Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Elderly people in Derby are looking to improve their stability by having a boogie.

Dance Active sessions are being put on to help reduce their risk of falls - so far 48 people have taken part with the average age being 79.

The classes are run by the dance house Déda and Derby City Council at a care home in Darley Abbey and a community centre in Mackworth.

The effectiveness of the sessions is being evaluated by a research team from the University of Derby.

It's claimed the results so far show an improvement in functional ability and balance as well as an increase in confidence for those taking part.

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

An energy company has said its bid to carry out a fracking survey on National Trust land will be heard in the High Court.

Image source, David Hinchcliffe

Petrochemical firm Ineos wants to conduct tests in a bid to find shale gas at Clumber Park, near Worksop.

However, the park's general manager, Beth Dawson, said in January, that the land's "diversity and history" should be protected from shale gas extraction, also known as fracking.

But the matter has been referred by the Oil and Gas Authority to the courts.

Lynn Calder, from Ineos, said: "Legal action has been the last resort and we have used powers which prevent landowners from blocking projects which benefit the wider community and the nation as a whole.

"These surveys are both routine and necessary across the UK, including on National Trust land."

BBC Politics

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he was in Chesterfield on one of the dates in which he was reported to have met ex-Czech agent Jan Sarkocy.

Image source, PA

Mr Corbyn said had been at a socialist conference in the Derbyshire town on 24 October 1987.

Labour added that the allegations its leader had been either a collaborator or agent of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia in the 1980s were "absurd and hallucinogenic".

BBC Radio Leicester

Women in Leicester are being encouraged to consider a career in construction as part of a city council initiative.

Leicester College is running taster sessions, external for courses including bricklaying, carpentry and plastering.

Image source, Women in Construction / Facebook

Harjinder Chada spent about 10 years working in an office but found herself struggling and is now a construction apprentice.

She said: "We spend time at college learning those skills and then go out and use them."

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

A house, considered to be one of the finest Georgian buildings in Derbyshire, is to be sold at auction later.

Previous occupants of The Homestead include the daughter of renowned artist Joseph Wright.

The nine-bedroom, Grade I listed property has a starting price of £600,000.

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

The total value of housing stock in Nottingham is more than £66bn, new analysis has found.

Image source, Getty Images

Estate agents Zoopla made the findings after looking at property values in Britain's 10 largest cities.

It also found the total value of houses in Nottingham had risen by 3.69% in the last year.

The most valuable area of the city was the NG9 postcode (Beeston, Stapleford, Lenton Abbey) where the total value of housing stock was £6.93bn.

London, unsurprisingly topped the housing stock list, with property totaling £1.5tn, the value in Birmingham was £81bn and Leeds £59bn.

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

University of Nottingham tweets...

East Midlands Today

Lecturers across the East Midlands will strike today as part of a national row over pensions.

Image source, Getty Images

Members of the University and College Union at the Universities of Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham are striking for 14 days over a four-week period.

Their employers believe proposed changes will make the pension scheme sustainable.

But union members claim it could leave them almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement.

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

Derbyshire cricket advisor Kim Barnett said he was "delighted" to have secured the signing of South Africa international Duanne Olivier.

Image source, Getty Images

The 25-year-old is set to be available for the first seven County Championship matches and the entire One-Day Cup campaign.

Olivier has taken 17 wickets in five Tests, including seven in two matches against England last summer.

"He comes highly recommended and will offer further depth to our seam attack," Barnett added.

Press Association

Two lorry drivers are due to face trial later for a horrific crash on the M1 in which eight people died.

Image source, Facebook

Polish national Ryszard Masierak, 32, and Briton David Wagstaff, 53, will appear at Reading Magistrates' Court, accused of causing the collision on 26 August last year.

Minibus driver Cyriac Joseph (pictured) and seven of his Indian passengers were killed on the southside of the motorway near Milton Keynes as they travelled to London from Nottingham.

Four others were seriously hurt.

Masierak, of Evesham, Worcestershire, and Wagstaff, of Stoke, both deny eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Wagstaff previously pleaded guilty to eight lesser charges of causing death by careless driving and four counts of careless driving.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

Here's how it's looking in the East Midlands for Thursday.

BBC Sport

Substitute Kasey Palmer's injury-time strike rescued a point for Derby against Leeds United last night.

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds were in front twice and thought they had won it when Ezgjan Alioski finished off a counter attack to regain the lead to add to Pierre-Michel Lasogga's opener.

Andreas Weimann had earlier levelled for Derby, who remain in fourth place.

Rams' boss Gary Rowett said: "Thankfully we got our composure back and got the equaliser, but unfortunately we ran out of time.

"It just feels like someone doesn't want us to win a game at the moment. We've played well again, we just haven't put away the chances."

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

A Nottinghamshire MP has suggested his constituents would be better served by not using East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

In a Westminster Hall debate about the performance of EMAS, John Mann, the Bassetlaw MP, suggested that his constituency should use Yorkshire's emergency ambulances.

Mr Mann said it would be the "rational" decision.

"It makes no sense, no sense whatsover, to have this historic, arbitrary divide," he added.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service currently provides NHS 111 services in Bassetlaw., external

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

Here's how it is looking on the highways of the East Midlands:

• Very slow traffic on the A6097 in both directions around Kirk Hill, near East Bridgford, due to roadworks.
• Watery Gate Lane in Thurlaston, Leicestershire remains closed for a sixth successive day due to flooding.
• Slow traffic on the A38 Kingsway southbound in Derby around the Markeaton Island.

Calum McKenzie
BBC News

Good morning and welcome along to Thursday across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland.

Amy Woodfield and I will be with you until later with the best of the region's news, sport, travel and weather.