BBC Radio Nottingham

A Nottinghamshire cricketer, voted one of England's best-ever female players, says her sport needs to do more to honour women.

Enid Bakewell MBE, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, played for England for 20 years in 12 test matches and 23 one-day internationals, and helped England win the first World Cup in 1973.

She now wants to see a female cricketer recognised on the walls of Trent Bridge with a photo.

Image source, Getty Images

She said the club already honours former male players with their photos and bats displayed on the walls, but no women.

She added: "They've got Jenny Gunn who plays for England, who is a Notts girl, Karen Smithies and Jane Smit, not to mention myself. I don't care who it is as long as there's a woman there to represent it."

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club said it is going to look into the suggestion.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Summer must be on its way because cricket has returned to the East Midlands.

Derbyshire have begun their campaign against Durham at the County Ground. After winning the toss they elected to bat, but have fallen to 4/2 after the first over.

Leicestershire are over in Sussex where the Foxes are bowling first.

Nottinghamshire are hosing Yorkshire, who have elected to bowl first.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Leicestershire Police have confirmed they have received a report of alleged racism at the Leicestershire County FA ground.

Image source, Leicestershire FA

The Saturday Vase Final between FC Wymeswold and Cosby United at Holmes Park on Wednesday was halted after 78 minutes following an alleged racist remark from the crowd.

So far no one has been arrested and police inquiries are ongoing.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

It's been confirmed a man and a woman have died following a house fire in Kirby Muxloe.

Image source, Leicester Media

The blaze started around 03:30 this morning at a property on Church Road - all three emergency services attended but the pair were pronounced dead at the scene.

The road is currently closed and a police cordon is in place while an investigation is carried out.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Nottingham fashion designer Daniel Hanson, famous for making luxury dressing gowns for celebrities such as Sir Elton John, has died.

Mr Hanson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2017. He classed the singer as a regular client for many years.

Others big-named clients include Sean Connery, Victoria Beckham and Ozzy Osbourne, and his gowns sell for thousands in shops including Harrods.

Mr Hanson spoke to the BBC last year about the appearance of one of his creations in the John Lewis Christmas advert.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Three paramedic cars, a Hazardous Area Response Team and a crewed ambulance were called to assist at the scene of a house fire in Kirby Muxloe overnight.

Image source, Leicester Media

East Midlands Ambulance Service said the teams were deployed to Church Road just after 03:30 along with police and the fire service.

Leicestershire Police have confirmed the road is still closed.

BBC Radio Leicester

Concern is growing across Leicestershire about proposals for an A46 Expressway around the south and east of Leicester.

The new road (labelled 3 on the map) is an important part of the Strategic Plan for the county., external

Image source, OpenStreetMap

The document maps out how the area will develop over the next couple of decades and it's getting increasing support from councils, but not from some residents.

Last night around 250 people from across the county gathered in Billesdon to hear what local pressure groups think about the idea.

David Campbell-Kelly from the Willoughby Waterleys Residents Association claimed the whole plan was "ill thought-through" while another resident told the BBC: "It's going to devastate the countryside".

But Trevor Pendleton from Leicestershire County Council said the authority needs to prepare for a significant increase in population by 2050

It's anticipated an additional 118,000 new homes will be needed in the county along with roads to manage the additional traffic.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

This was the scene after a VW Golf tried to escape police in Hathersage, Derbyshire early this morning.

The car, which the force said was believed to have been stolen in Stockport two days ago, collided with another car on the A6187 shortly before 02:00.

A spokeswoman for Derbyshire Constabulary said two men inside the car fled on foot and, despite a long search of the area, officers were unable to find them. Their inquiries continue.

Image source, Derbyshire Constabulary

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Nottinghamshire Police said it has seen an overall 11% increase in crime figures for 2018/19.

The force said the rise had mainly been caused by changes in their recording and reporting practices, particularly around violent crime and stalking and harassment cases.

Releasing the figures, external, the force said it had introduced a number of teams recently to tackle specific areas such as knife crime, burglaries and robberies which had also led to more crimes being reported.

Figures showed there had been a 36% rise in possession of drugs cases, as well as a 1.4% rise in sexual offences.

Chief constable Craig Guildford said: “The latest figures show we are increasingly targeting our resources in the right areas.

"An increase in the number of detections of weapons and drug offences mean that we are disrupting criminal activity and taking dangerous items off the streets, many of which have the potential for lethal consequences."

Police and Crime Commissioner, Paddy Tipping added the rise was "broadly in line with the rest of the country" when resources are limited for everyone.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A musical set in 1980s Leicester is heading to London's West End following a highly successful run at the city's Curve theatre,

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 3/4 is an adaptation of Sue Townsend's best-selling book.

Image source, Pamela Raith

Curve chief executive Chris Stafford told the BBC he was "so thrilled".

"We're able to take Leicester into the West End, which is a real result for us," he said.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A five-day celebration of Nottingham's caves is now under way.

There are more than 800 caves underneath Nottingham's streets and Cave City 2019: The Nottingham Underground Festival gives the public a chance to explore some of the more intriguing ones.

Tours of Peel Street Cave and The Rock Cemetery Catacombs are included in this year’s line-up, as are the tunnels beneath Wollaton Hall.

Lots of these tours have already sold out but several other tours, talks and activities are still available.

Find the full list here, external.

Simon Ward
East Midlands Today Reporter

A Leicestershire man is running 50km in five different locations across Europe today in a campaign against human trafficking and modern slavery.

Andrew Wrath has already completed a 10km run in Amsterdam and is now heading to Brussels to do it all again.

He'll then run in Paris and London before his final 10km at home in Melton Mowbray tonight.

Mr Wrath is raising money for Hope for Justice - a charity making its tenth anniversary. He said the idea is to show how easy it is to move victims around.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Emergency services are dealing with a house fire in Kirby Muxloe.

Firefighters were called to the property on Church Road at about 03:30. Three crews went sent to deal with the blaze but they quickly requested assistance from the aerial ladder platform.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire is now under control and crews are dampening down hot spots.

Police have closed Church Road and there is currently no access from Main Street or Barwell Road. They're asking people to avoid the area.

East Midlands Today

Councils across the East Midlands have said they're investing in new charging points for electric cars.

It comes as a BBC report has found the network of charging points is "patchy".

According to the figures, Hinckley and Bosworth has the joint lowest in the country with just one charging point. Derby and Nottingham are providing more with the help of government funds.

BBC Weather Watchers

It was a beautiful sunset across the region last night - these pictures were captured in West Bridgford, Kegworth and Church Broughton.

Image source, Claire E

Image source, Scrappy

Image source, Mark Hallam

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

Feeling mild with some sunshine further east - here's the full forecast.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Happy Friday to everyone in the East Midlands. I'll be looking after your live page today, along with Sandish Shoker and Gavin Bevis.

We'll have all the latest news, sport, weather and travel from across the region.

If you'd like to get in touch with us you can send an email or use Facebook , externalor Twitter, external.