ROWS of black-and-green cycles are set to appear across the city as Nottingham launches its first free bike scheme.

Similar to the blue "Boris bikes" in London, they will be available from at least 17 different bike stands across Nottingham.

Adrian Juffs, 51, of Chilwell, who is a senior instructor for Nottingham cycling group Ridewise, has already put them to the test.

He took a group of cyclists out on the new bikes for the first time this week.

He said: "They're great for what they're designed to do. You've got big, flat seats which are good for people who are not used to cycling, they have three gears, lights and locks.

"It's not much money at all, it's very cheap."

He admits the bikes are heavy, so perhaps not ideal for long journeys.

But that is the point – the city council hopes they will be used by commuters for short journeys to reduce traffic coming into the city. It is hoped that, with bike racks at Wollaton Park and Nottingham Castle, they will also be used by tourists.

The bikes are free to use for Kangaroo travel card-holders and start at £2 a week for others – considerably cheaper than London, which charges £1 for an hour or £50 for 24 hours.

But they differ from the Boris bikes – named after London mayor Boris Johnson – because they are not locked in electronic docking stations. Instead, they come with their own locks and can be locked anywhere when not being used.

It would have cost £2 million to roll out a London-style system in Nottingham, whereas this will cost up to £350,000 – and has been entirely funded by the Department for Transport.

The council expects to spend no more than £50,000 per year to keep the scheme running.

The bikes are similar to a scheme that is used in Blackpool, on which it has been modelled.

Councillor Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council's portfolio holder for planning and transport at, said: "One of Nottingham's strengths is that it is a relatively compact city, which makes getting around by bike very easy. And, as a keen cyclist myself, I can vouch for that. It can be one of the quickest, cheapest and greenest modes of transport.

"It's also very good exercise, which saves on expensive gym fees."

One hundred bikes have been bought already but this is expected to rise to 250 over the next two years.

The bikes can only be hired from the Tourist Information Centre, in Smithy Row, and Broadmarsh Bus Station at the moment but 15 more locations will be added by the end of the year.

Covered cycle "cages" are also being introduced across Nottingham where people will be able to lock their own bikes up more securely.

They will have cycle stands, CCTV, lighting and Citycard activated lockers, open 24 hours.

They are already in place at Broadmarsh Bus Station, Nottingham Station, Fletcher Gate Car Park, Queens Drive Park and Ride and the Racecourse Park and Ride.

By the end of 2013, they will also be at the Victoria Centre car park, Bulwell tram and train station, Beeston train station and Hucknall train station as well as leisure centres and libraries.

What do you think? Will you be using the new bikes? Email your views to newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

NEARLY 1,000 sex offenders are being monitored in Notts, new figures reveal.

They show there are 99 sex offenders per 100,000 people in Notts – the highest rate in the East Midlands – with Derbyshire at 94 and Leicestershire at 74

Numbers are recorded and published as part of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) involving police, probation service and councils.

The idea is that they work together to monitor dangerous criminals after their release from prison. The Notts total of 958, released yesterday, means the authorities are having to keep tabs on 70 more sex offenders than they were a year ago.

Detective Inspector Ian Williams said: "The increase is reflective across the country. When someone gets a conviction for a relevant sex offence, quite a large number are on the register for life, so that number will never go down. I would say people need to be less worried by the rise, because it means these people will be monitored.

"It's actually an improving safety picture rather than the reverse."

It was not clear why some areas had more registered sex offenders than others, he said.

Figures for the 12 months to March 31 also show 327 violent offenders are being monitored under the system in Notts – down from 380 the year before.

During the year, two sex offenders being monitored in Notts were convicted of a serious new crime, according to the figures.

Det Insp Williams added: "There is no such thing as no risk. We've got a situation where, unless someone is locked up forever, it's about reducing risk to the absolute minimum."

In August William McDonald, 55, was given an indeterminate prison term after he sexually assaulted a boy under 10 in Nottingham.

McDonald, who was living at the London Road Project hostel, was being monitored by Notts Police.

Depending on the level of risk, officers plan regular visits to offenders, who also have to notify the authorities if they are travelling to certain locations or going abroad. Sex offenders must also give their fingerprints and have their pictures taken every year.

Olwen Edwards, of Victim Support in Notts said: "The responsible authorities have to be accountable. It would appear that MAPPA does provide that.

"I would rather have it than not. They are keeping an eye on some dangerous individuals.''

Jane Geraghty, of Notts Probation Trust and chairman of Notts MAPPA strategic management board, said: "While we can never completely eliminate risk of harm, working with our partners enables offenders to be effectively supervised through sharing information."

THE death of Baby P in 2007 sent shockwaves across the UK and posed searching questions about safeguarding children who end up in the care system.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the number of child protection plans – where a family must follow specific actions and undergo regular checks, many of which are unannounced – rose in Notts from 444 in April 2009 to 772 in April 2012.

The number of children in care across the county has risen from 545 in April 2009 to 846 in September this year. These children are in children's homes, with foster carers or looking for adopters.

