H ELLO, faithful readers, it has been another busy week of trials and tribulations here at KAM Servicing. The gremlin slaying is in full force as customers take advantage of our great prices on all repairs.

We are currently offering a free spring/summer check and our talented technicians will look deep into your car's crevices.

We only undertake necessary repairs and we guarantee the lowest prices. Just call today and we can have you ready for the summer months ahead. It's almost summer holiday time… and while all parents cower in terror, the KAM team are here to help.

This week a self-assured man of wisdom called at our Bulwell depot.

"I've read Dr Kev's column since day one and I think I've finally found a problem even he can't fix." "Cool Hand" Luke listened intently as Mr F told how his Vauxhall Astra's exhaust was getting too hot. Luke explained that the exhaust disperses heat and so heat was normal.

Mr F responded: "Well, I've taken it to two local garages and they both had different diagnoses and my car is still not fixed! This is the only place left to come."

We found that one garage had replaced the back two sections of the exhaust to no avail while the other garage had replaced the front two sections and added in a rather pricey exhaust catalyst.

From the road test, it became apparent that the car was suffering from a lack of power and our will alone would not make it go faster. As we hoisted it on to our ramps, another car gremlin presented itself.

As we watched on in amazement, the exhaust proceeded to glow as red as the evening sun. This was a new one for the KAM team and we wondered whether Mr F was right.

It turned out that the crankshaft pulley was cracked and so was giving incorrect valve timing.

This would not show up on our machines and so would have been hard to spot.

We replaced the timing belt kit and fitted a new crankshaft pulley. Unfortunately, as the catalytic converter had been overheated so badly, the fire brick inside had disintegrated, which meant that had to be replaced as well – but once it was done the car was as good as new.

Remember, our team of dedicated and hardworking staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bulwell, Beeston, Belper and Stapleford along with our bodywork shop are open Mondays to Saturdays while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs.

So until next week, faithful readers, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.

Dr Kev

T raffic police cuts could mean deadly, drunk and drugged drivers get away with it, according to Traffic. Police numbers across Great Britain have been cut by 12% in five years, with some forces suffering 30-40% reductions, according to data released today by road safety charity Brake and webuyanycar.com.

While traffic police in Scotland increased by 4%, numbers were down by 31% in Wales, and 13% in England. Brake and webuyanycar.com are warning the cuts leave some parts of the country dangerously short on vital frontline roads policing, which could put the public at risk from dangerous, law-breaking drivers.

The largest cuts have been in: Bedfordshire, where roads police have been reduced by 44%; South Wales and Dyfed Powys, where cuts are around 40%; and West Mercia and Hampshire, where reductions are more than a third. Read the full results broken down by police force area.

Brake and webuyanycar.com fear the resulting lack of roads policing officers will lead to forces struggling to enforce vital safety laws, such as on drink driving, speeding and mobile phone use, and could potentially undermine an important new drug driving law expected to come into force next year.

International evidence shows enforcement is a key part of keeping roads safe, preventing devastating crashes and casualties by providing a deterrent against risky driving and ensuring dangerous offenders are taken off the public road.

Brake and webuyanycar.com are calling on the government to act to stem these severe cuts to life-saving traffic policing. It is urging the government to make roads policing a national policing priority, and ensure traffic policing is sufficiently resourced to tackle drunk, drugged and other dangerous driving.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive at Brake, said: "It is desperately worrying such large cuts continue to be made to traffic policing, just as progress is being made to improve the law on deadly drug driving. Roads police officers do a vital job enforcing important safety laws and protecting the public – their work is proven to save lives and prevent injuries and suffering. Cutting traffic police is a false economy, because the crashes and casualties they help to prevent inflict such devastation and are a huge drain. These cuts also undermine important progress being made by government to tackle drug driving. A much as we need a new drug driving law and screening devices, we need the officers out there to enforce it."

LYNDA Langford became a lucky winner of a crack-the-code competition with Chris Variava Chrysler-Jeep. This was in the dealership's Man of Steel competition which was held at Nottingham Motor Show at Wollaton Hall on Sunday, June 2.

The event was run in conjunction with the Chrysler Delta S and Ypsilon S-Series and the movie blockbuster Man of Steel.

Nottingham's Chrysler-Jeep dealership received a heap of entries but it was Lynda who won a fantastic meal for two at the Rocket at Saltwater Bar and Restaurant – a unique eating and drinking environment in a truly stunning space which overlooks the rooftops of Nottingham.

Rocket Restaurants and Bars, renowned in London for their quirky, individual style, top quality fusion food and interior design, have recently launched an exciting new venture at the original Saltwater in The Cornerhouse, on Foreman Street.

Also in the Cornerhouse complex is Cineworld Cinema, and as a part of her prize Lynda was also given two tickets to see the recently-released latest Superman film, Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder and starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Laurence Fishburne.

Lynda said: "We had a really great night out thanks to Chris Variava."

To find out more about great offers go to www.variava.com

PLANS have been revealed for a new £70 million recycling plant on the site of a Notts colliery which closed in 1995.

