Arnold: M. N. Singh, 77 High Street, to 6.30pm; Sainsbury's, Nottingham Road, to 10pm; Asda, 111-127 Front Street, 7am to 11pm.

Beeston and Lenton Abbey: Grewal Chemist, 38-40 Chilwell Road, to 7pm; Jardines Pharmacy, Sainsbury's, Beeston, to 6.45pm; Manor Pharmacy, 24 Chilwell Road, to 7pm.

Bestwood: Forest Pharmacy, 131 Arnold Road, to 7pm.

Bilborough: Co-op, Bracebridge Drive, 7am to 11pm.

Burton Joyce: Burrows & Close, 49 Main Street, to 6.30pm.

Clifton: Day Night Pharmacy, 116 Southchurch Drive, to midnight.

Cotgrave: Co-op, 9 The Precinct, Candleby Lane, to 6.30pm.

Daybrook: Snowden-James, Daybrook Health Centre, Mansfield Road, to 6.30pm.

East Leake: Manor Pharmacy, 12/14 Gotham Lane, to 6.30pm.

Eastwood: Co-op, 2A Church Walk, to 6.30pm.

Gamston: Morrisons, Lings Bar Road, to 8pm.

Heanor: W R Evans, 67 Mansfield Road, to 6pm.

Hucknall: Health Centre Pharmacy, Curtis Street, to 7pm; Lloyds, Unit 1, Farleys Lane, to 6.45pm; Tesco, Ashgate Road, to 10.30pm.

Hyson Green: Asda, 7.30am-10pm.

Jacksdale: Acorn Pharmacy, 8-10 Main Road, to 6.30pm.

Keyworth: Co-op, 2 The Square, to 6pm; Keyworth Pharmacy, The Square, 8.30am to 6.30pm.

Long Eaton: Boots, Midland Street, to midnight; Tesco Extra, Waverley Street, 8am to 10.30pm.

Mansfield: Sainsbury's, Nottingham Road, to 10pm.

New Basford/Forest Fields: Shally's, 37 Beech Avenue, to 6.30pm.

Nottingham central: Glasshouse Chemist, 42-44 Glasshouse Street, to 7pm; Canning, 2 Beastmarket Hill, Old Market Square, to 6.30pm; Boots, Riverside Retail Park, 9am-midnight; Boots, Long Row, 8am to 8pm; Castle Marina Sainsbury's, 7am-11pm.

Radford: Canning, 61 Ilkeston Road, to 7.15pm.

Radford: Midnight Pharmacy, 194 Alfreton Road, 9am to midnight.

Rise Park: Knights, 9 Bestwood Park Drive West, 9am-7pm.

Selston: Selston Pharmacy, 137 Nottingham Road, to 6.30pm.

Sherwood and Woodthorpe: Lloyds, 678 Mansfield Road, to 6.30pm; Jayplex, 724 Mansfield Road, Woodthorpe, to 6.30pm.

Sneinton and St Ann's D Parmar, 298 Woodborough Road, 9am-12.30pm and 2-6.30pm; Phakey's,

Stapleford: Co-op, Stapleford Care Centre, Church Street, 7am-11pm.

Southwell: Lloyds, 2-4 King Street, 8.30am-6pm; Co-op, The Ropewalk, 7am-11pm.

Strelley: Omega, 25 Flamsteed Road, 8.45am-1pm and 2.30pm-6.30pm.

West Bridgford: Asda, 184 Loughborough Road, to 10pm; Manor Pharmacy, 97A Melton Road, to 7pm.

THERE'LL be jokes aplenty at the news that the UK's working population now includes more than a million people aged over 65. Comfy chairs instead of office recliners, boiled sweets instead of bonuses, crosswords rather than angry exchanges… yes, you've heard them all.

Underneath the humour, though, there's a serious issue. The working world we live in is changing. And it isn't just those people who thought that they were on the verge of Saga Holidays who are affected.

