RICHARD Wing, 42, of School Drive, Aberdeen, denied drink-driving in New Basford on October 5. He allegedly had 86 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35. He also denied assaulting two males in New Basford on October 4 and October 5.

He has been granted conditional bail until his trial on December 11.

AARON Watkins, 18, of Eaton Road, Stapleford, is accused of using or threatening unlawful violence in Stapleford on April 3 this year. His case has been sent to be heard at Nottingham Crown Court on November 28. He is on unconditional bail.

CARL Brown, 37, of Avebury Close, Clifton, was found guilty of stealing a micro fibre mitt from the 99p Store in Nottingham and assault. He admitted failing to surrender to custody at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on October 10. City magistrates conditionally bailed him to appear before them on October 25.

LUKE Hoggarth , 22, of Melbury Road, Woodthorpe, denied assaulting a female when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. The offence allegedly happened in Wollaton on September 16. He was given unconditional bail until November 21, when his trial is due to take place.

KEVIN Sisson, 52, of Labray Road, Calverton, was conditionally discharged for a year after he admitted damaging a female's mobile phone in Calverton on October 5.

He must pay court costs of £85.

ALEXANDER Watkins, 19, of Lancaster Road, Bestwood Village, denied two charges when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. He is alleged to have damaged a bedroom door and furniture worth £601 belonging to a female on October 4 and to have assaulted a female on October 2 in Top Valley.

He was given conditional bail until his next hearing on November 29 at 2pm.

KERRIGAN Wright, 21, of Mays Avenue, Carlton, was conditionally discharged for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to damaging a wooden gate belonging to a female in Sneinton on October 7.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £85.

A TEAM of medics from Nottingham's biggest hospital has completed a landmark study into treating children with diabetes.

The study, which began in 2009, found there were huge differences in how paediatric diabetes services were staffed, delivered and supported throughout the country.

And England was lagging behind other European countries, which had better care and were seeing improvements in long-term outcomes for youngsters, including fewer hospital admissions and fewer young adults experiencing complications of diabetes, such as blindness and kidney failure.

The research has led to a new model of best practice for doctors and nurses in spotting the signs of diabetes in children and ensuring everyone has access to the same level of specialist care.

It was led by Queen's Medical Centre consultant Dr Tabitha Randell and was introduced into hospitals nationwide this year.

It is hoped that it will lead to better outcomes for youngsters like Oliver Dobney.

The four-year-old, of Norman Drive, Eastwood, was misdiagnosed twice before finding out he had type 1 diabetes.

He suffered from chickenpox shortly after being born and doctors now believe that this illness may have triggered his diabetes.

His mother Anita, 41, said: "He was going to the toilet a lot and drinking constantly, but the first time we took him to the doctors we were told he had an ear infection, and the second time we went the doctor said he was suffering from pneumonia."

Oliver, who attends The Priory Catholic Voluntary Academy School in Eastwood, was eventually diagnosed at 20 months old, by taking a prick of blood from his finger and a urine sample – and it revealed he was just one hour away from falling into a coma.

Mrs Dobney said: "It was a close call in the end – he was close to falling into a coma.

"I hope that this new research will help with diagnosing young children, which can be very difficult because often they cannot communicate that well."

Oliver, who has two older brothers and a two-year-old sister, was initially injected by his mum four times a day for the first six months before he qualified for funding to be given an insulin pump.

The pump, which costs more than £1,000, continually infuses insulin into the layer of tissue just beneath the skin.

Oliver's type 1 diabetes is genetic, and not linked to poor diet or lack of exercise as is the case with type 2 diabetes sufferers.

There are about 29,000 children and young people with diabetes in the UK. About 26,500 of them have type 1 diabetes and about 500 have type 2.

There are a further 2,000 children and young people in the UK with diabetes whose diagnosis is not known and experts say that overall the numbers are rising.

The reason the research was commissioned was because rates of child diabetes were higher in the UK when compared to the rest of Europe and health experts wanted to try to reverse this trend.

Mrs Dobney, who is married to Nigel Dobney, 38, said: "At the end of the day we have been very pleased with the treatment we have received for Oliver's diabetes in what was, looking back, quite a scary time for us as parents.

"We have become mini experts in diabetes and I think the new research should really help doctors at the initial stage of diagnosis in children."

From 1997 to 2003 there was a 74 per cent rise in new cases of diabetes in children and adults.

And by 2005, more than four per cent of the population was classed as having diabetes – nearly double the rate of ten years earlier.

The bulk of cases are type 2 diabetes – which is linked to being overweight or obese.

The findings suggest that rates of diabetes are increasing at a faster rate in the UK than they are in the US, where prevalence of the disease is already one of the highest in the world.

SHOPS, public transport and a friendly community have come out on top of the list of Arnold's best assets.

Out of 100 people the Post surveyed, 59 praised the area's shops, 39 thought bus links were one of Arnold's best aspects and a further 36 said the people of Arnold made it such a nice area.