The Bilsthorpe Energy Centre could create 40 jobs and power 24,000 homes, reusing thousands of tonnes of waste that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

Developers Peel Environmental will start a public consultation today and is aiming to submit official proposals for the 3.7 hectare project by the autumn.

It is working in conjunction with land owners Harworth Estates – the property wing of Coalfield Resources (formerly UK Coal) – to develop the brownfield site at Bilsthorpe Business Park.

Plans were given a cautious welcome by Bilsthorpe villagers.

Simon Massey, 45, of Saville Road, said: "Forty jobs will be useful, but can they guarantee those jobs will be given to local people?

"They should make sure they talk to, and work with, the community."

Mr Massey, who worked at the Bilsthorpe colliery for eight years, added: "The impact of the pit closure was huge. We're still a dying village now, so why not use the land if the development is green and friendly?"

Another former coal worker – and groundsman at Bilsthorpe Miners' Welfare Club – Chris Willcock, 48, said: "It seems like a good idea, but they'll have to think about their access because the village has restrictions on wagons coming through.

"I'd like to see them use some of the money to improve road links for the community."

Developers were keen to stress the building will be disguised from view from the village by the surrounding landscape.

Richard Barker, development manager at Peel Environmental, said: "Our plans for the Bilsthorpe Energy Centre would bring 40 new jobs to the village and deliver £70 million of inward investment into the local area – boosting the local economy.

"We see waste as a resource rather than a problem."

The Bilsthorpe Energy Centre could divert tonnes of waste from landfill each year, producing 10.2MW of electricity.

Mr Barker added: "We look forward to speaking to those who live and work in Bilsthorpe and Eakring over the coming weeks to explain the proposals and take on board the views of the local community."

Eddie Peat, director of Harworth Estates, said: "The Energy Centre represents substantial investment in the site and would make a valuable contribution to the regeneration of the former Bilsthorpe Colliery."

Residents can view the plans and have their say at two public exhibitions at Bilsthorpe Village Hall – on Friday, July 19, from 4pm to 8pm, and Saturday, July 20, from 10am to 2pm.

T HE big names in automotive manufacturing once had the luxury of being able to dismiss Hyundai pretty much out of hand. The Korean marque's workmanlike products would mop up a respectable number of sales on a value for money ticket but challenge for a place at the European car market's top table? Pull the other one.

Eyes were taken off the ball and now Hyundai is the sixth largest car manufacturer in the world.

What's more, it has set its sights firmly on the lucrative European big time. The i30 gave us initial confirmation that this was no joke and the i10 confirms that Hyundai's ambitions are well founded.

While the i10's 1.2-litre petrol engine continues in improved form (13% more power, 9.2% less CO2, 8.7% better fuel consumption), the 1.1-litre unit that was the staple of the original i10 range has been replaced by a brand new three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine that powers the Blue and claims a combined consumption of 67.3mpg.

No one looks happy on UK petrol forecourts these days but at least the i10 should ease the pain inflicted by the extortionate pump prices.

Exploiting the full planet saving potential of the efficient new 1.0-litre engine, the Blue emits just 99g/km of CO2 and so exempts itself from VED and the London Congestion Charge.

It's currently the only sub-£10k five-seater car on the market to achieve this, and the first of a family of Blue models that will feature similar environmental technology.

With just 68bhp at its disposal, the new 1.0 i10 Blue just about wings 'frisky' in the confines of an urban environment but its rather feeble looking 0-62mph time of 14.8s is actually a whole second quicker than the old 1.1 could manage.

Like that car, it struggles a bit out of town but the new three-pot motor is a sweet engine with an engaging off-beat soundtrack that's fun to work hard. And the precise action of the five-speed gearbox means it's no chore keeping it on the boil. That said, the updated 1.2 powerplant with 85bhp makes life considerably more relaxed behind the wheel and adds to the fun quotient by actually putting a little heat into a surprisingly nifty chassis. And with a combined consumption of 61.4mpg and CO2 emission of just 108 g/km, you're hardly going to be branded a climate criminal.

The i10 has one of the longest wheelbases in its class. At 2,380mm, it's 65mm longer than the Aygo/C1/107 trio, which are largely identical bar the badges, and over 80mm longer than the Fiat's Panda. This should aid ride comfort and handling in the i10, while also maximising interior space. The long wheelbase has been achieved by pushing the wheels right into the corners of the car so as not to increase overall length by too much.

At 3,565mm long and 1,595mm wide, the i10 remains usefully compact. It's actually 166mm shorter than the Toyota Aygo and around 25mm longer than a Fiat Panda so parking shouldn't be too problematic. The exterior design – freshened up with reprofiled headlights, bumpers and grille, is marginally more adventurous than before. The city car market was once riddled with nondescript wheeled boxes whereas modern offerings tend to lay on the cheeky style as thick as possible and the i10 falls somewhere between these two stools.

The gentle curves around the front end work well and the rear is a little sharper with its angles but the overall shape is neatly integrated.

City car buyers aren't going short of choice at the moment. Small, economical vehicles that can help motorists sidestep the worst of the environmental taxation burden are very much in vogue and if they can do so with some design flair and a little bit of cheekiness thrown in, well, so much the better.

