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Emergency services are currently in attendance on Abbey Park Road here in the city. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue service and East Midlands Ambulance service are at the scene. This road traffic collision involves 2 cars, we have no details on any injuries at this time. Abbey Park Road between Wolsey Island Way and the Belgrave roundabout is currently closed both ways. The main entrance for Abbey Park is within the area of the Police cordon and has been taped off. Please find alternate routes - updates to follow.

Two people have been charged as part of a police investigation into firearm discharges in Leicester. The investigation remains ongoing in relation to offences which occurred on Tuesday 2 June in Cort Crescent, Braunstone, and two incidents on Tuesday 9 June in Brascote Lane, Newbold Verdon and Station Road, Glenfield. In all three incidents, damage was caused to the front of the properties – consistent with a firearm having been discharged. A car was also damaged in Newbold Verdon. No-one has been injured. On Sunday (21 June), Daniel Bateman, 29, of no fixed address, and Tom Law, 38, of Corfield Rise, Leicester, were both charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited for life. The charges relate to the incident at Brascote Lane and Station Road on 9 June 2026. Bateman and Law appeared at Leicester Magistrates Court yesterday (Monday) where they were remanded into custody. They are due to appear at Leicester Crown Court on Monday 10 August. Yesterday (Monday), a 20-year-old man, of Leicester, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life in connection with the investigation. He currently remains in police custody. Three additional people have previously been arrested in connection with the investigation. They are: A 40-year-old man arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and released on police bail pending further enquiries. A 34-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and suspicion of assisting an offender. She has been released on police bail for the firearms arrest and released under investigation for the assisting an offender arrest. A 36-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and released under investigation. Leicestershire Police News Published: 10:43 23/06/2026

Multiple Fire crews are responding to a car transporter fire on the M1 motorway north of the Catthorpe Interchange (J19). M1 JUCTIONS 19 - 20 CLOSED Credit - LFRS Seven cars are ablaze, as well as the transporter. There are no casualties. There are six fire engines currently at the scene, plus two water carriers. Colleagues from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Services are assisting. The northbound carriageway of the M1 is closed in this area, with two lanes of the southbound carriageway also closed. National Highways East Midlands has warned drivers that there is no access to the M1 northbound from the A14. Motorists should seek alternative routes, and can expect long delays. Fire crews from Lutterworth, Hinckley and Southern Fire Stations worked until just after 9pm. The fire was caused by a blown tyre on the trailer.

Leicester Pride set to welcome record crowds as region becomes home to more Pride celebrations than anywhere else in the country. Leicester Pride is preparing to welcome more than 20,000 people to the city this summer as organisers gear up for what promises to be one of the largest Pride celebrations in the UK and a powerful showcase of why the Midlands is increasingly regarded as the nation's Pride Capital. The annual event – which takes place Saturday 5th September – has grown into the Midlands' largest free-to-access, one-day Pride festival, will bring together members of the LGBTQ+ community, allies, families, businesses and visitors from across the region and beyond for a day of celebration, visibility and inclusion. As Pride events continue to flourish across towns and cities throughout the Midlands – including Hinckley, Ashby, Loughborough and Coalville - the region has emerged as the UK's Pride heartland, hosting an unrivalled network of celebrations that champion diversity, equality and community spirit. Leicester Pride sits proudly at the centre of that movement, attracting thousands of visitors each year and helping to position the city as one of the country's most welcoming and inclusive destinations. Martyn Parker, Chair of Leicester Pride, said: "The Midlands has become a powerhouse for Pride celebrations and Leicester Pride is proud to play a leading role in that story. "Every year we welcome people from right across the region and beyond who come together to celebrate diversity, support one another and show that everyone deserves to feel seen, valued and accepted. "With more than 20,000 people expected to attend this year's event, Leicester Pride continues to demonstrate the strength, resilience and vibrancy of our community. We are looking forward to delivering a fantastic day that showcases everything that makes Leicester such a diverse, welcoming and inclusive city." The event will feature a colourful city-centre parade alongside live music, entertainment, community organisations, food and drink vendors, family-friendly activities and opportunities for people to connect with local support groups and services. Leicester Pride's growing popularity reflects the increasing importance of regional Pride events, offering safe and inclusive spaces for people to celebrate their identities while supporting local communities and economies. The festival also delivers a significant boost for Leicester's hospitality, retail and visitor economy, attracting thousands of people into the city centre and reinforcing Leicester's reputation as one of the most diverse cities in the UK. Picture credit Stuart Gutteridge Leicester Pride Team Further announcements regarding performers, attractions and event details will be made in the coming weeks. Follow Leicester Pride Facebook page click here Audio version of this post For corporate sponsorship info pack - Click the link below to download The Leicester Pride event is on Saturday 5th September 2026 at Abbey Park Leicester 1pm – 9pm – Free entry Click on logo for web site For Market Stalls booking CLICK HERE Leicester Media is proud to be the official media partner for Leicester Pride

