OUR nightmare began with a phone call at around midnight.

We were told that Nan had suffered from a fall, and immediately we were concerned.

We could not understand it.

She had been unable to walk for the past three years and had never fallen from her chair at home.

She didn't have the strength to move herself, so how could she have fallen? That was all I was thinking.

But it was when I saw her on the hospital ward that the shock set in.

She looked like she had been beaten up. Both of her eyes were black and she had a large cut on her head.

It truly was unbelievable.

She was the woman who had brought me up. She was more like a mother to me, rather than a grandmother. And it was so upsetting to see her in this way.

Nurses told us she had tried to climb out of bed and fallen, but I couldn't get my head around how this could have happened.

They told me she had suffered from a fit of delirium and had tried to get up.

A few days later doctors discovered she had broken bones, which they had not initially detected.

Nan was always a very brave woman, she was widowed in 1979, and she did not like to moan.

I think in the end doctors and nurses didn't realise her bones were broken because she was like this.

Of course I was upset, but I am an optimistic person and I was just hoping and believing that she would get better.

I don't think she realised how bad her situation was, she was awake, but mentally not quite with it.

She died on October 16, 2011 – six days after the fall.

I always thought that she would have lived to 100 years old had it not been for this fall.

Since her death we have found it difficult to cope with what she went through.

We are not interested in compensation, we just want to make sure that no one else goes through what she did.

She had two children, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Everyone is devastated.

SUPPORTING shops in the city centre against the force of the internet "is not a lost cause", a leading city councillor has said.

Nick McDonald, portfolio holder for jobs and growth at Nottingham City Council, admitted the vacancy rate for shops was higher than he would like, but said that solid plans were in place to deal with the problem.

Speaking at a meeting of the Executive Board City Centre Committee yesterday, Mr McDonald said: "It's true the vacancy rate is at a higher level than it has been in the past.

"But despite out-of-town shopping centres, the internet and the growth in supermarkets, the high street is not a lost cause.

"People are coming to the city centre for different reasons than they were ten years ago – people are coming now for a retail and leisure experience and we are looking at this kind of offer in our strategy."

The plans include looking at boosting the independent sector in the city, providing a business mentoring service and inspiring retailers to network and share ideas.

David Bishop, the council's corporate director of development, said: "This approach is a good idea and we have worked really well to come up with really practical steps to take."

LAST year the Post reported that £100,000 was to be pumped into blitzing the problem of empty shops in the city. Now it's grown to £230,000, this is how the money has been carved up:

£110,000 – Vacant shops grants scheme. Launched in June, this provides an incentive to encourage landlords to let vacant properties. The grant scheme will provide up to £5,000 contribution to support improvements to premises shop fronts of vacant units. The landlord will need to match the fund grant by 50 per cent and provide evidence the unit will be let following the works.

£30,000 – Business mentoring programme. Launching on July 19, the aim of this project is to develop a business support package (which includes mentoring) for new and existing high street businesses. It will aim to support 30 trading businesses to grow and 20 start-ups over a 12-month period.

£30,000 – Inspiring retail. Also launching on July 19, this will be a competition for business start-ups and businesses hoping to expand. It will also bring in investment from private sector.

£10,000 – Derby Road. The Derby Road area of the city was initially chosen as a pilot project due to its high number of vacancies.

£4,000 – Wheeler Gate vacant shops review. A number of large units are vacant on Wheeler Gate, in particular the old HMV which left in January 2011.

£20,000 - Wider city centre review. A closer look at look at vacancy "hot spots.

£16,000 – Hot spots project fund. A pot of money to address immediate issues such as building cleaning and operational issues.

£10,000 – Independent retail network. The plan for this is still in development stage.

HUNDREDS of travellers were left stranded and waiting for replacement services following a signal fault at Nottingham railway station.

The problem occurred at the station yesterday morning and left crowds of people waiting for buses on Station Street.

Lindsey King was waiting for her brother who was coming from Heathrow Airport.

The 34-year-old from Bulwell said: "He's coming back from Heathrow – but he's just flown from Dubai. He's had a long journey and is going to be very tired and this isn't helping."

She added: "It is absolute mayhem and it's been like this for about two hours.

"I'm not sure about how they have dealt with it –- we've not spoken to many staff."

Sarah Chamberlain was also waiting for a relative.

She said: "It makes you wonder how they are going to cope when the station is shut and the kids are off school.

"We've been here about half and hour and we're just looking at every bus to see whether he is on it.

"We're not sure how much the staff know."

Trains to London, Skegness, Sheffield, Leeds and Worksop were delayed.

