TWO peregrine falcon chicks have hatched at Nottingham Trent University.

The chicks emerged in the early hours of yesterday morning – the first just before 2am and the second before 3.15am.

The university is currently awaiting the third.

Grant Anderson, environment manager at Nottingham Trent University, said: "During the cold weather earlier this month many people were worried about the effect the snow might have on the eggs.

"So we're delighted to see two tiny chicks appear overnight.

"We now look forward to watching them grow on our webcams."

The birds are nested at the top of the university's Newton building, in Nottingham city centre.

It has been a very successful nest site, with 17 chicks leaving the nest successfully in the last six years.

A NURSE from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) has been shortlisted for a national award.

Gay Jenkinson, who works on Edward 2 ward at Nottingham City Hospital, is one of nine people nominated in the Mentor of the Year category at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2013.

Gay, who has been a nurse at NUH since 2003, has been supporting and mentoring student nurses for nearly ten years, with many now working in senior positions at NUH.

Reacting to her nomination, Gay said: "I enjoy working to high standards and I feel very humble to be nominated for the mentor of the year award because mentoring is part of my daily routine looking after students, junior staff and new staff. It is a large part of my role and one that I thoroughly enjoy."

Mentors work with student nurses to offer "hands-on" teaching skills that ensure students get the chance to put into practice what they have learnt in the classroom.

As well as the day-to-day mentoring, Gay contributes to the practice learning team – a group set up to look at ways of improving the experience of student nurses across the hospital.

Katie Smalley, practice development matron at NUH, was mentored by Gay in 2005.

She is now a mentor herself and put Gay forward for the award.

She said: "Without Gay's attention to detail in ensuring her students pass their competencies, I wouldn't be where I am today."

The awards will take place on Wednesday 1at the Grange Hotel in London.

NEW College Nottingham has taken over a car dealership to help teenagers start their careers in the car business.

The college has bought the Co-operative Motor Group garage, in Haydn Road, Sherwood, to train students and apprentices in the motor trade.

It will be renamed 3E Autos, which will be a subsidiary company linked to the college – the first of its kind in the UK.

Other similar "learning companies" are also being set up to train young people and make sure they are ready for work when they leave college.

The idea behind them is that students and apprentices can learn their trade by dealing with the public up front.

3E Autos will be run a proper car dealership, with classroom space for trainees on the first floor of the building.

The 25 staff currently employed by the Co-operative Motor Group will keep their jobs and will help to train the apprentices, 15 of whom will start courses in September.

Qualifications on offer will be various diplomas in vehicle maintenance and repairs, and apprenticeships in vehicle fitting, maintenance and repairs.

Peter Roberts, assistant principal for enterprise at the college, said: "This will be a different way of learning and training up the future staff in this huge sector.

"It will still be run as a garage. But it will allow us to train up the apprentices and full-time students."

The move is part of college principal Amarjit Basi's vision to target the curriculum towards training students in key industries in Nottingham.

The garage will retain approved repairer status with Nissan, Renault and Chrysler/Jeep to ensure the warranties for existing customers are uninterrupted, along with the continuation of second-hand car sales.

Mr Roberts added: "We intend that all existing customers will still be able to get the service they receive here, if not better."

While the college is looking to set up more big "learning companies" similar to 3E Autos, other smaller ones have already been set up.

They include Inspire Design, an advertising agency, and My Jobs Place Ltd, a recruitment agency.

Mr Basi said: "This is a hugely significant move not just for further education in the city but for the local economy. Collaboration with local employers is absolutely central to our strategy for continued local skills development and to support our young people into meaningful employment.

"We have bold and ambitious plans to ensure all our students get real industry insight and experience and this new venture represents the first major milestone in the delivery of our employability promise.

"This is a first for Notts and a first for the country – a great way of putting Nottingham on the map."

Tony Guest, managing director of the Co-operative Motor Group, said: "Working with New College Nottingham creates a fantastic opportunity for the team to continue to operate the dealership, while also creating learning opportunities for students .

"We're confident the venture will be a great success."