If you speak to the likes of Domestic & General, who have a call centre in Talbot Street in Nottingham, then employing people past retirement age is old news, if you'll excuse the crashingly obvious pun.

Many of their customers (people ringing up about the warranty on their washing machine, for example) may not be spring chickens themselves, so the idea of talking to someone who sees the world through the same prescription specs that they do is a pretty sound idea when you think about it.

The serious issue is what's happening at the other end of the employment scale. It's here that the UK economy has a dirty little secret about youth unemployment.

Quite rightly, politicians have made a huge fuss about the scale of youth unemployment in the wake of recession (and I say "wake" because it now looks like it ended ages ago, in case you hadn't noticed). It simply isn't good enough for a big, modern economy to have more than a million young people waiting to jump on the working ladder and start a productive life. The longer they wait, the harder it is to make that jump.

So why has the Government allowed this to happen? Two answers to that: one is that there's only so much a government can do unless it decides to create a load of jobs itself. The other is that the youth unemployment problem started well before recession.

If you go on to the website run by the Office for National Statistics (only recommended if you have days to spare and hair left to pull out), you'll eventually find a spreadsheet which shows what has happened to youth unemployment since the last recession in the early 1990s.

Back then, youth unemployment peaked at 900,000 in 1992. It then began a long downward path, bottoming out in 2001 at 500,000.

Perhaps not surprisingly, we've seen it shoot up significantly again since 2008, breaking through the million barrier.

But here's the UK's dirty little secret: unemployment among 16-24 year olds had started increasing steadily as long ago as 2004. You read that right: youth joblessness was rising even during the boom.

Lots of clever people have tried to get to the bottom of this. Academics at the London School of Economics did an in-depth study two years ago which shows that the young are always hardest hit when unemployment rises.

One reason is that businesses always try to hang on to experienced staff. They've got better skills, are more likely to be able to soak up extra work if a business downsizes… and it's more expensive to make them redundant. So, when the economic chips are down, the odds are instantly stacked against the young, especially those with a poor education.

As bad as this problem is, it could be even worse if it weren't for the numbers who stay in education.

While today's youth unemployment figures sound frighteningly high, and are unquestionably a cause for concern, the unemployment rate (the proportion of young people out of work) is pretty similar to that of past recessions. The problem is that youth unemployment in the UK was higher than it should have been even before recession struck.

One of the real paradoxes about our economy is the gulf between all the talk of rising educational attainment and the regular complaints from employer organisations (Notts Chamber of Commerce among them) that young people turning up for job interviews lack not only basic language and numeracy skills, but have little idea of the basic commitment needed to hold down a job.

Numerous surveys have pointed to kids from poor backgrounds continuing to do badly, despite all the changes we've had to the education system.

But it isn't just them.

At the weekend, I was chatting to a university lecturer friend who lamented the fact that students brought up on a diet of bite-sized GCSE coursework targets struggled with the intellectual stamina needed for a three-year degree. Worse, even though they were among the elite who'd made it into higher education, they too lacked basic language skills.

In some ways it's good that people in the autumn of their lives are still keeping busy and still doing their bit for UK plc. But what's happening at the other end of the scale is disturbing.

Most disturbing of all, it's been going on under our noses for nearly a decade.

WHO will not be moved by the tragic story of Jessica Hope Gauntley, the Long Eaton schoolgirl who contracted a brain tumour and died at the age of just 16?

Here was a beautiful teenager who studied hard, loved the arts and dreamed of a career in environmental charity work.

As we learn today, her short life was enriched by the presence of a wonderful family and superb friends.

Together they are now focusing on something that disturbed Jessica during her brave fight for life: the inappropriate surroundings in which teenage cancer patients can find themselves.

The children's hospital at the QMC caters for infants and young children as well as teenagers and, understandably, Jessica felt uncomfortable surrounded by toddlers and with few people of her own age to talk to.