Relatively small changes for the South Korean car maker's popular city car, but then it wasn't broken in the first place.

W HEN Hyundai launched its Tuscon in 2004, you could count its direct rivals on the fingers of two hands. Back then, the market for compact 4x4 vehicles hadn't yet gone supernova and buyers interested in this type of vehicle had a comparatively easy task deciding which model to plump for.

Hop in your Tardis and fast forward to 2009, the year that the Tuscon's replacement, the Hyundai ix35 was unveiled.

Suddenly, sock removal is essential for anyone attempting to assign a digit to all the various compact 4x4 contenders.

If you include the growing cluster of crossover models that split the difference between 4x4 and family hatchback, you would need another pair of hands altogether. To stand out in this crowded marketplace, the ix35 – priced from £17,555 to £25,450 – needs to be special.

With a modern approach to the compact 4x4 market that prioritises style and road-going performance over off-road ability, the ix35 is a viable choice amongst the hordes of compact off-roaders out there at the moment. Its tight pricing and generous equipment levels are powerful weapons.

Not all ix35 models are four-wheel-drive. As has increasingly become the case with crossovers and compact 4x4s designed mainly for road use, the entry-level ix35s will be front-wheel-drive only.

This means the extra traction to help you out in slippery conditions is lost but all ix35s still have the extended ground clearance to stop them coming to grief on speed humps and high kerbs.

Of course, if you feel like a bit of a fraud driving a front- wheel-drive "4x4", the more expensive ix35 versions will deliver the goods.

Features such as Downhill Brake Control (which stops the vehicle running away with you when heading down steep gradients) and Hill-Start Assist Control (which ensures a smooth getaway when driving back up), will help should you decide to venture off the Queen's highway.

The latest crop of Hyundai products have elevated the brand into serious contention at the top of some of the European market's biggest sectors. If you had to criticise models like the i10, i20 and i30, however, it would be on grounds of their somewhat formulaic styling.

A bit of visual drama is helping propel Hyundai to the next level and the ix35 confirms that things are moving in the right direction. It's the most adventurously styled Hyundai we've seen for a long while. From the front, there's definite scope for mistaking it for Ford's handsome Kuga.

The size of the ix35 places it in the middle of the compact 4x4 class. It's around 10cm longer than a Nissan Qashqai but smaller than the Honda CR-V and Chevrolet Captiva. It retains the elevated ride height whether customers choose two or four driven wheels, so getting in and out should be straightforward as should loading. Decent head and legroom in the back make this a bona fide family car and the build is as sturdy as recent Hyundai efforts have led us to expect.

By positioning the car in the gap between road-biased crossover 4x4s and the traditional compact off-roaders, Hyundai is hoping to maximise the appeal of the ix35. It's roomy and practical enough to fill the family car role and has the dramatic looks to stand out, even in this crowded marketplace. In the end, it's the competitive pricing and long warranty which are likely to play the biggest role in convincing would-be buyers to take the plunge.

A BOAT owner has spoken of the dramatic moment he helped police to bring a pensioner floating in the River Trent "back from the dead".

Police received a report from the captain of Princess River Cruises that a woman was floating in the water at Colwick Marina, at about 12.45pm on Tuesday.

A life ring was thrown to her but when she didn't respond officers feared the worst.

Not wanting the body to sink or get washed down the Trent, PC Mat Mitchell shouted to a passing boat, steered by Alex Bell, for help.

The constable waded into waist-high water to climb aboard the sports cruiser and the pair headed towards the woman.

"She was so motionless and pale," said Mr Bell, 48, who lives on a canal boat at Redhill Marina. "She was just floating in the water and the policeman thought she was dead.

"I didn't really want to look but then I saw her flicker her eyes and said 'she's alive' – and then she opened them.

"I just shouted at the policeman, 'Get in there, she's alive', and then it was a mad scramble to get his clothes off.

"As he was doing that I was driving the boat back round to get close to her again.

"Once we realised she was alive, every second counted."

PC Mitchell stripped to his boxer shorts to jump in and rescue the 73-year-old woman.

Once in the water he dragged her to the river bank where PC Katie Eustace, from The Meadows, waded in to help bring her to shore.

Officers then administered first aid.

"We were pretty convinced she was dead and we all responded to the situation like we were going to recover a body," said PC Mitchell, beat manager for Sneinton.

"As we got closer I was pretty certain she had passed away but to check, I shouted, 'Hello, can you hear me?'

"In one of the most bizarre moments of my career she just opened her eyes.

"I was frantically trying to strip off, then I jumped in and pulled her back to the shore.

"It's certainly not an everyday experience.

"I've been a cop for nearly 20 years and it's the first time I've had to go in to open water.

"You just work on instinct – if it had been my grandma in there I would have expected the cops to jump in."

The woman was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre where she continues to make a good recovery.

Police thanked Mr Bell and are considering the best way to recognise his efforts.

PC Mitchell said: "It went well beyond any sort of civic duty – he was brilliant.