This weekend, Leicester’s skies will be transformed as the city hosts its first-ever Balloon Festival, one of a series of major family-friendly events expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Leicester and Leicestershire. Picture by Trevor Sewell for LM News Balloon Festival on Victoria Park 2026 Picture credits - Leicester Balloon Festival Pictures taken by Craig Thorpe for Leicester Media online Alongside this the daytime activities will include some incredible entertainment including the Stannage International stunt show; Civil War re-enactment & living history camps; a foam party; circus workshops; Magical Musical Flying Bubble Bike; a Dinosaur invasion; the Jump Dogs Parachute Team (Sunday); a fun fair; face painting, plus street food and licensed bars to keep you fuelled. More pictures taken by Trevor Sewell for Leicester Media online Leicester Balloon Festival: 19-21 June Venue Address London Road, Leicester, LE1 7RY Tickets are just £8 for adults and £6 for kids, get yours here. Pictures by Leicester Media Online by Craig Thorpe and Trevor Sewell & Leicester Balloon Festival

Leicester is the current title holder, having been awarded Curry Capital in June 2024. The five shortlisted cities are: Leicester London Birmingham Manchester Bradford Pictures by Leicester Media Online Media, journalist, restaurant owners and guests have been invited from Leicester, London, Birmingham, Bradford and Manchester to attend tonight’s ceremony in Leicester. This official presentation and ceremony will also be attended by: Deputy Lieutenant Professor Sir Nilesh Samani . The Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Kulwinder Singh Johal . Shivani Raja MP, Leicester East. Dan Harrison, Leader of Leicestershire County Council Jackie Ledger, Place Marketing Manager, Leicester City Council, Tourism, Culture and Investment. England's Curry Capital is a national accolade awarded every two years to recognise the city that best represents the nations vibrant and influential South Asian culinary scene. The award celebrates outstanding cuisine, cultural impact and the collaborative efforts of local communities, chefs and restaurant leaders. Public voting for the 2026 to 2028 title opened in March 2026 and closed on 1 May 2026. The official winner will be announced tonight 18th June 2026 at the city's multi award winning restaurant Chutney Ivy, Halford Street, here in Leicester. The ceremony will be hosted by broadcaster and Pukaar travel writer Vallisa Chauhan. Leicester Media will be covering this event live and will announce the winning city later tonight. England Curry Capital award is brought to you by Pukaar Group

Governors' decision made with support for parents on offer. Leicestershire County Council is supporting parents to find alternative primary places for their children after Diseworth Church of England Primary School announced its intention to close. Governors voted to close the school from the end of this academic year following the loss of staff, leaving it without any teachers and support staff for the start of the next school year. The primary school was expected to have 35 children on roll for 2026/27, less than half of the 84-pupil capacity it can accommodate. Diseworth Primary School has, for a number of years, not been financially sustainable due to falling pupil numbers and an increasing surplus of school places due to declining birth rates, an issue which has been experienced nationally by all primary schools. All teaching staff have chosen to move to new jobs, and with the teacher notice period to leave at the end of the summer term being 31 May, there is no time to recruit any new staff. Leicestershire County Council officers will be supporting parents to find alternative school places, with the council reassuring parents that there are more than enough available places locally. A guidance document has been produced for all parents on how to apply for a school place, and a drop-in session will be held to support people in knowing the process on moving to a new school in time for the start of the year in late August. The Diocese of Leicester has been informed of the governors’ decision to close the school. Councillor Charles Pugsley, cabinet member for children and families said: “This is a sad day for Diseworth CE Primary School but our team will work tirelessly to make sure every child has a school place for the next academic year. “I know the governors have worked extremely hard to make the school sustainable, so this will not have been an easy decision for them. I want to thank them and the school staff for everything they’ve done to try and make the school viable. “It’s absolutely vital that this county has sustainable and successful schools. Our school places strategy is working to do exactly this – making sure high quality school places are available in the right place at the right time.” Any families who need support with applying for an alternative school place should contact the School Admissions Service by calling 0116 305 2070. Leicestershire County Council News - Monday, 22 June, 2026