LAST July, Daniel Elliott decided to make a difference to his life by losing the excess weight which had blighted his life.

"Basically, I woke up one day and I was sick of being the size I was. I wanted to prove people wrong. I knew that all I needed to do was eat a better diet and train at the gym," says the 18-year-old.

He was more than 23 stone and thought that it would take him a long time to get down to a healthy weight – he estimated at least a year. But six months later, by early January, he was down to just over 15 stone, having lost around eight stone.

"It went so quickly it's unreal. It still hasn't really sunk in. Every day, I wake up thinking that I'll be big again," says Daniel.

"Some people don't even recognise me. They expect me to walk in as the bigger person I was."

His own grandma was even left shocked after he popped round, having not seen her for a month and a half, in which time he'd lost three stone.

Daniel says: "I walked into the kitchen and she didn't even know who I was."

Daniel went to school at Thorneywood Education Base after leaving Greenwood Dale School (now The Nottingham Academy), in Sneinton.

"I left because I was bullied in years seven and eight," says Daniel.

Other children used to pick on him because of his size but now that he's lost the excess weight, he's got his confidence back and realises they were the ones with the problem.

"I look forward to bumping into someone from school one day. If I did see them, I could walk past them with my head held high. I've sorted my problem out but they've still got to sort their attitude out," he says.

Before dieting, his biggest weakness was anything sugary, including full-fat fizzy pop, cakes and biscuits.

"My main problem was Wine Gums. I'd have at least a packet a day and then wash them down with fizzy pop. Then the meals I'd have were full of fat as well."

Daniel's ditched the three bowls of sugary cereal he used to have for breakfast and doesn't put lashings of butter on his bacon cobs. He drinks low-fat fizzy drinks such as Pepsi Max and limits himself to one takeaway a month as a treat.

"Because I know I'm going to have one once a month, it stops me from having the urge to have one every day," he says.

The teenager devised his own weight-loss programme with help from his GP and also went to group dieting classes.

"I lost four-and-a-half stone by myself in just three months and then I went to Slimming World for nearly three months and lost four stone," says Daniel.

"I follow it from home now because I didn't really like going to the groups. I got used to doing it by myself and I enjoy doing it on my own because I get of a buzz out of it. When I weigh myself I know that it's down to me that I've lost the weight."

He does allow himself treats but has to make sure he's very measured in everything he eats.

"I allow myself two chocolate bars a week now. I try to control what I eat and I write it all down now.

"I started off with no willpower but as soon as I saw the results and started losing pounds, then I wanted to do it more and more."

As well as trying to cut down on fat and sugar in his diet, Daniel hit the gym with vigour.

"At first, I used to go on the treadmill for an hour-and-a-half, just walking – that burns about 1,500 calories. Then I'd go on the cross-trainer and try and get the total up to 2,000 calories a day.

"Now, I burn about 1,000 calories a day to keep it off and then do weights to tone up."

He goes to the gym at DW Sports, at Victoria Retail Park, every day unless he's playing up front for Sunday league football team Colwick Vale.

"I feel a lot fitter. Doing even silly things like walking are so much easier. I can also run for longer.

"I was damaging myself before. Just my breathing and every day life was terrible, which got me quite depressed. Now I've changed, I'm a lot better."

His mum, Jayne Elliott, 51, can't believe what a difference he's made to his life.

She says: "I think it's amazing what he has done. He was bullied because of his weight and then he ate more because he was bullied – it was a vicious circle. He's done so well. As soon as he decided to do it and he saw the results, he just seemed to get it."

Daniel is currently unemployed but he'd love to find work and his new physique has inspired him to think about a new career path.

"I'd like to be a personal trainer because, although I'm not qualified, I know everything about it because I've got personal experience in doing it myself," he says.

"My mum's trying to lose weight as well and I enjoy helping her. I'd just love to help others do what I have."

A NOTTINGHAM family have spoken of their delight after Prince Harry took their teddy home to parents-to-be Prince William and Princess Kate.

