determined to take their holidays to Spain regardless of the changing travel advice since a rise of coronavirus cases there.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

A fire crew has issued an appeal for people to "drive reasonably" after a car became stuck trying to pass an incident on a country lane.

Both appliances from Leicester's Eastern Station had been called to a fire on Covert Lane in Scraptoft on Tuesday evening.

Image source, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

While firefighters were dealing with the blaze, a silver Mercedes came down the single track road.

It squeezed past one engine only to be faced with another and an ambulance, which meant it could not get any further.

In a Facebook post, external, the fire service said: "The car driver and the occupants of the vehicle made it known that they were annoyed with the hold-up and kept asking crews how long we would be.

"If you see blue lights, please drive reasonably and if in doubt, please just ask."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

People shielding within the lockdown zone in Leicester and Oadby and Wigston have been told they should continue to do so until at least 17 August.

Leicestershire County Council said it has written to people affected, external by this advice and has also sent texts, and would review the situation again later in the month.

Residents who fall under Leicester's original lockdown boundary - such as those in Blaby and Charnwood - have also been told to continue shielding until 17 August, but the advice will be paused thereafter.

Image source, PA Media

The advice has come as people across England who have been self-isolating during the pandemic have been told they no longer need to shield from 1 August.

The government said the advice can now be relaxed because the chances of encountering the virus in the community continues to fall but has reminded people to continue to follow social distancing guidelines.

Alex Thorp
BBC News

A family of ducks "brightened up" a hospice when they made a surprise visit.

The female bird and two ducklings waddled around LOROS Hospice in Leicester while staff tried to usher them back outside.

"We often have the doors open to the courtyard when it’s sunny," Tracey Hinde, ward manager, said.

"Suddenly mummy duck and her latest ducklings are inside, wandering into the ward office."

She added: "They really brightened up the place and cheered everyone up.

"We quite often have pets on the ward but usually they come with owners."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Plans to build 2,750 new homes and two primary schools near Lutterworth have been approved.

The application by Leicestershire County Council also includes retail space and changes to the layout of main roads.

The 550-acre site, known as East of Lutterworth Strategic Development Area, was approved by Harborough District Council during a meeting on Tuesday.

Image source, Leicestershire County Council

Councillor Phil King, leader of Harborough District Council, said: "With 40% of homes being affordable, it will help those struggling to find a place to live.

"It will create jobs locally so people can work close to where they live."

A new "spine road" will be built between Gilmorton Road and the A426 along with a new bridge over the M1.

Mr King said: "The new spine road will result in a significant reduction in traffic through Lutterworth town centre."

Approximately 1,260 of the new homes are expected to be built by 2031 and the rest after 2031.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A man is in hospital after being attacked in a "serious assault" in Derby city centre.

Derbyshire Police said officers were called to St Peter's Street yesterday evening to reports the man had been assaulted by a group of youths who then ran off.

He was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious condition, the force added.

The street was cordoned off while officers investigated.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101.

Image source, Google

Liam Barnes
BBC News

A man will appear in court in October in connection with the death of a cyclist in Derbyshire.

Josephine Gilbert, a 25-year-old competitive cyclist from Wirksworth, died at the scene after being hit by a lorry on the A52 in Derby on 21 January.

Derbyshire Police said a 64-year-old, from Thurnby in Leicestershire, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured and causing death by dangerous driving while unlicensed.

He is due to appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on 20 October.

Image source, Derbyshire Police

BBC Radio Nottingham

Seven police officers were assaulted when dealing with "a large disorder" near Worksop, Nottinghamshire Police have said.

They were responding to reports of a disturbance outside a snooker club in Doncaster Road in Langold at about 01:00 on Sunday morning when bottles and glasses were thrown.

A force spokesman said officers suffered minor injuries after being punched and kicked.

A 27 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, while a 31-year-old woman has been charged with criminal damage and is set to appear before magistrates in October.

Image source, Google

Leicester midfielder James Maddison agrees a new four-year contract with the Premier League club.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A teenage boy is in hospital with serious injuries after he was stabbed in Thurmaston.

Leicestershire Police said they were called to the Winster Drive area at 19:40 last night after the boy approached a person stating he had been stabbed.

Image source, Leicestershire Police

He was taken to hospital where he remains.

Police believe he was attacked near the dual carriageway by Thurmaston Retail Park.

Det Insp Simon Boden said the road would have been busy at the time and would like to talk to anyone that was driving there around that time.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A coronavirus testing pod and temporary office blocks have been set up at a private hospital within Leicester's lockdown boundary.

Two Portakabins have been placed in the car park of the Spire Hospital in Oadby, and bosses have applied for retrospective planning permission for the temporary buildings.

The borough of Oadby and Wigston is currently included in the lockdown area with Leicester, with restrictions due to be reviewed later this week.

A smaller pod-type cabin (pictured) is being used as a Covid-19 testing facility to prevent patients needing to go into the main building "thereby limiting infection rate", according to a statement accompanying the application.

The larger cabin is being used as an office to help with social distancing among staff.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

A woman and her three-year-old grandson who were reported missing yesterday have been found safe and well.

Kuisang Iliu, 63, and her grandson, Linxuan Wu, were last seen in Leicester yesterday morning and found the same evening.

Leicestershire Police thanked everyone who shared the appeal and provided information.

BBC Weather

It's a dry but fairly cloudy start to the morning, but we should see holes in that cloud and get glimmers of sunshine and brightness every now and then.

With the winds feeling lighter, it will feel a little warmer and the temperatures are due to get up to 19 or 20C.

The owner is offering a £2,000 reward for the return of the five eight-week-old sprocker puppies.

Police say the child was a pedestrian and a woman in her 20s was also injured in the crash.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

Police have appealed for information to find a woman and her three-year-old grandson.

Kuisang Iliu, 63, and Linxuan Wu, both Chinese, were last seen at 09:00 leaving a family address in Keble Road, Leicester.

Leicestershire Police said, external officers and family were "extremely concerned for their safety and welfare".

Image source, Leicestershire Police

Ms Iliu is described as about 5ft 2in tall, of slim build with long black hair in a ponytail.

She was last seen wearing a black coat, which had green on the inside of the hood, and black trousers. She was also wearing a sky-blue medical face mask.

Linxuan has short, black hair and was last seen wearing blue jeans, a green or turquoise coat, black shoes and a white medical face mask.

Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter

The deadline for a decision to be made on the local lockdown in Leicester has been moved forward two days to Thursday.

The original date to review restrictions in the city and Oadby and Wigston was by Saturday.

The last review also took place on a Thursday - on 16 July when the government further extended the restriction because of a high number of positive coronavirus cases in those areas.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

The BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service has asked the government why the date was changed and is awaiting a response.

It is understood Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is tasked with making the decision as to what happens next, is on holiday and will not return to work until Thursday but the government has not confirmed or denied this.

Mr Hancock has previously said that relaxing restrictions will depend on a number of factors including the "rate and level of change" in infection rate and confirmed cases.

Leicester's seven-day infection rate dropped to less than half – 58.6 cases per 100,000 people – to what it was when the local lockdown was announced – 135 cases per 100,000 people.

The percentage of people testing positive has also dropped to 1.9 per cent from 13.1 per cent at the end of June.