Andrew Lamb, 42, moved to Arnold two years ago from Mansfield.

He said: "I really like it here. I think Arnold has a good variety of shops and excellent public transport links. I use the buses to go into Nottingham about three times a month to visit friends."

Mr Lamb, of Church Drive, said he couldn't think of anything that needed to be improved, along with six per cent of people surveyed by the Post.

He added: "Everyone seems really friendly, caring and respectful. I think people see Arnold as more than just a suburb of Nottingham. There is a strong community spirit here."

Mr Lamb, a father of one, took over his current florist store, called Woods of Arnold, in Beechwood Road, after working as bank manager for Lloyds TSB. "It was a total career change, but business is going well," he said.

Grace Upton, 70, of Sunninghill Rise, Arnold, also praised the community. "The people are friendly and my neighbours are really nice. I just love Arnold," she said. "The only bad thing is the fighting in the pubs at night."

A total of 14 per cent also said antisocial behaviour was one of the worst things about the area.

"There's a good variety of shops," she added. "But there are too many charity shops filling the spaces of those which have shut down." Mrs Upton is one of nine people surveyed who thought there were too many charity shops and one of seven who thought the variety of shops had to be improved.

Jean Gretton, 58, of Worrall Avenue, Arnold, echoed her views. She said: "There's not much choice shop-wise, and there are too many charity shops.

"The market used to be good but now it's terrible. The town's gone downhill. But I just like the area."

Maureen Hayes, 66, of Glen Parva Avenue, Arnold, said the area could benefit from an increased police presence, along with 16 per cent of respondents.

"There's an element of anti-social behaviour in some parts due to a lack of police presence," she said.

"More things to do for children and young people would reduce this." Eleven per cent of residents also said a lack of activities on offer for the young was one of the area's worst aspects.

The Post survey has also shown that many people visit Arnold for its shops from surrounding areas, including Calverton, Woodborough and Woodthorpe.

Isaac Brosnan, 18, of Calverton, likes to shop in Arnold. He said: "There are plenty of shops and lots of variety and the restaurants are good too."

Chris Warren, group manager for the young people's service, at Notts County Council said: "We engage with around 150 young people in the Arnold area each week through a youth club which runs two evenings a week and weekends at Arnot Hill Lodge which we run with the borough council.

"We also have a mobile youth facility which visits the area each week. However, we are always keen to hear from people who have ideas about how to further develop the services we provide for young people in the area."

Anyone with ideas is asked to e-mail Chris O'Brien, locality manager for the youth service in Gedling, at chris.obrien@nottscc.gov.uk.

Councillor Michael Payne, deputy leader and portfolio holder for communications and public protection, said: "We are pleased with the overall findings of the survey. To see so many people talk positively about their area and the facilities is very encouraging.

"The shopping centre in Arnold is a fantastically vibrant area and based on the findings of the survey, provides local people with what they need. But we understand there is always room for improvement.

"We are also aware there will always be issues that affect people, such as antisocial behaviour and crime and we will continue to work closely with police and other local partners to crack down on this and continue to strive to improve the borough for its residents."

A spokeswoman for Notts Police said: "Officers are committed to tackling antisocial behaviour in Arnold and work closely with partner agencies, schools and local authorities to combat incidents of this nature.

"Operation Animism, which targets antisocial behaviour in the town on Friday and Saturday nights, remains ongoing and has proved to be successful in reducing the number of incidents with information from the public used to focus resources.

"High visibility patrols are also conducted throughout the week in known hotspots in order to identify troublemakers and take appropriate action."

STUDENTS have given the thumbs-up to designs for a new multi-million-pound college in Ilkeston.

The £10 million Derby College campus will take the place of the Field Road complex, which is to be knocked down and replaced by a Morrisons supermarket.

The new campus, on the site of the town's old magistrates' court in Pimlico, should be open by January 2014.

It will cater for 800 students and 200 staff.

Childcare student Laura Drew, 17, said: "I think the plans look great. It is going to be a big thing for Ilkeston, having a nice, new college building. It will be really good to have a new supermarket as well. I can't wait to see all of the work finished."

Rajdeep Kaur, 18, also a childcare student, said: "The new campus will be brilliant. I am really excited about seeing it in reality.

"The new facilities will be great, because the current college is a bit old now."

Ben Thompson, 17, who is on a painting and decorating course, said: "It is great news that the college is getting a new building. The current one is pretty tired, to be honest." Course-mate Shannon Slater, 18, said: "Ilkeston is going to really benefit from this. The supermarket will bring jobs and the new college campus will be great for students."

Erewash Borough Council has given planning permission for both projects. As well as the new store, a petrol station and 39 new private and social housing homes will be built on the current college site.

College principal Mandie Stravino said: "I'm delighted that the final piece of the jigsaw is complete for securing a fantastic new campus in Ilkeston.

