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Leader of Leicestershire County Council, Dan Harrison, is sending condolences to the family of a local Isle of Man TT competitor who tragically died during qualifying last week. Daniel Ingham, from Melton Mowbray, was a successful and experienced motorcycle rider, a husband and a father of two. "Daniel was a well-respected, popular and successful racer. I'm so very sorry to hear about what happened and my thoughts and sympathies are with his wife, children, family and friends. "Daniel's family has launched an appeal for photos to celebrate his life and I'd encourage people to share their memories to help celebrate his spirit and achievements."

This is the fifth successful prosecution under Operation Hind. Two shop workers have been sentenced following a successful prosecution by Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards, after illegal tobacco products were sold from a Loughborough shop. This is the fifth successful prosecution under Operation Hind, launched to tackle the growing problem of counterfeit tobacco and non‑compliant vaping products being sold in local shops across the county. Khalid Aziz Faraj, of Rose Street, Redheugh, Gateshead, and Kawa Abdulla, of Barrow Street, Loughborough, appeared at Loughborough Magistrates Court on Friday 29 May, where they pleaded guilty to offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994, the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, and the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015. Each defendant was fined £333, reduced from £500 to reflect their early guilty pleas, and ordered to pay a £133 victim surcharge and £160 in prosecution costs, bringing the total to £626 each. The court ordered that the fines be paid at a rate of £100 per month, with the first payment due within 28 days. The case related to The Rushes Store Limited, trading as Loughborough International, at 50a The Rushes, Loughborough, and followed an investigation by Trading Standards officers. Between 8 and 23 January 2026, officers carried out a series of test purchases at the premises, during which counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes were sold. Faraj sold, or was involved in the sale of, five packets of cigarettes on 8 and 16 January. Abdulla sold nine packets on 13, 16 and 23 January, including seven packets of counterfeit cigarettes and two packets of smuggled, non-UK duty paid cigarettes intended for sale in Nigeria. Both men were arrested by police on 23 January and taken into custody, where they were later interviewed under caution by Trading Standards officers. In sentencing, magistrates acknowledged the evidence presented by Trading Standards, but determined that both men had played a limited role, stating that there was no significant sophistication or planning involved and that they had been operating under the supervision of an employer. Passing sentence, they said they had assessed the offences themselves, rather than the individuals’ roles alone, when deciding on the penalties imposed. The investigation into The Rushes Store Limited and its director remains ongoing. Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards is encouraging residents to report any concerns about the sale of illegal tobacco as part of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers and support law-abiding businesses. They can be reported anonymously through Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. Operation Hind is a county‑wide enforcement initiative led by Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards, working in partnership with Leicestershire Police, to crack down on the sale of illegal vapes, counterfeit cigarettes and illicit tobacco products. It was launched to tackle the growing problem of counterfeit tobacco and non‑compliant vaping products being sold in local shops, many of which pose serious health risks, with previous tests identifying dangerous substances such as arsenic, lead and formaldehyde in illegal vapes. The initiative focuses on prevention through advice and warnings, intelligence‑led inspections, test purchasing, joint enforcement visits and prosecution of both business owners and shop workers involved in the illegal trade. Leicestershire County Council News

There's something for everyone at Leicester’s Abbey Pumping Station this month, with three events coming up that will delight families and real ale fans alike. Flaming June gets under way with the return of the popular Railway Gala Day on Saturday (6 June). There’s free admission to the museum and its grounds – perfect for a picnic – while the café will be open for light refreshments. Rides on the narrow gauge railway with Leonard the steam locomotive are just £1. Railway Gala Day runs from 11.30am – 4pm. They’ll be pulling pints at the pumping station from Thursday 18 June until Saturday 20 June as CAMRA hosts the 2026 Leicester Beer Festival in the museum’s spacious grounds. Returning for the third consecutive year, the real ale will be flowing from 12 noon until 10pm on each of the three days. General admission is £8 on Thursday and £9 on both Friday and Saturday when tickets are booked in advance via CAMRA’s website. There’s free admission for CAMRA members. Finally, visitors of all ages will enjoy the pumping station’s Family Summer Steam Weekend on 27 and 28 June. Taking place from 12 noon until 4.30pm on both Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 June, the event will recreate the atmosphere of a village gala day, with a wide range of stalls, food and drink, and a display of vintage vehicles. The pumping station’s majestic beam engines will be in steam, while Leonard the locomotive will be running on the narrow gauge railway, offering rides for just £1. Music will be provided by a vintage fairground organ, while drinks will be available from the outdoor cocktail and gin bar, with freshly fried chips from the coal-fired vintage chip van and light refreshments from the café. Tickets for the Family Summer Steam Weekend are discounted when bought online, with a family ticket (two adults, two children) costing £17. A family ticket at the door will cost £20. There is no charge for those aged under 5. Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “Abbey Pumping Station always offers a fantastic mix of heritage and family-friendly activities, and this month’s programme really does have something for everyone. “From the popular Railway Gala Day to the return of the Leicester Beer Festival and an extended Summer Steam Weekend, these June events are a great way for people of all ages to enjoy one of our most unique heritage sites.” Parking for the pumping station is located at the neighbouring National Space Centre on Exploration Drive, LE4 5NS. The entrance to Abbey Pumping Station is clearly signposted from the car park. Customers who require assistance to attend Abbey Pumping Station events can apply for a free companion ticket. Please email the team at museumevents@leicester.gov.uk or call 0116 454 4554 during opening hours for more information. Details of all the events taking place at Abbey Pumping Station – home to Leicester’s industrial, technological and scientific collections – can be found at leicestermuseums.org Abbey Pumping Station is on Corporation Road, Leicester LE4 5PX.