"The whole team played their part and it was probably one of the most satisfying jobs I've been on, because it had a happy ending and we've done someone a good turn."

Have you stepped up in a moment of drama? Send your stories to newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

A HUSBAND who murdered his wife and used her savings to travel the world says it would make more sense to put him in a "chemical coma" than keep him in jail.

Jamie Starbuck, pictured, killed his wife Debbie, dismembered her body and burnt it in a bin in his back garden in Desford Close, Basford.

He then dumped her remains in woodland and set off on his travels across Europe, Asia and Central America using £70,000 of her money. The remains have never been found.

Starbuck was jailed for a minimum of 30 years at Nottingham Crown Court in May after admitting the murder and is now in Nottingham Prison.

In a letter to prisoners' newspaper Inside Time, he complained about the boredom of life inside.

He wrote: "Aside from getting into a yearly fight at school with the same boy, I've only done one violent act and that got me 30 years in prison."

He added: "It costs the government a small fortune to keep me inside these four very tall walls, reading, watching TV and performing menial work for weekly pay that would shame a banana republic.

"So I ask: 'what is the point? Where is the driving purpose to get me out of bed in the morning?'"

In an attempt to cover his tracks the 36-year-old cleaner pretended his murdered wife was travelling with him, sending e-mails on her behalf to his her friends and family.

But they eventually became suspicious and alerted police.

Starbuck was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport as he returned from Peru on January 19.

In his letter, he added: "I see Dignitas on the news and can't help thinking it makes more sense than sitting here writing letters for the next 11,000 days. Put me in a chemical coma – wouldn't that be cheaper?"

He ends with: "What's the point?"

Starbuck killed Debbie, 44, a self-employed proof-reader, nine months after they met online. She was last seen alive six days after their wedding on April 27, 2010.

Starbuck also took to writing while on the run, blogging about his experiences.

A family statement made after the case by one of Debbie's older sisters, Beth Jones, read: "Everything that we have been told about what happened to Deb leads us to a place of unimaginable horror. We are haunted and tormented by the suffering that she must have endured in the violent act that caused her death."

HALF a million pounds is to be spent replacing pavements in areas of Notts with high levels of obesity.

Council bosses hope it will inspire people to become more active – walking to shops and schools instead of hopping in the car.

But speaking to the Post, residents in two of the areas – Stapleford and Eastwood – have labelled the plans a waste of money and say it won't help in the battle against the flab.

Emma McFarlane, 68, of Warren Street, Stapleford, said: "We hear that money is tight, so why is the council spending money on pavements that are all right?

"How will that help obese people get fit anyway?"

Jo Eftekhari runs the Slimming World group in Stapleford at Pasture Road Community Church.

She said: "Improving the pavements isn't the first thing that I would think of when it came to ways to beat obesity."

The plans were approved at a Notts County Council transport and highways meeting yesterday.

The £500,000 is part of a £2 million package of Government funding which was awarded to the authority.

Opposition spokesman for highways and transport Richard Jackson said: "I support the investment in pavements, but don't think it will have the desired outcome of tackling obesity."

Andy Warrington, the county council's service director for highways, said: "It's all about encouraging people to lead healthier lifestyles and is part of a wider package."

Work will now begin to identify footpaths to local schools and shops that need revamping to encourage people to walk more.

The areas for the improvements – prioritised using obesity prevalence data and footway condition surveys – are Eastwood/Brinsley, Stapleford, East Retford and Central Newark.

What do you think of the plans to spend £500,000 on pavements to tackle obesity? Send your views to newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

FAWAZ Al Hasawi has asked Nottingham Forest fans for their patience – while the club build a team that is capable of challenging for promotion.

The Reds owner and chairman has already overseen five new additions this summer, with keeper Dorus de Vries the latest to sign before the squad flew out to Portugal yesterday.

But Al Hasawi says the work has only just begun – and will continue right up until the moment the transfer window closes.

The Kuwaiti has pledged that there are more quality additions to come.

"I am not going to say everything that we are going to do. But I want the fans and everyone to relax," he said.

"I have spoken to Billy (Davies) about what he wants and we will do things step by step.

"We will bring in good players, we will bring in quality. There will be more activity this summer.

"From now and until September it will be hard.

"I am sure the fans are worried about the team, but I want to tell them to relax, to be patient.

"We are working hard to get things done. We are working hard to bring in all the players that Billy wants.

"Some people think that we are not getting the right players. But I am doing all this for Nottingham.

"We will do this slowly, the window closes in the first week of September and we will bring in all the players that Billy wants."

And Al Hasawi says every signing the club makes will be decided by the manager.

"Billy is the manager, not Fawaz Al Hasawi. But I want to go to the next level," he said.

"And I want to be able to sit with Billy and say to him 'we brought in the players you wanted, now let's do that'.

"We did well last season, hopefully this season we will focus from the beginning.

"I wish Billy, his staff and the players all the best, but we also need the fans to be behind us, as they are always."

Al Hasawi says Davies deserves credit for the work he did in the final months of last season, as Forest narrowly missed out on a play-off place.