"The multi-million-pound investment in new facilities will enable students to realise their full potential and gain the valuable work and life skills that are so vital in these demanding economic times, both for themselves as individuals and for local employers. It will provide the local community in Ilkeston and the surrounding area with the state-of-the-art facilities that they deserve and brings facilities in this area in line with the multi-million-pound investment in our other sites."

Businesses in the area had voiced concern that the new supermarket would drive trade away from town centre shops.

But some believe that an influx of students to the new college campus will counteract that, according to George Cowcher, chief executive of Derbyshire and Notts Chamber of Commerce. He said: "It is our hope that a thriving town- centre campus stimulates a corresponding vibrancy amongst retailers in the locality."

What do you think of the plans? E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

FOOD banks are springing up all over the city in response to the growing number of families who can't afford a weekly shop, but the concept of emergency food packages in Notts is not a new one.

The oldest food bank in the city, at the Salvation Army in Notintone Place, Sneinton, has been helping people in need for 41 years.

Phil Johnson, 60, who has worked at Sneinton Salvation Army for 28 years, said: "Since I started working here nearly 30 years ago, there has been a constant demand for our food parcels. We are a Christian organisation and helping people in need is just part and parcel of what we do.

"We do help people struggling with addiction, and homeless people, but over the last few years we have seen more and more families come to us for food.

"Commonly, large families from Eastern Europe turn up. They have come to the UK because they have been told the streets are paved with gold. But the reality is quite different."

He added: "Ultimately, in this situation, it is children who are hungry, and the need is growing. When I first started working here the donations from churches and schools at harvest time would last us nine to ten months, whereas now they only last four to five months."

Beata Polanowska, co-ordinator of Signpost To Polish Success, which supports Eastern Europeans in Notts, has recently been given permission to refer people to the Forest Fields food bank.

She said it is too early to know how many people will need the service but added: "Every now and then there's somebody who's in need and this kind of assistance and help is essential to survive. This resource is vital to them. Perhaps they became sick. They come here to work and they work hard."

In the run-up to Christmas the Post has launched its Five Tons of Tins campaign to boost stocks at Nottingham's food banks. We are asking schools, community groups, churches and businesses to get behind the campaign by placing a collection box in their building.

Major Gareth Dickens, 45, who has worked at the Salvation Army in Sneinton for four years, added: "We hand out around 500 food packages a year, which might help around 1,000 people. Some of the packages are for families of four, five or six people.

"Increasingly we help people who are from working backgrounds who have never needed to ask for help before. I remember one man who was an engineer but developed arthritis in his hands and had to give up work, then fell on hard times and needed a food donation."

The newest food bank in Notts is in Clifton, and runs from Hope Church and St Francis' Church in Farnborough Road. It opened on September 20, and has helped 22 people so far, including seven children.

Co-ordinator Wendy White, 44, said: "Local professionals, like doctors, police and social workers hand out tokens to people who meet the criteria for needing a food parcel. These include being in debt, domestic violence, delayed wages and benefit changes.

"Each food package, which provides for one person for three days, costs £28. All the food is donated by local people, for local people, and there is a clear need in Clifton.

"We need the donations to keep coming in the run-up to Christmas."

To help us collect five tons of tins by Christmas, call Emily Winsor on 0115 905 1952 or e-mail emily.winsor@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk.

Have you been helped by a food bank and would like to tell your story? If so, call Emily on the number above.

A CAR ploughed into four parked vehicles, causing major delays for drivers.

Police said no one was injured in the smash, which happened in Gregory Boulevard, near its junction with Premier Road, in Forest Fields, just before 1.40pm yesterday.

But the smash led to long delays in each direction while the emergency services cleared the scene.

HUGE rises in rent costs in Notts are "dangerous", it has been claimed.

The National Housing Federation predicts the average private rent in the county will rise by £254 a month by 2020.

In Rushcliffe alone, the rise could be as steep as £309, up to £887 a month.

Projected rises in interest rates and house prices from 2014, along with a shortage of available houses, are being blamed.

A support worker at Emmanuel House, which helps homeless and vulnerable people, said: "It's dangerous. It's not over the top to say that it's a matter of life and death.

"People are dying and that could increase. There is going to be a massive increase in homelessness and theft.

"People will shoplift because that's what they will be pushed into. If you have got a wife and children and no money, what do you do?

"I had a 20-year-old recently who had a shortfall of £120 a month between rent and income. These people are really down and they have got hardly any options."

The average private rent in March 2012 in Notts was £476 a month.

The federation believes this could rise as high as £730 by 2020. City centre rents could climb from £542 to £694. Broxtowe will see a rise from £498 to £763.

The situation mirrors that of the rest of the country.

It comes on the back of a 37 per cent rise in the past five years.