And services to London, Leicester, Birmingham and Newark were cancelled.

Brian Fletcher's train to Sutton Parkway was cancelled, and when the 70-year-old asked about a replacement bus, he said that none of the staff knew when it would arrive.

Mr Fletcher added: "I've been waiting about half an hour.

He added: "I'm just trying to get back. I can't get a bus from the city centre because it goes to Sutton centre and my car is at the train station, which is out of town."

One traveller, who did not want to be named, said she had been to Derby and back again just trying to get a train.

She said: "I left Loughborough this morning and I've been back and forth.

"I'm trying to get to Market Rasen but I can't."

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said the fault was rectified by 12.45pm and that engineers would be at the site over night to carry out further investigations and testing.

The spokeswoman added: "The signalling at Nottingham station is due for renewal this summer in order to help improve reliability. From July 20 until August 25, Network Rail will be working on a £100m project to completely renew the railway around the city, relaying more than a mile of track and a series of junctions, closing three signal boxes and two level crossings, and erecting more than 140 new signals."

NOTTS Police do not always follow official procedure when using stop-and-search powers, inspectors have found.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary has completed a review of how the force uses its search power as part of a national study.

In Notts, it said, not everyone who was stopped was able to apply for a record of the search – an entitlement under law.

This was because "lapses" meant stop-and-search forms were not always completed by officers, the report says, such as during special operations or when officers were busy.

Supervision of officers' use of stop-and-search powers was also said to be limited.

Training has been expanded in the force since last summer to tackle concerns about the number of black and ethnic minority people being stopped and searched.

Across the country, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary found that forces failed to record the "reasonable" reasons for using stop-and-search powers in a quarter of cases.

Assistant Chief Constable Simon Torr of Notts Police said: "Over the last year, we have introduced a number of key measures to ensure that officers use stop-and-search powers fairly, responsibly, with respect for those who are being searched and without unlawful discrimination.

"There has been significant progress in the way stop and search is recorded, and training is continuing for frontline officers to reiterate the importance of conducting searches appropriately."

A CASH delivery driver was told he would be shot and his knee caps blown off during an attempted armed raid at an Notts bank, a court heard.

Masked raiders tried to steal a cash box from Amrick Singh , a G4S driver, as he a made a routine visit with £25,000 inside a secure box to HSBC, in Front Street, Arnold.

One of the would-be robbers carried a gun in front of terrified customers who witnessed the incident unfold just before 11am on Thursday, January 10.

Customers turned to face the wall and some cowered in terror as Mr Singh was threatened and pistol-whipped around his protective helmet, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

One customer feared that both he and his dog would be shot.

Two days earlier the gang's getaway car was stolen – an R32 performance Volkswagen Golf – taken from a woman at knifepoint in Radford.

Registered number plates for an identical vehicle were stolen in Birmingham and fitted to the car.

The car was spotted in a car park half-a-mile away the day before as the would-be robbers did reconnaissance .

Vehicles to switch to were ready and waiting.

Despite their apparent organisation, the would-be robbers fled with nothing, as a fob was required to open the cash box.

Judge Gregory Dickinson QC said the fact that the robbery was ultimately unsuccessful did not diminish the seriousness of the case or the fear for those involved.

Three men were arrested. Two of those were jailed for a total of 25 years yesterday for conspiracy to rob and possessing an imitation firearm, which has never been found.

Emmanuel Staff, 32, was locked up for 12 years and co-conspirator Ryan McDevitt, 25, received 13 years.

Their exact roles are not known, but both were sentenced for being part of the plot. Others were involved and have not been caught.

Staff, of Lindfield Road, on the Broxtowe Estate, pleaded guilty and McDevitt, of Markham Crescent, Sherwood, was found guilty after a trial.

A charge against a third man, Mark Blair, 39, of Larch Gardens in Bulwell, was dropped.

Afterwards, Detective Inspector Kev Broadhead said: "This was a planned, brazen and violent crime, which has left its mark on a number of people.

"While the bank robbery was a failed attempt to steal cash, Staff and McDevitt did succeed in injuring the security guard and scaring the living daylights out of staff and customers, something that is often more difficult to get over than a physical injury.

"The ordeal lasted only eight minutes but it will no doubt be a lasting, troubling memory for those who were there.

"I would like to acknowledge the keen eyes and ears of a number of key people whose detailed witness accounts proved vital in securing these convictions today.

"We believe these two were core members of a wider, organised group and their jailing today has put an end to their illicit plotting and violent crimes."

WITH a wave of patriotism and banter – but no trumpets – the Barmy Army will descend on Trent Bridge for the start of the Ashes today.