"I am delighted to have Billy with us, he knows the team and he knows Nottingham Forest very well," he said. "He did a wonderful job last season, even if we did not quite make it in the final game. But that is football.

"We will focus this time around from day one."

As the new campaign approaches, Paul Taylor looks ahead at the 2013/14 Championship fixture list and highlights five games that could help shape the outcome of the Reds' season as Billy Davies looks to steer the club into the top flight.

Wigan Athletic, Saturday August 31, DW Stadium

BILLY Davies' sides, traditionally, may not have made a flying start to the campaign when he has been managing at Preston, Derby and Forest.

But, if he can buck that historic trend this time around, then the Reds will have sent out a clear message to the rest of the Championship – we mean business.

The fixture computer has not handed Forest the easiest start to the campaign, with testing trips to Blackburn and Watford, as well as home games against Huddersfield and Bolton before they even consider a trip to newly relegated Wigan.

Bolton and Watford in particular will fancy their chances of challenging for promotion this time around – as will the Latics.

But, by the time the Reds finish the month by heading to the DW Stadium, what has gone before it will have given an early indication of how the hectic summer of work, when it comes to rebuilding the squad, has gone.

And, if Forest can emerge with three points – or even with a draw – against a Wigan side who beat them comfortably in the Carling Cup last season, then it is not an exaggeration to say it will prove that they are capable of mixing it with the best in the division.

The fixture will also see James Perch face his former side for the first time as a Wigan player, following his £700k move from Newcastle.

Derby County, Saturday September 28, City Ground

AT any stage of any season, the visit of Derby County will always be a landmark moment for every Nottingham Forest fan.

But this fixture will have even more importance than normal heaped upon it.

Reds fans will not need reminding that they have lost three of the last four meetings between the two sides, with Forest's only point collected from a 1-1 draw at Pride Park back in January.

This is the third year running that Derby have visited the City Ground in September – and Billy Davies' men will be looking to ensure the Rams do not notch up a third consecutive win in Nottingham.

The fierce rivalry between the two sides always seems to conjure up controversy, whether it be Robbie Savage's scarf waving, Nathan Tyson's corner flag exploits or the infamous 'kneegate' clash between Nigel Clough and Davies.

Whatever happens there will be drama, but Forest fans will be desperate to see their side return to the kind of form that saw them notch-up their famous 5-2 win over the Rams back in December 2010.

Clough has consistently done a good job putting together a capable side on a limited budget at the other end of the A52 – and he currently holds the bragging rights when it comes to local derby clashes.

Forest – and specifically Davies – will want to ensure that is not the case come the end of the campaign.

Reading, Friday November 29, City Ground

READING go into the new season in a new division with a relatively new manager – but their goal is clear.

Nigel Adkins was realistically not appointed to keep Reading in the Premier League last season, with their fate all but sealed before he arrived at the club back at the end of March.

Instead, the manager was brought in because of his track record of steering both Southampton and Scunthorpe to promotion in the past.

The Royals will be among the favourites to win promotion and, in their case, an immediate return to the top flight.

Not only will the fixture pit Forest up against one of the sides they must match if they are to have a realistic chance of achieving their own Premier League dreams, but it will also herald the return of two old faces.

Chris Gunter and Garath McCleary were both popular figures during their time at the City Ground.

And, while they were both largely peripheral figures as Reading fought against relegation last season, they are likely to have a more integral role this time around.

In October, Forest face some epic away games, with trips to Charlton, Brighton and Yeovil. They also make the short, but tough, trip to Leicester in November.

But the game against the Royals will still be one of their toughest tests heading towards the end of 2013.

Saturday May 3, Brighton, City Ground.

BACK in May, Nottingham Forest had the chance to compete an impressive turnaround in form under Billy Davies by securing a place in the play-offs against the odds.

In the end, a frustrating finale to the campaign was capped off in agonising fashion as Leicester City triumphed on the final day of the campaign to deny the Reds a top six finish.

By the time next May comes around, Forest's goals are more ambitious. This time, the hope is that they will be challenging for a place in the top-two, rather then just a play-off berth.

But there is also a good chance that, if Forest are indeed among the challengers on the final day, then Brighton could well be too.

The Seagulls do have an unknown quantity in manager – or head coach – Oscar Garcia, following the sacking of Gus Poyet. But the Spaniard certainly has an impressive CV, following up a playing career with Barcelona with a role as coach of their highly rated youth team.

He subsequently guided Maccabi Tel Aviv to the title in Israel – and will be aiming for similar success on the south coast.

But Forest will be hoping it is they – and not their opposition – who have something to celebrate on the final day.

QPR, Saturday April 12, Loftus Road

WHERE the London club are concerned, literally anything could happen this season.

With Harry Redknapp in charge, you know there will be plenty of comings and goings this summer.

And, while he has a massive job on his hands to trim a squad of players who are all highly paid, but not automatically highly talented, Rangers will still probably be fighting it out at the right end of the Championship table under his guidance.

Rangers do possess a core of players who are more than capable of flourishing in the second tier, whether Redknapp can trim the deadwood or not.

