Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A paralysed woman, who walked the London Marathon wearing a "bionic" suit, has said she was "scared, but lucky" after being hit by a car while handcycling in Leicestershire.

Claire Lomas, who is paralysed from the chest down, said she felt a "bit sore" after she was hit from behind on a country road near Great Dalby on Sunday morning.

Image source, Claire Lomas

The 40-year-old, from Melton Mowbray, said she was wearing a high-vis jacket when a 4x4 hit her from behind and "pushed me along a little".

"It was very scary, but I feel quite lucky," she said.

"My bike's broken and it's knocked my confidence a little, but it could have been a lot worse."

She said she was checked over by paramedics and Leicestershire Police also attended but was not investigating.

She added accidents and mistakes do happen, but urged all road users to be "more aware of others".

In 2007, Ms Lomas was thrown off her horse and severely damaged her spine.

Since then she completed the London Marathon in 17 days wearing a robotic suit in 2012, hand-cycled across the country, raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for spinal research and has been appointed an MBE.

Heather Burman
BBC News

A Leicester school, where more than half of pupils are self-isolating, is to close until the new year.

In a letter to parents, Avanti Fields school said it had had increasing numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases in the past two weeks and the risk of further positive cases in students and staff has "risen from medium to high".

The school will close from 16:00 tomorrow until 5 January with online learning measures in place, according to the letter.

Image source, Pacemaker

PA Media

A mother who was released from prison after serving half of her 17-year sentence for killing her six children in a fire has not returned to Derby, police have said.

Mairead Philpott, 39, was jailed in 2013 for the manslaughter of her children at her home in Victory Road a year before.

She was released from HMP Send in Surrey on 27 November to a hostel, where she will be supervised while on licence.

Image source, Raymonds of Derby

Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham said she has received assurances from Derbyshire Police that Mairead has not returned to Derby and is unlikely to be able to come back to the city in the coming years.

Derbyshire Police's Assistant Chief Constable Kem Mehmet told Mrs Latham in a letter: "Mairead Philpott has not returned to the area and the risk she poses to the community will continue to be managed through established Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements where the police service, HM Prisons and other agencies will support the National Probation Service."

Image source, Getty Images

Conservative MP Mrs Latham said: "I am dismayed that she served less than 18 months for taking the lives of each of those poor children.

"But at least the people of Derby can remain in a sort of peace, knowing that they won't have to face her in shops or on a street corner."

The children were killed after Mairead's husband Mick Philpott poured and ignited petrol on the floor of the house in Victory Road and set it alight on 11 May, while Mairead spoke to emergency services.

He has to serve a minimum term of 15 years in prison for his part in the killings.

It was feared the vase would only sell for up to £25,000 - rather than £700,000 - due to damage.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A number of homes in Market Harborough had Christmas decorations, vehicles and garden items damaged over the weekend.

Leicestershire Police said there was a "spate of criminal damage" in the town over the weekend and believe the same person or people was responsible.

The damage, the force said, external, included wires on Christmas lights being cut, wreaths being stolen from the front doors of properties and damage to numerous vehicles.

Image source, PA Media

Sgt Darren Richardson, of Leicestershire Police, said: "People's celebrations have been ruined by needless acts of vandalism.

"There may be people living in the community that know who was responsible."

The force has appealed for witnesses.

When the Covid restrictions are lifted for Christmas, it will be the first time in more than six months that household visits will be allowed in Leicester. Are you planning to meet friends and family during the holidays?

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

Two cats were zipped in a bag and abandoned with a letter from their owner near a roadside in Leicester, the RSPCA has said.

The "very cold and confused" felines were spotted by a passerby near a postbox in the LE2 area of the city on Friday lunchtime and are being cared for at Woodside Animal Centre.

An RSPCA spokesperson said their owner left a note in the bag saying they could no longer care for Flo, a female adult tabby and Floss, a neutered male ginger and white adult, who were "squashed into a small bag-style carrier but otherwise fit and well".

Image source, Woodside Animal Centre

"They are now snuggled up with food, water and a warm bed," they said.

"This could have been a very different story for the lovable duo, we can't even begin to imagine how long they were near the roadside for."

Image source, Woodside Animal Centre

The RSPCA has pleaded for owners to contact them if they need help to rehome their pet.

"Whilst we do not know the circumstances leading up to this happening, abandoning one's pets is never a solution, especially in cold weather, and these cats are very lucky to have been found quickly before any harm came to them," the spokesperson said.

Eddie Bisknell
Local Democracy Reporter

A Conservative councillor set up a fake meeting to stop fellow colleagues losing their seats for not going to meetings, a board has found.

Mike Wallis, who was chairman of Ockbrook and Borrowash Parish Council at the time and is an Erewash Borough Council cabinet member, is to be formally sanctioned for his actions.

The borough council's standards board found Mr Wallis had breached the parish council's code of conduct by setting up the fake meeting to get around a rule stating councillors lose their place on the authority if they do not attend a meeting for six months.

Image source, Google

The incident is believed to have taken place two years ago but only came to light after a formal complaint was lodged earlier this year.

The other councillor or councillors involved have not been named.

The parish council is due to hold an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to decide what to do next.

Mr Wallis has been invited to comment by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Church leaders hope some of the fire-damaged structure can be saved.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Police in Leicestershire say they issued 123 fines to people for breaking Covid-19 rules during the recent month-long national lockdown.

These included £10,000 fines handed to three organisers of a party in College Street on 29 November and another person who organised a party in Beryl Avenue, Hinckley, on 20 November.

Image source, PA Media

In total the force said it had received 1,934 reports of Covid breaches between 5 November and 1 December and handed out fines totaling £64,000.

The county is now subject to tier three restrictions.

Assistant Chief Constable Julia Debenham said: "We have entered it [tier three] with hope as an approved vaccine has been announced. We have to be patient now and keep sticking to the rules

"I am also particularly saddened to see that two more officers have been assaulted by people spitting in their faces or coughing. This will not be tolerated and there will be consequences for anyone who does this."

Chris Wilder says his Sheffield United team share their fans' worry as they remain bottom of the Premier League after defeat by Leicester City.

Crisps firm Walkers will make fertiliser by mixing potato waste with CO2 from beer fermentation.

The Met Police faces legal action after undercover officers used four dead children's identities.

The market in Nottingham closes for the rest of the year, following "unprecedented high footfall".

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

A man has been charged after a taxi driver was stabbed during a robbery.

Nottinghamshire Police said the driver suffered minor injuries and had cash taken during the attack in Melbourne Road, Stapleford, at 01:00 on Thursday.

Image source, Google

The force said a 34-year-old man had been charged with robbery, grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage.

It said he appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody. His next court date is 15 January, the force added.

BBC Weather

Here's a lovely misty weekend shot of Thistleton in Rutland to start off your week.

It's misty again this morning but once it lifts we're expecting a mostly fine day with plenty of crisp sunshine.

Image source, Suzanne