These high numbers have increased pressure on children's social care at Notts County Council and caused it to re-think its approach to caring for children who need child protection plans and those who require a new home through adoption.

Carole Green has been a social worker since 1994. In September last year, she was selected to work as part of a new permanence team, based at Meadowhouse, in Mansfield, which prepares children for the process of adoption.

The team was set up to deal with the increase in the number of children who were being removed from danger following the case of Baby P, who died at the hands of his mother, her lover and his brother – despite numerous visits by social workers, the police and a range of other professionals.

She says: "It's had a knock-on effect. Nationally, it's recognised that there are more children in need of foster care and, as a result of that, many more children aren't able to return to their birth parents."

Prior to the new permanence team being set up, Carole was part of a team that dealt with both safeguarding issues and with children who were up for adoption.

"We had competing demands," says Carole. "It's not fair when you tell a six-year-old that you're going to see them in the morning, but then a child protection issue comes up in another case and you then have to say 'sorry, I can't come today'. Children don't understand that, do they?"

Carole can have as many as 18 to 20 children on her caseload at any one time. There are about 200 children in Notts currently at some stage of the adoption process.

In February this year, the council's adoption service was judged as "satisfactory" with outstanding areas of service, so there's still some improvement the team can make. And in autumn last year, the council was rated as "adequate" in an inspection of its children's services as a whole, and a re-inspection of its safeguarding services specifically was rated as "adequate with good capacity to improve". It's clear some positive changes have been made since its safeguarding services were judged as "inadequate" in March 2010 and its overall children's services were judged as "performing poorly" in December that year.

Her new role means that Carole concentrates solely on children who have been granted a placement care order by the court and need to be adopted. These children are normally already in foster care, so Carole doesn't have the concern of safeguarding issues – the county council considers adoption for around a quarter of all the looked-after children.

The aim is to try to place a child within six months. So far this year, 57 per cent of children going through this process in Notts have been placed within seven months.

Carole says: "That child who's been in foster care, waiting and knowing that the judge has already said the council is going to find them a new home, they feel uncertain. They don't know where they're going to spend their next birthday or Christmas. It's very important that we do our utmost to get that child with their permanent family. Previously, they maybe would be in foster care waiting and waiting – and in a child's life, a week feels like a month."

While the child is waiting to be placed, Carole works with them and their birth parents to create a life story book, which tells who their birth parents are and how the court came to the decision to remove them from their family and place them with adopters.

"We explain to them through play and books that a judge has made the decision and they wouldn't be returning to whoever they lived with prior to that, and we're looking to find them a 'forever family'," she says.

They use the term "forever family" as adopters come in all forms – it could be a mum and dad, two mums, two dads or a single parent.

One of the biggest challenges of Carole's job is to place sibling groups with new families, as they're often seen as an overwhelming prospect.

Since the permanence team was formed in August 2011 they've placed three sibling groups of three and seven sibling groups of two.

Carole recently placed a sibling group of three children who were all under six years old. In her career of almost 20 years, it was the first time she'd placed a group of three.

"It's more of a challenge than a younger, single child," she says. "It's just a case for adopters to appreciate that they will face challenges but the sibling group have formed a relationship and we want to preserve that where possible."

Carole believes this new way of working will help more children find permanent homes in the long term.

She says: "That's what children want, they want that feeling of permanence forever."

What are your experiences of the care system? E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

A SINGING bus driver from Nottingham is proving a hit on the other side of the world.

Jamie Macdonald, 24, features on a CD which has just won an award in Hawaii.

Jamie, who sings while working on the Trent Barton Indigo service from Nottingham to Derby, recorded the song at the tropical island studio of Reggie Griffin, a Grammy nominee who has worked alongside Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder.

The bus driver, who lives in Forest Fields, said it had been the best experience of his life. He said: "I'm as pleased as punch about the award.

"The whole thing is surreal. It was nerve-wracking and I was very honoured and humbled to work with Reggie – he's worked with so many inspirational singers. It's been absolutely fantastic."

Jamie sings a reggae song called Calling Me Home on the album Good Company, which won the pop category in the Big Island Music Awards 2012.

It has always been Jamie's ambition to become a professional singer and he has applied to BBC1's The Voice. Despite being recorded in Hawaii, Good Company has strong Nottingham connections.

Jamie was invited to sing on the CD by the woman who used to look after him at Forest Fields children's centre, in Russell Road, when he was five. Former senior play worker Roslin Sinclair moved to Hawaii in 1999, where she is now a singer-songwriter.

Good Company is her debut album and her younger sister Madeleine is producer and co-writer. Roslin wrote the song Jamie sings when she was homesick for Nottingham.

The two met again in 2004 when Jamie was a 16-year-old Royal Navy cadet and a volunteer at the children's centre and Roslin was on a return visit to the UK with her musician husband, Scotty Nelson. Jamie, who sang in a gospel choir at Trinity School, in Aspley, and was already proving to be a talented vocalist, gave them a spontaneous rendition of Stand By Me.

"We were so impressed," Roslin recalled.

And although the two became friends on Facebook, they drifted apart until 2009 when they began talking to each other on the site's chat function.