Leicester City Council has successfully defended a planning decision after an appeal by the developer. The Planning Inspectorate has dismissed an appeal relating to a student block of flats at 2-4 Colton Street in the city centre, in a decision described by council officers as “a very good result”. The developer – Millrock Limited – built a two-storey rooftop extension which did not match approved plans. The extension should have been constructed using a contrasting lightweight material to distinguish it from the main bulk of the building – but instead, a brick finish was used. The height of extension was increased and elevation proportions significantly altered; and the window design and materials used were white UPVC as opposed to the approved colour-coated aluminium. The council’s view was that the total impact of these breaches resulted in a bulky and over-dominant addition to the building, causing significant harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of neighbouring listed buildings. As a result, it served an enforcement notice ordering that the extension be demolished. The developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and requested retrospective planning permission, but inspectors found that the extension was significantly different from what had originally been approved. The enforcement notice requires the developer to demolish the extension, restore the building to its original form, and remove all associated materials from the site. Although the compliance period has been extended from six to 12 months, the Inspectorate upheld the council’s decision in full and confirmed that the development should not remain. They said the extension “represents a poor addition which detracts significantly from the character” of the original building. The Inspector also found that the extension harms the wider historic environment, including the St George’s Conservation Area within which the building sits, and the setting of a neighbouring Grade II-listed building at 29 Rutland Street. Deputy city mayor Cllr Elly Cutkelvin said: “Enforcement action is a last resort and ideally developers should work with the planning department to agree changes to design. “This is a very strong and important decision that supports our approach to planning enforcement. “The Planning Inspector has clearly recognised that this development was not built in line with what was approved and that its design and appearance cause real harm to the building and surrounding conservation area. “We take action where developers fail to deliver schemes as agreed. This case shows that we will robustly defend those decisions and ensure that Leicester’s built environment is protected.” The appeal was made under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against an enforcement notice issued in December 2025, after the council identified that a materially different extension had been constructed from the approved scheme . While the developer put forward an alternative design during the appeal process, the Inspector concluded that there was insufficient detail to consider it and that full demolition remained the appropriate remedy. LCC News Published on Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Leicester City Council has started legal proceedings to enable it to secure Lee Circle car park, which closed in March when NCP went into administration. The council says neither the owners, administrators or NCP have taken action to ensure the site is not accessible to members of the public, which has resulted in anti-social and criminal behaviour there. The council has today issued a legal notice to the owners of the car park, and will make an application to Leicester Magistrates Court on Thursday 4 June for an order to enable it to secure the car park. Nicola Odom, head of the city council’s safer communities service said: “We have made numerous attempts to get the owners of this site to make it safe and secure, and prevent it from being a hazard to the public, but they have failed to do so. “We were not able to seek this order at an earlier stage as the court will require evidence of the likelihood, and where possible evidence of, anti-social behaviour taking place there. We now have this evidence which will be presented on Thursday. “If the court grants the order, the council will make the site safe and inaccessible, and will re-charge the owners for all costs incurred.” The city council has been working alongside Leicestershire Police to try to prevent ASB at the site. Inspector Ryan Ludlam, commander for the Central Leicester Neighbourhood Policing Area (NPA), said: “Leicestershire Police fully support the council’s action to secure this site, which has been linked to ongoing anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. “This is a positive step in protecting the public and preventing further incidents while longer term solutions are put in place. We would continue to encourage our communities to report any such issues to us by calling 101 or visiting our website.” Lee Circle is one of five car parks which closed when NCP went into administration. Three of these – Abbey Street, St Nicholas Circle and East Street - have been re-opened by Euro car parks. The Rutland Centre car park, which is located near to Curve theatre in the city’s cultural quarter, remains closed, and has been secured by its owners. Martin Fletcher, the council’s highways director said: “We know there is interest from operators in both of these car parks, and we are hopeful that they will eventually re-open. In the meantime we are working to increase the number of on-street parking bays, and dedicated disabled parking spaces in the cultural quarter. Details of all parking spaces and disabled parking spaces in Leicester are on the council’s website at leicester.gov.uk/parking Leicester City Council News Published on Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has provided Leicestershire Police with a Restricted Airspace over the Download Festival. Specially trained Counter Drone officers will be deployed to manage any drone activity in or near the event site. Flying drones at the festival will put East Midlands Airport passengers and festival-goers at high risk. Anyone caught flying a drone without permission will be prosecuted. The festival site is within a no-fly zone (NFZ) due to being close to the airport. A CAA No-Fly Zone (NFZ) is a designated airspace within which aircraft are prohibited from flying without special permission or authorization. These zones are established by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or relevant aviation regulatory bodies to ensure safety, security, and the orderly management of air traffic. The implementation of NFZs can be driven by various factors, including national security concerns, environmental protection, and the safeguarding of sensitive areas. Download Festival | Your Headliners + Loads More Revealed for #DLXXIII - Download Festival

