SATURDAYS star Frankie Bridge has reluctantly had to step down from performing in the 2015 Strictly Come Dancing UK tour, on the advice of her doctor.

The singer is pregnant with her second child, but has a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can affect the early months of pregnancy – and famously afflicted the Duchess of Cambridge – and so has pulled out of the tour, which comes to Nottingham next week.

Frankie, who is married to ex-England footballer Wayne Bridge, has sent this message to her fans and supporters: "Wayne and I are delighted to announce that we are expecting our second baby. It is very early days, but we couldn't be happier and Parker will make a wonderful big brother.

"Although this is such an incredible time for us as a family, due to health reasons I am sadly unable to go on the Strictly tour as planned.

"I'm devastated that I'm missing out, as I loved Strictly so much and was so looking forward to joining everyone again in all those fabulous arenas. Thanks for the warm messages I've already received, they are really appreciated."

A spokesman for Stage Entertainment and Phil McIntyre Entertainments, producers of the Strictly tour, said: "We completely respect Frankie's decision, a safe pregnancy is the priority. On behalf of the whole cast and crew, we send Frankie our love and very best wishes - we will miss her."

Rachel Stevens has now been confirmed to join the cast of the 2015 Strictly Come Dancing UK tour, stepping in for Frankie. Rachel is no stranger to Strictly. She was runner-up in the 2008 BBC1 series and went on to dance around the country in the 2009 Strictly Tour and more recently appeared in the 2014 Christmas Special. She will perform on the 2015 tour with pro dancer, Kevin Clifton.

Rachel said: "I'm really happy for Frankie and Wayne - its great news to start the New Year with! I know she's disappointed not to be doing the tour - I was supporting Team Frankie during the show and she was fantastic, but I'm happy to be able to step in for her.

"It's no secret that I loved my time in Strictly and that I'm a big fan of the dances so I'm excited to be back and to get my dancing shoes on again. Today, I'm straight into rehearsals learning the routines and meeting the guys and next week we'll be on tour seeing fans across the country - I can't wait!"

Rachel will join 2014 Strictly champion Caroline Flack, fellow finalists Simon Webbe and Mark Wright, together with Scott Mills, Alison Hammond and Thom Evans. The new judging panel features the 2008 Strictly winners Derbyshire actor Tom Chambers and Camilla Dallerup, who join TV judge Craig Revel Horwood. Zoe Ball completes the line-up as host.

The Strictly tour visits Capital FM Arena Nottingham for three shows 20-21 January 2015. Tickets are priced from £50.40 and can be purchased via www.capitalfmarena.com, 0843 373 3000 or in person at the venue.

DERBY County have released ticket details for their FA Cup fourth round tie with Chesterfield.

The Spireites beat Scunthorpe United in their third round replay on Tuesday night and will head to the iPro Stadium on Saturday, January 25 (3pm).

Due to different away allocations for the FA Cup, Chesterfield have been allocated 5,700 seats in the East and South East sections of the stadium. Some season ticket holders seated in the East stand for league matches will not be able to purchase their regular match seats and will be able to purchase instead a seat that is not currently held by a 2014-15 season ticket holder elsewhere in the stadium.

Tickets for season ticket holders, half season ticket holders and 12-pack customers will be priced at £12 for adults, £8 for senior citizens and under-18s and £5 for under-12s. An adult ticket for a non season ticket holder costs £15 with senior citizens and those under-18 charged at £10 each. Under-12s are still £5.

The club is advising supporters to buy their tickets online at www.WeAreDerby.com and use the print at home service. 

Tickets are available online from 10am on Wednesday, January 14 until 4pm on Sunday, January 18. Any seats which remain unsold will then be available for general sale.

Telephone and counter sales open at 9am on Thursday, January 15 with tickets going on general sale from 9am on Friday, January 16 online and from the ticket office and phone, from 10am on Sunday, January 18.

Further details are available on the Derby County website.

PEOPLE living near the spot where a body believed to be that of Ricky Hill was found say police should have searched the area more thoroughly.

A body of a man was found in a wooded area off Balmoral Close, Littleover, near the Royal Derby Hospital, on Saturday.