Roslin, 50, said: "He said he'd love to sing one of my songs one day. We thought that would be cool and were fantasising about it. He sent me a demo and it was brilliant."

Roslin, who used to attend Arnold Hill School and worked as a florist in Clifton when she was 17, played the demo to producer Reggie Griffin.

Within weeks, Jamie was jetting out to Hawaii – his first flight after years of sailing the seas in the Navy – to record the song at Reggie's studio. He also ended up performing with Roslin's band, Redd, at the Blue Dragon Night Club, in Waimea, on top of hanging out in a tropical paradise for three weeks.

Roslin said: "Jamie is incredibly talented and has a great voice. To work with a producer with the calibre of Reggie, that's a great thing for a young aspiring singer."

Griffin was a major influence on Roslin during her formative years. "I used to dance to music he produced in Nottingham nightclubs."

Jamie and Roslin met up again earlier this month when she returned to Nottingham to visit her mother, Margaret, who lives in Mapperley Park.

A COUNCIL tenant has been cleared of having cannabis, amphetamine and thousands of pounds of cash in a house registered in his name.

Stephen Bostock, 54, of Cranwell Road, Strelley, was found not guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday.

He denied knowing anything about the drugs that police discovered by chance in Bramley Road, Broxtowe Estate, on July 12 last year.

Police investigating a burglary in Bramley Road "followed their noses" when they smelt cannabis in the air, his trial heard.

The smell led them to the home of Mr Bostock, who was not there at the time.

On the kitchen table sat a box containing 444 grams of cannabis, worth about £2,500.

Officers secured the property and conducted a thorough search the following day.

They then found frozen amphetamine, with a wholesale price of £6,000, in four bags in a freezer and £4,200 in cash in a bag in a kitchen drawer.

Officers discovered the house was registered to Mr Bostock.

He said in a written statement to them that he was not living there and that he was staying at his daughter's because of health problems.

He has since named two other men who had a key to the front door. One of the them, he said, was doing him a service looking after his house.

Yesterday, he was cleared of possessing cannabis with intent to supply, producing cannabis and possessing amphetamine with intent to supply and possessing criminal property, in the form of the cash.

VICTIMS of historical sex abuse have been encouraged to come forward after a man was jailed for a string of attacks on a girl more than a decade ago.

Anthony Bradley King, 37, of Longford Walk, Mansfield, has been found guilty of two counts of rape against an eight-year-old child, two counts of gross indecency with a child, and two counts of sexual assault on a child.

King was arrested last November, 11 years after the attacks, and has now been jailed for 14 years.

DC Phillip Musson, of the Notts Police Sexual Exploitation Investigation Unit, said: "The victim, who is now 18, showed tremendous courage while giving evidence in court and having to face her abuser.

"She will continue to be supported by officers from the Sexual Exploitation Investigation Unit.

"I would encourage any victim to show the same bravery as this young woman and come forward to report abuse.

"This result goes some way to give this victim some comfort, knowing that he is going to be in prison serving a significant sentence."

ADMINISTRATORS hope that a buyer will soon be found for a struggling manufacturing firm in Eastwood.

FRP Advisory was brought in to try to find a buyer for Beamlight Automotive Seating earlier this month.

The firm ran into financial trouble after a contractual dispute with one of its major customers left it struggling to pay its 260 staff.

As a result, 190 of them had to be suspended, while the remaining 70 stayed on to continue work for the other customers.

Co-administrator Nigel Hamilton-Smith said talks were being held with "a number of interested parties", adding that they "hope to have some news on a buyer next week".

Mr Hamilton-Smith added they hoped the majority, if not all, of the 260 staff would be saved from redundancy.

He said: "We were called in to find a buyer for the company on October 11.

"Because of the problems, the firm has had to suspend many of the staff.

"We have had some interest in buying the company. Talks over the potential sale are ongoing at the moment.

"It is our hope that we will be able to let people know more at some point next week.

"It is obviously going to be a major concern for the staff.

"It is our hope that there won't be any job losses as a result of this, but this will depend entirely on the buyer."

The firm makes frames for seats in cars and trains.

It has a number of high-profile customers, including car manufacturers Ford, Bentley and Land Rover, and train makers Bombardier.

Mr Hamilton-Smith said he was unable to confirm which customer the contract dispute was with.

Beamlight is based in Newmanleys Road, Eastwood, and has a history which dates back more than 70 years.

No one from the company was available for comment when the Post called yesterday.

Eastwood town councillor Josie Forrest said: "A lot of people in Eastwood work at Beamlight so it is a very worrying time. I live near the site and see people going to work there.

"This is a company which has a long history in the town. Hopefully a buyer can be found to take this forward and save as many jobs as possible."

Councillor Keith Longdon, who represents Eastwood on Notts County Council, was also concerned. He said: "I have heard about the problems at Beamlight. It is very concerning for Eastwood that this is happening."

