Rob Sissons
East Midlands Today Reporter

Health bosses have said there are now fewer patients in Nottinghamshire's hospitals with Covid-19 than there were in the first wave in April.

Dr John Brewin, chief executive of the Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust, said it was the first time since October that patient numbers were below the first peak of the pandemic.

Image source, PA Media

At a health briefing for the county, he said there had been 83 admissions this week compared with 153 the previous week.

The total number of patients with coronavirus in the county's hospitals is currently 274.

Meet James Whitcombe - the Leicester Tigers prop who is part of a rugby dynasty stretching back to the 1930s.

Alex Regan
BBC News

A new 20mph speed limit in Nottingham city centre could help to "encourage more walking and cycling", the city council has said.

The authority has begun a public consultation on the proposals and said the scheme would be funded by a £2m grant given to the council from the government's Active Travel Fund.

The fund is being used by councils to re-allocate road space for cyclists and pedestrians.

Image source, Transport Nottingham

Other proposals to encourage greener forms of transport include permanently closing the Victoria Embankment to through-traffic and restricting vehicles entering the streets immediately outside schools.

The city council is proposing to extend the city's cycle route network along roads such as Mansfield Road and London Road.

And a 120-space bike lock-up has also been proposed near Broadmarsh.

The consultation opened on Thursday and residents have until 2 April to give their views on the Nottingham City Council website.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A shisha bar owner has been fined after the business opened its doors to customers in Nottingham in breach of coronavirus restrictions, police said.

Police said they spotted a gathering inside the Red Sea Shisha Bar in Alfreton Road, Radford, at about 22:00 on Wednesday.

Twelve men have each been issued with £200 fines and the owner, a 28-year-old man, was handed a £1,000 fine.

Image source, Google

Insp Amy English said: "It is very disappointing that people feel they can still act outside of the law and the incident last night is very frustrating for those who have followed the rules.

"Now more than ever it is important that we continue to stick to the rules in order for the government’s roadmap to go as planned."

The nest has attracted more than 500,000 viewers during lockdown via a webcam stream.

BBC Weather Watchers

It's another windy day, with lengthy sunny spells as well as scattered showers expected.

A few of the showers could be quite heavy and we may get some hail too.

Temperatures are due to range between 8C and 9C and wind gusts could be up to 45mph.

With the rain and sunshine expected, perhaps we may see more rainbows like this captured by BBC Weather Watcher Maggie T Howlett in East Leake, Nottinghamshire yesterday.

Image source, Maggie T Howlett

Octavia Gale qualified as a doctor during the pandemic. This is lockdown life in her own words.

Debbie Yates encouraged the boy to miss school and meet her daily, a court hears.

Liam Barnes
BBC News

A 57-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of "making an explosive for an unlawful purpose" after officers raided a house in Derby earlier today.

Derbyshire Police said they attended the property on Hillcrest Road in Chaddesden at 09:00, and after finding "a number of items", called in the fire service and the bomb disposal team for further assistance.

After being examined by specialists, the items "were deemed not to require specialist handling", a force spokesman said, adding there are "no concerns relating to terrorism" but officers remain at the scene.

Image source, Supplied

All the East Midlands' major native breeds, such as Border Leicester sheep, are under threat.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The RSPCA is appealing for information after three young rabbits were found abandoned in a cage next to some bins in Nottingham.

A member of the public found the animals in Basford on 3 March, the charity said.

The rabbits, two girls and a boy, are thought to be about four months old and in good health.

Image source, RSPCA

They are now being looked after at the Radcliffe Animal Centre.

RSPCA inspector Laura Kirkham said: "It's really sad that someone appears to have just left them.

"No matter what the reason, abandoning an animal alone and in a situation like this is never OK."

Leicestershire sign Australia opener Marcus Harris for this summer's County Championship and One-Day Cup.

Leicester Tigers part company with reserve stand-off Tom Hardwick, who had been at the club since 2017.

Liam Barnes
BBC News

A shop owner must pay nearly £4,000 after a rat infestation was found by environmental health officers.

Mansfield District Council said it prosecuted Sonu Nazran, director of Nazran Stores on Ravensdale Road, after a member of the public saw a rat in the shop and reported it on September 2019.