But while the group will have to make do without the music of famous fan "Billy the Trumpet" throughout the First Test due to ground rules, the army of England fans were in full voice at Plumtree Cricket Club last night.

The club hosted a special match between a Barmy Army CC and rival Aussie Fanatics CC, ahead of the start of the latest Test series between England and Australia.

Ken Bloor, secretary of Plumtree Cricket Club, said the occasion was one of the biggest matches the club had ever hosted.

Mr Bloor, who turns 75 today, and has been club secretary for around 30 years, said: "We've hosted benefit matches for cricketers and had overseas teams play here, but we've never hosted an Ashes match between the fans before.

"It's very prestigious for us. We're really hoping that the teams will come again in 2015 when we celebrate our 200th anniversary and Australia are back for another Ashes series."

As for the main event, Mr Bloor stopped short of making a series prediction but hoped England would do enough to retain the famous urn come the end of the Fifth Test next month.

He added: "I think we'll just be too strong for Australia.

"I think they are good, but we're very good.

"I think England should go one-up in the series at Trent Bridge and go on from there."

The game at Plumtree saw the two sets of fans contest their own 20/20 game, and was won by the English by 11 runs.

The fixture was the beginning of the Fans' Ashes, a set of games between the two sides to coincide with the Test series.

Paul Burnham, co-founder of the Barmy Army, said: "It's the fourth time we've done this series and we won the last one in Australia 3-2. It is more about the cricket – it's about building a friendly relationship with the Aussie fans."

FREE travel for Notts children who attend a county school from outside the catchment area could be scrapped.

Notts County Council is set to consult on discontinuing the discretionary travel scheme as it tries to cut costs.

But the plans have sparked anger with some claiming it will prevent parents from having full choice of where to send their children to school.

The authority's policy committee is set to approve the start of the consultation next Wednesday.

A final decision would then be taken in September.

Currently 863 children in Years 7 and 8 use the scheme. Around 400 children due to start Year 7 this September are also likely to use it.

The axe would fall from September 2014, though children already using the scheme would continue to do so until they reach the end of Year 11.

Councillor John Peck, committee chairman for children and young people, said the move would save the council £1.7 million by 2017-18.

He said: "We feel that this scheme is not a fair and prudent way to spend what we see as a significant amount of money."

The scheme was introduced in September 2011, when the Conservatives were in power, for children starting Year 7.

It was aimed at secondary schoolchildren who live in the county to allow them to go to a county school between three and 25 miles from home.

It is expected that from September, 1,270 children in Years 7, 8 and 9 will be using it. They will still be able to do so until the end of Year 11.

But if they have a younger brother or sister, they wouldn't be able to attend the same school without paying for transport.

Mr Peck said he sympathised with those in that position and insisted the council would take note of the results of the consultation, which will last for four weeks.

He added that Notts County Council is the only local education authority to offer such a scheme.

One school which takes a high number of students from out of catchment is Toot Hill in Bingham.

Executive head teacher John Tomasevic was fuming over the plans, adding: "Withdrawing travel funding for out-of-catchment students would be a very disappointing decision."

Mr Peck's predecessor, Tory councillor Philip Owen, also slammed the decision, saying it was made out of "political spite".

He said: "Parental choice will be badly affected. We installed this two years ago to promote parental choice.

"We feel people should be able to send their child to the best school as they see fit."

Are you affected by these plans? Call Education Correspondent Marcus Boocock on 0115 905 1952 or e-mail marcus.boocock@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

IN order to slash the number of empty shops, the city council has unveiled ambitious plans on how it will spend its share of Mary Portas cash to revive Britain's town centres.

The Mary Portas High Street Innovation Fund was launched last year by the Government after a report by the TV retail guru.

More than £10 million is being handed out to try and revive shopping areas across the country.

Nottingham was awarded £100,000 out of the fund, while city council has bumped it up to £230,000, using £130,000 from its own budget.

The largest portion, £100,000 plus a £10,000 administration fee, is going on a pot of money for landlords to improve their vacant shop units.

They will be able to get up to £5,000 as long as they match what's spent by 50 per cent and prove the unit will be let after the work.

Ben Tebbutt, director at FHP property consultants, who let out a large number of shop and leisure units in the city centre, welcomed the idea of landlords having access to the money.

He said: "Any improvements will help the chances of letting a property. It's proactive and good for the city.

"Ultimately it will help landlords let shops and help the retailers get into those shops."