JOSEPH Newman, 35, of Woodfield Road, Broxtowe Estate, received a community order for a catalogue of offending. His first offence involved assaulting a woman at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre in July. After pleading guilty to this charge at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, he was given the order, with supervision from the probation service and a requirement to pay court costs of £100. He received the same order after he admitted criminal damage. The court heard he damaged a front door safety chain at a house in Broxtowe Estate on September 7. And he pleaded guilty to assaulting another woman in Nottingham on the same date. The same community order was imposed on this charge and he must pay £135 in compensation and court costs.

JORDEN Belinfanti, 24, of Brownlow Drive, Bulwell, is alleged to be involved in a conspiracy to commit fraud on December 21 last year. With six others, he is alleged to have made a claim for rent in advance under the Social Fund Crisis Loan Scheme, intending to make £65,000. He is in custody and will next appear at Nottingham Crown Court on November 2.

LUKE Booth, 20, of Greasley Street, Bulwell, was fined £600 for not revealing the identification of the rider of a Gilera DNA scooter. The rider was allegedly guilty of a traffic offence. The case was proved in his absence at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. As well as the fine, he is required to pay a victim surcharge of £15 and court costs of £150. His licence will be endorsed with six penalty points.

RICHARD Cottrill, 38, of Walnut Grove, East Bridgford, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a Seat Ibiza car when unfit to drive through drink. Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard the offence happened in Main Road, East Bridgford, on August 20. He is on unconditional bail to appear at court on Monday, October 29.

JOHN Cross, 30, of Melbury Road, Woodthorpe, denied criminal damage. He allegedly damaged a door belonging to a woman in Bilborough on October 9, Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard. He was granted conditional bail to return to court on December 19.

FIREFIGHTERS from Notts have been called to help ambulance crews lift, move or release dozens of patients because they were so fat.

Figures obtained by the Post show Notts Fire and Rescue Service has been called 69 times to incidents since 2009.

From 2010 to 2011 there was a 42 per cent increase, from 14 to 20, in what the fire service categorise as "bariatric assists" – which is where East Midlands Ambulance Service is forced to enlist the help of the fire service to get a patient to hospital because the ambulance service is unable to move them.

Firefighter and chairman of the Fire Brigades Union Phil Coates said he had attended a number of calls of this nature.

He said: "We often have to take doors off hinges or pop windows out to get these people out. We are a humanitarian service, so we will always help if we can, but they are often very difficult jobs and I know they are costly. Sometimes we have to roll people on to a big sheet, and I have seen eight or nine fireman struggle to lift them."

Mr Coates said some of the people he had helped to move weighed over 25 stone. In 2011, most of the calls for assistance were in Mansfield or Nottingham. So far this year, firefighters have been called to 11 incidents, mostly in the Newark area.

A fire service spokesman said: "Our role is to provide humanitarian assistance in an emergency to help save lives and, if our colleagues at EMAS need our help to move a patient who needs urgent medical treatment, then we will do our best to support them.''

Asked how costly these procedures were, he said: "We don't record our various activities to this level of detail. It would depend upon what was required – whether it's moving a patient or having to remove a wall to get them out.

"There are lots of variables, plus our staff are being paid whether they are attending an emergency call or not, so the cost is the same to us."

An EMAS spokesman said: ''New ambulances have stretchers and specialised carrying equipment which allows us to deal with the vast majority of bariatric patients. There are isolated occasions when we ask fire service colleagues to assist but we try to keep these to a minimum.''

What do you think about this? Contact 0115 948 2000 or e-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup. co. uk

THE mother of a teenager who was killed on a Nottingham road is set to officially open a £74,000 park in his memory.

Ashton Hazell died aged 15 after being hit by a car in Low Wood Road, Bulwell, in May 2004. It is believed the former River Leen School pupil, known as Ash, had stepped into the road to retrieve a basketball he was bouncing along the pavement.

Eight years after his death, his mother, Diane Good, 42, of Corben Gardens, Bulwell, is proud to be opening a park in his memory.

She has worked with environmental group Groundwork and the Friends of Snape Wood Nature Reserve to improve Ashton Park, in Snape Wood Road, which was renamed in tribute to Ashton.

Miss Good, who works as a chef at a care home, said: "The whole family is still struggling with Ashton's death but the park does help because at least kids have got somewhere safe to be playing.

"This park was important to Ashton and he was constantly moaning to the council and committees about not having a basketball court.

"We found out just before he died that they'd agreed to install one, so that's why they decided to name it after him.

"I am proud to say that Ashton Park is designated to our son's memory, and know that many children will enjoy using the new equipment and are safe doing so, knowing that he wouldn't have died in vain."

A basketball court, opened in memory of Ashton, who played for the Nottingham Youth Basketball Club, was installed in 2007. There is also play equipment for younger children.

The latest funding, which came from the Biffa Award and Wren (Waste Recycling Environmental Limited), which are funded by landfill tax credits, has made the park more accessible to older children, with eight new pieces of play equipment aimed at youngsters aged eight and over.

New fencing and side panels for the basketball court have also been installed.

The improvements made to the park were chosen after consultation with residents, with Nottingham City Council supporting the process.

David Trimble, the council's portfolio holder for leisure, culture and tourism, said: "I am very pleased that we have been able to work with partners to bring this to completion.

