Heavy rain closes store

ASDA Hinckley was forced to temporarily close following heavy downpours last week.

The Barwell Lane store had to remain shut after heavy rain overnight on Wednesday July 19 seeped onto the shop floor.

Staff were able to quickly deal with the excess water, with the supermarket opening to the public at around 10am the next day.

The shop was also forced to shut early on June 6 during torrential downpours, as surface water from the car park began coming into the front of the store.

The store is next to the Big Pit, a former clay pit turned lake, and according to campaigners a likely discharge body for underground streams.

Plans emerged last year from Orbit Housing to drain and fill in the watercourse with around 75,000 cubic metres of soils and clays before building around 60 properties. YOUNG readers in Hinckley can become amateur detectives as part of the Summer Reading Challenge.

Libraries across the county are running the free challenge, which is themed this year on Animal Agents.

It involves a detective agency needing the help of young readers to solve their tricky cases.

More than 600 children signed up during the opening weekend.

Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for libraries, Councillor Richard Blunt, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is a really great way to help youngsters across the county to keep up their reading skills.

“When children are off during the summer, their reading can often dip. It’s all done in such a fun and engaging way.”

Participants are challenged with reading or listening to six books during the summer holiday.

They collect rewards as they make progress along the way, and are presented with certificates at the end.

As well as borrowing books from the library, children can also take part using the libraries’ digital service.

They can download eBooks and eAudiobooks while away on holiday, from destinations anywhere in the world.

Horrid Henry series illustrator Tony Ross provided the pictures for this year’s theme.

All children aged from three to 12 can sign up, no matter their reading ability. The challenge runs until September 2.

More information about Animal Agents and the digital library is available on the county council website.