And, by the time Forest make the journey south, it will be pretty clear which way Redknapp's fortunes are swinging – and, indeed, whether Forest themselves will be in a position to challenge.

Whatever the fortunes of the two clubs come April, further intrigue could be added by two of the men who are currently on the Loftus Road coaching staff.

Steve McClaren has just agreed a short-term deal to become a coach under Redknapp and could find himself in the dugout alongside another former Forest manager, Steve Cotterill.

Cotterill worked in a similar capacity last season and could yet have his own contract extended.

PUB landlady Nicola Murphy and her friends pledged to raise £10,000 for a Nottingham hospital ward that looked after her late grandmother.

She labelled the bid Flying For Floss in memory of Evelyn Riekstins – affectionately known as Floss – with the eventual aim of a skydive taking them past their target.

Having amassed more than £8,000 so far for the stroke unit at Nottingham City Hospital's Beeston Ward from activities including walking over hot coals, a pampering night, and a glam rock evening, Nicola and four others are preparing for their leap of faith on Wednesday, her 30th birthday.

Celebrations are sure to follow at Nicola's pub, It's Inn The Bank, in Victoria Road, Netherfield, where bacon cobs and champagne are being laid on when they return from the skydive site at Langar.

Nicola said: "Not only have we raised a lot of money for a great cause, it's also been an amazing team-building exercise."

The four jumping with Nicola – Jenny Wisemans, Fiona Green, Marie Carnelley and Marie Coy – have all become much closer friends through taking part in all the fund-raising events.

"And the whole community has shown real spirit. There are 15 girls in the group in total but support has come from so many more."

Nicola can't wait for the jump, adding: "Me and Marie Coy are really excited but I think the others are just excited because they wont have to think about it anymore."

The girls' legacy will live on, with five more taking over the mantle for next year and the Beeston Ward continuing to receive donations.

"We'll help them out with events but they're not setting a target like we have this year," said Nicola.

Amanda Blackshaw, manager of Beeston Ward, said: "The entire ward team are delighted and in awe of Nicola's efforts to raise £10,000 for our stroke unit.

"This phenomenal amount of money will be used to help patients with their recovery and to make life a little more bearable during their stay in hospital.

"We cannot begin to thank Nicola enough for all that she is doing for the benefit of stroke patients."

You can donate towards the cause at www.justgiving.com/flyingforfloss, which closes on Wednesday.

PUPILS from a city school have become world record-breakers.

Farnborough School, in Clifton, was among 69 across the country which set a Guinness World Record for the most people writing a story at multiple venues.

In fact, they didn't just beat the previous record of 953 – they smashed it, with 3,217 students and school librarians taking part.

Each school was given an introduction to a story by writer Matt Haig.

Pupils were then asked to write two sentences each to complete the story.

Farnborough librarian Toni Slee said: "It was an inspiring event for the students in the school.

"It was a real help to provide them with more skills when it comes to creative writing.

"To be part of a record-breaking attempt is very exciting for them."

The challenge took place on National Libraries Day – February 8. The numbers have only just been added up and verified, with the record easily surpassed.

Schools received the introduction to the story and students sat in groups to come up with the rest of it.

The story centres on a young boy called Danny Shovel, who finds out that his parents are aliens.

He finds out that Derek and Marjorie Shovel are really called Slupperax and Droovil.

Lewis Vaughan-Jones, 13, said: "It was good fun taking part in the story. I thought for quite a while about my two sentences.

"It was very pleasing to find out we had managed to break the record."

Lewis Cann, 13, said: "It took me a while deciding on the sentences in the story. But it was worth the effort now we can say we are world record-holders."

George McEwen, 13, said: "I really enjoy story writing. English is one of my favourite subjects and I'd like to write more when I get older. Taking part in events like this will make me feel more confident that I am able to write stories."

Other Notts schools taking part were George Spencer Academy, in Stapleford, and Mansfield's Samworth Church Academy.

THERE is an urgent need for more organ donors.

In Notts, more than 150 people are waiting for new organs.

Each case is a heart-rending story of a person and their family clinging to the hope that they will survive.

When one reads these stories, it is always a surprise that more people do not come forward and put themselves on the register.

Each of us has the potential to save many lives. Rick Phillips, whom we feature today, donated organs to several people when he died nine years ago. In a cruel twist of fate, his own daughter may now need a new liver to survive. If any family deserves help, then surely it is this one.

But there is encouragement in the response to Nottingham University Hospitals Be A Hero campaign.

The campaign, supported by the Post, asked local people to sign up to the organ donor register.

So far this year 10,000 people have done just that. It is a dramatic improvement on what went before and goes to show that if people are given the right information and asked directly to help, then they will respond.

Clearly, the more people on the register, the better the prospects for those on waiting lists. More donors are still needed. If you are not on the register, please sign up.

SOARING temperatures combined with Wimbledon fever is serving up a Notts tennis boom.

Coaches say more people are taking to Notts' courts, inspired by Andy Murray's performance at the championships, including last night's thrilling win against Jerzy Janowicz, which saw him through to the final.

And with thermometers due to touch 26 degrees centigrade under sunny skies over the next five days, the sport is expecting its annual boom to be better than ever.

