22/05/2014 East Midlands Today

And now the news for the East Midlands. I'm Dominic Heale. Good

evening. First tonight, shopkeepers pulled

down their shutters and people lined the streets chanting prayers as

Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan's Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Ch`uhan's

funeral cortege made its way Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan's

funeral cortege made its wax through funeral cortege made its wax through

Leicester and then Loughborough today. The 29`year`old serviceman

today. The 29`year`old servhceman died in a helicopter crash in

Afghanistan last month. He was described today as a true hdro.

described today as a true hero. Victoria Hicks reports.

They came in their hundreds to pay their respects to Flight Lidutenant

their respects to Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan. Young and old,

friends and strangers, unitdd Rakesh Chauhan. Young and old,

friends and strangers, united in the friends and strangers, united in the

grief of a community. At thhs friends and strangers, unitdd in the

grief of a community. At this young grief of a community. At thhs young

age, he has sacrificed his life for Great Britain. And the commtnity and

Great Britain. And the community and humanity. On the whole, we `re

Great Britain. And the commtnity and humanity. On the whole, we are very

humanity. On the whole, we `re very emotional. I am very close to the

family myself. And I knew R`kesh myself as well and he was a very

dedicated officer and he was totally into his job. At this young age, he

into his job. At this young age he did fantastic for the country. Shops

here closed this morning, an unprecedented display of respect for

a well`known family. The family unprecedented display of respect for

a well`known family. The falily that has lost so much. We are extremely

proud of him and what he achieved. He got to his rank at a very young

age. He rose through the ranks very rapidly. I know he did that because

he was very, very hard`working, rapidly. I know he did that because

he was very, very hard`working, very dedicated. He was a natural born

leader. The cortege, flanked by six of the men Rakesh Chauhan served

with, stopping for a moment outside the family business started by his

grandfather. Many were chanting Hindu prayers. Hundreds then

followed the 29`year`old as he made his last journey along Belgrave s

his last journey along Belgrave's Golden Mile. We wanted to bd here

today to show our respect to Rakesh Chauhan and also show our stpport

today to show our respect to Rakesh Chauhan and also show our support to

his next of kin. Sadly cut down so young in his life, he won't be able

to realise his career but he young in his life, he won't be able

to realise his career but hd will young in his life, he won't be able

to realise his career but he will be one remembered as a true hero. ``

all remembered. From here, the cortege made a slow processhon to

Loughborough. They came to mourn cortege made a slow procession to

Loughborough. They came to lourn and Loughborough. They came to mourn and

to remember a colleague, a friend, a son, a brother. As the cortege

son, a brother. As the cortdge arrived, Rakesh's mother kissed her

son's coffin. During the service, his father paid tribute, telling the

congregation how indebted they were to him and how proud they all were

of him. It was up to him to step up and do the job he was being asked to

do. He felt it made a real difference to the world. That he was

difference to the world. Th`t he was doing a good thing and he was

difference to the world. That he was doing a good thing and he w`s doing

it with all his heart. After the service, a fly`past by an RAF Hawk.

Rakesh's cousins paid tribute to him. He'll be remembered as a hero

and Nottingham earlier this month.

Magistrates were told he wanted to highlight what he regards as the

party's dangerous policies. The 33`year`old was given a conditional

discharge for 12 months and fined ?200.

Even if you don't find it a productive or tasteful method of

protest, time? It is absolutely ridiculous.

It was only four years ago when parents fought a long campaign to

parents fought a long campahgn to keep the school open when it was

known as the Gedling School. It was turned into an academy under the

guidance of the E`ACT Trust. But only this year, the trust lost

control of ten schools, including Sherwood, because of worries about

performance. In a statement, the executive principal of the trust has

said he fully understands the recent frustrations of parents and staff.

After the decision to close the school was taken, the Redhill

Academy Trust has been asked to secure a good education for all the

students involved. The decision to transfer to the Redhill Academy

Trust is part of an agreement with the Department for Education to find

new sponsors for academies. It means pupils in years seven, eight and

nine here will be offered a place at the Carlton Academy from September.

Years ten and 11 will remain at this site while they take their GCSEs.

Parents won the fight to save this school in 2010 but, after today's

school in 2010 but, after today s announcement, many have left feeling

their fight was for nothing. That's your news, so it's goodbye

from me, but now, the weather. As expected, there was some heavy

rain earlier today. Rainfall totals well over an inch in parts of the

East Midlands. More to come tomorrow with heavy and scattered showers but

also decent spells of brightness in the afternoon. Showers have cleared

to the north. We have had a dry evening but more showers will come

in during the night. There will be the potential for some thunder. As

we go through the morning tomorrow, we start to see the showers becoming

confined to the West. All of us should see some dry and sunny spells

in the last part of the afternoon. in the last part of the afternoon.

An unsettled start for Frid`y in the last part of the aftdrnoon.

An unsettled start for Friday with An unsettled start for Friday with

low pressure still with us on Saturday leading to more rahn.

% N %  Nd,  | B a afternoon. Feeling cool. I leave you