Hence the launch of the Jessica Hope Foundation, which will raise funds for a planned teenager cancer unit as well as for research into brain tumours in young people.

There isn't an issue here. Other charities and the health service itself recognise the need for specialist teenage centres. We look forward to the day one opens in Nottingham – a memorial to Brad Davies, Jessica Hope Gauntley and all the other special young people whose lives have been cut short by cancer.

BAILIFFS were called in after a city businessman refused to pay a levy. Miles Zitout said paying the £657 he owed the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) was like a tax on top of council business rates (Wednesday, June 12)

"If you have it captured on CCTV, it's time to report the bailiffs. There are procedures and rules to follow, but many think they are above the law and can do what they like which obviously does the reputation of the industry no good."

smshogun

"Don't worry! Eric Pickles is clamping down on the bully-boy bailiffs."

gogedem

EXPERTS think Notting- ham's economy has turned a corner after a dramatic drop in people filing for bankruptcy. Just 299 people have filed for bankruptcy at Nottingham County Court so far this year, with 841 applications throughout 2012. (Friday, June 14).

"The effect of static wages has had a much greater impact in Nottingham than in other parts of the country due to the city council's decision to repeatedly refuse central government funding to freeze council tax, preferring instead to increase council tax by the maximum amount, with each year's increase compounding with previous years to ramp up the pain."

harrystotle

Former Forest player Gary Mills believes the Reds can challenge for promotion next season. But, to do so, he says they must add to their squad in several crucial areas. "When you look at the teams who had a little bit more – Crystal Palace had Wilfried Zaha, for example – players like that can make a difference," said Mills. (Saturday, June 15)

"We seem to be doing a lot of talking and no buying . All we seem to be interested in is freebies and loan players. We have to add some quality or we will struggle. We are nowhere near good enough as we are. Get your cheque book out, Fawaz."

Skeggyred

"What freebee, washed-out journeyman will King Silly sign next? Will it be Robbie Findlay or Claude Davis? In King Silly we trust."

Poppyblount

"Buying Claude Davis was the second-best thing Billy did. The best was getting Direby promoted to allow them to become the worst top-flight team in history."

Knawrybred

JESSICA Hope Gauntley was a remarkable teenager.

A head girl at her junior school, a member of the netball team, she also juggled passions for singing, music and drama alongside her studies. She hoped to work for an environmental charity.

But her life was cut cruelly short.

At 15, she was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma – an aggressive brain cancer.

The disease came with little warning.

She had been suffering from mild headaches for a few weeks, but they were nothing that couldn't be resolved with a couple of paracetemol.

But suddenly her condition took turn for the worse.

Her mother, Karen Gauntley, said: "In the course of 36 hours, she developed a severe headache that didn't get better."

"Over the next few days she had CET scans and MRIs, and they found a very large brain tumour.

Karen, an ex-healthcare professional, said she knew the prognosis meant Jessica had little time left.

Although Jessica knew she had cancer, Karen and husband John made the tough decision to avoid telling her the seriousness of her illness.

"It would have been cruel – she had her whole future ahead of her. At that age, you're worrying about things like boys and school and it was hard enough to see her losing her hair and going through treatment.

"I suppose we felt, what would she have left to live for?"

After she was diagnosed the family crammed in as many activities as possible, with trips to Alton Towers and Harry Potter World among them. She even got to see Usain Bolt set the 100m sprint world record at the Olympic Games.

Jess Blanche, one of her closest friends, took her to a modelling photoshoot in Birmingham to boost her self-esteem. She said: "She went without the wig that she was wearing at the time. It really showed how beautiful she was."

Jessica's condition progressively worsened but she was cared for at home for the last few weeks of her life. She died there on February 26.

A public service was later held at Jessica's school, Trent College, Long Eaton, attended by friends, teachers and classmates.

"There were people queuing up outside the school's chapel." said Jess Blanche. "There were so many we couldn't let some of them in."

