Local Democracy Reporting Service

The first Covid-19 vaccinations are being administered at Derby Arena this morning after the city council agreed to let it be used as a part of the national rollout.

Thousands of patients from 30 GP practices in the city are due to receive their inoculations by invitation only in the coming weeks.

Those booked in to receive their jab today will receive the Pfizer vaccine but the venue will also give out other types of vaccine as they become available.

Patients enter, sanitise their hands, confirm their details and then proceed for their vaccinations.

Afterwards they are asked to wait in an observation area to check there have been no adverse reactions.

Jabs are being given out between 08:00 and 20:00 but local health bosses said it could become a 24/7 operation in the future.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

The A1 was closed in both directions after a crash in Nottinghamshire this morning.

One of two lanes on the northbound carriageway has since reopened but the southbound side remains shut at Balderton, near Newark.

Highways England said the collision happened between the junctions with the B1174 and B6326 this morning.

Nottinghamshire Police are at the scene and delays are expected, Highways England said.

Image source, Google

Teacher Katrina Thurman believes she caught coronavirus at work and passed it on to her family.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Newark is to receive almost £300,000 from Historic England to help revitalise its High Street.

The money will be used as part of its High Street Heritage Action Zone project, which aims to turn disused buildings into homes and community spaces.

Image source, Newark and Sherwood District Council

The leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council said it was "fantastic news" for the town.

David Lloyd said the money will be match funded, meaning more than £500,000 is invested in Newark's "medieval core" in total.

He said: "We will be looking at certain particular buildings with key historic interest to renovate, to improve to make sure they don't become more dilapidated."

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Police are searching for a masked intruder they said stabbed a teenager with a zombie knife after "bursting" into his flat.

The 19-year-old victim suffered a cut to his hand and thigh during the attack in his front room in Beck Street in central Nottingham at about 18:10 GMT yesterday.

Police were told the attacker got into the complex by tailgating a delivery driver, and later fled the scene.

They said the victim's injuries were not life threatening but it was "clearly distressing".

Image source, Google

Detective Sergeant Andy Buxton added: "My team has been working to establish who was behind the attack and we are determined to bring them to justice."

BBC Weather

It looks like Thursday will be cold and dry with bright spells and some large areas of cloud.

Remaining cloudy and cold into the evening with occasional sleet and snow flurries in places, these mainly light. There will be a minimum temperature of -2°C (28°F).

Image source, terry standen

The care worker faces a £1,200 kennels bill while her new pet is quarantined amid rabies fears.

The first vaccinations will be given out at the council-owned velodrome on Thursday.

Boss Wayne Rooney and Derby's first-team squad will miss Saturday's FA Cup tie at Chorley after the Covid-19 outbreak at their training ground.

Liam Barnes
BBC News

A delivery man was robbed at knifepoint while carrying out his work in Basford, Nottinghamshire Police have said.

The rider was delivering food to an address at Manor Croft at about 17:40 on 30 December when two men reportedly threatened him and stole his scooter and mobile phone.

A force spokesman said the scooter was found abandoned in nearby woods and his phone was located down a drain, and has asked for anyone with any information to get in touch.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The A61 Derby Road in Chesterfield has been closed in both directions after a pedestrian was hit by a car.

Derbyshire Police said it happened this afternoon.

The road is shut between Baden Powell Road and the Hornsbridge roundabout. Motorists have been told to avoid the area and find an alternative route.

Image source, Google

Saturday's derby between Northampton and Leicester is cancelled because of "a number of" coronavirus cases in the Saints camp.

Coventry sign midfielder Matty James on loan from Leicester until the end of the Championship campaign.

A Nottinghamshire Police drugs expert made more than £10,000 after selling the items online.

One student said it was 'disgusting' she was being charged £161 a week for a room she cannot stay in.

With schools once again closing their doors to most pupils, a lot of learning has moved online.

However some families are struggling due to a lack of access to computers.

The Harney family from Clipstone in Nottinghamshire, have four children but only two laptops.

All of the children - girls, aged five and eight, and boys, aged nine and 17 - are expected to be sitting in front of a computer each day, which is not possible.

One of the children's schools lent them a laptop this week, but they are still one computer short.

Image source, Harney family

"Although we are both working parents and by no means deprived we don't have endless amounts of technology either," said Sarah.

"We've told the schools it's not going to be possible for us to be online for that much time each day with each child.

"I don't know how it's going to work out. It's going to have to be ad hoc learning, I think."

Image source, Harney family

Sarah is also worried about her children having too much screen time.

"I don't want my kids staring at a computer for six hours a day," she said.

Sarah's husband, Anthony, is a police control room manager which means he cannot work from home.

Much of the children's education has therefore come down to Sarah, who works as a taekwondo instructor and does her classes online after the children have finished school.

"It's not going to be easy and I don't think schools should expect too much of parents because parents aren't teachers," she said.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A woman was injured and her horse had to be put down after a car crashed into them in a Leicestershire village.

The crash happened in Medbourne Road, Hallaton, just before 10:00 on Saturday.

Leicestershire Police said the car was reported to have hit the back of the horse, causing the female rider to fall off.

She was taken to the Leicester Royal Infirmary but her injuries were not thought to be serious.

Image source, Google

The force said a vet was called to the scene but the horse had to be put down at the scene due to its injuries.

The road was closed while emergency services attended the crash but reopened at about 11.30.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

More patients in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have been receiving their Covid-19 vaccination as additional supplies become available.

Caroline Trevithick, executive director of nursing, quality and performance for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland clinical commissioning groups, said: “Over the past few weeks, we are proud to have rapidly expanded the Covid-19 vaccination programme across LLR.

"More areas across the city and counties are preparing to begin vaccinating in the coming days and weeks.

Image source, PA Media

"There is still a long way to go but I’d like to reassure patients that if they are eligible at this stage they will be contacted by their GP practice with information about their vaccinations including when to come in for their second dose," she added.

Dr Simon Vincent, clinical director of North Blaby primary care network, said: "We’re really grateful for the continued support, dedication and commitment shown by all our staff, practice managers and GPs."

The 15-year-old victim suffered injuries to his eye, leg and head during the burglary.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

Health bosses in Derbyshire have urged people not to be "complacent during unprecedented times" as staff deal with more Covid cases than during the peak of the first wave in April.

Krishna Kallianpur, executive chief nurse at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, described the situation as "very challenging".

"In order to free up capacity and ensure we have more intensive care space, the difficult decision has been made to postpone elective surgery for the remainder of the week," he said.

"Our clinical teams are constantly reviewing the situation to ensure can we can reinstate surgeries as soon as we possibly can.”

Image source, PA Media

Dr Magnus Harrison, executive medical director at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust, said: “These are truly unprecedented times and everyone has a part to play in helping to limit the spread of the virus this winter.

"Now is not the time to be complacent."

Dr John Sykes, medical director at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, advised people to look after their mental health and support each other.