"These improvements have given older children a great place for play and sport and honour Ashton's memory."

A celebration event to formally open the park will take place on Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Sports events, activities and refreshments will all be available.

MANAGER Paul Cox is hoping Mansfield Town's new-found solidity at the back will continue when his side take on Dartford tonight.

The Stags have conceded just once in their last three games, picking up four points from two league games and then beating Workington on their travels in the FA Cup last weekend.

They make the long trip south tonight to take on sixth-placed Dartford knowing they have won just one of six on the road in the Blue Square Premier, shipping 19 goals.

But with Exodus Geohaghon, John Thompson and Ryan Tafazolli all expected to be back to boost the defence further, Cox hopes for his side to give themselves a platform to build on at Princes Park.

He said: "Defensively we had been poor and I am not just blaming the back three or four in that, I mean defending as a team.

"We got what we deserved but in the last two or three weeks our defending has been much better. Last week at Workington it was out of this world, the way we threw bodies in front of the ball, got our blocks in, stopped crosses coming into the box.

"At the end of the day, that is what wins you football matches. Everybody was working for each other and we have to continue that.

"It will be a tough game at Dartford and I want us to be hard to beat."

HUNDREDS of people have written to a council to protest against plans for two crematoria near Lambley.

Developers Westerleigh Group and Nottingham undertaker A W Lymn asked Gedling Borough Council for permission to build a crematorium on two sites off Catfoot Lane earlier this year.

The proposals created strong opposition among residents near to the site and the Crematorium Opposition Group was formed.

Members raised concerns over traffic and the green belt.

The council said yesterday it had received 754 letters of objection against Westerleigh's proposals, as well as 56 letters of support, and 636 objections against A W Lymn's plans, with 21 letters of support.

Around 45 per cent of people objecting to both applications were from Lambley, 18 per cent were from Woodborough, around 15 per cent were from Arnold and Mapperley and the rest from other areas.

Bernadine Lewis, 50, of Elm Grove, said: "I wouldn't like them built there. I wouldn't want to have the area associated with a crematorium.

"The place is also green-belt land and the countryside around here is disappearing quickly, so I am not happy that even more is going.

"There is a traffic concern. There is always a large amount of traffic on Coppice Road and it will get worse. Traffic will begin in peak times and it could mean that people are late for the services. It would also get worse for the close neighbours of the crematoria.''

Ruth Lee, 64, of Ribblesdale Road, Arnold, welcomed the plans. She said: "I think they would be a good local facility. I am sure that the people travelling to the site would use the local area when the service has finished, so that could bring more money into Arnold."

Sylvia Lowe, 74, of Brackendale Avenue, Arnold, said: "They have got to do it somewhere, so why not in this area?"

Notts is served by crematoria in Bramcote, Wilford Hill, Ollerton and Mansfield.

Lynne Fisher, 51, of Needham Road, Arnold, said the nearest crematoria in Bramcote or Mansfield were "too far to travel".

Nigel Lymn Rose, managing director of A W Lymn, said proposals for crematoria always created opposition. "I think it's the fear of the unknown, more than anything else," he added.

A Westerleigh spokesman said a survey in Arnold, Carlton and Calverton revealed that 80 per cent supported plans for a crematorium. "I'm sure if we wanted to get 3,000 signatures to support our application, we could do it," he added.

The council said it was unable to say when a decision on both applications would be made.

THE ringleader of a "complex and highly-organised" car theft is to have his own set of wheels sold off by Notts Police.

Ayaz Aziz, of Aspley, was convicted in March of his role in a plot to steal a Volkswagen Scirocco and hide its identity by "cloning" it.

Investigators later discovered he owned an expensive Aston Martin DB9 sports car – but could not explain where he got the money to buy it.

A court has now ruled it can be sold off at auction under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The car, which has a top speed of 190mph and goes from zero to 62mph in 4.6 seconds, was paraded by Notts Police at Riverside Police Station yesterday.

Notts Police Assistant Chief Constable Paul Broadbent said: "We seize cars and even houses, so an Aston Martin is a reasonable seizure.

"Aziz was a criminal making money and then he drew attention to himself by buying a white soft-top sports car.

"Surely the penny should have dropped that we or someone else would look into how he had such new-found wealth."

Police began investigating Aziz after burglars repeatedly tried to break into a house in West Bridgford where a white Scirocco was parked on the drive. They succeeded in September 2010 and made off in the car. Three men – Jamie Elliott, 26, and Samuel Donohoe, 22, both of no fixed address, and Shehzad Ladha, 21, of Berridge Road, Forest Fields – were arrested soon after and convicted of the break-ins.

As they tried to trace the car, police discovered the burglars had been exchanging phone calls with Aziz, who had bought an identical but damaged Scirocco from a car auction for around £9,000 five months before the break-in.

Jobless Aziz took the number plates and the chassis number of the damaged car and had them fixed to the stolen Scirocco to hide its identity.

Aziz then put it on sale for £16,000 last February.

Two months later, the car was confirmed as the one stolen in West Bridgford and Aziz was arrested by officers from Operation Cordoba, set up to investigate organised car key burglaries.

