David Pittam
BBC News Online

A man has been arrested after a reported trespasser caused hours of disruption to the rail network.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) said it had to divert trains between Leicester and Kettering from 09:00, with delays of up to 90 minutes and some cancellations, because of the disruption at Knighton Junction.

EMR said the track was clear by 14:45 but there is still a reduced timetable and "severe congestion" in the area.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police said a man has been arrested for obstructing the railway.

Image source, PA Media

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Hare Krishna worshipers were spat at and verbally abused in Leicester city centre, police have said.

The reported hate crime, in which police said the worshippers' books were damaged and a cash container was kicked over, happened near the clock tower between 1:50 and 17:05 on 9 December.

Police urged witnesses - including those who may have mobile phone footage - to come forward.

A 30-year-old woman from Leicester was arrested on suspicion of common assault, religiously aggravated public order and criminal damage and was subsequently released on bail.

Kit Sandeman
Local Democracy Reporter

A council has called for more investment from a water company, after it heard the flow of raw, untreated sewage into Nottinghamshire's waterways is becoming "worryingly routine".

One outlet in Sneinton discharged raw sewage into the Trent for a total of 1,010 hours last year, over 63 separate occasions, according to figures compiled by environmental charity The Rivers Trust.

The figures suggested there have been hundreds of spillages into smaller waterways and streams, as well as directly into the Rivers Trent, Leen, Maun and Erewash.

Image source, Getty Images

Richard Jackson, a Nottinghamshire county councillor for Toton, Chilwell and Attenborough, said the spills - from combined sewage outlets (CSOs), which were developed to allow the direct discharge of untreated sewage into waterways during heavy rainfall - were becoming "worryingly routine".

“Water companies were told by the government to install monitoring on these CSOs by March of this year, but by June this year 3,400 of the 10,000 outflows owned by the nine water companies still had no monitoring installed," he said.

“Most relevant to us in Nottinghamshire and the Midlands, is that having fitted monitoring devices to just 1,239 of the 2,879 inland CSOs Severn Trent monitors [they] recorded the discharge of untreated sewage 272,000 times.

“The water companies argue that such pollutants are diluted to safe levels by the time they reach major rivers, but that doesn’t alleviate my concern about the significant amount of sewage that is pouring into our smaller local waterways, damaging fish, animals and plantlife, and potentially causing a risk to human health.”

Mr Jackson made his comments in a full meeting of the council, which unanimously passed a motion calling for more investment from Severn Trent.

A Severn Trent spokeswoman said: "Our system is designed to stop customers’ homes being flooded during times of heavy rain.

"It does this by redirecting the waste water, which is mainly rainwater, to a nearby water course to stop it becoming overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of rainwater.

"This is fully agreed with the Environment Agency, and by doing this we hope to make sure no one has to suffer sewer flowing in their home, which is a terrible experience for anyone."

Leicester player Taylor Gough's Christmas at home with his "grateful" family after the car accident that left him paralysed - but which could have killed him.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

A Nottinghamshire woman will appear in court charged with breaching Covid regulations after returning to a house she had been ordered to leave.

Police were called just after 01:00 on 24 December to a report of a gathering in Carlton Road, Worksop.

Officers said they found two people at an address who did not live there.

Image source, Google

A man and a woman were given a fine for breach of Covid regulations and instructed to go home.

But about 30 minutes later police were told a woman had returned to the property.

A 47-year-old is due to appear before magistrates in February.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Derbyshire MP Toby Perkins has revealed he was diagnosed with coronavirus on Christmas Eve.

Mr Perkins, who represents Chesterfield, said he had been feeling "pretty ill" and had "great difficulty breathing" if he made any attempt to exert himself.

Image source, PA Media

He added he wouldn't wish how he is feeling on anyone.

A number of fellow MPs, including Stella Creasy and Nadhim Zahawi, expressed sympathy and wished the Labour MP a speedy recovery.

Tuesday's League Two game between Mansfield Town and Salford City is postponed because of heavy snowfall.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Rail services on the East Midlands mainline to London have been disrupted by a trespasser.

East Midlands Railway said the problem was at Knighton Junction between Leicester and Market Harborough, external.

Image source, Twitter

Teams from Network Rail, British Transport Police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are at the scene.

Services are being diverted between Leicester and Kettering where possible, with delays of up to 90 minutes and some cancellations.

EMR said it expected the advertised timetable to resume on the affected routes by 15:00.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Three shop workers have been threatened with a knife during a robbery in Nottingham.

A man went into the McColl's in Aspley Lane, Beechdale, at 20:50 on 21 December, police said.

He demanded money and scratch cards and made off with £100.

Image source, Google

Det Con Andy Fawcett, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This must have been a terrifying experience for those who were present last night.

"The man has been described as mixed race, 5ft 7ins (170cms) tall, average build, wearing a black beanie hat, a black waterproof jacket and face mask."

An appeal for witnesses and any CCTV or dashcam footage has been made.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Early morning snow has arrived across parts of the East Midlands.

Image source, Ella

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice across much of the region until 10:00.

Image source, Schuren

Some tricky driving conditions have been reported with a number of collisions in Derbyshire. Some roads have been closed, including the A6024 at Holme Moss.

Drivers across the region are being asked to take extra care.

Image source, Maggie T Howlett

Image source, Absie

Harvey Barnes cancels out Wilfried Zaha's opener as in-form Leicester are held to a draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Four homes were evacuated again a year after another landslide at the same spot.

Luke Armstrong scores the only goal of the game as Hartlepool climb to second in the National League with victory at Notts County.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A yellow weather warning of snow and ice has been issued for the East Midlands from the Met Office.

It has warned of icy surfaces developing in the region and a little snow in places.

Image source, Forest Distillery

Image source, David e

The white stuff has already been snapped this morning on the A54 in Buxton and in Edale, Derbyshire and at the Cat and Fiddle pub on the Derbyshire-Cheshire border.

Matthew Tiplady, from the pub, said it had been "very busy outside with people going for snowy walks".

The 21-year-old added fortunately the "roads are clear".

Image source, Louise Kowalski

Image source, Forest Distillery

Newcastle and Bath are each given four points after seeing 26 December Premiership games cancelled due to opposition Covid-19 cases.

Police say the victim remains in a serious condition in hospital after the knife attack.

A man is arrested on suspicion of robbing a women he allegedly punched in the face.

Brentwood, Epping Forest and Thurrock exceed the highest weekly rates since the pandemic started.

Leicester twice come from behind to deny Manchester United a record-equalling 11th straight away win in the Premier League.

Mansfield end a run of four games without a victory courtesy of a 3-2 success at fellow strugglers Scunthorpe.