Police would like to identify three people after a woman had her purse stolen in a store in Leicester. The incident happened at around 2pm on Thursday 6 August at a store in Belgrave Gate. The victim, a woman in her seventies, was distracted by a man while her purse was taken from her handbag. As part of our enquiries, we are keen to identify the three people pictured as we believe that they may have information about this crime. We would ask anyone who knows who these people may be or the people themselves to make contact with police. You can pass on information by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ and quoting reference 26000469103. Alternatively call 101. Leicestershire Police News - Published: 09:15 01/09/2026

Three year plan unveiled Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are set to benefit from further improvements to support across Leicestershire. A new three-year SEND Reform Plan has been unveiled, setting out how the county council, schools, health partners and families will work together to continue improving services and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The plan builds on progress already made while recognising that further improvements are needed to meet growing demand and ensure children and families receive the support they need at the right time. Proposals include expanding the number of specialist school places. A new £30 million, 250-place special school for Harborough is already in development, helping ensure more children can access specialist support closer to home and reducing the need for lengthy journeys to school. The plan also outlines the county's adoption of an 'Experts at Hand' approach bringing health and education specialists, including speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, directly into mainstream schools, nurseries and post-16 settings to support children earlier and strengthen inclusion. The council will be creating up to 50 of these new roles in the coming months. Earlier this summer, Department for Education (DfE) national SEND improvement advisers recognised the progress made in Leicestershire, including reducing the average time taken to complete an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) from 58 weeks to 18 weeks, below the statutory 20-week timeframe. Cllr Charles Pugsley, lead member for children and families said: "Working with our partners, we have made real progress in improving support for children and young people with SEND in Leicestershire. We have reduced EHCP waiting times, strengthened partnership working and set out ambitious plans to increase specialist provision across the county. However, we know there is still much more to do. Families continue to face challenges, demand for support continues to grow, and we are determined to keep improving. This plan is about building a system that provides help earlier and ensures specialist provision is available when it is needed. The new special school in Harborough and our 'Experts at Hand' model are important steps forward, but they are part of a longer journey to improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. By investing in earlier intervention, increasing local provision and strengthening partnership working, we can continue to improve outcomes for children and families while creating a more sustainable SEND system for the future." The Leicestershire SEND Reform Plan will be considered by the council's Cabinet on 8 September. SEND support in Leicestershire Leicestershire County Council News - Tuesday, 1 September, 2026

Apply now for first-time primary and secondary places for autumn 2027 Families with children due to start primary or secondary school for the first time next year (autumn 2027) can apply for their places now. Applications for school places in Leicestershire can be made via our admissions pages The closing date for applications for children moving from primary to secondary is October 31, while first-time primary applications and applications for transfers between infant and junior schools need to be in by January 15. Cllr Charles Pugsley, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “If you have a child due to start primary or secondary school for the first time next year, now is the time to think about applying. “We’ve put lots of information on our website to help you out. “A key thing is making sure you apply before the closing date. If you don’t, your application will be processed after those made on time; there’s no automatic entry for any of our schools. “We’d suggest taking a look online, downloading our digital checklist and, when you’re ready, you can apply via our parent portal.” For further advice on preferred schools and information around open days, contact individual schools directly. Allocated school places will be announced on national offer days – March 1, 2027 (secondary) and April 16, 2027 (primary). Applying online is the quickest and most secure way to apply for a school place. Anyone unable to apply online can call 0116 305 6684 and ask for additional support. Hints and tips guide to applying for a school place in Leicestershire You can select up to five school preferences; it’s strongly recommended to include your catchment area school Choosing just one school will not increase your child’s chances of securing a place there. If you’re not offered a place at a preferred school, and don’t have other preferences on your list, you could be offered a school some distance away Make sure you’re happy with your order of preference(s) If you reopen your electronic application to check your application or to make changes to it, you must then click the resubmit button. If you don’t, your application will remain unsubmitted If you’re applying for an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) and you think your child might attend a special school, it is still important to fill out an application for a mainstream school place. This will ensure they will have a school place in the autumn Make sure you know whether you live in a school’s catchment area by checking the school’s website or phoning them. This is often a key factor in getting a place Check out school transport eligibility when researching schools Leicestershire County Council News - Tuesday, 1 September, 2026