In March, Aziz, 26, of Aspley Park Drive, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court and admitted conspiracy to steal. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

But Notts Police's Financial Investigation Unit continued to investigate him under the of the Proceeds of Crime Act, which allows the seizure of assets from criminals.

It was established Aziz had made £171,000 from crime, £55,000 of which was the Aston Martin, £16,000 from the Scirocco and the rest from cash transactions he could not explain.

Last month, a judge ordered the car be sold to pay some of the money back.

Detective Constable Paul Cash said: "The offence was initially treated as a car key burglary and theft but it was actually part of a complex and highly-organised plot to clone the car and sell it."

Half the money from selling the Aston Martin will go to the Government and the rest will go back to criminal justice organisations, including Notts Police. The car will be kept in storage until it is sold.

SEAN O'Driscoll believes Barnsley could provide the toughest test of a difficult week at Oakwell tomorrow.

The Nottingham Forest manager has seen his side beat Cardiff and claim a point at another of the promotion contenders, Blackpool, since last weekend.

But, while the Yorkshire side are struggling at the other end of the table, he warns they cannot be taken lightly.

"I have said it to the players – and I am not just saying this because it is easy to say now – but this could be the hardest of the three games," said O'Driscoll.

"Barnsley's organisation is robust, but they also have the fluidity of Blackpool.

"So they have a bit of Cardiff about them and a bit of Blackpool. This could prove to be the trickiest of the three.

"The other two were both tough games, definitely. But if we take this one lightly, then we will come undone."

Barnsley won 5-0 at Birmingham last month and 1-0 at Charlton last weekend.

"There is no difference between the qualities that keep you out of the relegation zone and the qualities that win you promotion," said O'Driscoll.

"That is what we would always tell the players at Doncaster.

"If you take Barnsley lightly, you can end up not just on the wrong end of a defeat, but a heavy defeat.

"Their away performance at Birmingham was proof of that. To beat somebody 5-0 away is some feat."

TEN days ago, Dexter Blackstock was plying his trade in the Caribbean sunshine of Kingston, Jamaica.

A few days before that, he was in action in similarly enticing surroundings, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, in Antigua and Barbuda.

Tomorrow, he admits a trip to Barnsley is a little less enticing; a touch less colourful.

But, while his fledgling international career continued with two defeats, Blackstock believes the experience will stand him in good stead, as Nottingham Forest look to build a promotion challenge.

Blackstock's first international goal was almost enough to earn Antigua and Barbuda – population 105,632 – what would have been a landmark draw against the USA, the home to more than 312 million people.

Only Eddie Johnson's last-minute goal denied them a 1-1 draw.

But, despite also suffering a 4-1 loss in Jamaica, Blackstock believes the games were vital for him, as he made his Forest return on Tuesday evening with a vital goal.

Following his controversial three-match ban, for his questionable red card against Derby County, Blackstock came off the bench to secure a 2-2 draw in Blackpool. And, despite his lack of action with the Reds, he is feeling sharp.

"It was good to get a goal against a team like the USA. It was a great occasion for such a small island to go up against a country as big as that," he said.

"We looked as though we were going to get a draw against the USA, which would have been a great result.

"We missed out narrowly, when then scored a 90th-minute winner.

"But to push them so close just shows how far we have come.

"Going to Barnsley is not quite the same! It is not 30 degree heat beach weather!

"But it is something you have to contend with and I do feel sharp because of the games I have played.

"It was a great experience for me, to go away and be part of something like that; to experience a different climate and a different culture.

"I loved every minute of it."

Blackstock does still feel bitter about his sending off, for an alleged elbow.

"It was not nice. To get sent off for something like that was very, very disappointing," he said.

"Fortunately I had two international games to play in, which helped me to maintain my fitness.

"And I was fortunate enough to get a goal out there as well.

"I did feel sharp when I came on, because of that.

"It was a massive disappointment to miss the Forest games, but what can you do?

"I am glad I had those internationals in the meantime.

"My grandparents are from Antigua. It was an easy choice for me really.

"Even if you are playing regularly in the Premier League and doing well, there is nothing to say that you would get anything more than one or two caps (for England).

"So it made sense for me. It was an opportunity I did not want to turn down, playing international football."

Blackstock was not the only striker to net on Tuesday evening at Bloomfield Road, with Billy Sharp having given Sean O'Driscoll's side a deserved lead in a game they had dominated for long periods.

And Blackstock is convinced their firepower will be a decisive factor this season, because it allows them to always believe they are never beaten.

"In our squad, we know there are goals in the team. That is what gives us belief," he said.

"We have spoken about me getting the goal at Blackpool, but there is also Billy and Simon Cox as well.

"We know that if we get balls into the right areas, we will get chances for our strikers and our midfielders.

"We will score goals every time we play. We feel that every time we go on the pitch, so that is why we never feel like we are truly beaten.

"We know we are a match for anyone in this league, we are a confident team.

"You get a lift from scoring a last-minute equaliser. It is also a good point, regardless of the incidents within the game.