Sue Maslowska, district manager of Broxtowe Citizens' Advice Bureau, said everyone was already struggling with price rises, adding: "It's definitely going to have a huge impact. People are going to face losing their houses.

"Everyone is struggling – every time you go to do shopping all the prices have gone up. It's horrifying."

"People are already worried about their fuel prices rocketing and debt generally is a massive problem."

Government figures show 390,000 new families seeking homes in 2011, but only 111,250 new homes built nationally.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of housing and homelessness charity Shelter, said: "Young people are paying the price for a housing crisis that's been left to reach boiling point.

"The rises in rent prices are being attributed to a projected rise in interest rates and house prices, which the study suggested were likely to kick in over the course of 2014 and 2015.

"It's time to start asking the Government what it's going to do to get a grip on this problem.

"If we want to protect the next generation from a life lived under constant threat of eviction or rent rises, we have to invest in building more good quality, affordable homes."

THE design for a skate park dedicated to a 14-year-old who died in a road accident will be unveiled for the first time this week.

Friends and family of Joshua Dale have been fundraising for the park since he died after being knocked off his bike in Colwick Loop road on January 13.

Around £15,000 has been raised so far and the design will be unveiled for the first time on Friday – when Joshua would have celebrated his 15th birthday.

Joshua's mother Faith Dale, 52, of Little Ox, Colwick, is keeping the new design closely guarded until it is unveiled at a fundraising event at Vale Road Social Club.

"Josh's friends have put forward ideas for the design and now they've all been put together so it's exciting that they haven't seen that yet," she said. "I think it's going to look absolutely fantastic because it's got a bit of a twist in it which makes it personal to Josh

"It's very different to anything else and it's very fitting and apt for all his friends and kids in the Colwick area."

Friends of Joshua, a pupil at Carlton le Willows Academy, established the Josh Dale Memorial Fund soon after his death.

As the collection grew they decided to put the money towards a skate park, which Joshua, who enjoyed BMX-ing and music, had previously asked the parish council about providing.

Through sponsored challenges and fundraising events a total of £15,000 has been raised. Applications are also in to obtain finance from a Local Improvement Scheme and WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental Limited).

A total of £100,000 is needed for the skate park and work is expected to start next May.

The final design was drawn up by Groundwork and Ross Marshall, who worked on the skate park at Radcliffe-on-Trent.

Mrs Dale said that the continued support for the project has been overwhelming.

"It's nine months now since Joshua died but it still feels like it was yesterday," she said.

"It's almost like the numbness wears off and then reality kicks in so it's a very different life that we have but the skate park is driving me forward.

"I'm so amazed by the support.

"It's lovely and it has helped. The support comes from everywhere, from people of all ages, and I'm really surprised and touched by it all."

The event at the Vale Road Social Club will take place on Friday from 7pm and will include a buffet, raffle and auction. The skate park design will be unveiled at 8.30pm. Entry is by ticket only. A limited number of tickets will be available on the door for £5.

A "CODE" which could help prevent people becoming victims of crime has won backing from all the candidates to become the first Notts Police and Crime Commissioner.

"Caroline's Code" is being developed following the murder of Caroline Coyne last July.

On Thursday, Carl Powell, 24, of Carlton, was given a life sentence at Nottingham Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of the murder.

Powell stalked and then killed the mother-of-two in Thorneywood as she walked home from a party.

Before the attack, Caroline, 28, of Top Valley, tried to flag down cars and was caught on CCTV deliberately stepping in front of a bus.

After Thursday's verdict, Jason Stansfield, who helped bring Caroline up while in a relationship with her mother Mandy Coyne, wants public, transport companies and taxi firms to sign up to the code, which obliges passers-by including bus drivers and the public to try to help people at risk.

All the candidates standing in the November 15 election to become the commissioner backed the idea yesterday.

Once elected the commissioner will take over the role of Notts Police Authority in scrutinising Notts Police and setting its budgets.

Conservative candidate Tony Roberts said: "That 'neighbourliness' does seem to have gone now. You have to think about the potential consequences of ignoring that person. This could make us all more aware and a bit more sensitive and something good could come out of it in the end."

Five months after the attack on Caroline, a woman in her early 20s was beaten unconscious and raped on The Forest Recreation Ground. Moments earlier, she boarded a bus but was told to get off by the driver because she was 20p short of the fare.

Last month 19-year-old Joseph Moran, of Walker Street, Sneinton, was locked up for a minimum of six-and-a-half years for the attack.

Paddy Tipping, the Labour candidate, said: "I'm very supportive of the idea of the code. I'm concerned that not just on this occasion but with what happened at the Forest Recreation Ground there were serious consequences that could have been avoided."

Malcolm Spencer, a retired police officer and independent candidate, backed the code but said it would need more development.

Care needed to be taken to ensure the public were not encouraged to put themselves at risk by helping someone late at night, he added.

Dr Raj Chandran, also standing as an independent, backed the code and said: "People should not so easily look away."