East Midlands Ambulance Service releases statement as emergency services pull out from Pride events across the UK Firefighters, police officers, and ambulance service personnel will not be taking part in Pride marches in certain areas of the country East Midlands Ambulance Service says its staff will be permitted to join Pride marches - amid an ongoing debate which has seen emergency services elsewhere in the country withdraw their support. Whilst emergency services in these areas are still expected to attend the events to carry out their work duties, uniformed officers will not be permitted to join in on the day's festivities. The East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) states it "continues to be very supportive" of staff participating in Pride marches. Tina Richardson, the ambulance service's deputy director of people, said: "EMAS remains very supportive of our staff and volunteers joining Pride events across the East Midlands. "Attendance at events is usually led by our LGBT+ staff network; however, as with all community event activity, this is subject to appropriate checks, operational resource availability and the ability for staff to attend, on a case-by-case basis." Historically, emergency services have been present at some of the region's largest LGBTQ+ events, such as Nottinghamshire Pride, which takes place annually on July 25, and Leicester Pride on September 5. The ambulance service in the West Midlands said taking part in Pride events might suggest that it supported certain views over others which are "contrary to the protected beliefs" of other people. This has triggered an ongoing debate, with the region's mayor Richard Parker publicly slamming the move and arguing attending Pride events is not a "political act". The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives has also said the court ruling does not apply to ambulance services. The Leicester Pride event is on Saturday 5th September 2026 at Abbey Park Leicester– 1pm – 9pm – Free entry click on logo to visit web site They need corporate sponsorship click link below Leicester Media is proud to be the official media partner for Leicester Pride

A Red Heat-Health Alert has been issued across the Midlands and southern England until 25 June. This is the highest level of alert and indicates a risk to everyone's health, not just vulnerable groups. Northern England is under an Amber alert. For further information, visit the data dashboard: Alerts are in place from 1am on Wednesday 24 June until 11pm on Thursday 25 June https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts/heat?type=heat

Demolition started over the weekend to make the site safe. The cause of the fire is not known at this time. The latest from the Fire service is that this incident has now been handed over to Leicestershire Police for investigation. Fire Service received multiple calls at 4am on Saturday morning to reports of a large fire at Thurmaston Shopping Centre affecting several units. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue service deployed 8 fire engines, 2 Aerial appliances and over 40 firefighters were in attendance. The corner unit M&S food hall remains closed. Credit LFRS Pictures by Leicester Media Online. More to follow

A fire which destroyed multiple units at Thurmaston Shopping Centre is believed to have been started deliberately, police have said. A spokesperson from Leicestershire Police said: "Police were called to the Thurmaston shopping centre just after 4.15am on Saturday (June 20) following a report of a fire. Officers attended alongside colleagues from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. "The fire is believed to have been started deliberately and enquiries are continuing. We would ask anyone with information to contact police, on 101 quoting reference 26*359496." Picture credit LFRS

At least 50 passengers sustained injuries when two passenger trains collided near Bedford. Numerous individuals are seriously injured following the horrific crash, prompting hospital staff to be 'on standby'. Passengers described hearing a 'huge bang' prior to the abrupt crash that resulted in injuries. The exact number of seriously injured individuals is still unknown, but reports indicate that at least 50 casualties will be transported to Bedford Hospital as a result of the crash. BREAKING NEWS Train services from London St Pancras suspended for the remainder of the day. Both trains were en route to London St Pancras when the collision occurred. One train was the 4:40 pm East Midlands Railway service traveling from Corby to London St Pancras, while the other was the 3:50 pm service from Nottingham to London St Pancras. East Midlands Railway says that there will be no more services from London St Pancras today due to the collision. It stated: "East Midlands Railway services to and from London St Pancras are suspended for the remainder of service today, Friday 19 June 2026. "EMR customers are advised not to attempt to travel on these routes today. "Emergency services are dealing with an incident between Luton and Bedford, which is disrupting our trains on the London St Pancras/Nottingham/Sheffield and London St Pancras/Corby routes. Network Rail and the emergency services are on site actively responding to this incident." The East of England Ambulance Service has given an update on the resources sent to the collision. The service said an air ambulance and the Hazardous Area Response Team is responding to the "major incident" south of Bedford. "We encourage people to avoid the area," Update 22:00 One person has died after two trains collided in Bedford, according to British Transport Police The ambulance service says 89 people have been injured, with 11 of them suffering "very serious injuries" Below is a statement from the East of England Ambulance Service, providing further details about this incident: “The East of England Ambulance Service was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at around 5:15pm. “We quickly declared a Major Incident and put our emergency response plans into action. “We sent a large number of resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist Hazardous Area Response Teams, and six air ambulances. All patients with the most serious injuries have now been taken from the scene to hospital. “Sadly, one person died at the scene. A further 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and a further 56 people had minor injuries. Those with minor injuries were treated at the scene or taken to hospital where needed. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response.” Buses will run between London St Pancras and Bedford Passengers have been advised that a bus service will be running between St Pancras and Bedford on Saturday. Helpline EMR has established a dedicated call line for those customers and their families who were directly involved in the incident on Friday night. The line is staffed by trained colleagues who will be able to help with queries including the return of personal possessions and, from Monday 22 June refer customers and families to the British Red Cross should further support be helpful. The telephone number is 0333 212 59 34 and is open as follows: Mon-Fri 07:00 - 20:00 Sat 08:00 - 20:00 Sun 10:00 - 20:00