Highcross Leicester is set to host a major community dance showcase at East Square on Saturday 6 June, bringing together performers from across the city for an all-day celebration of dance, culture and creativity. The free event will see a range of local dance collectives and academies go head-to-head in a live dance off, with performances taking place throughout the day featuring multiple dance styles, including street dance, break dance, Bhangra, Caribbean dance, Kathak (Indian classical dance) and stage school performances. Dance troops taking part include Pulse, ER Crew, Rashmi, Wild Technique Breakers, Fantastic Four Breakers, Angel Dance Academy, Love Line Dance, Manas Kotak, Freedom Fighters and a number of local stage school academies. Alongside a judging panel scoring performances throughout the day, visitors to Highcross will also have the opportunity to vote for their favourite act via a live QR code voting system, helping to crown the audience favourite. The showcase has been designed to celebrate Leicester’s diverse dance community while creating a vibrant, family-friendly experience in the heart of the city centre. Beginning at 1pm, the event will run throughout the day until 4pm, with performances taking place at East Square (near Luke1977 and Damaged Society). The showcase will feature live judging from two local dance experts who have danced for national and international productions. Winning groups and standout performers will receive a £200 Highcross Gift Card. Michelle Menezes, Centre Director, said: “At Highcross, we’re passionate about creating vibrant moments that bring our community together, and this dance showcase is a fantastic celebration of Leicester’s incredible local talent. "With such a wide range of styles and performers taking part, it’s set to be a lively, inclusive event that reflects the diversity and creativity of our city. We’re delighted to host this free experience and give visitors the chance to enjoy, support and be inspired by performers from across Leicester.” The line-up for the event includes: Angel Dance Academy (Caribbean) Anne Olivers Dance Academy (Stage school dance) Dance Academy (Stage school dance) ER Crew (Street dance) Fantastic Four Breakers (Breakdance) Freedom Fighters (Street dance) Julia Parker Dance School (Stage school dance) Love Line Dance (Line dancers) Manas Kotak (Traditional Kathak) Princess Walter Academy (Stage school dance) Pulse (Street dance/Carnival) Rashmi (Urban/Bhangra) Wild Technique Breakers (Breakdance) The event is free to attend and forms part of Highcross Leicester’s continued focus on creating community-led experiences and celebrating local talent within the city. For more information on Highcross, visit www.highcrossleicester.com, or check out its social media channels, on Facebook, TikTok, X and Instagram.

Leicester-based Purple House Clinic, a trusted name in psychological therapy and neurodiversity support, has been named Community Business of the Year at the SME Leicestershire & Rutland Business Awards. The Gold Award celebrates the clinic's exceptional positive impact both locally and nationally through accessible, high-quality mental health and neurodiversity services for adults and children. Purple House Clinic was founded in Leicestershire by husband-and-wife team Dr Katie Morris and Steven Stych. It has since grown into an expanding UK network of seven clinics across England and Scotland, complemented by a nationwide online provision. Across the network, the clinic delivers approximately 18,000 appointments each year, helping adults, children and families access timely specialist support that may otherwise involve significant waiting periods. The Leicester clinic sits at the heart of this work, not only providing extensive services to clients across the county, but leading the way with service developments and nationwide initiatives across the whole Purple House Clinic network. Founder and Clinical Director, Dr Katie Morris, said: "It's a fantastic achievement to win this award and Steven and I are so proud to have built a business that demonstrates a meaningful and lasting positive impact on the communities we serve across Leicestershire. We are able to transform lives through timely, evidence-based, and compassionate psychological healthcare, while actively championing awareness, inclusion, and wellbeing both locally and across the UK. Our aim is to deliver accessible, tailored support designed to complement overstretched public services and reduce waiting times for those seeking care. "This accolade would not have been possible without our incredible team, who are all so committed and hardworking. This recognition is as much theirs as it is Steven's and mine. Together, we have expanded the business and continued to deliver the quality of care that our clients deserve." On awarding the accolade, Damian Cummins, Awards Director of the SME Leicestershire & Rutland Business Awards commented: "Purple House Clinic were deserving Gold Winners of the Community Business of the Year award. The judges were especially struck by the meaningful way their work supports people through tailored mental health and neurodiversity services for both adults and children, and the difference this is making in the wider community. These awards play an important role in supporting and championing local businesses across Leicestershire and Rutland, and Purple House Clinic is a great example of that impact in action." Purple House Clinic Leicester operates two locations: 71 Maplewell Road, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8RG, and Holmfield Consulting Rooms, No 1 Holmfield Court, Holmfield Road, Stoneygate, Leicester, LE2 1SD. For more information about Purple House Clinic Leicester and the services offered, visit www.purplehouseclinic.co.uk/psychologists-leicester/ or call 0116 380 5646.

A man has been charged with various offences after an incident in Shepshed on Sunday. Armed police were deployed along with other emergency services ending with a 8 hour standoff. A spokesperson from Leicestershire Police said. “We can confirm that Andrew Ostromecki, 51, has been charged with intentionally/recklessly causing a public nuisance, sending communication threatening death or serious harm and using threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour to cause harrassment /alarm/distress. He is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court this morning (Tuesday).”

Leicester College has secured funding from the Department for Education (DfE) Construction Industry Placement Fund to support the practical/placement elements of Level 2/3 qualifications in construction. The Department is providing this allocation of revenue funding to facilitate construction industry placements. This is aimed at helping learners to become site-ready and transition into employment by developing industry relevant skills and improving their prospects in the construction sector. Shabir Ismail, Principal and CEO of Leicester College, said: “The College offers a range of construction courses that help learners to navigate pathways through to careers in all the key professional trades. This funding support from the DfE will enable us to strengthen our focus on the apprenticeship and placement elements of these courses to deliver a pipeline of skilled workers to the construction sector.” About Leicester College: Leicester College offers a comprehensive range of technical, vocational and higher education qualifications across a broad range of subject areas, including ESOL, from entry to degree level. www.leicestercollege.ac.uk Press release dated 02/06/2026 - Sandstar Communications

Last night, an illegal e-bike rider collided with a drunk driver on Saffron Lane. The collision happened Saffron Lane around 9.30pm. Monday 1st June. Picture credits - South Leicester Police Thankfully, the rider did not suffer any serious injuries, although they were taken to the hospital for further assessment. The drink driver was arrested at the scene. A huge thank you to the off-duty nurse who stopped to provide immediate assistance before the ambulance arrived. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of both drunk driving and riding illegal e-bikes or e-scooters.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service have three remaining spaces on their FREE Biker Down! course at Birstall Fire Station next Tuesday evening (9th June). What is BikerDown ? Many motorcyclists ride in groups or pairs, so it is often the case that when one is involved in an accident the first person in attendance will often be a fellow biker. BikerDown is a FREE three hour course for all bikers, giving them an awareness of the dangers at a crash scene, how to deal with a casualty and, how to increase visibility to other road users. The training course for motorcyclists will be presented by a fully trained member of the Firebike team and will include: 1. Accident Scene Management On-scene management advice and personal safety, for a biker who comes across an RTC involving a motorcyclist. This covers initial considerations, including their own thought process to assess the most appropriate action to take in order to protect themselves and other road users at the scene, an order of actions and instruction on management of resources available (i.e. other witnesses). Information they should gather to assist attending Emergency Service Personnel. 2. First Aid for Motorcyclists Trauma and mechanism of injury Snatch rescues Why when and how Basic life support CPR Managing spinal injuries and crash helmet removal – when and how. 3. The Science of Being Seen Conspicuity, how effective hi–viz clothing really is Use of conspicuity clothing and hi-viz aids Phenomena such as motion camouflage and looming Pre-ride checks If you enjoy riding a motorcycle then this course is a MUST! It will give you knowledge and skills that you can use if you come across a road traffic collision, and the potential to make a real difference and save lives. It's FREE and on completion you will receive a certificate and a motorcycle first aid kit. Date and Location of Free training Tue, 9th Jun 2026 19:00 - 22:00 Venue: Birstall Fire and Rescue Station Geoff Monk Way, Leicester LE4 3BU