Green plaque scheme to celebrate Leicestershire's greats

Simon De Montfort has a university named after him

A green plaque scheme celebrating some of Leicestershire's most famous people and buildings is to begin next year.

The county council hopes the awards will help promote heritage and boost visitor numbers in the region.

The authority is currently asking people to make their nominations, before a shortlist is announced in February.

Council leader Nick Rushton said the scheme would be limited to six awards a year in order to keep it "special".

The list of famous people connected with the county includes Henry Bates, the naturalist and explorer who gave the first scientific account of mimicry in animals, and Simon De Montfort, who is credited with establishing an English system of parliament.

Anyone put forward for an award must have been dead for at least 20 years, ruling out such luminaries as film great Richard Attenborough, veteran crooner Engelbert Humperdinck and TV's Gok Wan.