Karen said that although Jessica received fantastic treatment at the QMC, she had found it demoralising to spend weeks in the children's cancer unit with few people her own age to talk to.

"She found it degrading being stuck with toddlers and young children crying around her.

"She was a young woman and she was being cared for in the wrong environment."

Karen took it upon herself to take action.

The Jessica Hope Foundation will now launch as an official charity this Sunday at Trent College, hoping to provide equipment for a planned teenage cancer unit at the QMC as well as raise public awareness of brain tumours in young people and boost fundraising.

Karen said: "More funding could help improve survival rates and reduce the likelihood of disabilities, such as epilepsy, developing following operations."

More than £12,000 has been raised already.

Cricketer Graeme Swann and members of McFly have appeared for photos with Jessica's brother, Sam and the charity has more than 1,200 likes on Facebook. It now expects to see between 300 to over 1000 people at the weekend.

"The support has been overwhelming," said Karen, "from cake making to canvases and people promoting all the work we're doing.

"The school is now trying to find a place for a memorial plaque as well."

"I just want to say an enormous thank you. Everyone has been so wonderful."

"Jess's loss is devastating and our hearts are broken but she is our inspiration."

EVERYTHING from teenage dance troupes, to men on stilts and samba music was on offer at this year's Arnold Carnival.

The event has been running every year since 2000 at Arnot Hill Park, with thousands turning out to enjoy the fun this year.

Among those enjoying the music and food stalls on Saturday was Yasmin Pheasey, 34, from Arnold.

She said: "It's the kind of event that people make a point of coming to. I've been a couple of times before and it's good for the kids and adults too.

"There's loads going on all around the park and it's good to see the community all come out for something like this."

Yasmin was looking after eight-year-old Erin Woozeer and four-year-old brother Emilio at the carnival and both youngsters said they were having a fantastic time.

Erin said: "I've been to the Arnold Carnival four times before and I like it because it's always fun. It's like a big party.

"I made a mask which looks like one you would wear to a ball and it looks pretty.

Emilio added: "I like the music the best and the carnival is fun."

Local and professional entertainers took to the stage at the two-day event.

And one of this year's highlights was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, whose Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire flew over the park yesterday afternoon.

The Mabbutt family from Arnold were sitting on the grass in front of the stage and said they had been coming to the carnival for years.

Lois Mabbutt, 31, was there with husband David, 27, two-year-old son Oliver and three-month-old daughter Jessica, and said they were prepared for all weathers.

She added: "It comes with having children, I guess, but we hoped for sun and dressed for rain. It's just a nice day out for the family really – we've had our picnic and we're enjoying the music."

Mr Mabbutt added: "The children are all smiling and it's a good event that they put on here.

"Oliver's enjoyed playing the golf game and it's nice to come out at the weekend and have this happen not far from home."

As well as the entertainment, there were more than 100 craft, charity and trade stalls and jugglers and musicians touring the park showing off their skills.

Emma Cooper, 34, of Carlton was at the event with four-year-old Casey and two-year-old Carys.

She said: "Things like this bring people together – and it's free, which makes it even better."

Hundreds also turned out for the University of Nottingham's first outdoor orchestral concert, which took place near the Lakeside Arts Centre on the University Park campus yesterday.

Many were armed with folding chairs and picnic blankets, clearly intent on spending a relaxing hour listening to classical music free.

The Summer Symphony in the Park event featured the University of Nottingham Philharmonia, which was also performing its first outdoor concert. They were joined on stage by internationally acclaimed guitarist Xuefei Yang.

Patricia Cashmore, 80, had travelled from West Bridgford to enjoy the music with her daughter, Rebecca Cashmore, 44, and eight-year-old granddaughter Amelia.

As the sounds of Bizet's Carmen rang out around the park, she said: "We go to the Royal Concert Hall whenever there's a classical concert on. I think this is a great idea. By the looks of the crowd, there are people of all ages enjoying it, which is nice to see.

