North West Leicestershire District Council has confirmed its support for the planned new Ivanhoe Line - with work still on course to start next year subject to the Government's go-ahead.

Council leader, Cllr Richard Blunt, told councillors that potential sites for new stations are already being looked at by the Department for Transport.

The planned 31-mile line, which was originally to have linked Burton and Leicester, is due to include stations at Coalville, Ashby and Moira across the district.

New proposals are now based on a line between Coalville and Derby.

Local businesses have offered their support for the scheme, which could see passenger trains running by 2026.

Cllr Blunt told last week's full council meeting that a letter had been put together for North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen and signed by both sides of the council.

He said: "A team of officials from the Department for Transport and Network Rail, visited the district on the August 21 to look at potential station sites to accommodate the Ivanhoe line which runs from through the district.

"This was to produce an appropriate design to be completed by the end of the year. Work on the line would than follow, subject to funding being released for the next stage.

"But this is contingent on the benefits of reopening and justifying the costs, and they will be done at the same time by the Government.

"I've drafted a letter from the alliance members, which I intend to send to the Member of Parliament, seeking his support for the opening of the Ivanhoe line.

"I'd like to invite the leader of the Labour group to add his signature to the letter and show his support for this."

Labour Group leader Cllr Sean Sheahan also supported the proposal with the council's chief executive, Allison Thomas, due to meet Mr Bridgen last week to ask for his backing.

The MP has long been a supporter of the Ivanhoe Line, saying the area needed the route more than HS2 which is due to pass through North West Leicestershire, but not have a station.