A formal identification of the body is yet to take place but police believe it to be that of Ricky, 30, who went missing from the hospital on September 23. He had been admitted, suffering from depression.

Ricky's dad, Steven, of Somercotes, said he was angry with the authorities.

He added: "We were told by officers not to search that area because it had been done and that's why we didn't do it.

"If we'd searched it, we would have found him. I feel devastated.

"A lot of people have been heartbroken and we feel terrible."

Kiran Khaliq, who lives in Balmoral Close, said the area should have been searched more thoroughly for Ricky, who went missing on September 23.

She added: "Surely, they should have found his body sooner. They should have looked thoroughly around the hospital.

"This has all come as a shock. He was a missing patient and that is an empty patch of land – it should have been searched.

I think it's terrible that he was not found there sooner."

Garth Jones, also of Balmoral Close, said his thoughts were with Mr Hill's family.

He added: "When people disappear, they are often not that far away, and that is the case here.

"We were on holiday when he went missing but we've not seen any searches of that area since. It's possible he should have been found sooner.

"I can perfectly understand why his dad feels aggrieved – it must be a terrible anguish."

Ricky's dad said he wanted to appeal to other people suffering from depression to seek help.

He added: "Ricky was an ordinary young lad and he liked a drink and spending time with his family.

"But it seems that depression got the better of him. My message to anybody in that position is to please get help. Talk to your family or your doctor.

"I want to make sure people don't go through the same thing as Ricky. I'm 52 and I didn't realise how serious depression was. It's a silent disease."

A spokesman for the Royal Derby Hospital said bosses were going to meet Ricky's parents.

He also said the body was not found on ground owned by the hospital.

Dr Nigel Sturrock, medical director for Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has also pledged that hospital bosses will meet with Ricky's parents.

"While formal identification has yet to take place, we have completed a detailed investigation into the circumstances of Ricky Hill's departure from the ward on which he was staying," he remarked in a statement.

"We take the safety and welfare of our patients very seriously. However, patients are free to leave the hospital and we cannot deprive someone of their liberty.

"This is a tragic outcome to the situation and we offer our deepest sympathies to Mr Hill's family and friends.

"We understand this is a very difficult time for Mr Hill's parents and we have been in touch with them to offer our sincere condolences and to arrange to meet with them to discuss the care of their son."

A spokesman for Derbyshire police said: "There is a thorough review ongoing into the investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further until the review is complete."

A Derby school girl has died aged just 12.

The Littleover Community School pupil, who lives in Derby, died on Monday, according to the school's head teacher Ash Venkatesh.

He said he did not want to name the pupil, who was in Year Eight, but said she was a "very popular" girl.

The school has been hit with a double tragedy - tragically a former pupil died yesterday afternoon.

Mr Venkatesh said the pupil was either aged 17 or 18 and left the school to go onto further education in the summer of 2013.

He said: "Our main priority is to offer support to our pupils and their friends who are upset and grieving.

"It's a very distressing time, but nothing compared to what their families are going through. They were both well-liked pupils and I'm very proud to have had them as students."

ELLIS Carroll, 19, of Portia Court, Spondon, was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for 12 months, be under curfew for two months, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at Asda, in Spondon, on June 28.

NATHAN Tillson, 33, of Peckerdale Gardens, Spondon, was jailed for two months, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge for breaching the terms of a restraining order and assaulting a police officer on December 15.

RICHARD Lenton, 27, of Wye Street, Alvaston, was jailed for four weeks, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge for criminal damage in Derby on October 15.

DANIEL Challenger, 21, of Heanor Road, Ilkeston, was jailed for three months, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £200 compensation and an £80 victim surcharge for assault in Kirk Hallam on June 21, and the theft of a fridge freezer in Ilkeston on October 12.

NICHOLAS Bondon, 30, of Willin Street, Derby, was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge for twice breaching the terms of a restraining order on September 2 and 5.

DOMINIC Cox, 28, of Naseby Drive, Long Eaton, was fined £397, and was told to pay £85 costs and a £39 victim surcharge for assault in Long Eaton on November 22. No separate penalty was imposed for two counts of criminal damage on the same date.