"I think young people are beginning to get more interested in classical music."

Rebecca, also of West Bridgford, said: "I like to bring Amelia along to things like this and introduce her to different sorts of music.

"The nice thing about events like this is you don't have to be a hard core concert-goer to enjoy it. I'd like to see more of this."

Amelia, who is a member of the Nottingham Girls' Voices choir, said: "I like this music and different types of music as well. I enjoyed watching Swan Lake recently."

Also among the audience were Jamie and Catherine Agius, of Beeston, and their children Grace, four, and Florence, two.

As the orchestra performed music by composer Rodrigo, Jamie, 38, said: "This is one of my favourites.

"My dad played classical music most of the time, so I've always been around it.

"It's a brilliant idea to get everybody out here. It's a nice way to spend Father's Day."

Catherine, 35, said: "Grace was dancing away to the music before. We think it's good to expose them to live music."

Xuefei Yang, who was born in Beijing but now lives in London, has performed in more than 40 countries.

She performed Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez for the crowd.

She said: "Playing this music with the University of Nottingham orchestra, in the open-air on a Lakeside summer's afternoon, will evoke Rodrigo's original inspiration for this piece – the happy times he and his wife spent in the gardens at Aranjuez."

The concert also featured songs by famous composers including Tchaikovsky, Borodin, and Holst. It was put on after past students, staff and friends of the university made donations towards the cost of hosting the event.

Meanwhile in Long Eaton, people flocked to West Park yesterday for the town's Cycle Festival.

Cycling has seen a huge boost in popularity over recent years with British success in the Tour de France and the Olympics.

In one of the tents, there was a chance to test your power on a bike in a competition that was being held with the Velo Club Long Eaton.

Rider Mark Daine, 49, said: "Ever since Wiggins and the Tour, cycling is just getting more and more popular, and it's great that events like this are trying to build on that.

"The membership of the club has gone up, and not only that, but you see more people out on the roads enjoying it too."

Among the activities available at the event was a bike orienteering challenge across West Park, where riders had to navigate their way around the park. Laurence Miller, ten, Imogen Gelder, six, and nine-year-old Lawson Gelder were gearing up for the challenge. Imogen said: "I like cycling and I think my favourite bit is going fast down hills."

Lawson added: "I like doing sports a lot and cycling is one of my favourites."

Other entertainment included a bike that made smoothies and stunt bikes.

ELITE cyclists are to take to Nottingham's streets for the second time in a month, as the city prepares to host another major cycling event.

Experian Cycle Live features three days of cycling festivities at Victoria Embankment, starting on Friday and concluding with the annual Great Notts Bike Ride on Sunday.

The event comes just a few weeks after the city centre staged the comeback of the iconic Milk Race after 20 years last month.

Perfect Motion, organiser of Experian Cycle Live, who also helped run the Milk Race, said it had noticed an increase in interest in cycling since last summer's London Olympics. Chris Simon, director of the Beestion organisation, said: "The turnout and support for the Milk Race was fantastic and entries for the Great Notts Bike Ride on the Sunday are up by a third compared to this time last year. Entries for the 50 and 100-mile rides are expected to close very soon so we are encouraging people not to wait until the day to register."

Experian Cycle Live will kick off with the Nottingham Grand Prix at 6pm on Friday. The road race will feature some of the country's top riders – including a team from Raleigh. The event will also feature regional and youth races, along with a corporate relay race with teams from Experian, BioCity, and the Nottingham.

Riders in the corporate relay will come up against Cycle Live's very own team, led by double Olympic medallist Bryan Steel.

Nottingham City Council leader Councillor Jon Collins will also be part of the team.

Mr Steel said: "The elite riders in the national B race are of a very high standard and they will be fighting hard for the top spots. It will be a fantastic spectacle."

Mr Simon added: "Anyone who liked watching the racing at the Milk Race will enjoy the action at the Nottingham Grand Prix.