Laura Kanikowski and her 11-month-old daughter Phoebe called out to the Prince as he left brain injury charity Headway, in Basford – the first stop on his Nottingham visit last Thursday.

Despite being about to leave, he went back to the gathered crowd, where the mother and daughter handed over the grey bear.

Before he took the gift, Prince Harry asked Mrs Kanikowski: "Are you sure you want to give it to me? She doesn't look very happy."

Mrs Kanikowski assured him that Phoebe was only downcast due to the long wait and that the Tatty Teddy, decorated with a rose and a ribbon, had been bought especially for him.

The Prince was later pictured arriving back at Kensington Palace still holding the bear, which is believed to have passed on to Prince William and Princess Kate.

"He said thank you very much and then moved on to a little girl next to us who wanted to give him some flowers," recalled Mrs Kanikowski, of Watnall.

"I said to my husband about getting a teddy bear and he said to just get some flowers because he didn't think I'd get close enough to give it to him, but I thought the teddy would be nicer.

"Phoebe hasn't got a clue about any of it because she's not even one yet, but she did look at him and stop crying when he started speaking to us.

"The main reason I went was to get a photo of Phoebe with him in the background because I thought it would be nice for her – and now she's going to have so much to look back on. It will just be amazing for her to know this has happened."

Mrs Kanikowski, a teaching assistant at Southwark Primary School, in Basford, was on a day off on Thursday but went along to the Headway headquarters with the rest of the school.

She bought the bear from Tesco for £3.96.

She added: "I always assume the royals get so many gifts that they are given to charity, so to think that it will be kept and given to the new royal baby makes it very special."

Phoebe's dad, Paul Kanikowski, 38, was amazed when he saw the soft toy making national headlines over the weekend.

"I can't belive it," he said. "They only had about a minute's chat with him then handed the bear over and that was it really. The royals get so many gifts it's unbelievable that this little teddy has caused such a stir, but obviously I'm really proud."

Prince Harry was in Nottingham to officially open the Headway offices in Bagnall Road. He also visited Russell Youth Club, in St Ann's, and the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, in the city centre.

A spokesman for St James' Palace said he assumed the Tatty Teddy now had a permanent home with the young royals.

He added: "It was obviously gratefully received, as are all gifts."

A WORLD superbike star had a state-of-the-art operation at the Queen's Medical Centre after a 120mph crash left him with a badly broken leg.

Leon Haslam – whose home course is Castle Donington – was practising for a race in Assen, Holland, when he broke the tibula and fibula in his lower leg.

The 29-year-old was flown to the QMC for specialist treatment.

A metal rod was inserted down his leg from his knee – a procedure that couldn't be offered in Holland.

Haslam, who came second in the British Superbike Championships in 2008, said the break happened when one of his feet got stuck on the footrest of his bike and his other leg caught in his wheel.

He added: "It was at about 120 miles per hour. I remember it all – it was very painful, I knew I had broken it straight away. I was more disappointed than anything.

"It was on the Friday morning, at a practice session. I was looking forward to it."

Haslam, who also broke his leg last year, was flown back to Nottingham on Saturday and the successful operation took place on Sunday.

He continued: "The QMC have been great and fortunately I've been here a couple of times before.

"They wouldn't do the operation that I wanted in Holland.

"We thought it was in the best interests for me to get shipped back here."

The crash happened at turn seven in the first timed practice session on the wet Assen circuit.

Consultant orthopaedic trauma surgeon Daren Forward operated on Haslam, alongside Chris Moran, NUH's professor of trauma surgery.

Dr Forward said: "It was more difficult than usual because the break is pretty close to the joint and extends into the join."

"He could be back on his bike in a month's time and the rod means you can walk straight away.

"He's desperate to get riding again – if he had the operation abroad, he wouldn't have been able to walk for two months."

Dr Forward said that, despite his stardom, Haslam was treated just like everyone else.

"Everyone gets great care here at Queen's Medical Centre.

"He's a lovely guy, actually."

Haslam was born in Smalley, in Derbyshire, and now lives in Derby.

