People struggling with substance misuse who come into police custody will receive expert help to recover from addiction and turn their backs on crime thanks to a step up in drug testing. Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews is increasing funding for the area’s Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) service to boost testing capacity to divert more vulnerable people into treatment. The PCC is investing £200k in the service over the next two

A Film that features four local people whose lives are being changed by a coordinated programme of help and support will have its first public showing in Leicester tomorrow (Friday 10 July). The 30-minute film by Dear Albert focuses on the stories of Nina, Laura, Elise and Mark – individuals who have all experienced multiple disadvantage in their lives, such as homelessness, poor mental health, drug and/or alcohol dependency, contact with the criminal justice system, and dome

Ambitions to transform an underused area of a Leicester estate have reached an important milestone with the appointment of a construction partner. Following a competitive tendering exercise, Leicester City Council has selected Clegg Construction as its delivery partner for the major £18.8 million redevelopment of the Stocking Farm estate, in the north-west of the city. The city council has worked closely with the local community over recent years to shape proposals for the ar

Motorists are being advised that traffic restrictions will be in place on a busy Leicester road from next week as traffic calming measures are introduced. Leicester City Council will be closing part of Gipsy Lane, between its junctions with Northfield Road and Oliver Road, for up to seven weeks while works are carried out. The aim is to help reduce traffic speeds alongside North Mead Primary Academy and improve road safety for pedestrians and schoolchildren. Two existing 20mp

Residents across North West Leicestershire can soon benefit from several improvements to Fox Connect, Leicestershire County Council’s on-demand transport service. FoxConnect allows users to book a journey via the app or by phone to travel to local centres, services and areas of interest. Coming into effect from Wednesday (15 July), enhancements include; the addition of Ashby-de-la-Zouch as a new destination within Zone 11, to give passengers better access to employment, educa

A second man has been arrested in connection with the death of a man in Loughborough. The body of a man was found on the evening on Monday 6 July in a caravan parked in a layby on the A6 Derby Road, Loughborough. East Midlands Ambulance Service attended, and the man was pronounced deceased at the scene. Subsequent enquiries found that the deceased man – who was in his 40s – reported being involved in an altercation in the days leading up to being found. As a result, a murder

A man has been charged after a number of offences of robbery and theft in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Jack Moore, 33, of Montvale Gardens, Leicester has been charged with: One count of theft from person relating to a theft in Sweetbriar Road, Leicester on 31 May 2026 One count of theft from store relating to a store theft in Exploration Drive, Leicester on 22 June 2026 One count of robbery relating to a business in Granby Street, Leicester on 26 June 2026 One count of

Officers are appealing for witnesses after a driver involved in a serious collision in Thrussington passed away. Officers were called to Ratcliffe Road on Friday 26 June after a report of a collision around 10.48pm involving a black Renault Laguna and a red Massey Ferguson tractor which was pulling a trailer. The driver of the car and a passenger were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Two further passengers in the car sustained minor injuries. On Friday (3 July) the fo

A murder investigation is under way after a man's body was found in a caravan in a lay-by in Loughborough. Leicestershire Police have released the following statement. A murder investigation has commenced following the discovery of a man's body in a caravan located in a lay-by in Loughborough. Enquires are being carried out following the death, which was initially reported to police on Monday (6 July) at around 11.40pm. East Midlands Ambulance Service attended and was pronoun

Residents are set for safer journeys on Oadby’s busy Harborough Road junction, as £400k funding from local developers has been used for new crossings and traffic signals. In line with Leicestershire County Council’s transport policy and taking into consideration local feedback, we have made changes to traffic direction and narrowed unnecessarily wide carriageways to make crossing the road safer and easier for road users in Oadby. New signalled crossings on Uplands Road, Harb

The existing yellow heat-health alert for the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West will be escalated to amber The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued updated heat-health alerts (HHA) for all regions in England, warning that rising temperatures this week may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups. The existing yellow heat-health alert for the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South Eas

Trades at Leicester Market are to have their rents waived until the end of this year, as works to complete the new market square gather pace. City Mayor Peter Soulsby met with the traders’ representatives today (Wednesday) to warn them that disruption on site would be intensifying from next Monday (13 July), as work to install the market’s new electricity substation gets under way. Works to create an enclosure for the new substation at the rear of the Corn Exchange could take

Yesterday (Tuesday 7 July) officers arrested a man suspected to be involved in a courier fraud offence. Courier fraud occurs when a fraudster contacts victims by telephone claiming to be a police officer or bank official. The caller sounds plausible and may confirm the victim’s name and address, basic information which could be obtained easily. In September last year an elderly woman was contacted by someone claiming to be a bank official who said he was investigating fraudul

The family of a man who died following a collision in Shepshed have paid tribute to a ‘devoted husband’ and ‘amazing father’. Police were called to Charley Road just after 8.45am on Sunday (5 July) following a report of a single-vehicle collision involving a red Yamaha MT07 motorcycle. Officers attended with colleagues from the East Midlands Ambulance Service but the rider, Douglas Burton, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. In a statement, Mr Burton’s family said: “At 84

East Midlands Railway (EMR), operated by Transport UK, is advising customers to travel only if essential for the rest of the week, as high temperatures are expected to impact rail services across the region. The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health alert across six regions of England, from Wednesday 8 to Sunday 12 July 2026. As a result, EMR will introduce temporary timetable changes to help keep services running safely and reliably. Customers

Community leaders who are passionate about Leicester have been appointed to lead roles in the Government’s Pride in Place Programme (PiPP). The Government has selected three parts of Leicester – covering Braunstone Park West, Thurnby Lodge and Netherhall, and Eyres Monsell – to be part of the Programme, which will see £20 million invested in each area over the next ten years. The Programme represents a long-term investment in local communities and aims to ensure local voices

Responding to the report published today (6 July) from the Police Leadership Commission, Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, said: "The report's call for a fundamental overhaul of police leadership is right, but it is far from a new observation. For years, I have argued for a return to the Peelian principles and for stronger, more accountable leadership. "I welcome the focus on developing future leaders and believe we shou

Work to replace a cracked glazed panel that covers the original burial site of King Richard III is to get under way on Wednesday (8 July). The king’s grave – formerly located in the choir of the long-gone Greyfriars Priory – is now part of Leicester’s award-winning King Richard III Visitor Centre and has been glazed over since the centre opened in 2014. A specialist team of contractors will remove the damaged glass and replace it with a new triple-glazed panel, working carefu

Plans to build a new electricity substation on a council-owned site in Leicester city centre have taken an important step forward. National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) has agreed to purchase land and property at 52-58 Oxford Street from the city council. The purchase forms part of the energy company’s wider £5.3m investment to reinforce the city’s electricity network. The site has been earmarked for the development of a new primary substation site that will strengthe

Hundreds of people enjoyed a day of free family entertainment as Summer Cinema returned to Queen’s Park in Loughborough on Sunday, July 5. Organised by Charnwood Borough Council, the popular event featured free outdoor screenings of classic films Wall-E, The Lion King (1994) and Dirty Dancing, alongside live entertainment, face painting, giant games, fun rides and a range of food and drink stalls. The films were selected following suggestions from residents through the Cou