Latest updates: East Midlands Live Thursday 4 April

Summary

Match abandoned over racial abuse reports
Man found dead between van and M1 barrier
Hardy accepts offer to buy Notts County
Park deer 'strangled by carrier bag'
Leicester marks birthday of late chairman
Couple attacked by group of burglars
Buyer found for famous department store
Amnesty takes hundreds of knives off the street
Updates for Thursday 4 April

Live Reporting

Sandish Shoker, Amy Woodfield and Gavin Bevis

Abandoned cup final: 'No place in football for racism'published at 10:56 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
The cousin of a football player who allegedly suffered racial abuse during a cup final match has told the BBC "there is no place in football for racism like this".
Gregg North was at the game last night supporting FC Wymeswold in the Saturday Vase Final.
He said the racist comment came from another spectator following a bad tackle by his cousin.
Image source, Getty Images
He said this triggered 10 minutes of arguments between spectators on the sideline.
Mr North said: "It got to the point where the players on the pitch came over to see what was happening."
The match was then abandoned by the referee.
Mr North said his cousin had only gone to play a game of football and felt "very disrespected" by the alleged comment.
Leicestershire FA is urging anyone who heard or saw anything leading up to the abandonment of the game to submit a statement.
Missing Chesterfield teen foundpublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A 14-year-old girl, who was reported missing in Chesterfield yesterday, has been found safe and well.
Police had been concerned for the safety of Jessica Price.
Teen found 'safe and well'published at 10:31 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Good news - a teenager, who was reported missing yesterday, has been found.
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Man found dead trapped between van and barrier on M1published at 10:30 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
A man has been found dead, trapped between a van and a barrier on the M1 near Markfield.
He was found on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway between J22 and J23 at about 22:30 last night. Police have said there were no other people with the van.
Det Con Pete Davies said: “I am asking for anyone who was travelling on the M1, especially on the northbound side, to come forward if you saw a white Mercedes van on the hard shoulder.
"If you have a dashcam in your vehicle, please check it for any footage it may have recorded.”
Foxes' birthday messages to 'the boss'published at 09:30 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Leicester City players have been paying tribute to their former boss on what would have been his 61st birthday.
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Coach condemns 'mindless idiot's' commentspublished at 09:14 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
The goalkeeping coach for Cosby United FC has condemned alleged racism during a football match against FC Wymeswold last night.
The Saturday Vase Final was taking place at Holmes Park in Whetstone but was abandoned after 78 minutes following reports of racial abuse.
Image source, Google
Dave Graham said despite many accusations on social media it did not come from their supporters.
He told the BBC: "It's got nothing to do with us as a football club if some mindless idiot on the sideline decides to come out with alleged silly comments."
Amnesty takes hundreds of knives off the streetpublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Marcus Alton
Reporter, Radio Nottingham
Hundreds of weapons - including swords and machetes - have been handed in during the latest knife amnesty in Nottinghamshire.
Police have described the public's response as "overwhelming".
The week-long amnesty last month led to 635 knives being handed in - that's over 200 more than in the previous campaign in September 2018.
Weapons could be placed in 16 amnesty bins across the county without fear of prosecution.
The results of the amnesty come just a day after police arrested two men following a report of a stabbing in Hedderley Walk in St Ann's.
Buyer found for famous department storepublished at 08:44 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Gavin Bevis
BBC News
Administrators for famous Derby department store Bennetts say they have found a buyer and hope to have a deal concluded by the end of April.
The business, which has shops in Iron Gate and Ashbourne went into administration in February after nearly 300 years of trading.
The undisclosed buyer has agreed a deal to take on the Bennetts name and the Iron Gate store but not the Ashbourne outlet.
Joint administrator Paul Mallatratt said: “We are very pleased to have achieved a sale in principle, which will ensure the iconic Bennetts brand continues to have a strong presence on Iron Gate.
"We are confident that the proposed purchaser, who has existing retail operations in the south of England, will be able to revive the store whilst also preserving everything that is loved about the Bennetts brand.
"Disappointingly it has not been possible to secure a buyer for the Ashbourne store and we have therefore commenced a closing down sale."
Football club marks birthday of late chairmanpublished at 08:29 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Leicester City has marked the 61st birthday of its late chairman who tragically died in a helicopter crash outside King Power Stadium in October 2018.
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Foxes fans at the match against Bournemouth last weekend were given a free drink and cupcake - a birthday tradition started by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Match abandoned over racial abuse reportspublished at 08:17 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
BBC Radio Leicester
A football match in Leicestershire was abandoned last night following reports of racial abuse.
FC Wymeswold and Cosby Utd faced each other in the Saturday Vase Final but after 78 minutes the match was called off.
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Cosby were 1-0 up when the referee made the decision.
The Leicestershire FA is urging anyone who heard or saw anything leading up to the abandonment to submit a statement to them.
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Watch: East Midlands weatherpublished at 08:07 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
Umbrellas at the ready - some heavy rain is coming. Here's your full forecast.
Join us for today's live coveragepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 4 April 2019
Amy Woodfield
BBC News
Good morning East Midlands and welcome to a frosty Thursday morning.
Image source, Mark Hallam
I'll be looking after your live page today along with Sandish Shoker and Gavin Bevis.
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