Mr Stansfield, of Arnot Hill Road, Arnold, helped bring Caroline up for around eight years and remained close to her afterwards.

Nottingham City Council, which licences taxis in the city, is willing to talk to Mr Stansfield about the idea and Nottingham City Transport says it will support the code.

Mr Stansfield, 42, said: "If it does take off it could be rolled out nationally and become a pilot project. I'm still determined that there will be an attitude change."

A FORMER police officer who used the force's computer systems to look up personal information about his girlfriends and family members has been jailed.

Robert Kirk admitted carrying out almost 500 searches over the course of eight years in which he accessed confidential data relating to partners, their family members and even his own children.

Yesterday he was sentenced to eight months in prison.

Kirk, 47, who admitted misconduct in a public office, also used police records to check out prospective neighbours in areas he was interested in moving to.

Sentencing him at Derby Crown Court, Judge David Pugsley told him: "References point to a hard-working police officer who had worked well, who was promising, but you know what you did was a major breach of trust.

"Many, many people – police officers, medical practitioners, nurses, lawyers – learn things in confidence and if someone goes along to any of those professional people and finds that what they had said in confidence had been exposed to the gaze of someone else, they would feel betrayed."

He went on: "There have sadly been prosecutions of cases of this sort and in a closed community such as a police force I cannot accept that you were unaware that what you were doing was wrong."

The court heard that between 2002 and 2010 Kirk, of West Bridgford, used the four main police databases to look at information relating to at least three partners both before and during he was in a relationship with them, and also once the relationship was over. He also accessed sensitive data on people linked with them and his own family members.

Kirk admitted the offence on October 1 and immediately resigned from his post, which he had held since 1985.

Speaking after yesterday's hearing, investigating officer DI Rob Allison said: "The sentence handed down to Robert Kirk should send a clear message that no one is above the law. As we have stated before, Kirk repeatedly exploited his position, which gave him access to confidential information not just about the individuals he had become personally involved with, but potentially, thousands of people.

"Trust and integrity are paramount to the police service, and action will be take against those individuals whose conduct falls below the standard that the public would expect of officers.

"That is what has happened to Robert Kirk. After 27 years' service he has lost has job and now he must serve a prison sentence, which is perhaps the greatest indignity to befall any serving police officer."

AN entrepreneur says he has been left "overwhelmed" after receiving hundreds of calls about his plan to build a factory which turns air into petrol.

The Post reported yesterday how Tony Marmont had gone public with his air-fuel synthesis process after seven years of development.

It makes synthetic petrol, diesel and aviation fuel using water and carbon dioxide.

Mr Marmont, who sold his Kegworth-based firm Carter Soft Drinks in 1993 for £45 million, said "hundreds" of people had called him over the weekend wanting to invest or find out more.

And he says with enough interest and development the technology could mean that one day people will be able to produce their own fuel at home.

He said: "We've had business people, men in the street, retired people, people from every corner of business calling.

"It's been more than I ever could have dreamed. I feel overwhelmed by it.

"I've never seen a reaction like this before. It took me by surprise.

"But when you think about it the whole world is questioning our fuel supply issues."

Mr Marmont revealed last week that he had produced 15 gallons of synthetic petrol using a small demonstrator unit.

Now he wants to increase production and build a £6 million pilot factory able to produce one tonne of fuel a day, but needs investors to back it.

This would then lead to his firm, Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS), building a much bigger refinery.

He said that over the last two days a big new potential backer capable of funding the pilot project had contacted him, among other possible investors.

He added: "We have had someone come forward. But we need to see all these people."

The AFS website had 30,000 hits on Friday afternoon and Mr Marmont said that "hundreds" of calls had come in over the last three days.

He added: "I'm hoping that people will take a licence out on the technology and build them all over the world. They could take it further than we could.

"As time goes by this new industry will become more efficient.

"It would change everything because this fuel is carbon-neutral."

Although synthetic fuel has been produced for decades, Mr Marmont's technology can claim to be carbon-neutral because the electricity to power it comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy.

The electricity is used to power a "scrubber" that removes carbon dioxide from air and takes the hydrogen from water using an electrolyser.

The carbon dioxide and hydrogen are then combined in a fuel reactor to produce petrol, diesel and methanol.

But before mass production can be achieved Mr Marmont, 82, needs investment to build the pilot plant.

Shell and BP yesterday declined to comment on the technology – but both said they were aware of it.

IN football, fine margins can divide success and failure.

In May 2010, Lee Trundle had a late, late goal disallowed for a supposed handball as Sean O'Driscoll's Doncaster side clung on for a 0-0 draw at Swansea.

O'Driscoll admits it was something of a controversial decision to rule out the goal, which would have condemned Doncaster to defeat – and propelled the Welsh side into the final play-off place.

Instead it was Blackpool who snatched sixth place in the table, right at the last – and the rest is history.