"It will be a high class of racing, and there will also be plenty to do and see all evening at our event village on the Victoria Embankment."

The event is free to watch.

A family-friendly Nottingham City Ride will also take place on Saturday with entertainment planned at the Embankment between noon and 5pm, with routes of either 2.5, 7.5 or 10.5 miles.

At the heart of the festival village there will be an arena where visitors will be able to try a variety of alternative bikes.

A folding bike race is also planned.

The 32nd running of the Great Notts Bike Ride will then take place on Sunday.

More than 4,000 people are expected to take part in this year's ride, which features 25, 50 and 100-mile routes.

The arena will be open between 7am and 6pm.

For more details on Experian Cycle Live, or to enter the Great Notts Bike Ride or Nottingham City Ride, go to www.cyclelivenottingham.co.uk.

A STUDENT is set to shave off all her hair to raise money for a charity which supports teenagers with cancer.

Kirsty Jones, who is her final year at the University of Nottingham, will shave her long locks on Friday to raise as much money as possible for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

She said: "After a close friend was diagnosed with lymphoma at the age of 20, she was given plenty of support by the Teenage Cancer Trust .

"When you are a teenager or a young adult, your body image and appearance are of huge importance, it is normal to feel self-conscious or different.

"Being diagnosed with cancer obviously brings up so many worries, the changes that cancer – and the treatment of it – do to your body.

"That is one of the reasons why I am choosing to shave my hair off. I hope that seeing another young woman with no hair might make that side of it a little easier.

"Another reason I am shaving my hair off to raise money is so that I can donate my hair to be used in real hair wigs, like the one my friend is getting.

"I am going to send the hair I cut off to the Little Princess Trust as a hair donation."

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/kirstyljones.

A NOTTS charity is enabling blind and visually-impaired people to create their own artwork.

About 30 people have so far drawn pictures after My Sight Nottinghamshire invested in some innovative equipment.

Using specialist pens and paper, the drawings can be put through a machine which heats the artwork and causes drawn lines to rise up off the page.

It then enables people who are blind or have sight impairments to "see" what they have drawn through their fingertips.

An exhibition of the artwork went on show at My Sight Nottinghamshire's base in Ortzen Street, Radford, on Friday.

It included drawings of seashells, pineapples, and other fruits and vegetables.

Among those who had work on display was Erica Cole, 27, of Hyson Green.

Erica, who has been blind since birth, said she had enjoyed using the new technique to draw pineapples and peppers. She said: "It's given me a bit of an idea of what vision is like.

"I've used this kind of technique before, in science, maths and geography lessons, but never for art.

"I'm chuffed because I can say, 'you know what, I might be blind and have never had sight but this is something I can do'.

"Art is not closed to me – this equipment is there and gives people hope."

The charity has had the equipment for the last month, and has been running workshops for people aged between their early 20s and late 80s.

Visually impaired Jan Calladine, 64, of Mansfield, demonstrated the technique by drawing a seashell in a matter of minutes.

She began by drawing around the shell to get an outline, which was then passed through the heating machine.

Jan then felt the shell to draw extra details within the outline, which she could also touch on the paper.

While busy drawing, Jan said: "I've learned to feel the ridges and by feeling the shape I can draw the shell.

"People judge us, and think that if you have a form of disability that you should be pushed to one side.

"But with My Sight and the people here it gives us that opportunity, and we enjoy what we are doing and get pleasure from it."

Of her first reaction to the technique, she added: "I couldn't believe it. Something I'd drawn suddenly came alive on the page."

Jeanne Roberts, arts development officer for My Sight Nottinghamshire, said: "I'm not aware that this technique has been used for creative art before and it's certainly a first locally, but the results have been jaw-dropping.

"I believe everybody can draw, as least a bit. This has been a eureka moment for some with no or partial sight. It's awe-inspiring when you see the quality of the work."