JEFFREY Bailey, 33, of Dundee Road, Midway, was handed a two-year community order, disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay £300 compensation for sexual assault on June 18 and drink-driving and failing to stop following an accident in Civic Way, Swadlincote, on June 19. No separate penalty was imposed for driving without a licence or insurance on June 19.

EMMA Eckersley, 33, of Kraft Gardens, Chaddesden, was handed a six-month community order and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in Derby on August 10.

ARKADIUSZ Wojtkiewicz , 36, of Crompton Street, Derby, was fined £250, disqualified from driving for three years and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £25 victim surcharge for drink-driving in Breedon Hill Road, Derby, on October 18.

METADIZA Kinsona, 54, of Moorside Crescent, Sinfin, was fined £200 and ordered to pay £35.84 duty and £90 costs for keeping an unlicensed car on the road on June 6.

STEPHANIE Burton, 32, of Shakespeare Street, Long Eaton, was fined £110, disqualified from driving for 18 months, and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge for drink-driving in Tamworth Road, Long Eaton, on November 1.

JAKE Corten, 20, of Drummond Road, Ilkeston, was handed a 12-month community order, and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge for assault in Ilkeston on November 3 and criminal damage on November 5.

DEAN Ryde, 35, of Baileybrook Crescent, Langley Mill, was jailed for eight weeks and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge for possessing amphetamine on July 4. No separate penalty was imposed for stealing two pairs of jeans from Peacocks, in Ilkeston, on the same date.

JAMES Wojtania, 24, of St Wilfreds Road, West Hallam, was fined £225 and ordered to pay £100 costs and a £22 victim surcharge for being drunk and disorderly in South Street, Ilkeston, on August 9.

DANIEL Payne, 32, of no fixed address, was handed a 12-month community order and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge for stealing a bicycle belonging to Derbyshire police, on December 15.

SUSAN Riddings, 38, of London Road, Alvaston, was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £320 compensation and a £15 victim surcharge for stealing a mobile phone in Derby between June 6 and 12.

CARL Shipley, 42, of The Avenue, Mayfield, Ashbourne, was fined £461, disqualified from driving for 20 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs for drink-driving on the A52 in Derby on November 11.

OLIVER Hingley, 25, of Derby Road, Aston-on-Trent, was handed a 12-month community order with an eight-week curfew, and was ordered to undertake 120 hours unpaid work, pay £120 compensation, £620 costs and a £60 victim surcharge for assault and criminal damage in Derby on August 9.

Ten Morrisons stores will closed but the supermarket giant is keeping tight-lipped about which will face the axe.

The supermarket, which is about to open a new store in Ilkeston on Monday, has also seen its chief executive Dalton Philips leave the chain after five years in charge.

The firm said the search had begun for a replacement boss and Mr Philips would stay until the year-end results in March.

News of the change came as Morrisons reported Christmas trading figures with like-for-like sales falling for the six weeks to January 4 of 5.2% including fuel.

Chairman-elect Andrew Higginson said: "We need to return the business to growth. The board believes this is best done under new leadership."

Mr Philips was under pressure for Morrisons' poor trading performance, in particular for delays in moving into the convenience store sector and setting up an online operation.

Last September, chairman Sir Ian Gibson acknowledged that trading conditions were tough and that the whole industry was experiencing "unprecedented change".

Morrisons is being squeezed between the higher end of the market and the discount supermarkets chains.

A UNION has condemnedDerby City Council for making hundreds of employees redundant while spending £10 million on hiring temporary workers.

The huge sum has been spent on temporary workers since January 2012, despite the axing of more than 350 permanent staff in that time.

The agency staff have included rubbish collectors, social workers and care assistants.

Nicole Berrisford, branch secretary for Derby Unison, said: "When people are being made redundant, when we are looking at significant budget pressures, and savings are being made from staff, the council is still using agency staff. We want it to stop."

The shock figures have sparked accusations from the Conservative Party that the Labour-led council has been subjecting the people of Derby to "propaganda" about cuts when it has cash to splash around.