Ian Holloway's side went on to outclass Forest over two legs in the play-offs, before securing a place in the Premier League at Wembley.

Their adventure in the top flight was a short one, but the money it brought in continues to make Blackpool a force to be reckoned with in the Championship.

And O'Driscoll is expecting a tough challenge as he prepares to take his Forest side to Bloomfield Road tonight.

"It is a fantastic story. We drew with Swansea in the final game of the season, when Blackpool went up," he said.

"It meant that Swansea did not get into the play-offs and Blackpool did.

"Swansea scored a late goal against us but it was disallowed by the referee. It was a controversial decision at the time.

"Careers and reputations are decided on really small margins and, if the referee had given the goal, Blackpool would not have been in the play-offs.

"But that is history now."

Blackpool have assembled a strong squad of players.

But O'Driscoll believes it is their unpredictability that is their biggest strength.

"Ian has them playing in a way that is really unpredictable. You don't really know what sort of team you are going to face," he said.

"He has a habit of making five or six changes to his side at times and then making two or three changes, bringing on attacking players, during matches.

"It is a formula that has worked really well for them, they have been successful and deserve credit.

"We had two weeks to prepare for Cardiff, we have had 48 hours to prepare for this one.

"We need to make sure the principles remain the same.

"But it will be a different challenge against an unpredictable Blackpool attack.

"They rotate, they have really good movement.

"Tuesday night at Bloomfield Road is a bit like Palace at Selhurst Park in midweek – Blackpool have a really good record in those fixtures.

"You know it is going to be a difficult game. They will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. They can win games anywhere in this league.

"They are a dangerous team. If I had a choice, I would have opted to have two weeks to prepare for this one, rather than the Cardiff game.

"We need to make sure we have plan A, B and C in place, because they are unpredictable."

Forest go into the match on the back of a three-match unbeaten run that has seen them claim a draw against Blackburn in a match they dominated and beat Peterborough and Cardiff.

But O'Driscoll says his side must continue to work hard to improve.

"You are never on a completely upward curve. It is always up and down in this game," he said.

"You can progress and then you can take two steps back. You just have to keep doing what you believe is right.

"You cannot deviate from what you believe is the right way to do things.

"You have to show commitment to what you believe is right. You have to lead by example. Win, lose or draw, you approach the next game in the same manner."

Forest's confidence will have been boosted by the win over Cardiff in particular – and by the sight of Billy Sharp netting his first goal for the club.

But O'Driscoll believes it is team effort that will keep the goals coming for the Reds.

"The fact that Billy got a goal is massive," he said. "It was a good finish from him as well, which will also help.

"Players thrive on confidence and his should be good.

"Dexter Blackstock coming back from suspension is a big plus as well. He will give us another option.

"But we do not fixate on goals, we look at the chances we are creating. As long as you have that, the goals will come."

Tonight, a Forest win would not decide their promotion fate, nor that of Blackpool.

But, if they can claim another three points, it could edge them just a little closer to achieving their own Premier League dream.

CONCERN is growing for a Sneinton woman who has not been seen since the early hours of Saturday.

Police say Sandra Williams, 48, was last seen at around 12.30am that day. Officers said she hardly ever leaves the Sneinton area and has never gone missing before.

She is known to stick to a strict routine and has missed a doctor's appointment as well as meetings with friends, leading her family and police to become increasingly concerned for her welfare.

She is white, around 5ft 7ins tall, with short, straight brown hair. She is probably wearing a thigh-length navy blue coat.

Anyone who has seen her or who can help with the police inquiry should contact Notts Police on 101.

NOTTS County must get back on track at Meadow Lane – and boss Keith Curle knows it.

The Magpies have already lost three times on home soil in League One this season ahead of facing Bournemouth tonight (7.45pm), while they have gone a record 14 away games unbeaten since Curle took charge in February.

They also face Doncaster Rovers at home on Saturday so it's a big five days for Notts in their promotion challenge.

Curle insists his players are not lacking confidence in front of their own fans – but have just made silly mistakes in their defeats against Walsall in August and top-two Tranmere Rovers and Stevenage in their last two home league games.

The stark contrast between their home and away form is best shown by two games against Sheffield United in the space of 19 days.

They battled to a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane in the league and then lost 4-1 to the Blades in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Meadow Lane.

"I know we will win matches here at Meadow Lane, plain and simple," said Curle. "There is nothing to panic about.

"We have a great opportunity tonight because we're playing against a team that has just beaten the league leaders.

"We need to get our home form on track. Can we do it tonight? Yes. It's not something we are going to shy away from," he added. "We're not happy with the end results that we've had.

"But if you look at our performance levels in those games they have all been winnable.

"They were all there for the taking, games we were comfortable in and the worst we should have got is a point in all of them.

"Individual errors, individual decision-making has cost us dearly in those home games.