"We came away to a very good Blackpool side and came away with a point, following back-to-back wins.

"I have a feeling it will look like a good point come the end of the season."

And, in the meantime, Blackstock is not intimidated by the fight for places in the squad.

"There is competition everywhere. But if you look at our bench (on Tuesday), you have myself, Jermaine Jenas, Lewis McGugan, Guy Moussi... you have a very strong selection there," he said.

"And Jonathan Greening missed out on the squad all together.

"Then there is Henri Lansbury and Marcus Tudgay who did not travel. It is a very good squad.

"And, with a very good squad, there is going to be competition for places.

"If you want to be a number one striker, you probably have to go and play for a lesser team.

"It is important you feel part of things in the squad. If you do not feel part of things, they you have a problem.

"But there is no reason why you can't feel part of things here. We can all be part of Forest's plans moving forward, because we all want the same things. We all want to see Forest promoted."

And, if Blackstock can keep the goals coming, he may just find himself visiting a few more glamorous destinations with Forest in the future.

HUNDREDS of families were left disappointed after a technical hitch halted the production of a new ice show at the Capital FM Arena.

Families had been enjoying the multi-million-pound Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure show yesterday afternoon when it was abruptly halted before the interval.

More than an hour later it still had not resumed and was eventually abandoned altogether as scores of families walked out.

Later, it was revealed that the hitch was caused by problems with a piece of scenery.

Susan Elston, 45, of Strelley Village, was there with her partner, Paul Robinson, and eight-year-old daughter Isabelle.

She said: "The first bit was amazing but then they stopped it just before the break and it didn't come back on.

"It wasn't very clear what was happening. At first, they said it would be 10 minutes. Then they said it would be another 20 minutes.

"We probably waited another ten after that but we had to go as the car parking was running out and we had things we needed to do last night.

"I guess these things do happen, but children don't understand that.

"Isabelle is really upset as she was so excited about it."

Mr Robinson, 47, said: "I don't know what went wrong, but if you're working with a lot of technical stuff I guess it can happen."

After the announcement that the show would not be continuing, all of the characters appeared on stage for the remaining audience. Each person was offered a free ice cream on their way out and a full refund, or the chance to return and watch one of the performances which will be held throughout the weekend.

Karen Shale, 42, of Sherwood, had driven to Liverpool to collect her children, aged eight and ten, from their grandparents so they could see the 3pm show.

She said: "The show itself started off really promisingly.

"I'm not so annoyed about the technical hitch because they can't really help that but I do think they could have dealt with it better.

"All you could hear while we waited was loud chatter and kids wailing. If they'd have just put some music on, or had a couple of the characters going round it would have been more bearable.

Stage Entertainment Touring Productions is the company which has produced Ice Age Live.

The show features acrobats, dancers and skaters, along with life-size puppets of characters from the first three Ice Age films.

It is visiting more than 30 countries on five continents during the five-year tour.

The producers apologised for the disruption the audience experience in Nottingham and assured people that shows tomorrow and over the weekend would not be affected and would go ahead as planned.

A spokesman said: "The producers of Ice Age Live apologise to the audience at the 3pm performance at the Capital FM Arena for the interruptions to the show.

"These were caused by unforeseen technical difficulties."

Anyone who attended will have the option of seeing the show again on Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 3pm or 7pm, or Sunday at 11am or 3pm.

Ticket-holders must contact the box office in person or by phone on 0843 373 3000.

Were you at Ice Age Live! yesterday at 3pm? Contact our newsdesk on 0115 905 1967 or e-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

THE parents of a six-year-old boy who fell 35 feet in a city centre clothes store have spoken of their "worst nightmare."

Six-year-old Ryan Hooley, of Beeston, remains in intensive care and is believed to have suffered five fractures in his skull after he fell from the first floor in Primark, in Long Row, at around 2pm on Wednesday.

He was shopping with his mother and four brothers and sisters when it happened.

Recalling the ordeal, his mother, Kate Hooley, said: "It's a bit of a blur. You never think it will happen to you. You hear about it.

"It's your worst nightmare come true. He was there one second, gone the next."

Ryan's ten-year-old brother, Kyle, is believed to have found him on the ground after the 35ft fall.

His father, Andrew Hooley, said Ryan was a keen Nottingham Forest fan. "I can't wait for him to get better to take him to his first match," he said.

"He's very boisterous, he is a boy – always playing football, following Forest all over the place."

He said that he wanted better safety measures at the store.

"I think it could be better safety, especially the rails on the first floor," he added.

Ryan's uncle Carl Leoni is reported to have said: "We don't at this stage know exactly how the accident happened but Ryan's mum and dad are both in pieces.

"They were originally told by doctors to expect the worst. Ryan's condition is extremely serious and doctors have induced a coma.

"He's suffered five fractures to his skull."

Ryan is currently in an induced coma at the Queen's Medical Centre and expected to be brought round at some point today.

He is in a critical condition.

Health and safety officers from Nottingham City Council are continuing their investigation into the fall.

A spokesman for the authority said: "We responded to reports that a young boy fell from the first floor to the ground floor of Primark, in Long Row.

