Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

A new walk-through coronavirus testing site has opened in one of Nottingham's infection hotspots.

The centre is at the University of Nottingham's Jubilee Campus Car Park in Lenton.

The area has seen the highest rates in the city, with Nottingham itself one of the worst affected areas in England in terms of infection rate.

Image source, Google

Appointments are only available to those with coronavirus symptoms - a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste.

The Department of Health said new appointments were available each day and the site was easily accessible without a car.

A three-tier alert system has been introduced in England, but some aspects remain unclear.

Listen to BBC local radio commentary of Saturday's action in the fourth round of FA Cup qualifying, National League North & National League South.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A yellow weather warning and a flood alert have been put in place in Leicestershire.

The Met Office warns heavy rain, external is likely to cause to travel disruption across most of the county until 14:00.

Image source, mogjo

The Environment Agency alert, external is for agricultural land and roads around Loughborough Urban Watercourses.

It says: "River levels are forecasted to rise at the Loughborough river gauge as a result of persistent heavy rainfall.

"Consequently, flooding of roads and farmland is possible."

The National League is to distribute the £10m support package based on attendances, meaning seven ex-EFL clubs receive a larger sum.

Alex Regan
BBC News

Today we can expect some showers, and the weather will turn windy as the day progresses.

Showers will dissipate overnight, but it will still be windy.

We can expect highs of 14C, and lows of 9C.

Nottingham Forest and Rotherham share the points as Chris Hughton's first home game as Reds boss ends in a Championship draw.

Moses Emmanuel scores twice as Wealdstone make it back-to-back wins in the National League by beating Chesterfield.

Huddersfield Town continue their good recent form with a narrow victory over struggling Derby County.

Morecambe and Mansfield share the spoils in a 1-1 draw in League Two.

Footage showed the would-be burglar encountering a cat in Nottinghamshire.

PA Media

The prime minister has said discussions over Nottinghamshire potentially going into the top tier of local restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic are ongoing.

Boris Johnson was asked about the potential for the county to move into the very high alert level after it was confirmed Greater Manchester will be subject to tier three restrictions from Friday, following a breakdown in talks between local and national government in the north west.

Image source, Simon Bull

Kit Sandeman
Local Democracy Reporter

Nottingham City Council has accepted 113 voluntary redundancy applications from members of staff.

The authority launched a voluntary redundancy programme to help it deal with a significant financial budget gap, caused partly by the coronavirus outbreak.

The council said only about half of its Covid-19 costs have been met by the government.

Image source, Gerry Molumby

News of the voluntary redundancies comes after 154 roles were cut in July, and about 230 jobs were lost at formerly council-owned Robin Hood Energy.

The council today said the one-off cost of the voluntary redundancies would be £2.9m, and that it would save £2.3m a year.

The council also said it had 578 staff express an interest in taking voluntary redundancy.

Neil Heath
BBC News Online

The coronavirus infection rate for Nottingham has dropped again compared to the same time a week earlier.

In the seven days up to 17 October there were 2,106 new cases, down from 3,246 in the previous weekly period.

The rate of infection per 100,000 people has also gone down from 975.1 in the week up to 10 October to 632.6.

For a second day, the city has the second highest rate in England, behind Knowsley.

Image source, Getty Images

The force said Billie took part in 120 searches and had found "pivotal" evidence to convict sex offenders.

Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter

Campaigners against a £450m plan to revamp Leicestershire's hospitals say the changes will leave the NHS with shortage of beds, lack of maternity services and not enough resources to fight coronavirus.

Last month Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) unveiled plans to reorganise services, external at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester General Hospital and Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI).

The proposals will create a new children's hospital and maternity hospital at the LRI, a treatment centre at Glenfield and two "super" intensive care units with 100 beds – almost double the current number.

Save Our NHS Leicestershire say the plans amount to a closure of the general hospital, with no reference made to measures to deal with Covid-19.

They also have concerns that all the maternity services will be based just at LRI, as the birthing unit in Melton is set to close and plans for a midwife-led unit at the General are only listed as a trial.

The health trust denied claims Leicester General Hospital will close.

The proposals are open for consultation until 21 December.

Image source, PA Media

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A dog has been found stuck in rocks in the Peak District, three days after it went missing.

Edale Mountain Rescue Team said a mountain leader had sat down with his group to have their packed lunches at Owler Tor, near Hathersage, when one of them heard a quiet whimpering sound.

Image source, Edale Mountain Rescue Team

They investigated the noise and found the dog stuck at the bottom of a rocky crevasse.

A mountain rescue team was deployed and one of the "slim, small members" was lowered into the hole.

Edale Mountain Rescue Team said in a Facebook post: "With some love and affection, the dog was gently lifted out from under the rocks, and taken back to the car park to meet its owner, who was over the moon to be reunited with their four-legged companion who had been missing since Saturday."

Kit Sandeman
Local Democracy Reporter

The leader of Nottingham City Council has said he is "ready to fight" for the city ahead of talks over possible new coronavirus restrictions, expected this week.

Councillor David Mellen said his support for moving from tier two into tier three would be dependent on the right economic package being available.

Mr Mellen said local leaders were "ready to fight for the best deal for ourselves, if further restrictions are necessary".

"If we're going to have restrictions which further stress and damage our businesses in Nottingham we need a fair deal on compensation which is at least as good as the other cities have got, if not better," he said.

Image source, PA Media

Cases have decreased in the city, but are rising in other parts of the county, and rising among older people in Nottingham.

However, the rate of new cases in the city still remains one of the highest in the country.

Asked whether he expected the meeting this week to include leaders of areas surrounding the city, he said: "I don't know.

"In tier two we were united that the areas across the whole of the county should be in the same restrictions, and I think that's helpful for the public to understand what the rules are.

"However I can understand why some people in rural areas of Nottinghamshire might not want to be in the same area as a big city like Nottingham, although it has to be said that the cases in most areas of the county are rising."

Amy Orton
Local Democracy Reporter

A Leicestershire care home could be set to close after a health watchdog confirmed it has taken "urgent enforcement action".

The Limes in Hinckley, owned by Leicestershire County Care Ltd, has been in special measures since an inspection team rated it "inadequate" in June.

When it was last inspected, it was providing care for 34 residents.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said action had been taken at the home but declined to give details.

When contacted, a member of staff confirmed the home was closing "as soon as the residents have been found alternative accommodation".

Leicestershire County Council said it was supporting residents and their families but as it was not behind the enforcement action, it could not provide details.

Leicestershire County Care Ltd has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.

Image source, Google

Kit Sandeman
Local Democracy Reporter

The number of patients requiring hospitalisation for Covid-19 is expected to reach the same levels as during the first wave of the pandemic in less than two weeks' time, the trust in charge of Nottingham's hospitals has said.

The prediction was made in documents shown in private to council leaders today – and seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It says any lockdown action taken now is unlikely to have an impact until early November.

They said: "[Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust] is forecasting that [the total beds occupied by Covid-19 patients] will exceed the Wave One peak by the end of October."

The documents state that as of Wednesday last week, there were 123 beds occupied by Covid patients.

It added: "Covid-19 admissions today are generally a result of community transmission rates circa three weeks ago i.e. there's a three-week lag between a change in community transmission and any resulting impact on the hospital.

"What happens through to early November is unlikely to be modifiable."

The trust has been approached for comment.