Jean Blake a coach at The Park Tennis Club, in Tattershall Drive, Nottingham, said it was a "fantastic" period for the sport in Notts. "It has been busy for us as a club," she said. "We have a lot of people wanting to start playing or start back again after many years.

"We always see a rise in interest at this time of year, and the good weather helps, but we are noticeably busy this year, and one of the major things is having a good British player.

"It's then about getting people to stay on long term and go on improving."

The Post reported yesterday that Notts could be about to bask in its longest period of July sunshine in seven years, according to forecasters.

The Met Office is predicting clear skies until at least Monday, with temperatures going up to 26 degrees Celsius.

Peter Whitehead, tennis manager at Nottingham Tennis Centre, says the University Boulevard facility did not always notice the Wimbledon buzz because it plans extra events in summer anyway – but he hoped warm weather would help the sport.

He said: "That extra uptake does happen about this time for a couple of weeks – and you have places like the park in Valley Road, in Sherwood, where the courts are free to use; those places are going to see quite an uptake.

"Wimbledon is there year in year out and it shouldn't be difficult to get people to stick with tennis – you hope people will give it a go and then want to take it further."

Tennis in the county has also been given a boost this year by Notts County Council's £1.7m Sports Legacy Fund.

It included £31,800 for Collingham Lawn Tennis Club and £25,000 to also improve facilities at Woodthorpe Tennis Club.

But not everyone thinks tennis has the brightest possible future.

One Notts tennis club member, who did not want to be named, said: "There are things like the Tennis Centre here which you can just go an play at, but the younger people do not seem to go to clubs. Tennis is still quite elitist in my view and not as accessible as some other sports that take people's interest."

WHEN Liz Phillips had a discussion with her husband about organ donation, little did she know that a few weeks later she'd be making the heartbreaking decision on whether she should donate his organs.

"There was a lady on the local news and her daughter needed a transplant," said Liz.

"Rick and I were sat watching and I said 'would you give your organs away?' and he said 'yeah, if they were any good to anybody'."

A couple of weeks later, Rick had a heart aneurysm on the football pitch and died a few days later. He was 38 years old.

"He was the old man of the football team but he was really fit and healthy and played every week," says Liz.

Expecting him to come home for Sunday dinner, Liz received a telephone call from the club manager to say Rick had been rushed to hospital.

Liz says: "He was conscious then. The ambulance man said he was conscious all the way to the hospital and he was talking about his family."

But Rick had a fit when he got to the hospital and never regained consciousness. He was kept alive in a coma and on the Tuesday, Liz and their four children prepared to say goodbye to him. At the time, the oldest, Dan, was 12, Robyn was 11, Chelci was nine, and the youngest, Jade, was seven.

It was a terrible time for the family from Retford but being able to donate Rick's organs meant some good came out of his premature death.

Liz says: "At the beginning it's a shock and as you go through the process, you wonder if you're doing the right thing. But when you start to get the feedback from the people who've received the organs, they put the pieces of the jigsaw back together."

Liz was introduced to her organ co-ordinator, Emma Thirwall, who helped her go through the process. It's through Emma that she keeps in contact with some of the recipients.

Liz says: "We've had letters off the heart recipient and the liver recipient. We know that his kidneys went to two different people and one was a child. We also know that they took pieces of bone. The organ co-ordinator told me that they sometimes graft bone on footballers and because Rick was a big footballer, we agreed to donate an amount of that as well."

She's still in contact with the person who received Rick's liver and it makes her happy to hear that he's gone from being in a coma to living a full and happy life.

"We got a letter not long ago to say he's competing in the Transplant Games. He's taken part in lots of events over the years and won medals, which he's always dedicated to Rick," says Liz.

In a cruel twist of fate, the family has experienced what it's like to be in need of a new organ. Her youngest daughter, Jade, 20, has been very sick since she was 12 years old.

She was diagnosed with auto-immune liver disease and then developed a secondary disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), which attacks the bile ducts.

"Her immune system has turned on her organs. It attacked her liver first, then her bile ducts and her bowel and she had to have her bowel and gall bladder taken out," says Liz, who works as a checkout worker in Morrisons.

At the end of last year, Jade was assessed to see if she needed a liver transplant but a drug, Tacrolimus, is keeping her condition stable.

Liz says: "It's actually a drug which they normally give patients after a transplant. It suppresses the immune system from attacking the new liver but they've had to do that now to stop it attacking her own liver."

Knowing that Jade might need a new liver in the future has made the family more pleased than ever that they decided to donate Rick's organs.

Jade said: "It feels like he's done something good even after he died."

Their message to people is to sign the organ donor register and to discuss with their family what they want to happen when they die.

Jade said: "It's a difficult decision for families to make. If you have the conversation, it makes it easier and you'll feel like you've done the right thing by the person. You discuss getting married and you discuss having babies and mortgages, but nobody seems to discuss end of life."

MORE than 150 people are waiting for an organ transplant in Notts. Here are just some of the stories of people who've saved lives or whose lives have been saved by organ donation...