The race in Assen would have been part of the World Superbike racing championship – a contest in which Haslam currently stands in eighth place.

Tell us your stories. E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

AN armed robber who battered a takeaway owner with a knuckle-duster has been jailed for five years.

Sammy Evans claimed Mohammed Shafiq owed him £1,000 after he'd supplied him with slot machines.

Mr Shafiq had been in a food preparation area at Queen Fried Chicken, in Abbey Street, Lenton, when Evans confronted him on November 11, 2011.

Mr Shafiq asked him to wait but Evans swore and punched him with the knuckle-duster.

He then grabbed a knife and said he would stab Mr Shafiq, before holding it to his throat and threatening to cut it.

He left with £800 and warned, as he walked out of the door: "I'll be back for more. Don't call the police... I will burn down your shop and your house."

Evans, 34, of Nottingham Road, New Basford, returned to the takeaway in April last year to apologise. Mr Shafiq told him that saying sorry was not enough and urged him to hand himself in to police.

Evans did not and was arrested in June last year.

At Nottingham Crown Court yesterday, he admitted robbing Mr Shafiq and possessing an offensive weapon.

Evans had a previous conviction for possessing a knuckle-duster in 2009.

Judge Michael Stokes QC said the incident was appalling.

"Mohammed Shafiq was providing a public service in his small restaurant-cum-takeaway, in Abbey Street, Lenton," he said.

"It was at night. You went in armed with a knuckle-duster, which you had been manifestly carrying in the street beforehand. You demanded money from him.

"You then attacked him and punched him hard using that. You repeatedly attacked him with it, causing unpleasant injuries including a fractured bone in his cheek.

"The man was plainly terrified."

Evans received five years for the robbery and 18 months, to run concurrently, for possessing the knuckle-duster.

Harry Bowyer, in mitigation, said there had been a "perceived debt".

He said Evans had known Mr Shafiq for four years and had been renting him the fruit machines.

"He has no previous convictions for robbery.

"This is an offence that is out of character.

"During this incident, he was making a living renting out fruit machines.

"He has given that up and gone back to painting and decorating."

DANNY Collins hopes Nottingham Forest can fly out of the blocks against Leicester City, now they have finally discovered the knack of scoring early goals.

Greg Halford became the first Reds player to net in the opening 15 minutes of a Championship match this season, when he headed home the decisive goal in the eighth minute at the New Den on Saturday against Millwall.

Now they head into a must-win game against the Foxes, looking to secure the three points they need if they are to have a chance of climbing back into the top six.

And skipper Collins hopes they can get off to a flying start again, to calm the nerves amid what will be a pressure cooker atmosphere at the City Ground on Saturday.

"It would be good to get off to a flying start again. Last Saturday was the first time we have taken the lead in eight games," said Collins.

"If we can get an early goal it would settle the nerves a little bit. That would be a good start. But we also want to keep a third clean sheet on the bounce. That would make all the difference as well.

"If we can get off to a good start again, the crowd will get with us and we can hopefully get a good result. That is part of football. We want to get the result and hope things will have gone for us at the end of it."

Forest need either Palace or Bolton to slip up, if they are to sneak into the play-off places.

Palace travel to Millwall tonight before facing Peterborough at home on the final day and need to win only one of the games for them to move beyond Forest's reach.

The Trotters, meanwhile, need only to beat Blackpool on Saturday to be sure of securing their place in the end of season showdown for a place in the Premier League – barring a freak turnaround in goal difference, while Leicester themselves have an outside chance of climbing up into sixth place.

And Collins warns that Nigel Pearson's side will also have pride at stake at the City Ground.

"Looking at things from their point of view, they will want to keep us out of the play-offs, because of that local rivalry," he said. "They have to play for pride and, knowing their manager, he will want them to be fired up and right at it.

"I am sure we would be the same if things were the other way around, so we have to expect that.

"But our gaffer will be right up for it as well and I am sure he will have us prepared; have us ready to do what is required.