Operators in the Leicester Buses One Network Partnership are being encouraged to bid for up to £5m of grant funding to help purchase more electric buses. The grant has been allocated to Leicester City Council to promote its recently approved One Network bus plan. This continues the transformation to a high-quality bus network that is fully electric, frequent, reliable, easy and great value. The grant will pay up to 75% of the cost difference between a new electric and diesel bus, together with up to 75% of associated charging infrastructure costs. The zero emission buses will have advanced accessibility features, including additional wheelchair/buggy space, hearing loops and audio-visual next bus stop announcements. They will be painted in the distinctive green ‘One Network’ brand. There are already 190 electric buses in operation, around 75% of the Leicester Buses network, with a further 60 on order to come into service by March 2027. This latest grant funding round will fund up to 30 more electric buses and enable the Leicester network to become fully electric in 2027. The One Network Partnership has formally agreed to only operate electric bus services from April 2028, two years ahead of the government’s target. Councillor Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for environment and transport, said: “This is great news for public transport users, the new Leicester Buses One Network Partnership plans to deliver a further £75m investment into local bus services. "This will accelerate our delivery of a fully electric network, which we expect to achieve in 2027. "We are now working with operators in the partnership, seeking bids for up to £5m of new grant funding to help expand their electric bus fleets.” For more information about the One Network Partnership visit: leicesterbuses.co.uk/one-network-partnership Leicester City Council News - Published on Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Shivani Raja MP backs community cricket fundraiser for LOROS Leicester East MP invites families and cricket fans to support LOROS at community charity event Leicester East MP Shivani Raja is inviting families, cricket lovers and communities from across Leicester East and beyond to come together for a fun filled charity cricket event in support of LOROS. The event will take place on Monday 31 August 2026, from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm, during the Bank Holiday, at: Rushey Fields Recreation Ground Harrison Road Leicester LE4 7AB All funds raised will go directly to LOROS, the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland hospice charity. The event will provide an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved. Cricket activities will be organised throughout the day, with attendees able to participate and play, whether they are regular players or simply looking to give cricket a try. The event is also intended to bring local communities together, promote community cohesion and celebrate Leicester’s diversity. Community leaders from across the area will be invited to attend and take part in the day. Families are encouraged to come along to play cricket, support the participants, enjoy the food on offer and spend time together outdoors. Visitors will also be able to enjoy refreshments from food vendors while taking in the atmosphere and, hopefully, the sunshine. Shivani Raja MP said: "I am delighted to invite families, cricket lovers and communities from Leicester East and beyond to join us for this fantastic charity event in support of LOROS. It will be a great opportunity for people to come together, enjoy cricket, food and the outdoors, and help strengthen community connections. Whether you want to play, support the participants or simply enjoy the day, everyone is welcome." All funds raised will support LOROS's vital work providing compassionate hospice care to local people and their families. Donate to LOROS Click here to Donate to Loros Registered Charity No. 506120 A local hospice, caring for local people. We deliver free, high-quality, compassionate care and support to terminally ill patients, their family and carers. We deliver care that is special and unique to each individual.

Leicester East MP invites families and cricket fans to support LOROS at community charity event Monday 31st August Leicester East MP Shivani Raja is inviting families, cricket lovers and communities from across Leicester East and beyond to come together for a fun filled charity cricket event in support of LOROS. This event is taking place today Monday 31 August from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm, at: Rushey Fields Recreation Ground Harrison Road Leicester LE4 7AB Donate to LOROS Click to make a donation Registered Charity No. 506120 A local hospice, caring for local people. We deliver free, high-quality, compassionate care and support to terminally ill patients, their family and carers. We deliver care that is special and unique to each individual.

