Latest updates: East Midlands Live Monday 3 September

Summary

Lee Rigby fundraiser 'spent profits on music single'
Sooty puppet sells for £14.5k
'Ferocious' crowbar attack man jailed
Call to remove all Nottinghamshire's phone boxes
Fire-damaged railway station bridge to reopen
Festival drugs 'contained anti-malaria tablets'
Hansom Cab returns to its Hinckley roots
Derby flat fire was suspected arson attack
Live updates on Monday 3 September

Live Reporting

Gavin Bevis, Amy Woodfield and Dave Wade

Sharp rise in term time holiday finespublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Chris Doidge
BBC Radio Derby, political reporter
There's been a steep rise in the number of Derby parents taking their children on holiday during term time.
The number of fines jumped more than 40% in the past academic year to nearly 2,200.
Image source, Getty Images
The £60 fines - which double if not paid quickly - are supposed to be a deterrent, but can be dwarfed by the extra cost of going away outside term time.
Derby City Council, which issues them on behalf of schools, says it doesn't know why the number of fines is on the rise.
Man denies causing crash fight deathpublished at 11:04 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Oliver Brown is accused of the manslaughter of Stephen Walsh who police say was assaulted after a crash.
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Tributes paid to councillor who was 'true Ashburnian'published at 11:02 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A well-known Ashbourne politician has died from cancer at the age of 73.
Tony Millward, who served on the district council for 15 years, was awarded the British Empire Medal four years ago for his service to the town.
As well as being involved in Ashbourne's garden club and town band, Mr Millward was also a former vice-chairman of its Highland Gathering event.
He was also granted the honour of turning up the ball at Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football.
Image source, Derbyshire Dales District Council
Lewis Rose, leader of Derbyshire Dales District Council, said: "Tony was an Ashburnian through and through and a wonderful ambassador for the town in all the many organisations he was involved with.
"He will be sorely missed as one the highly respected Members of the Council.”
Chatsworth Country Fair blessed with fine weatherpublished at 11:01 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Blue skies and warm weather greeted thousands of visitors to this weekend's Chatsworth Country Fair.
The three-day event featured a cookery demonstration by this year's fair president Mary Berry along with dancing diggers, dog displays, horses, hot air balloons and a fly-past by a Lancaster bomber.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
M1 breakdown causing delayspublished at 10:44 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
There's trouble on the M1 in Derbyshire - a broken down vehicle is causing delays of 40 minutes.
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Man denies Nottingham crash fight deathpublished at 10:44 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Giles Taylor
BBC East Midlands Today reporter
A 21-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Stephen Walsh in Nottingham in July.
Image source, Family handout
Police have said the 37-year-old father-of-two was assaulted after a crash and then died at his home.
Oliver Brown, from Digby Avenue in the Mapperley area, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court today where he denied the charge. He will now face trial on 15 April 2019.
Derbyshire MP becomes Kenya trade envoypublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Mid-Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham has been appointed as the prime minister's trade envoy to Kenya, external.
Mrs Latham said she would be working to build on the UK's existing relationship with the African nation and "maximise bilateral trade" between the countries.
She did not indicate whether she would be receiving any African dance lessons from Theresa May.
Apollo space memorabilia to be auctioned todaypublished at 10:24 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Rare space exploration memorabilia, including items from Nasa's Apollo missions, are being sold at auction today.
Image source, PA
Spaceflight writer Phill Parker, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, is selling his lifelong collection, which consists of nearly 200 lots.
It includes an astronaut's drink tube - filled with grapefruit and pineapple juice - and a MIR international space suit.
The Phill Parker Collection of Space Exploration Memorabilia will be sold at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, today.
Hours limited for free disability travelpublished at 10:19 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Those using a Mobility Card to travel on Nottingham's buses, trams or trains are no longer able to do so at certain times of the day.
The free travel pass is available to permanent city residents with a qualifying disability. It can now only be used between 09:30 and 23:00 on weekdays.
Charlotte Throssel from Disability Direct Nottingham told the BBC this is going to impact those people already on low incomes and struggling financially.
But the city council said "difficult decisions had to be made".
Councillor Dave Liversidge, cabinet member for transport, said: "For a number of years the city council has gone beyond the national concessionary scheme. The council was entirely funding this local benefit with no additional support from central government.
"However, government cuts left us needing to find £27m in savings this year."
Derby flat fire was suspected arson attackpublished at 09:49 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A fire at a block of flats in Derby is believed to have been started deliberately.
Derbyshire Police said they were looking at the possibility the blaze, at Magee Court in Regent Street on 22 August, broke out after an item was pushed through a letterbox.
The flat - housed inside a converted Victorian hotel - was empty at the time and nobody was injured. Police have appealed for witnesses.
Image source, Google
Couple 'overwhelmed' by offer of second weddingpublished at 09:48 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A couple from Leicestershire have been given the opportunity to have a second wedding day after their first wedding turned out to be a "disaster".