In the year after April 1, 2013, the council used 372 agency staff.

But Labour has said the use of agency and temporary staff used by the council "has remained consistent over a number of years and various political administrations".

And council leader Ranjit Banwait said that Labour policy was to have as many people employed on full-time and part-time contracts as possible so "they have access to all the terms and conditions that employers provide".

He has set up a commission to develop a charter of fair employment, one target of which is to reduce numbers of agency workers.

A council spokeswoman said: "Agency placements are sought as a last resort, when the work required is urgent, or there are specialist skills needed."

Amanda Solloway, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Derby North, who first raised the issue with the Derby Telegraph, said: "Now we know, just a couple of months after the council decided to subject Derby residents to propaganda on 'cuts', that they actually do have a bit of cash and have been splashing it out on recruitment agencies. I think this sort of loose spending again shows Labour simply cannot be trusted with the money of hardworking taxpayers."

The spokesman for Derby's Labour group, Councillor Baggy Shanker, said: "Agency workers play a role in the way large organisations operate. They offer flexibility, provide urgent absence cover and allow the hosting of large events without taking on high numbers of temporary staff.

"Amanda Solloway's comments are particularly unhelpful and demonstrate her lack of experience in local government."

Liberal Democrat group deputy leader Councillor Lucy Care said she believed spending on agency staff was down to the council trying to be as flexible as possible while making itself "a leaner organisation".

The authority has had to make £96 million of savings since 2010.

She said: "The agency workers will tend to have less secure jobs though that may mean they cost slightly more. They won't necessarily all be part-time agency staff. Some of them may be full-time.

"They are likely to have different pay and conditions to council staff, some might be to their benefit, some might not but they are unlikely to have a public-sector pension.

"The cost of the pensions to the public sector is high because they are very generous."

She added that it was often the case that pay at a council would be lower than in the private sector so the pension was part of the "pay and future conditions balancing act".

When asked about Mrs Care's points, the council said: "There are specific situations where agency staff are needed and these are the drivers for agency workers."

AGENCY STAFF - THE FIGURES

NEW figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, show the number of agency workers the council is using.

The authority gave a final figure of 372 for the year after April 1, 2013, down from 429 in the previous year.

Between March 31 and the end of November last year, the council estimated 317 workers were used.

The amount the council spent on the workers went up from £3,271,894 in 2012-13 to £3,402,223 the year after.

Between March 31 and November last year, it estimated a spend of £2,903,923.

Between January 1 and March 31, 2012, the council estimated it used 92 agency staff at a cost of £692,775.

The authority said it didn't have statistics for before January 1, 2012, because agency services "came from a different supplier before that date".

Since January 1, 2012, some 357 people have been made redundant at the council.

Of those, 76 were compulsory and the rest took voluntary redundancy.

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DERBY County have beaten off around a dozen other clubs to land Eibar defender Raul Albentosa.

According to reports, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague told Sky Sports' show Revista de la Liga how Derby have won the race for the 26-year-old centre back.

Balague said: "Steve McClaren convinced Gaizka [Mendieta] to leave Lazio to go to Middlesbrough and now he has just done the same for him [Albentosa] to leave Eibar.

"He [Albentosa] had about 12 offers but out of all of them, McClaren convinced him to go Derby."

The Spanish newspaper AS says the Rams have reached an agreement on what steps to take in order to pay Albentosa's release clause of 600,000 Euros.

FORMER Derby County manager Paul Jewell is to take legal advice following his shock departure from West Bromwich Albion – after only a week with the West Midlands outfit.

After joining new head coach Tony Pulis at the Hawthorns and playing his part on the touchline in Saturday's 1-0 win over Hull City, Jewell left the club on Tuesday night.

No explanation has so far been given regarding former Bradford City, Wigan Athletic and Ipswich Town boss's departure.

A statement on the Baggies' official website yesterday stated that Jewell had decided "he will not be continuing his recent assistance on a more formal basis".

But Jewell released a statement today which read: "(My exit) was not by mutual consent and it is in the hands of my lawyer. I will not be making any further comment at this stage."

Pulis has turned again to former Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur boss Gerry Francis for assistance after they previously worked together at Stoke and Crystal Palace.