For more information about the charity and its workshops, visit www.mysightnotts.org.uk or call 0115 970 6806.

LITTER louts have been left facing a bill of more than £10,000 after dropping their rubbish in the city.

In the last eight months, 13 people have been taken to court for littering with their fines and costs totalling £10,207.

And this is in addition to more than 3,000 others who were given-on-the-spot fines for littering last year, but didn't go to court.

Richard Antcliff, from Community Protection, a partnership between the police and city council, defended the use of fines to keep Nottingham tidy.

"There is absolutely no excuse for discarding rubbish on our streets," he said. "Whether it's a takeaway wrapper or a cigarette end, it cost the council taxpayer a significant amount to clean up our streets and that's just not fair.

"It's understandable that people might see the level of fines and costs awarded and think that it's a vast sum of money.

"However when it gets to court, the charge increases largely due to legal costs."

There are 2,200 bins across the city, with a bin approximately every 14 yards in the city centre.

And people who spoke to the Post said they thought people should take more pride in the city.

Richard Menck, 22, of Derby Road, said: "Littering's not on and I think having a tidy city should be enough of a reason not to do it.

"I hate having to avoid chips and chewing gum and things after people have dropped them the night before."

And Julie Barnes, 48, from Sneinton, said: "Even with the fines, it's still not putting people off doing it.

"I think if they get caught, they should have to go out with the people that clean the streets to see what it's like."

The cost of littering is a £50 fine, which increases to £75 if not paid within ten days.

City council leader Jon Collins said the authority spends approximately £3.6 million a year on cleaning the streets of Nottingham.

He added: "Keeping a large and thriving city like Nottingham, clean, is a mammoth task that costs a significant amount of money.

"We're very proud of our city and won't tolerate people who don't respect it."

A CONMAN gave a woman £340 in fake notes for her iPhone – then taunted her in a text when she demanded he return with real cash.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she put the device for sale on the website Gumtree.

A man called her saying he would come to her Beechdale home to buy it.

But after he left, the 40-year-old realised she had been tricked with fake £20 notes.

Furious, she texted the mobile number he had called her on: "I will have last laugh, you scammed the wrong person!"

But he had already sold it on for cash, the conman claimed.

He texted back: "Sold it love, thanks for that £300."

The distraught victim, who is disabled said: "I just sobbed when I realised what had happened, I could not believe it. The police told me this has been happening to other people."

The woman is now asking people to look out for the phone and the conman.

Her device is a white iPhone 5 16 gigabyte model with the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number 013627005342444 – most smartphones display their IMEI when *#06# is typed into the keypad.

The conman is described as white, slim and in his late teens to early twenties, with short, cropped hair, and a blue sports rain jacket with a hood.

He gave the cash to the woman's carer while she was in another room in her house.

The carer, who also asked not to be identified, said: "He shook my hand, gave me the money, said 'thanks for doing business with me', and left.

"We were absolutely gutted when we realised soon after that he had handed over fakes."

The carer and the woman spotted the notes were "too smooth" and then saw they all had the same serial number.

Police say they are investigating the incident.

A force spokeswoman asked people to be on the lookout for more fake notes.

"People should check for the watermarks, holograms and metallic threads on any bank notes. If in any doubt refuse the sale" she said.

She also added people should take care when arranging to meet someone after an online sale – arranging to meet at a busy public place and taking someone they know with them.

"Trust your gut. If you have any doubts, don't trade with them," she added.

HUNDREDS of teenagers are to come together to celebrate the life of a school friend who died of brain cancer.

Jessica Hope Gauntley, pictured, was just 16 when she lost her battle against an aggressive form of the disease.

Now her family and friends have launched a foundation designed to help other teenagers with cancer.

Jessica, of Long Eaton, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year after suffering mild headaches. The pain suddenly became more severe and a large tumour was discovered.

She died ten months later.

Family and friends have founded the Jessica Hope Foundation to raise funds towards a new teenage cancer ward at the Queen's Medical Centre and for further brain cancer research, and to develop awareness.

