Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A cycling club in Ilkeston was mentioned by the prime minister during his latest press conference on the coronavirus pandemic.

Boris Johnson began his address to the nation by saying: "I want to congratulate the members of Ilkeston Cycling Club in Derbyshire that set off at midnight."

The cyclists didn't waste any time in benefitting from the relaxed lockdown rules that allowed them to cycle as a group again.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast earlier Dave Nunn, from the club, said: "As a club we decided we wanted to get out riding as quickly as we could.

"We have missed each other. We've not been able to do those group rides for months."

After deciding to hold a ride at 00:01, the group was "inundated" with interest.

Mr Nunn said: "We ended up with three ride captains leading out a group of riders around the Derbyshire countryside - literally as the church bells chimed midnight."

Hospital trusts argued they should be entitled to an 80% discount on business rates.

Emma-Jayne Magson alleged she stabbed James Knight while he was strangling her, a court hears.

One of the victims says she felt "betrayed" by one of the defendants who "destroyed" her life.

Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Four baby mice are being cared for after their nest was discovered in the air filter of a car during a service.

A mechanic found the wood mice tucked in a bed of leaves while checking the Mini at a garage in Derby earlier this month.

With no parent in sight the animals, nicknamed Minnie, Mickey, Donald and Goofy, were taken to the RSPCA.

Image source, RSPCA

Staff said they are thriving on porridge, vegetables, nuts and grains and will be released into the wild as soon as they are ready.

Five Lamps Garage owner Peter York said: "I guess because of lockdown the car had not been used much so the mum mouse must have thought it was a safe and warm place to build a nest.

"In my time in this business we have found nuts in air filters which have been stored there by squirrels and some nibbles to wires by mice but never have I come across a nest of baby mice."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

A couple have finally been able to get married following a year of cancellations due to coronavirus restrictions.

Carol-Ann and Martin Wright, from Borrowash, had originally planned a major wedding celebration in Newark for April last year, preceded by a register office ceremony about a week before.

The wedding was initially pushed back to August before being rescheduled to April this year.

But due to the ongoing restrictions on numbers, the couple have opted to postpone the celebrations once again but decided to go ahead with the register office ceremony this morning, with their parents able to attend.

Image source, Carol-Ann Wright

Carol-Ann said they will have a humanist ceremony later in the year.

"We are very relieved to have done the legal side. We just cannot wait to celebrate with all of our family and friends in October," she said.

"I cannot say how grateful we are to all of our suppliers for accommodating our wedding over and over again."

Emma-Jayne Magson claimed she killed James Knight in self-defence, but jurors rejected this.

"Paranormal activity investigators" were found by police at a derelict building near Chester.

Alex Regan
BBC News

A man has suffered serious head injuries after his car crashed into a tree in Nottingham, police have said.

Emergency services were called to the A52 Derby Road city-bound at about 11:15 BST, and the road has been closed as paramedics treat the man.

Police said the man's injuries were thought to be "life-altering".

Image source, Google

Derby Road is closed near Crown Island and drivers have been advised to find alternative routes.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

A man who died in a crash on the A1 in Blyth has been named by police, external.

Farren Rawnsley, 45, was killed when he was hit by a lorry at about 23:30 on Tuesday.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Det Con Sarah Stables, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "We are not appealing for anyone else in relation to the incident and no arrests have been made.

"Mr Rawnsley's family have asked that their privacy is respected at this time."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Bassetlaw currently has the highest coronavirus infection rate in our region, according to the latest figures.

The seven-day rate per 100,000 people for the week up to 21 March was 128.6 - more than double the England average of 57.3.

Image source, Bassetlaw District Council

Leicester was next in the list with a figure of 110.7, followed by Derbyshire Dales (102.3), Broxtowe (94.7) and Mansfield (93.3).

Further down, Nottingham had a rate of 74.5 and Derby's was 59.1.

All these areas - with the exception of Nottingham and Leicester - had seen their rates rise from the previous week.

Seven-year-old Elizabeth built her own rocket and launched it into the sky during lockdown.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Cafes, bars and restaurants in Leicester are being invited to apply for free licences so they can add seating areas to pavements outside their venue.

Hospitality businesses are allowed to reopen from 12 April - but only for outdoor eating and drinking.

The city council said it was making 120 temporary licences available to the cover the period to September.

The authority said it would retrieve the usual £100 fee through government funding.

Image source, Leicester City Council

Venues that already have outdoor licences will also have their renewal fee waived.