A new community initiative with roots in Ondo, Nigeria, has launched in Leicester with an ambition to harness the skills, experience and collective strength of its members to make a positive difference across the city. Èkímògún Leicester was officially launched on 29 August 2026 at the Party House, Leicester, bringing together people connected by a shared heritage around a wider purpose supporting underrepresented and underserved individuals and families, strengthening connections and creating opportunities for people to thrive. Founded by Dr Oluseyi Ogunfusika, the initiative will focus on areas including health and wellbeing, mentorship, education, support for young people, students and families, social connection, volunteering and signposting to existing local services. A key part of its vision is to encourage professionals and established community members to contribute their time, knowledge and experience for the benefit of others, while working alongside organisations already serving communities across Leicester. At its heart is a simple belief: a strong community should not only celebrate together, but show up for others too. The Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Kulwinder Singh Johal, attended the launch as Special Civic Guest and spoke about the important role community networks can play in helping communities flourish. Reflecting on the experiences of earlier generations who made Leicester their home, the Lord Mayor observed that communities might have thrived even more had initiatives offering this kind of connection and support existed 50 years ago. He also encouraged Èkímògún Leicester not to “reinvent the wheel”, but to collaborate with established societies, voluntary groups and charitable organisations, learning from the wealth of experience and community work already taking place across the city. That message closely reflects the approach Èkímògún Leicester intends to take. Rather than duplicating existing services, the organisation hopes to listen, build partnerships and identify areas of genuine unmet need where the skills, resources and voluntary efforts of its members could make a meaningful contribution. Aretha Akinluyi, one of the key organisers of the launch, said: “Èkímògún Leicester may have started from our shared Ondo roots, but our ambition is much wider. Leicester is our home too, and we want to contribute positively to the city we live in. “We have people within our community with skills and experience across healthcare, education, business and many other professions. We want to work alongside organisations already doing incredible work, listen to where the gaps are and ask what we, through our time, skills and collective experience, can genuinely do to help.” Future activities will be shaped by identified community needs, with a particular focus on underrepresented and underserved groups, young people and families, alongside opportunities for volunteering, mentorship and community partnership. For Èkímògún Leicester, its Ondo heritage is where the story begins, rather than where it ends. The hope is that a community brought together by shared roots can grow into something with a much wider purpose people using what they have, where they are, to help others move forward. Èkímògún Leicester: Our Roots. Our People. Our Future. Photo 1: From right: Founder Dr Oluseyi Ogunfusika; Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Kulwinder Singh Johal; and Co-founder Aretha Akinluyi at the official launch of Èkímògún Leicester at the Party House, Leicester.

Traffic News Emergency services received reports to multiple cars involved in a road traffic collision on the M1 northbound between junction 21a and junction 22. The carriageway has been closed in both directions. Police, Fire and East Midlands Ambulance are all in attendance at the scene. Please avoid the Motorway if possible this afternoon Update Traffic Update | 15:58pm Both the north bound and south bound carriageway have now reopened, please still expect some slight delays as tail backs clear.

A Police cordon is in place on Station Road in Bagworth this afternoon after reports that an unexploded bomb has been found in a garden. A number of homes have been evacuated, and the bomb disposal team has been called. A spokesperson from Leicestershire Police said: “Officers received a report at 11.54am today (Saturday 29 August) that a suspected explosive device had been discovered in a garden in Station Road, Bagworth. A cordon remains in place at the scene as officers await the arrival of colleagues from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EOD) to examine the device.” A further update has now been added. ”That states EOD have arrived, examined the device and will be taking it with them. Cordon is being lifted and residents allowed to return home.” Stock image by Leicester Media Online

Scraptoft Lane is closed at the junction of Radiant Road tonight due to a Road traffic collision. Police and Leicestershire fire service are currently at the scene. The crash happened at the junction near to the off licence around 7:30pm. We have no details on any injuries at this time, please avoid the area if possible. Pictures - supplied

Drivers visiting Leicestershire hospitals are being warned they could be hit with a fine unless they follow a new parking conditions being introduced from next week. Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is introducing a new car parking system at some of our sites from Tuesday 1 September. For anyone attending an appointment, visiting a patient, or accessing one of our services, you will still be able to park free of charge. However, you will face the possibility of fines if you fail to register your vehicle in the correct way. The new parking arrangements are being introduced in LPT’s busiest car parks to protect free parking for staff, patients and visitors who have a legitimate reason to be on site. If people do not register their vehicles correctly, they may receive a parking charge notice. To avoid the risk of a fine - we are asking that people register your vehicle on the tablet computer terminal provided at reception when you arrive. Incorrect parking will also be monitored and PCN notices will be issued if local parking rules aren’t followed – these can be found on the signage in the car park. The car parks included in the new arrangements are at: Loughborough Hospital. LPT car parks at Glenfield (including the Bradgate Unit, Belvoir Unit, Herschel Prins Centre, Bennion Centre, Beacon Unit, Pharmacy and Education and Training Centre) LPT car parks at Leicester General (including the Evington Centre, Neville Centre, Gwendolen House, and Hadley House). Pictures by Leicester Media Online Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust - Media News release ES_13P_26 dated 28/08/26

As of midday today, the Met Office has issued another yellow weather warning for thunderstorms and heavy rain in our area, lasting until at least 9pm this evening. FRIDAY 28/08/26 Last night's storms saw a lot of rainfall in a short time, and this latest alert coming soon afterwards raises the risk of flash-floods, with three flood alerts being issued for Leicester and Leicestershire by the Environment Agency. This may mean possible disruption to road and rail journeys, the chance of flooded properties in some areas, and the potential for power cuts. Flooding can strike anywhere - especially where ground is dry - so always try to: • Know your risk and stay informed. • Check in on others, especially people who live alone or may find it harder to cope. • Never enter flood water, on foot or in a vehicle. In an emergency, call 999. For more information