"I am sure we will have an idea of where things stand on Saturday. You get a vibe from the crowd, I am sure the fans will have their radios on, they will give away what is happening at other places.

"But it counts for nothing if we cannot get the job done. We need to get three points and then see what happens. We have to fulfil our part of the bargain.

"Our confidence would be flying high if we were to get into the play-offs now, if we were to sneak in, we would be buzzing.

"But we have to focus on beating Leicester."

FIVE men and a woman have appeared in court charged over the kidnapping of a man in Notts.

They have been remanded in custody to attend Nottingham Crown Court on May 13.

DinhQuoc Nguyen, 49, of Plumptre Street, in the city centre, and Anh Dung Nguyen, 27, of the same address, were arrested on suspicion of kidnap at an address in Flintham, near Newark, on Wednesday.

A woman, Thanh Hoait Nguyen, 45, of Elford Rise, Sneinton and George Chiarella, 54, of Town End Lane, Flintham, and Joseph Chiarella, 50, of Chapel Lane, Bingham – were arrested at the same address, also on Wednesday, on suspicion of conspiracy to kidnap.

Philip Greengrass, 50, of Bolton Terrace, Radcliffe-on-Trent, was charged with kidnap, conspiracy to kidnap and false imprisonment late on Monday.

He appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court today and was remanded to appear with the other accused.

One person who lives near the farm said the police activity had been the "talk of the town".

The man, who did not wish to be named, had said: "I think everyone's surprised to have seen the police come up and for them to be around for so long.

"I mean, they've been here since Wednesday and are still around so everyone's talking about it and wondering what is going on. It's scary in a way because the police haven't said very much and I've seen them work all hours – with big lights all over the farmland until 4.30am."

The man added that it wasn't common to see the police in Flintham.

He said: "You don't get big things like this around here – as they say, it's a quiet and sleepy village."

A 20-year-old woman and 22-year-old man have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Officers were seen at The Stables farm in Main Street, Flintham, on Saturday, looking at the outbuildings of the farm.

It is believed that officers from Notts Police have been at the farm since Wednesday and are examining the area and will continue searching the land into this week.

The 42-year-old victim of the alleged kidnapping, who lives in Manchester, was taken to hospital with minor injuries, after allegedly being held against his will since Monday, April 22.

A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl has proved she has ability beyond her age – by gaining a C grade in her GCSE maths exam.

Zara Hashmi Bashir, who goes to Rise Park Primary School, impressed her parents and teachers so much with her ability that they sent her for lessons with older pupils at Top Valley Academy.Scroll down to see results so far...

She attended maths classes once a week and sat her exam last month, picking up a C.

However, she is not satisfied with just that, as a C grade was the maximum she could obtain in the paper she took. Instead, she is working towards sitting for a harder paper in the hope that she will soon get an A grade. She is due to sit that paper in June.

Zara said: "I feel really proud. It was a bit scary when I went to Top Valley with the older pupils at first. But I got used to it.

"I was going on Tuesdays to the academy and now I've started going on Wednesdays some weeks.

"I really enjoy maths. It is one of my favourite subjects. When I got the result, I was really pleased."

Zara started going to the academy in October last year.

Her mum, Naz Hashmi Bashir, said her daughter got her maths ability from herself and her husband Tariq.

Their other children, eight-year-old Kamran and six-year-old Tanya, are also good at maths.

She said: "Being good at maths runs in the family. We are so proud of Zara. She is very calm about it all. She's taken it completely in her stride.

"It's incredible how she has gone to a school with older children and really settled into the classes.

"She could have sat the exam in November, really. But we felt we should give her a bit more time."

Zara is in Year 5 at Rise Park Primary, meaning she still has more than a year left before she goes to secondary school.

Rise Park head teacher Karen Slack said: "I have been at this school since 1998 and I have never had this happen before.

"Zara is exceptionally talented. Once we felt she had the ability to sit her GCSE exam, myself and Top Valley head teacher Peter Brown spoke with her mum. It has been a tremendous achievement getting this grade. Now she is looking to get an A."