"In the Tranmere game it was an individual error at the back stick, we went down to ten men against Stevenage and we should have beaten Walsall comfortably.

"Teams aren't coming here and ripping us apart, players have just made the wrong decisions in a split second.

"It can be down to mind-set, or expectation levels, whereby we can leave ourselves a little bit more exposed at home because of our desire and willingness to play expansive football and try to score goals."

THE mother of a 21-year-old Basford woman who was killed by her ex-partner has spoken out about her ordeal on national TV.

Victoria Blower, who lost her daughter Casey Brittle in 2010, appeared on Channel 4's Dispatches programme last night. She was one of a number of people affected by domestic violence who were interviewed by Tina Nash, of Cornwall, whose eyes were gouged out by her violent boyfriend in Cornwall last year.

Ms Blower described her own daughter's reluctance to involve the police in her situation, despite her boyfriend Sanchez Williams' violent history.

She said: "My daughter didn't want to take matters further for obvious reasons – she was scared, for one.

"As far as the police were concerned, they didn't pick up on that and they should have done.

"When you go to these incidents you know you have to use your intuition. The victims are not going to talk if the perpetrator is there and you have to look around and be observant."

The programme discussed a new law that gives people the right to ask police if their partner has a violent history.

Notts is one of four areas to pilot Clare's Law, named after Clare Wood, who was killed by her violent ex-partner.

However, last night Ms Blower raised concerns that, as many perpetrators exert powerful mental control over their partners, simply knowing their past won't necessarily give victims the courage to leave.

Speaking on the programme, she said: "It's not so simple. You can't just leave somebody like that.

"Even if she had known, you still have to have safety measures put in place.

"It's all about safety and protecting the person on the receiving end of the abuse.

"Maybe some people will just leave but you still don't know what the aftermath is going to be."

Earlier this month Ms Blower backed the Post's domestic violence campaign Man Enough.

She also held a special gathering in Arnot Hill Park, in Arnold, to mark the second anniversary of her daughter's death.

The campaign called for Clare's Law to be introduced, and is now urging 10,000 people in Notts to sign the White Ribbon campaign, to end violence against women.

So far more than 4,300 people have signed the campaign, which is run in conjunction with Women's Aid Integrated Services, the Notts Domestic Violence Forum and Notts Police.

It is also supported by every council and MP in the county.

Readers can sign the White Ribbon pledge at www.man-enough.org or text Man Enough to 81400.

Women who need help can contact Nottingham's Women's Aid on 0808 800 0340 or visit www.wais.org.uk

THE number of young people in Nottingham who have been unemployed for more than a year has almost tripled.

There were 925 people in the city aged 18-24 who were not in work last month, compared with 355 at the same time last year.

Figures for the rest of Notts have also shot up – with 1,910 young people out of work for more than a year.

Nottingham North, which saw one of the biggest increases, has seen the number of young people out of work for more than 12 months jump from 185 to 415.

The area's MP Graham Allen said: "The figures show that there is no let-up for young people in Nottingham that have been shut out of the jobs market."

Other areas badly affected are the constituency of Broxtowe, which has seen a rise from 35 to 115, and Ashfield, where the figures went up from 55 to 190.

Nathaniel Middleton, of Polperro Way in Hucknall, is among those trying to find work. The 22 year-old, who has been unemployed for about five months, said: "It feels terrible. You wake up and there is nothing to do.

"I try to stay positive, but it isn't easy to keep motivated."

The figures were the worst since records collected by the Office for National Statistics began in 2005.

Last year there were just 675 young people unemployed across Notts – and there were just 135 in September 2005.

Mark Bowyer, of Broxtowe Partnership Trust, which runs a number of community services, said: "Young people in the area have always struggled to find the employment they were looking for and I know that struggle has increased.

"They tend to get temporary contracts. They are dipping in and out of work – when they get an opportunity they take it, but it doesn't last very long."

City council deputy leader Councillor Graham Chapman said the council has invested £3 million in the Nottingham Jobs Fund to create work for young people. The authority is creating jobs in the tram construction and other investments, as well as taking on apprentices.

"We're taking an active role," he said. "We have got a task force. However we need to get to the bottom of the figures before drawing conclusions."

Why has youth unemployment has risen so sharply? Are you affected? E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk or call 0115 905 1969

CRYING children fled a city cinema after staff mistakenly started showing a horror film instead of the cartoon they were expecting.

Twenty-five people bought tickets to watch animated film Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted at Cineworld, in the Cornerhouse.

But as parents and children settled down to watch the PG-rated film, staff accidently started screening 15-rated Paranormal Activity 4 instead.

Cineworld has apologised to customers who were affected by the glitch, and say measures are being taken to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Natasha Lewis and her eight-year-old son, Dylan Lewis-Gray, were among the shocked cinema-goers. Miss Lewis, 32, of Newmarket Road, Bulwell, said: "I'm disgusted about it. Dylan doesn't want to set foot in there again.