Image source, Mansfield District Council

Council inspectors said they found bait next to gnawed biscuit packets around the store and underneath shelving (pictured), as well as droppings.

The shop was shut for two weeks for cleaning, structural repairs and "pest proofing" before being allowed to reopen.

Nazran pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Tuesday to four offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

As well as being fined £2,000, he was ordered to pay £1,750 in costs and a victim surcharge of £181.

The store is now called Ravensdale Convenience Store and is under new ownership, the district council said.

Liam Barnes
BBC News

A couple who died after their car was swept away in the River Trent lost their lives in "a terrible tragedy", a coroner has said.

John and Patricia Lillistone's bodies were recovered nearly two weeks after their car entered the fast-flowing water near Hoveringham on 1 February.

An inquest into their deaths was opened at Nottingham Coroner's Court on Thursday.

Gordon Clow, assistant coroner for Nottinghamshire, said results from a post-mortem examination were still being awaited, and adjourned the inquest for a date to be fixed.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Sheffield City region mayor Dan Jarvis said the rail upgrade will bring a "significant boost".

Police say the car driver was also arrested on suspicion of defrauding a 90-year-old out of £9,000.

Eddie Bisknell
Local Democracy Reporter

Figures suggest about 900 staff at Derby and Burton hospitals have not had the Covid vaccine for undisclosed or non-health reasons.

Jabs have been available to all 15,862 front-line staff at the Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Hospital in Burton for four months.

Image source, Google

Figures show 1,587 staff have not yet had their vaccines.

Of these, 687 staff have said they are delaying the jab, mostly for health reasons such as pregnancy.

Another 68 have declined outright for non-health reasons, which have not been specified.

The remaining 832 have so far not explained why they have not come forward.

The trust has confirmed staff who have declined vaccines are still in work and reiterated the jabs are not mandatory.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

The owner of a Chinese takeaway has been banned from running a food business after he admitted failing to improve hygiene.

Wai Man Lau, the director of Good Taste 88 Ltd, admitted eight charges in relation to the poor condition of the Dragon Express, in Humbleton Drive Mackworth, Derby.

As both he and the company were separately charged with the same eight offences, at Derby Magistrates' Court, he also admitted the counts on behalf of Good Taste 88 Ltd on Monday.

Image source, Derby City Council

Derby City Council said it has been working with the company for more than 10 years to try to improve its standards.

The conviction also follows 15 months of inspections and visits in which advice, letters and hygiene improvement notices were served and not fully complied with, a spokesman said.

The council said on 15 May last year Mr Lau locked a door so officers could not access the premises.

Councillor Jonathan Smale said: "In this case a prosecution was absolutely necessary and I’d like to thank them all those involved in securing this successful outcome."

Image source, Derby City Council

Lau admitted five counts of complaint for a civil order for failing to ensure that the Dragon Express was kept clean and in a good condition, for not ensuring the ceiling in the preparation area was a suitable standard, having inadequate drainage, and failing to maintain equipment which comes in contact with food.

He also admitted three counts of failure to comply with hygiene improvement notice.

As well as being banned from managing any food business, Lau was personally fined £400, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £32 and costs of £1,323.

Good Taste 88 Ltd was fined £2,200, and told to pay a £181 victim surcharge and £1,323 in costs.

Image source, Derby City Council

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A teenager who left a 17-year-old boy in a coma after stamping on his head will spend the next five-and-a-half years behind bars.

Nottinghamshire Police said a 16-year-old, who cannot be named, launched an unprovoked assault on his victim at Holme Pierrepont, West Bridgford in May last year after seeing him out with friends.

The force said witnesses described the victim being "forcefully kicked to the head as he lay on the ground".

Hours later he complained of feeling unwell and was rushed to hospital, where he underwent brain surgery to insert a metal plate into his skull, and was then placed in a coma.

Image source, Google

Police said nearly a year on, the victim is still in hospital receiving intense physiotherapy to learn how to speak again and regain the use of his limbs.

"He will live with the effects of the assault for the rest of his life," they said.

The attacker was found guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court last month of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

On Wednesday he was sentenced to five years and six months in a young offenders' institution.