A Derbyshire pensioner has been found guilty of voyeurism in men's toilets in Derby city centre.

A trial was told how Geoffrey Beighton was spotted by one security guard in the Eagle Market adjacent to Intu Derby shopping centre "waving his foot" under a locked cubicle door - a move that the court was told was a "sign" that he wanted to engage in sexual activity.

A second security guard said minutes later he walked in to the public toilets and saw the 70-year-old standing on a toilet bowl, peering over and smiling at whoever was in the one next door.

Beighton, a father and grandfather, told his trial he was a former steel metal worker and mistook the man in the cubicle as a former colleague who had once played a joke in him and who he wanted to return the prank on.

He said he was "not there for any sexual gratification and had no sexual interest in men at all".

But magistrates found him guilty of one charge of voyeurism.

Fiona Cannon, chair of the bench, said: "You have been found guilty of this offence of voyeurism and an aggravating fact is that it happened in a public place.

"We heard evidence that you started watching your victim over the top of the cubicle for longer than was necessary and we believe that was obviously for some kind of sexual gratification."

The victim, whose identity is protected by law, told the hearing that he did not see Beighton, of Newton Lane, Newton Solney, watching him as he was playing with his mobile phone.

But when he came out of the cubicle and was told by a security guard what happened he wanted to make a police statement and told the hearing he felt what Beighton had dome made him feel "dirty".

Security guard Richard Barrett said the offence took place shortly after noon on September 30.

As he walked into the public toilets he saw Beighton come out of the far cubicle and walk up and down.

Mre Barrett said: "We had reports of issues in the toilets of goings-on between males so had upped our checks to every 30 minutes to make sure nothing untoward was happening.

"I saw this man place his foot under the door of one of the cubicles and start waving it from side to side.

"I had been told this was a sign for wanting to engage in sexual activity."

Mr Barrett said he informed a colleague, Graham Muggleton, who then went into the public toilets and saw Beighton looking over into a locked cubicle.

He said he asked him what he was doing and Beighton replied "I thought I knew him."

Beighton was arrested and questioned about the incident and told officers he thought the man in the cubicle is someone he once worked on a building site with and had thrown water over him a number of years ago.

Giving evidence at his trail at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates he said: "I thought here's a chance to get my own back.

"I feel quite embarrassed about it, it was quite a silly thing to do.

"I can see what people think but I have no sexual interest in men."

Magistrates fined Beighton £165, ordered him to pay £50 to his victim and £100 costs.

FOLLOWING an icy and clear start to the morning, the Met Office has warned people that gale force winds are on their way to Derbyshire - and they are here to stay longer than anticipated.

The strong winds and heavy rain will start to creep in this afternoon. 

A Met Office spokesman said: "The severe weather warnings are in place for the region this afternoon, with the wind continuing to pick up speed all afternoon and into the night.

"We have now extended the warning from 3pm until midnight tomorrow as the wind speed is looking to be maintained for longer than we thought.

"I would advise people to keep a close eye on the Met Office website because we update this all the time, as weather systems are constantly changing."

The Met Office also said that there is a chance of wintry showers over the region for the weekend ahead.

A spokesman added: "There is a chance that the showers expected over the weekend, will turn wintry, especially over areas of high ground."

LEEDS United legend Peter Lorimer says Stephen Warnock and Derby County are a good match.

Lorimer played more than 700 games and scored over 200 goals for Leeds in the Sixties and Seventies.

He told the Yorkshire Post: "He (Warnock) is 33, and at that age you're into that stage of your career where contracts are more and more difficult to come by.

"Warnock's contract at Leeds was due to end in the summer and if the club had made him the sort of offer he was looking for – another 18 months or maybe two years – they'd have tied him down until he was 35 or thereabouts.

"It's not the done thing anymore and with the best will in the world, it doesn't tie in with a major rebuilding plan. So, even though I think he's done well for the club this season, I'm not really surprised that it's ended for him at Elland Road this month.

"Derby and Warnock are a good match for one obvious reason. There is a high likelihood that Derby will get promoted this season and Warnock's ability and experience over the next four or five months can only help them.