"They need to check the film before sending everyone in so they don't make this mistake again."

The mother-of-one added: "There were parents and kids in there, including some children who were younger than Dylan.

"Dylan wanted to see the new Madagascar film as he's seen the others and they're his favourite. He was really looking forward to it.

"When we paid they said go to Screen Eight for Madagascar 3, so we did. We sat down and it was meant to start at 10am, but it took until 10.30am for the lights to go down and for the trailers to start.

"There was one trailer which contained a swear word, but I thought nothing of it. It then came up on screen 'Paranormal Activity 4' and I just thought it was another trailer.

"We then saw the opening scenes and everyone started to take the kids out. We had to get the kids out fast as some were crying. Everyone was upset.

"Dylan has not liked going to the cinema before but I thought we'd try it out. He doesn't want to go back."

Miss Lewis was refunded the £11.40 she had paid for the two tickets by staff, who also offered customers the chance to see Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted on another screen.

A spokeswoman for Cineworld said: "We have investigated the incident and can confirm that this was a technical error with the projector and apologise sincerely to the families. All customers who were affected by the incident were offered refunds and complimentary tickets.

"We also invited customers to watch the screening of Madagascar 3 half an hour later.

"We take matters such as this very seriously and are currently working with technicians to ensure this does not happen again."

SEAN O'Driscoll says he will consider making changes to his Nottingham Forest side as they prepare to face another of the Championship promotion contenders, Blackpool, tonight.

After their dramatic win over second-placed Cardiff on Saturday, the Reds play the second of an intense run of three games in seven days, at Bloomfield Road this evening (8pm kick off).

O'Driscoll must make one change due to the suspension of Adlene Guedioura, following his second red card of the campaign.

But the Reds boss – who also has Dexter Blackstock returning from a three-match ban – says he will consider utilising his squad to cope with the physical demands of the fixture list.

And he has called on his players to be honest if they feel they are feeling the effects of a demanding Championship campaign between now and May.

"You do have to look at it that way, we have three games in a week and we have to look at things accordingly," he said.

"We have to look at the bigger picture.

"And we also want the players to take responsibility for things like that themselves.

"If they are not quite ready or if they are feeling fatigued, there is nothing wrong in them telling us that, there is no weakness in that.

"Players are very reluctant to admit that they need a rest sometimes. They all want to play.

"It is difficult, but you want them to be honest with you.

"We will take all our fit players with us to Blackpool and then make a decision on the morning of the game, after we have seen how everyone is.

"We have a suspension with Adlene out, which means there will be a change to the squad.

"Dexter is back from his ban so he will come back into the reckoning, as will Jermaine Jenas and Jonathan Greening."

Blackpool will pose another stern test for Forest, who have enhanced their own promotion credentials in the last three games.

"Ian Holloway will probably be worrying about his team and not the opposition," said O'Driscoll.

"I would like to get to that stage here, where we worry about ourselves and not the opposition.

"But this is a difficult division and we are still a new team.

"We are heading in the right direction, however."

ANDY Reid says Nottingham Forest must stay focused on doing things the right way, regardless of whether they continue their unbeaten run at Blackpool tonight.

The winger says the Reds are convinced they are on the right track in the Championship – and must keep believing in their approach, even if they suffer the odd set back.

"I have always felt that we are progressing. We are slowly getting better and that is still the case," said Reid, who netted as Forest beat Cardiff on Saturday.

"That does not mean that we are going to go on and win every game between now and the end of the season.

"As long as we are trying to do the right things in every game and in every minute of the game, we will be okay.

"We want to set ourselves goals and targets and if we can achieve those in the majority of games, we will be happy.

"As I said, we are not going to win every single game, but if we can put our plans into effect; if we can achieve our objectives, we will not be far away from where we want to be at the end of the season."

Reid joined Forest from Blackpool around 16 months ago.

"It is familiar territory for me, although I did not have a happy time there, for football reasons," he said.

"I did meet a lot of good people there, however. They were a good bunch – it was just a shame that the football did not go better for me there.

"Getting into the Premier League was a big achievement for Blackpool, but Ian Holloway will not be thinking about that now, he will be thinking about the future, not the past."

CONCERN is growing for an 81-year-old man who has been missing since yesterday.
Samuel Beckford, of Hempshill Vale, was last seen at about 1pm.

He is known to have caught a bus from Hempshill Lane, near the Northern Cemetery, into Bulwell town centre at around that time and may have visited betting shops while in Bulwell yesterday afternoon. 

His family raised the alarm late last night when he failed to return home.

Mr Beckford is black, around 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build and with short dark, greying hair. He was wearing blue jeans, a navy coat and thick black soled shoes.
He walks slowly, with the aid of a stick, and does have some difficulty with his speech.

Anyone who believes they may have seen Mr Beckford should contact Notts Police urgently on 101, quoting incident number 883.