The first event will be held on Sunday at Jessica's old school, Trent College in Long Eaton.

Her mother, Karen Gauntley, said: "She was a very beautiful, gentle girl but she was also adventurous, with lots and lots of interests. This foundation has been set up as a tribute to her grace and bravery. It is part of Jess's legacy."

The launch event on Sunday will include a sports tournament and live music.

One of Jessica's closest friends, Jess Blanche, said: "The support so far has been overwhelming."

A USED bus ticket helped sentence a burglar to five years in jail.

Wayne Haywood broke into a house in Glebe Close, Wilford, on January 13 and stole items including a sat-nav, a Sekonda watch and other electrical items.

Nottingham Crown Court was told that police found Haywood next day wearing the watch and with the other items.

Haywood, 28, of Conifer Crescent, Clifton, was found guilty of burglary on Thursday after a two-day trial.

The court heard he initially pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, but officers found a discarded bus ticket in his bedroom showing he had travelled from Clifton to Silverdale at the time of the burglary.

Officers worked with City Transport to find CCTV footage showing Haywood on the bus with the stolen property.

He had been released from prison five days before the burglary after a four-and-a-half year sentence for robbery.

Detective Sergeant Karl Thomas, of Carlton Police, said: "Haywood initially offered a guilty plea for handling stolen goods but this was rejected by the Crown. The evidence obtained thanks to the used bus ticket was vital in ensuring he was convicted of burglary and I am delighted with the result.

"I hope this sentence sends out a message that Nottinghamshire Police treat burglary very seriously and offenders can expect to be located and sent to prison."

A ROUSING weekend of celebrations has been held to to mark Nottingham High School's 500th anniversary.

Past and present pupils came together to enjoy three days of events in honour of the milestone.

Hundreds gathered yesterday at the school, in Arboretum Street for a family fun day – with some returning to their old stomping ground for the first time in decades.

Brothers John and Richard Webster, who grew up in Plumtree, were back seeing how things had changed since they both left in the 1960s.

Richard, 67, who flew back to the UK from Brisbane, Australia, especially for the event, said: "I think at the time you underestimate the value of the education that you get here.

"I was telling friends back in Australia I was coming for the school's 500th. When you bear in mind that Australia has only been in existence for 230 years or so, it really puts it into context."

When it came to memories of his time at the school, Richard added: "I was a fairly naughty boy. We used to have a Prefects' Court in those days and every Friday morning you'd appear before the sixth-formers if you were alleged to have committed an offence.

"I used to get found guilty of 'caplessness' – not wearing your cap off the school premises."

John, 70, went on to work for Nottingham City Council and now lives in Lincolnshire.

He said: "It's nice to be back. It's interesting to see my old classrooms again.

"It's incredible that it's still going after 500 years. You don't appreciate what is here until you have actually left."

The fun day event included live music by the school band, and talks by former pupils.

There was also a display by the Nottingham and Derby Hot Air Balloon Club, to mark 200 years since the first balloon flight over the city. Club member Robin Macey, 52, of Aspley, was a pupil at Nottingham High School between 1972 and 1979.

He said: "I was in the athletics team and I was the first boy in the school to jump over 6ft in the high jump.

"I feel very fortunate to have gone to the school, and it's great it has clocked up 500 years.

"It would be nice if my eight-year-old son, Ashley, could come here in the future."

The celebrations began with a golf day and afternoon tea on Friday.

A school captains' breakfast was also held on Saturday, attended by six decades of captains and vice-captains, the three living headmasters, and former senior masters.

It was followed by the annual Founder's Day Service at St Mary's Church, in the Lace Market, and the traditional Cheese 'n' Ale ceremony back at the school.

Present Year 10 pupil Tom Reilly, 15, of Sherwood, said: "About 1,500 people attended Founder's Day. It was nice to see pupils from all different years there."