"If they do go up, it'll do them good to have a little bit of Premier League experience in the squad."

Watch video highlights of Peter Lorimer during his Leeds United playing career.

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A COMMUNITY bus collided with a car and a fuel pump as it pulled into petrol station.

Police say officers was forced to close part of a busy Ilkeston after the single-decker bus, operated by Little Transport, was in collision with the Fiat Punto and the pump.

No fuel was spilled from the pump at the Esso station in Nottingham Road and no-one was reported as injured during the incident which was reported at 6.50-pm last night.

A police spokesman said: "Nottingham Road had to be closed at 7.10pm between its junctions with Robert Street and Thurman Street following the minor collision while the damaged fuel pump was isolated.

"No fuel was spilled, the road was re-opened at 7.30pm and no-one was injured."

A DRUGS courier was captured by police who surrounded his car, smashed the window and used a stun-gun on him as he reversed into parked vehicles.

Kai Antill, 22, who tried to escape police even as their vehicles blocked him in, has been jailed for 20 months.

The dramatic scene, captured in footage recorded from one of the police cars, showed four officers swooping on Antill's white Volkswagen Golf to stop him from escaping after he refused to stop in Abingdon Street, Derby.

One officer pulled open the driver's door which slammed into the bonnet of a parked car as Antill reversed.

Another officer smashed the passenger window with a baton. Antill was eventually subdued after a stun-gun was used on him.

In his car, police found 10 deals of heroin and 10 of crack cocaine. They had stopped his car because they had received information that the vehicle was potentially being used to supply drugs.

Antill, of Goodsmoor Road, Littleover, appeared at Derby Crown Court and admitted dangerous driving and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Simon Clarke, for Antill, said: "It's quite frankly an unpleasant piece of driving and your honour quite rightly observed the risk to the officers by the car. It's an escape attempt, he's not trying to injure."

The court heard that Antill trained in the Household Cavalry Guards as an 18-year-old until he was nearly killed in a road traffic accident in 2010.

Mr Clarke said: "A car struck his motorbike from behind and he suffered eight fractures, including his spine, wrist, thumb and heel and rehabilitation took some time."

The court was told he will never be able to return to the Army because of the injuries he suffered. Mr Clarke added that Antill's mother told him that her son's character changed after the accident – he became withdrawn and depressed.

Antill received a large insurance payout and bought a house with the money. He also used some to finance a class A drugs habit he had developed following the crash.

Mr Clarke said since Antill's arrest in August he had been held in custody, which was his first experience of prison.

He said: "He's a vulnerable young man and has been assaulted three times in prison. He now has metal plating in his jaw."

In a letter to the judge, Antill apologised to the court and his family and said: "I'm not intending to continue the lifestyle I've been living. I intend to turn my life around."

Judge Ebrahim Mooncey jailed Antill and told him: "We see on CCTV you reverse down the street and in doing so knock into parked vehicles.

"It's a built-up area, with houses and parked cars on either side and you reverse, to some extent, at speed, but not massively so as bumps on the road slow you down."

Antill also admitted failing to stop and driving without insurance.

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Derby actor Jack O'Connell is being tipped 100/1 to be nominated for an Oscar at lunchtime today for his role in Unbroken.

Betting website PaddyPower has him at 100/1 for Best Actor.

Jack's onscreen performances in '71, Starred Up and his recent starring role in Angelina Jolie's Unbroken have already earned him a place on a five-person shortlist for an EE Rising Star Award which is voted for by the public.

The winner announced at the award ceremony on Sunday, February 8.

Meanwhile you can watch the Oscars on this live feed.

A DERBY school has been hit with a double tragedy after a pupil aged 12 and a former pupil died on successive days.

Littleover Community School

Headteacher Ash Venkatesh paid tribute to them both after their deaths.

The 12-year-old girl, from Derby, died on Monday.

George Watson, 17, from Whitaker Road, Littleover, died on Tuesday.

A statement from the family said: "We are all absolutely devastated at the sudden and unexpected death of our beloved beautiful son, George.