"We understand the boy is being treated for serious head injuries at the Queen's Medical Centre and our thoughts are with him and his family at this anxious time.

"Where a serious accident takes place on retail premises, it is the responsibility of the local council to investigate.

"Our health and safety officers attended the site with the police and are leading the health and safety investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

"At this stage, it is not possible to comment on the details of the investigation other than to say officers will be visiting the store, contacting witnesses and gathering evidence to establish if there are any health and safety concerns that could be linked to the accident, but at this time this is not known."

A spokesman for Primark said the safety of its customers was "paramount".

He said the store was working with the authorities as the investigation takes place.

NOTTS County have the firepower for promotion – but boss Keith Curle has warned they must plug their leaky defence.

They are the second-highest scorers in League One behind leaders Tranmere, with 26 goals in 14 games, but they have let in 15 goals, with only four clean-sheets.

Curle wants his side to make a big splash in the top-six this season, but it could all end in a damp squib if they don't tighten up at the back.

He was a top-class defender in his playing days at Manchester City and it is Curle's priority to make sure the Magpies become rock solid, having watched them throw away victory against Bournemouth at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night by conceding three goals in the second half to draw 3-3.

"I've never had an issue with us creating chances and scoring goals," he said. "We are always an attacking threat, but we have to make sure we keep the back door shut.

"I don't think we were carved open by Bournemouth, but we didn't defend a ball from a goal kick and then a random ball into our box.

"There's an old saying that you are always at your most vulnerable after you've just scored; and after we scored our third, the next time we touched the ball was to kick off because they'd scored.

"To be successful you have to be ruthless, which means when you're leading 2-0, the second half should be 0-0 at worst. I want us to play entertaining, attacking football, but I also want to win so we have got to tidy up at the back.

"I think everyone saw the best of us in the first half, it was a complete performance, but if you switch off, you are vulnerable."

Notts are still fifth in the table ahead of facing sixth-placed Doncaster Rovers on home soil tomorrow.

They beat Tranmere in midweek and Curle added: "They have just got a fantastic result away so they will be coming here full of beans."

NOTTINGHAM Forest hope to complete the signing of Premier League defender Elliott Ward today.

Sean O'Driscoll is close to completing a deal to bring the Norwich City centre-half to the City Ground on loan, to address a looming defensive crisis.

The 27-year-old, who played for O'Driscoll on loan at Doncaster, will initially sign for a month, but the move could be made more permanent in January, if he makes an impact.

Ward, who has won promotion from the Championship with both West Ham and Norwich, is expected to train with the Forest squad today, ahead of the trip to Oakwell tomorrow.

"We are in contact with a club right this minute," said O'Driscoll. "The club have agreed in principle, but these things take time.

"We certainly hope to have somebody in for Saturday."

Ward began his career at West Ham and then made more than 100 appearances for Coventry City, before moving to the Canaries on a free transfer in the summer of 2010.

He has played more than 50 times for Norwich, but has found himself out of favour.

Ward is needed with Daniel Ayala ruled out for up to three weeks with a hamstring injury, Greg Halford on the verge of suspension after picking up four bookings, Jamaal Lascelles sidelined with bone bruising and Sam Hutchinson with a knee problem.

Forest could make a decision over the on-loan Chelsea player's future today.

"Sam is currently back at Chelsea," said O'Driscoll. "We want to see where we are at; to see where both parties believe we are at.

"We will have some sort of decision today, when it comes to where we are with Sam.

"It is not the knee that was causing us concern when he signed. That knee has been fine. It is the other knee in which he has a problem with his tendon.

"He has had an injection and it has reacted really badly.

"Chelsea had hoped it could have him back in action within a few days, but it has been three weeks now and it is not something that looks like resolving itself any time soon.

"He is desperate to stay and we are keen to keep him."

John Pemberton has rejoined Forest's coaching staff as professional development coach, with responsibility for helping bridge the gap between academy football and the first team for the club's up-and-coming young stars.

NOTTINGHAM has launched a "Boris style" bike scheme with up to 250 cycles available to hire across the city.

The first bikes are already on the streets and can be hired from Broadmarsh Bus Station and the Tourist Information Centre, in Smithy Row.

They are free to use for people with Kangaroo travel cards, while hire costs start from £2 per week for others.

The Government-funded scheme – similar to the London bike hire scheme championed by the capital's mayor, Boris Johnson (pictured) – will be rolled out across the city over the next two years, costing up to £350,000. By the end of this year, there will be more than 15 racks for collection and return of the cycles, including some at park-and-ride sites, tram stops and tourist attractions such as Wollaton Park and Nottingham Castle.

Muriel Barrett, 58, of Broadgate Avenue, Beeston, who tried one of the bikes this week, said: "They are easy to ride, with just three gears. If you pick one up at the park-and-ride, you can just carry on your journey to work."

The bikes are not in electronic docking stations like London's but come with locks and can be secured anywhere.

City councillor Jane Urquhart said: "One of Nottingham's strengths is that it is a relatively compact city, which makes getting around by bike very easy."