Deputy city mayor Piara Singh Clair said: "It's important that any business that wants to have seating on the pavement has a licence to do so – but we want to make the process of getting one as easy and hassle-free as possible."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Complacent behaviour as coronavirus rules are eased could bring about a third wave, Derbyshire's director of public health has warned.

Dean Wallace urged people in the county to stay local, minimise journeys and stick to the guidance.

“With the new, more transmissible variant we know it doesn’t take much to start an outbreak, and with many parts of Europe experiencing another wave we really cannot be too careful," he said.

Image source, PA Media

"As the vaccination programme hasn't started to reach the age groups that are most likely to spread the virus it is really important we remain vigilant.

"Otherwise, the risk of new variants increases which would put everyone’s hard work at risk.

“The other point to bear in mind is that we still haven’t seen the full impact of the schools returning on infection rates so we need to stay cautious."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Leicester's director of public health says he feels "a bit conflicted" about today's easing of coronavirus rules.

The city's residents have been under Covid restrictions longer than anywhere else in England, with Leicester the first in the UK to be put under a local lockdown on 29 June last year.

"Being a Leicester boy and a Leicester resident, I can finally go to someone else's garden so I'm really happy about that," Ivan Browne said.

"But as a director of public health I'm still super-cautious - you would expect nothing more from me.

"It's about trusting our city and residents. We have got some easements and it's about making sure we are really doing that in a really proportionate way and not taking any risks, but being outside has got to be a good thing."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

An outdoor swimming pool in Derbyshire is able to open for the first time this year following the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions.

Hathersage Swimming Pool, a heated pool within a lawned enclosure, will admit fewer than half of the usual numbers of swimmers as a safety precaution.

Image source, Michael Wellington

Bosses said they expected demand to be "incredibly high" between now and indoor pools being allowed to reopen on 12 April.

They said April memberships had sold out but there was still some availability for single sessions.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

A Cub Scouts leader said she was "looking forward to" a get-together tonight for the first time since October.

Elizabeth Barratt, from the 21st Ilkeston and Kirk Hallam group, said they were getting together in the park for some Easter challenges.

The group used to meet every Monday evening and have not seen each other in person for more than five months.

Image source, Elizabeth Barratt

The group has been holding sessions on Zoom instead, and even carried out cooking lessons online.

Ms Barratt said this had "been a godsend", but fewer children were involved, so she was looking forward to them being able to run around together today.

"It will be really nice to be outside and see the kids and make sure everyone is okay."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A Nottingham band, which conveniently has six members, is going to be able to rehearse properly again.

My Pet Fauxes, which usually rehearses in an outbuilding in West Bridgford, last practised in summer 2020 when four band members sat together in a garden,

Since then, each musician has been practising on their own, and they even created a music video filmed in their separate living rooms.

Lead singer Aaron Thorne said it would be "strange" to see each other again.

"When you are in a band like this, a lot of it is about communication, so not being able to see each other for a year is very unusual for us."

Image source, My Pet Fauxes

"It's very exciting because it means shows might come back soon, which we have been looking forward to all year," he added.

"But I still don't want to get my hopes up too much, to be honest."

The band's first show with an audience is scheduled for May, with several others planned throughout the summer.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Andrew Allsop, managing director of Morley Hayes Golf Club, said the idea to hold a midnight charity event was made "on a whim".

"It filled instantly. There was so much interest because I don't think there are any places in England that do night golf and we obviously want to try and get in the records that we're the first ones to reopen on March 29," he said.

Image source, PA Media

He added: "I think the buzz has been made even buzzier because it's such great weather forecast this week.

"We've been shut six months out of 12 so it's been very difficult but we'll survive and good times are ahead and like Captain Tom [Moore] said, tomorrow's another day, so I'm looking forward to it."

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Health bosses have urged people not to get carried away as rules on socialising are eased.

Alison Challenger, Nottingham's director of public health, said: "Take advantage of meeting people in those outdoor spaces but stay with what the roadmap is asking us to do, don't rush it.

"The risk of rushing it means we might not be able to progress with the roadmap in the way we're all hoping and expecting over the coming weeks and months."

Image source, Nottinghamshire County Council

The sentiment was echoed by Jonathan Gribbin, director of public health for Nottinghamshire.

"It's really important everyone continues to stick with all of the guidance that remains in place," he said.

"That includes all of the hands, face and space rules we're all familiar with and it remains absolutely essential that if you develop symptoms you isolate and get a test right away."