Rebecca and Adem Veli spent £7,000 on a reception at Scalford Hall Hotel near Melton Mowbray but when the chef at the venue walked out, Mrs Veli's brother had to step in to feed the wedding guests.
Image source, Rebecca Veli
Since speaking to the BBC, the owners of another venue have offered them another wedding reception and free buffet.
Rebecca said: "We have met with the venue alongside the chef and they have been incredibly kind and so generous.
"They have arranged so much for us already. We have been completely shocked and overwhelmed."
The BBC put the Veli's criticisms of Scalford Hotel to the owners last month but they failed to respond.
In a previous statement, hotel director Colin Warburg said the 81-bedroom hotel was "likely to close in the very near future" and that its focus was to "support both our existing customers and our wonderful team of staff through this challenging time".
Hansom Cab returns to its Hinckley rootspublished at 09:47 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A carriage that was designed in Hinckley and went on to become hugely popular in Victorian Britain is going back on display in the town.
The Hansom Cab - developed, tested and patented in Hinckley in 1834 - was once dubbed the "gondola of London" by prime minister Benjamin Disraeli.
Following an eight-month project to restore the cab, it's being put on display at the Atkins Building and Gallery in Lower Bond Street over the next two weekends.
It's hoped the restoration will eventually form the centrepiece of a planned extension at nearby Hinckley and District Museum.
Greg Drozez, vice-chairman of the museum, said: "It really put Hinckley on the international map. Eventually there were 14,000 of them in London, providing a taxi service.
"It emigrated and was used in cities in Canada, the US, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
"[The restored cab] is in full museum condition but it's also in full working condition so it would be a working museum piece."
Image source, Getty Images
Foxes lose all-rounder Ben Raine to Durhampublished at 08:57 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Leicestershire all-rounder Ben Raine is to leave at the end of the summer to return to Durham, external, the county of his birth.
Raine had been offered a new two-year deal at Grace Road but told the club he wanted to return to the north-east for personal reasons.
Image source, Getty Images
He said: “The last six years at Leicester have been incredible. They took a gamble on me, invested time and effort into my game and life, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I've been given by the club.
“The decision to move away from Grace Road was a tough one, but the opportunity to move back north, to be around family and friends and to play for the club I grew up supporting, was too good to miss."
National Videogame Arcade leaves Nottinghampublished at 08:54 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Neil Heath
BBC News Online
This weekend was the last chance to visit the National Videogame Arcade in Nottingham.
It's now closed its doors ahead of reopening in Sheffield in October.
Co-director Iain Simons said it was a "wrench" to leave Nottingham after three years, but its annual videogame festival will continue in the city.
Image source, NVA
"We created a place that people love as much as we do," said Mr Simons.
"[But] we've also got to take responsibility for our mistakes, and we made our share.
"There were some simple decisions we got wrong early, that set us on a course that was very difficult to change."
'Get rid of phone boxes', says county councillorpublished at 08:42 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
A county councillor is calling on all BT phone boxes to be removed from Nottinghamshire.
BBC Radio Nottingham reported concerns last week that a call box in the Meadows - the most used in Nottinghamshire - was most commonly used by drug dealers.
Alan Rhodes, leader of the Labour opposition at Nottinghamshire County Council, said the boxes no longer served any useful purpose.
He said: "In my experience they're badly maintained, they often stink because they're used as urinals and God knows what else.
"They're an eyesore and it's time they were removed. We don't need them and people don't want them."
BT has said phone boxes were still used and urged people to report antisocial behaviour.
Donor dog saves fellow canine's lifepublished at 08:22 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
East Midlands Today
Meet Bentley the cocker spaniel. She nearly died after eating rat poison but thanks to a blood transfusion from Alex the greyhound she survived.
Fire-damaged railway station bridge to reopenpublished at 08:10 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
East Midlands Today
Part of Nottingham railway station that was badly damaged in the huge fire in January is due to reopen today.
A footbridge providing access to platform seven has been out of use since the blaze, which caused millions of pounds of damage and is believed to have been started deliberately.
The bridge will be back in use from today after having its roof repaired.
Festival drugs 'contained anti-malaria tablets'published at 08:05 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
An organisation that tests drugs brought to music festivals says it has found pills mixed with anti-malaria tablets and plaster.
The Loop says 8,000 people have come forward to have their drugs checked at seven events this summer - including Derbyshire's Y Not Festival.
It said the main drugs tested were MDMA, ketamine and cocaine - with some turning out to be four times stronger than normal.
Testers also detected a growing use of N-ethyl Pentylone, which was increasingly mis-sold as MDMA and could lead to psychosis or up to three days of insomnia.
Watch: Today's weather for the East Midlandspublished at 08:02 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Mel Coles
BBC Weather presenter
After a warm weekend, things are set to turn fresher.
Good morning: Join us for today's live coveragepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 3 September 2018
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Hello everyone and welcome to today's news, sport, travel and weather updates for the East Midlands.
I'll be bringing you all the latest along with Amy Woodfield and Dave Wade.