In January, the Post ran a story on 52-year-old Carol Thomas, whose 10-year-old granddaughter Bayleigh was pleading with people to join the organ donor register. Carol needed a lung transplant after being diagnosed with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a protein deficiency that can attack the healthy tissue of the lungs.

Last week, Carol and Bayleigh's dreams finally came true when Carol received new lungs.

Speaking from hospital in Newcastle, Carol's husband, Gary Thomas, 54, said: "She's doing really well and she's up and walking. I'm pleased that lots of people have put their name down on the register. We're at the other end of it and we really appreciate everything."

KEYWORTH soldier James Donaldson died in a motorbike accident at the age of 24 eight years ago.

Unbeknown to his parents, he had signed the register for all his organs to be donated to those in need. James's liver went to a 55-year-old man, a ten-year-old boy had one kidney, a 51-year-old woman had a second kidney and his pancreas, while a 28-year-old man received his heart. Inspired by this, his mother has campaigned with Nottingham University Hospitals to raise awareness of organ donation and is delighted the Be a Hero campaign has reached the 10,000 people mark.

She said: "James was a hero even in death. I have been watching this campaign from the very start.

"The impact has been remarkable and I am very proud to have been a part of it."

KAREN Hodgson says that not only did her heart transplant save her life, it also transformed her life.

The 49-year-old NHS worker from Ilkeston had her transplant nearly seven years ago and has since gone on to run the London Marathon.

"Having a heart transplant has completely changed my whole life and the quality of my life, never mind the fact that it saved my life," said Karen.

She's impressed that so many people in Notts have signed the register.

Karen said: "It shows that the campaign has got people to think about the benefits of organ donation. It's incredible and it really shows that raising awareness works. Having a heart transplant has completely changed my life."

CARING colleagues rolled back the years with a retro sports day to raise money for a friend who was in a crash.

Adam Newstead was left in a coma last year when he was hit by a lorry near Gamston and is now wheelchair-bound, needing 24-hour care.

Colleagues from his workplace have raised more than £1500 to renovate his house and allow him access outside – with an old school favourite, the sports day, taking place yesterday.

Vicky Standing, is a manager at Welcome Finance, the company where Adam previously worked.

She said: "He worked here for about six or seven years. He was bubbly, easy to talk to and easy going. He was friendly.

"He's a colleague so a lot of people wanted to help and he's got a lot of friends here. Everyone wanted to be involved.

"Everyone's giving donations to take part – it's closure at this stage for the fundraising."

Following a variety of events and raffles, the final fundraising effort was yesterday's sports day.

Vicky said: "It was an amazing turnout and the weather was on our side. We had to postpone it from last Friday, but everyone had fun and there was lots of laughing and smiling. It was an eventful day.

"His house does not accommodate him to be able to go out and he's stuck in one room. We're raising money to fit some patio doors to get him outside."

She added: "Then after that, we're going to help do the work on his house.

"We want to do it from the start to the end and have all the work done for his birthday in August so he can go outside and have a BBQ."

The main event of the sports day was a highly-competitive tug of war and other events included a three-legged race and an egg and spoon race.

Adam was involved in the crash on April 7, 2012, and suffered a series of injuries, including a crushed femur, broken right hip and kneecap and a broken jaw. He was in an induced coma for three weeks.

After around a year of rehabilitation in hospital, Adam was able to go home.

Vicky said: "We wanted to do more than just chatting to him, we wanted to help him. He mentioned wanting to go into his garden but they are unable to do that. Our target was £1500 and we've already smashed it."

A FAMILY have filed a complaint against the QMC after the death of their father, a 95-year-old former prisoner of war.

Dennis Riley died on Wednesday, June 12, after falling out of his hospital bed and breaking his hip.

He suffered two fractures which had to be operated on, but he died hours later.

The hospital trust said it is investigating why he fell, however the cause of death was found to be unrelated to the injuries sustained in the fall.

Mr Riley's daughter, Janet Brewster, 60, of Castle Donington, said: "We do have concerns about the way he was treated.

"They told me he tried to climb out of bed and fell in the process, but I don't understand how he was able to do this as the last time I saw him he was so weak he couldn't even move his arms.

"He served his country and I felt he didn't deserve to be treated in this way.

"I remember going to visit him and he was freezing, I had to cover him up with blankets."

The cause of death for Mr Riley was recorded as pneumonia.

His son Robert Riley, 58, of Meadow Lane, Beeston, said: "It's upset us all. I don't know why he was able to fall out of bed."

He said his father, who lived in Birch Avenue, Beeston, was discharged from hospital despite complaining of pain in his right eye, only to be readmitted days later when the pain worsened and he was diagnosed with shingles.

Mrs Brewster said: "My dad was a cheerful person and never wanted to make a fuss, and because of this I don't think he received a good standard of care."

Dr Stephen Fowlie, medical director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We extend our condolences to Mr Riley's family.

"He had been identified as at risk of falls and preventive action was taken.

"We are investigating the circumstances of his fall and will keep his family fully informed of our findings."

Have you been affected by poor NHS care? Contact us at dominic.howell@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk