Rail passengers planning to travel through Bedford next week are being warned by the rail industry to expect disruption to train services until the end of next week (28 June) and to only travel on this route if their journey is essential. Following an incident on Friday (19 June) involving a collision between two East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains in the Bedford area, in which an EMR driver sadly died and many passengers were injured, the railway is expected to remain closed between Bedford and Luton for the rest of the week. As a result, there will be no GTR services north of Luton and no EMR services south of Bedford, with a limited rail replacement bus service in operation between Luton and Bedford. Journey planning apps and websites are being updated to reflect these changes and may take a few hours to do so. Customers are advised to check live travel updates before they travel. For as long as the Midland Main Line is closed at Bedford, train operators are accepting tickets for EMR customers. For customers whose journey is affected, tickets will be accepted on any alternative route. If customers decide to travel on EMR once the line is reopened, their connecting ticket on other operators also will be valid on that other day too. East Midlands Railways (EMR) No EMR services will run between Bedford and London St Pancras. Trains that usually start and terminate at London St Pancras will start and terminate at Bedford instead. From Monday, EMR will operate a reduced service on our Intercity and Connect routes, although Regional services will remain unaffected. One train per hour between Sheffield and Bedford, calling at Chesterfield, Derby, Long Eaton, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering and Bedford. One train per hour between Nottingham and Bedford, calling at Beeston, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, Wellingborough and Bedford. One train per hour between Corby and Kettering. Rail Replacement buses will be provided in each direction as follows: One direct bus per hour between Kettering and Luton (departing on the hour). One bus per hour between Kettering and Luton Airport Parkway, calling at Wellingborough, Bedford and Luton (departing on the hour). EMR Luton Airport Express services will not run whilst the recovery operation continues. Passengers travelling between Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras in either direction may use their ticket at no extra cost on Thameslink services. For passengers travelling between Luton Airport Parkway and stations to or from the North, Rail Replacement Buses will operate between Luton Airport Parkway and Luton/Bedford/Kettering. Connections are available at Bedford and Kettering for services towards Sheffield or Nottingham. For the latest EMR travel information please visit https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/service-updates East Midlands Railway Press Release 21/06/26

A large area of roof has collapsed due to the fire BREAKING NEWS Fire crews from across the county are currently tackling a blaze at the Thurmaston Shopping centre this morning. Fire Service received multiple calls at 4am to reports of a large fire at Thurmaston Shopping Centre affecting several units. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue service currently have 8 fire engines, 2 Aerial appliances and over 40 firefighters in attendance. There is a significant smoke plume and local residents are being advised to keep windows and doors closed. The main car park is expected to be closed for some time. A road closure is also in place on Barkby Thorpe Lane. Shop units which our affected are Clair’s, Greggs, Card Factory and Mountain Warehouse and M&S Food. The roof area is completely destroyed by this fire. Update 10:30 Part of the shopping centre is now been opened. The affected units will remain closed. Fire service is damping down the roof area. Update 11:00 Interview with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue service. The cause of the fire is not known at this time. The Police will run a joint investigation with the Fire service. More to follow. Media images. Pictures, Drone images and video footage by Leicester Media Online ©️ 2026

The Leicester based Marks Electrical retailer must refund nearly 40,000 customers and pay a fine after it automatically opted customers into additional paid services. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) orders around £600,000 to be repaid to customers – an average of £15 per person Marks Electrical also fined £720,000 for breaking consumer law Action is part of the CMA’s work to clamp down on illegal online pricing practices The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that appliances retailer Marks Electrical pre-selected and charged customers for extra services without their express agreement. This impacted customers that bought a range of essential household items – including washing machines, dishwashers and cookers – through the Marks Electrical website. Those customers were automatically opted into one or both of the following services: ‘Recycle Old Appliance’ service: removing the customer’s old appliance at the time of delivery, which is then recycled ‘Unwrap & Recycle Packaging’ service: unwrapping and removing packaging for the newly purchased product or products at the time of delivery, which is then recycled Under consumer law, consumers must have genuine choice over whether to pay for an extra product or service which they may or may not wish to choose. Businesses are not allowed to use pre-ticked boxes or other forms of automatic opt-in for optional extras which cost money – as was the case with Marks Electrical. As a result, the CMA has fined the company £720,000 and ordered it to refund around £600,000 in total. The CMA’s investigation looked at conduct from April 2025 – when its new consumer powers came into force – to November 2025. Marks Electrical stopped the conduct immediately after the CMA opened an investigation and engaged constructively. Having admitted to breaking the law and agreeing to settle the case early with the CMA, the company received a 40% reduction to its financial penalty, in line with CMA guidance. Affected customers do not need to take any action. Marks Electrical will contact affected customers about their refund, which will be automatically refunded to the method they used to pay for their appliance. If that is not possible, the customer will be sent a cheque. The amount repaid to individuals will vary depending on how much they paid-for extra services, but the average payout will be around £15. Emma Cochrane, Executive Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, said: The law is absolutely clear that automatically opting customers into extra charges is never ok. Buying a new washing machine, dishwasher or cooker is expensive and people should have the right to decide if they want optional extras – not be landed with costs that they did not agree to. All businesses need to check their policy on automatic opt-ins – the bottom line is that they should not be used. If businesses break the law, we’ll continue to issue fines and secure refunds for people. When the CMA’s strengthened consumer powers came into force, it committed to tackling unlawful online pricing practices to ensure shoppers were not left out of pocket. Under these new powers, the CMA has so far secured over £1.3 million in refunds for customers and levied fines totaling nearly £5 million. Further details about the investigation can be found on the Marks Electrical consumer protection enforcement case page. Find more Consumer Protection Rights Click here Competition and Markets Authority News Published 18 June 2026

The train driver who sadly passed away in the collision near Bedford on Friday, 19 June, has been named as 60-year-old Shaun Burton. Mr Burton was at the controls of an East Midlands Railway service travelling from Corby to London when it struck the rear of another train heading from Nottingham to London. In a statement, his family said they were “devastated by his loss” and extended their sympathies to all those affected by the crash. "We are devastated by his loss. Our thoughts are also with those affected by this incident," the family said in a statement released by the British Transport Police, along with a photograph of Mr Burton while asking for privacy as they begin to come to terms with their grief. The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) confirmed that the incident resulted in injuries to 100 people, with 11 seriously wounded and 57 sustaining minor injuries. Buckingham Palace said King Charles was "greatly saddened" by the rail crash and that his "thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the deceased and with all those injured of affected by such a tragic incident". The full investigation into this incident could take several months to complete.

Leicester’s Museum Square was once again transformed into a vibrant hub of Caribbean joy as the Windrush Tea Party returned for another amazing celebration today (Saturday 20th June) Here is some pictures taken by Craig Thorpe for Leicester Media Online You can share them just open, click and save for FREE.... Organised by Opal22, this event runs from 12pm to 8pm at Museum Square, New Walk, Leicester, families, friends, and communities of all backgrounds to come together for an unforgettable day honouring the legacy of the Windrush Generation. READ MORE HERE

Police at the scene on Gooding Avenue in Braunstone Detectives are appealing for information after a man was found with stab wound injuries inside an address is Braunstone. Police were called at 10.11pm yesterday (Tuesday 15 December) by the East Midlands Ambulance Service reporting their attendance to the incident in Gooding Avenue. The victim, 22, was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham for treatment – his condition is described as life-threatening. The suspects are believed to have fled the scene before emergency services arrived. A scene preservation is in place at the address. Enquiries to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident are in the early stages. Officers would like to speak to anyone who was in the area at around this time and saw or heard anything suspicious. If you were driving in the vicinity and have a dashcam installed in your vehicle please check your footage. Pictures by Leicester Media Anyone with information can call 101 quoting incident 615 of 15 December.

Sytner Group has partnered with Leicester Pride 2021 as a part of the business’ ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. Colleagues from the company’s various franchises will be marching in the vibrant parade on September 4th in the city centre, showing solidarity with the community. Simon Harrison, Sytner Group Colleague on the Leicester Pride Committee, said: “We are very excited to have Sytner Group on board as one of our main partners this year. “It’s great that the company is willing to support us, not only today but ongoing through its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace which is visible to myself and colleagues throughout the business with the ‘One Team’ ethos which really does mean that we all belong. “We look forward to working with them during Leicester Pride and going forward to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace.” With Leicester being home to the business’ Head Office, a number of dealerships and home to many colleagues, the company felt it was appropriate to support Leicester Pride and keep it close to home for its first partnership. Partnering with Leicester Pride is just one way that Sytner Group is planning to drive change within the industry. This comes as Sytner Group announces its new Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Jodie Williams, who will be working in a newly formed role supporting Sytner Group to develop and implement the diversity and inclusion strategy. Jodie Williams, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, said: “I’m passionate about creating cultures which are diverse and reflect the communities in which we operate, where individuals can be their best self. “It’s very important that diversity and inclusion is recognised and supported within businesses and industries and I aim to enhance the ‘One Team’ ethos within the business and continue to work with colleagues to continuously advance and improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.” As an experienced diversity and inclusion professional, Jodie has, in previous roles, developed and implemented various diversity and inclusion strategies. Melvin Rogers, Director of Human Resources, said: “With Jodie’s extensive background and knowledge working previously for National Express, ITV and Yorkshire Water, Jodie’s career has been centred on creating workplaces where everyone can fully participate. “Amongst her accolades are being shortlisted in the Head of Diversity category at the European Diversity Awards 2019 and named in the Top 100 Northern Power Women Future List. “We’re really looking forward to working with Jodie and developing and implementing the diversity and inclusion strategy for Sytner Group to continue our ‘one team’ ethos throughout the business.” For more information of this years event. www.leicesterpride.com LEICESTER MEDIA IS PROUD TO BE THE MEDIA PARTNER FOR LEICESTER PRIDE

Leicester Pride 2018 Event 1st September 2018 Victoria Park Leicester Leicester Pride celebrates it 10th year on Saturday 1st September. Leicester Media is proud to be the official media partner. www.leicesterpride.com Lots More Pictures. www.facebook.com/leicestermediaonline

Leicester Pride 2023, one of the largest free LGBTQ+ events in the UK, will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this September at its new home of Abbey Park, right in the heart of Leicester city centre. The annual event, which gets bigger each year, will bring the city together to celebrate Leicester’s diverse LGBTQ+ community on Saturday 2nd September. The festivities begin at 12 pm with a bright and colourful parade that will wind its way through the city from Curve to Leicester Pride’s new Abbey Park home where a jam-packed day of live music, entertainment, and celebration awaits. Highlights of this year’s Pride celebration include a community market, Billy Bates funfair, the Helsinki dance tent with DJ Woody Cook, main stage performances from West End star Ria Jones and the WestEnders, Lea Martin, Typically Tina and The Wild Boys before DJ Robbie Lewis with Rebe & Kyle Shenton on sax close the event with a live set and grand firework finale at 9 pm. Now one of the biggest, free Pride events in the UK, Leicester Pride could not take place without the support of sponsors and partners, many of whom have been in place since its beginning 15 years ago. Martyn Parker Chair & Director of Leicester Pride said “We’re incredibly excited to move to our new, bigger home at Abbey Park, something that has been in the planning for over 3 years now and we are extremely grateful for everyone’s support. Keeping pride free and accessible for everyone has always been at the heart of Leicester Pride so we’re hugely thankful to our sponsors who with us, continue to ensure that our wonderful city is able to come together and celebrate. Simon Harrison, Event Manager added “Without the support of all these partners Leicester Pride would not be able to evolve into the event it is today and keep it free for all.” Headline sponsors for 2023 include Aggregate Industries Barratt Homes and Sytner Group, Dunelm and Centrica as well as Curve, Leicester City Council, Billy Bates Funfair and Indigo Bars who run Helsinki, Dover Castle and Rainbow & Dove bars, Aspire, Avantor, DHL, DHU Healthcare, Hastings Direct, iOSH, Pick Everard, PepsiCo, The Secret Garden, and NEXT. Craig Thorpe, Director of Leicester Pride said “This is our 15th year and I’m so proud of all our team who work tirelessly throughout the year to bring this free event to enable our diverse communities to enjoy and celebrate such a great day….without our sponsors this event simply would not happen, myself and the whole team would like to thank them all for their current and past support over the last 15 years” Leicester Pride will take place on Saturday 2nd September, starting at 12pm outside Curve. The Abbey Park festival will be accessed via the Charter Street Bridge. To find out more, follow @leicesesterpride on social media or visit www.leicesterpride.com Sponsors of Leicester Pride

If you are searching for the official pictures and videos taken for Leicester Pride 2024. All the images are posted on the Leicester Pride Facebook page. Click here Video is now on YouTube Leicester Media is the proud media partner for Leicester Pride. Thanks to the following sponsors of Leicester Pride

The Flag of the Armed Forces will be raised at Leicester’s Town Hall on Monday (22 June) to mark the start of Armed Forces Week. Leicester’s Lord Mayor, Cllr Kulwinder Singh Johal, will be joined by the Lord-Lieutenant, Mike Kapur OBE, CStJ, for the ceremony at 1.30pm. The flag will be flown until Armed Forces Day on Saturday (27 June), when Leicester will host its annual Armed Forces Day parade. The parade, led by the Pipes and Drums of the Seaforth Highlanders, will be made up of serving military, reservists, veterans and cadets and will step off from Belgrave Gate, near to the Haymarket car park, at 11am on Saturday. It will make its way past the Clock Tower, onto High Street, and fall out in Jubilee Square. A saluting dais will be positioned on High Street opposite Carts Lane, where the salute will be taken by the Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire and Lt Cdr James Callender from HMS Daring, the Royal Naval ship recently affiliated to Leicester and Leicestershire. They will be joined on the dais by the Lord Mayor of Leicester and the Chairman of Leicestershire County Council. The parade will fall out in Jubilee Square, where a drumhead service will take place, starting at around 11.20am. The service will begin with the formation of the drumhead made up of five single drums and will be led by the Dean of Leicester and the Bishop of Loughborough. Both the city council and the county council are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, which sets out the authorities’ relationship with the armed forces and the services available to current and former personnel and their families. Councillor Elaine Halford, the city council’s Armed Forces Champion, said “Coming together to recognise the work of our Armed Forces, both past and present, is always an honour, and we are ever aware of the increasing unrest across the world that still heavily relies on members of our services to stand and protect us all. It is important that we continue to show them our gratitude for their commitment and dedication.” Leicester’s Armed Forces Day Parade and Service has been organised by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Lieutenancy Office and Leicester Cathedral. Watch our video from 2024 Leicester City Council News - 19/06/2026

Leicestershire Fire and rescue service are currently attending an incident at the Shell service station on Uppingham Road this afternoon. Police have place a cordon around the Shell Garage whilst the Fire service deal with this serious incident. A white van appears to have caught fire at the pumps. The service station is closed surrounding roads have also been closed. Uppingham Road closed between Colchester Road and Coleman Road. Scraptoft Lane between Uppingham Road and Colchester Road. A spokesperson from Leicestershire police said: “Officers are in attendance at a petrol station in Uppingham Road, Leicester, following reports of a van on fire. The force was called at 1.19pm this afternoon (Saturday). When we arrived, along with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and East Midlands Ambulance Service, we found a man in his 60s who had burn injuries. He has been taken to hospital where he remains in a serious condition. A van, parked on the forecourt, was also alight. A 62-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. No other people were injured. An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the fire. Part of Uppingham Road was closed, but has since reopened. The petrol station remains closed for investigation work.” Thanks to the actions of the staff and the quick response from Leicestershire Fire service this incident could have been a lot worse. More to follow. A man has been arrested after a fire at a service station in Leicester READ UPDATE HERE Pictures and video by Leicester Media Online with actual fire pictures supplied.