"It is difficult for us to understand how and why this has happened to our amazing young man, who had so much of his life ahead of him. George was our perfect boy and the best big brother.

"He was loved dearly by us all. He will be missed greatly as a grandson, nephew, cousin and friend to all who knew and loved our special boy. Our lives will never be the same without him."

Mr Venkatesh said he was not yet in a position to name the girl, who was in year eight, but said she was a "very popular" girl.

He said: "Our main priority is to offer support to our pupils and their friends who are upset and grieving.

"It's a very distressing time but nothing compared to what their families are going through.

"They were both well-liked pupils and I'm very proud to have had them as students.

"There are a lot of people here at the school who are very sad and there is a lot of upset. There will be support for the teachers and a lot of them are very upset."

Mr Venkatesh has been head teacher at the school for four-and-a-half years and was deputy head teacher before that for seven years.

He said it had been the most tragic time he had known at the school.

He said: "They were both well-known and well liked pupils. They had a lot of connections with the pupils and staff who taught them.

"They made great impressions to their peers and staff."

The Rev Alicia Dring, of St Peter's Church in Littleover, said she had held prayers.

She said: "It's devastating news for the family and friends of these two young people. We're praying for the community and as church leaders we want to offer support to the school.

"It's a terrible, terrible tragedy when young people are on the edge of adulthood and it's desperately sad.

"Any death is tragic but for the community this is awful. It's a mixed-faith community and there are a lot of different faiths across the area.

"This is a time for the community to support each other, regardless of faith. The families have to be everybody's priority."

She said the community would gather for prayers at the church on Sunday.

She said: "We have already prayed this morning and on Sunday there will be a chance to remember with special prayers and a candle will be lit for them."  

FORMER Derby County midfielder Lars Bohinen says he would have no qualms signing convicted rapist Ched Evans for his Sandefjord side in Norway.

Bohinen, who is the Sandefjord manager, told Norwegian national newspaper Dagbladet: 'I believe that when you serve your sentence, then a person should not be punished anymore. You should not be charged for it later.

'Yes, I would not have any problems [signing Evans if he performed during a trial]. It would be terrible if we would not let convicted people get back into the workforce.

'In theory, there shouldn't be any issue [with the club's sponsors]. But the mechanism [of football] is such that you can quickly become influenced by sponsors today.'

Evans was released from prison on 17 October last year after serving two and a half years of a five-year sentence.

He maintains his innocence and is awaiting the outcome of a Criminal Cases Review Commission inquiry into his sentence.

Maltese side Hibernians said they wanted to sign the Wales striker on a deal until the end of the season but a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson sid strict conditions imposed on sex offenders "effectively rules out working abroad".

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DERBY County have signed England international defender Stephen Warnock.

The 33-year-old left-back has joined the Rams from Leeds United in an undisclosed deal.

Warnock, who has two caps to his name at full international level for England, has signed an 18-month deal with the Rams, with the option of a further year.

Rams head coach Steve McClaren said: "We're very pleased to welcome Stephen Warnock to Derby County.

"He is a solid and experienced defender who certainly strengthens our defensive options for the remaining months of the season.

"The next few months are going to be extremely important for us and it is vital to have a strong squad to call upon."

He added: "As well as being a very good player he has excellent leadership qualities."

Warnock is not fit for Saturday's game against Nottingham Forest but could feature for the Rams in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Chesterfield on Saturday, January 24.

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Graduated from the University of Derby began to gather at Derby Arena for the second of three days of ceremonies from before the doors opened at 8.30am.

Arts, design and technology graduates were due to receive their degrees at today's first ceremony.

They will be followed by graduates from business. computing and law in the second ceremony.

Derbyshire ceramic artist Paul Cummins was present to receive an honorary masters degree in recognition of the recent commemorative display in the moat at the Tower of London in memory of the start of the First World War.

Mr Cummins, who was accompanied by his mother, said: "I was quite nervous but it is an honour for me and my family,"

Mr Cummins is currently studying for a PhD at the university.

Other graduates also confessed to being nervous .

Chelsie Glover, of Slough, said: "I have five members of my family with me and so it was nerve-wracking but it was great to see all my friends again."