Local businessman Geoff Williams owns two shops in the city – the Tokenhouse gift shop in Bridlesmith Gate and the Framework gallery in Derby Road, which was identified as a area with high vacancy rates last year.

He's pleased the council is tackling the problem of vacant units, but isn't sure whether landlords should get so much of the fund.

He said: "If a landlord rips out a horrible shop front and puts in a new one then that's a good thing, but I think the landlord should be doing that anyway.

"I would like to see money go to a person who's moving into that property and paying the landlord rent."

He believes the key to creating a bustling city centre is finding new businesses with interesting ideas and a lot of drive to succeed.

Geoff said: "To start a business in this day in age you really need passion, an interesting idea and staying power in order to go a year or two without earning very much money.

"What's really needed financially is a little bit of help along the way with legislation and legal fees."

Nottingham was chosen to receive the High Street Innovation Fund money, along with 99 other cities and towns with high numbers of empty shops.

In November last year the Post reported that the number of empty shops in the city was 199. The latest figures from February show that it still stands at 199 – 30 shop units were let but 30 become vacant in the same time.

A survey by Experian in February this year found that the city centre had a ground-level vacancy rate of 18.1 per cent.

The council's own survey in the same month, which discounted Mansfield Road, Huntingdon Street, High Pavement and the area behind Carrington Street as being in the city centre, found it to be 17.8 per cent.

Last year the council pinpointed Heathcoat Street as a "hot spot" area of high vacancy rates and, along with Derby Road, it was one of the first areas they focused on.

A unit-by-unit approach was established to allow empty shops to be let by providing an action plan for each premises in the area.

Since February, council figures show that the number of vacant units in Heathcoat Street has gone from seven to three.

Councillor Nick McDonald, portfolio holder for jobs and growth, said: "In Hockley we are already seeing a difference and seeing interesting retail units and bars and restaurants in the area.

"If you look at somewhere like Flying Horse Walk it's fantastic there and it shows what you can do in a city. What we are trying to do on Derby Road is do what the owners have done in Flying Horse Walk."

However, Elaine Rubin of vegetarian restaurant Aubergine Cuisine, in Heathcoat Street, isn't sure there has been such an increase in let properties on the street.

She said: "At the top of Heathcoat Street there is a hive of activity but in Heathcoat Street itself I haven't seen a great deal of difference, if anything it has got worse.

"Immediately in front of us there's a shop that was let and is now vacant and at the bottom of the road there's a restaurant that's empty."

Another large chunk of the Mary Portas innovation fund money is going on a £30,000 business mentoring programme and a £30,000 Inspiring Retail competition, being launched next week, designed to help new businesses hoping to expand.

There is also a £16,000 "hot spots project fund" in order to address immediate issues such as building cleaning.

Corporate director of development at the city council, David Bishop, said: "We are doing our utmost to ensure that Nottingham remains a top shopping destination."

TIME is running out for people who want to help their favourite charity or community group win a share of £35,000.

The last coupon in the Nottingham Post and Nottingham Building Society's Cash For Your Community campaign is printed in today's paper.

We are giving £35,000 away to deserving charities and community groups as part of the campaign.

And readers must now make sure they get their coupons in to the Post's offices, on Tollhouse Hill, Nottingham, by 5pm on Wednesday to make sure they are counted in the grand total.

The more coupons an organisation has collected – the bigger their share of the cash will be.

Three bonus prizes of £1,000 will also be awarded to this year's top three collectors.

Homelessness charity the Canaan Trust, based in Long Eaton, is among those collecting coupons.

Project manager Kevin Curtis said: "As far as we know we're doing fairly well.

"We've been all over Facebook encouraging people to remember us and we've got boxes in newsagents and churches, so we're feeling positive – but will know more when the results are revealed."

This is the third Cash For Your Community campaign the Canaan Trust has taken part in.

Like last year, any money they receive in the scheme will be spent on their education centre. "In terms of the current needs, we still feel education is the area we'd like to develop," said Mr Curtis.

"We built our own college facility and we want to expand the thing we do both in terms of education and teaching people the basic living skills needed to move into their own homes."

The Canaan Trust recently lost £125,000 a year in funding due to government cuts.

Mr Curtis said: "People think of the homeless as been a big city problem and maybe wouldn't think of it in areas like Beeston, Sandiacre and Long Eaton, but homelessness is increasing everywhere.

"The other key thing people need to remember is homelessness is not something anyone chooses to do and it can happen to anyone.

"You lose your job, relationships break down, and without any warning you can find yourself on the street.

"When you get to that stage what you need is someone to reach out and give you some kind of base you can use as a platform to rebuild your life and that is what we try to offer."

HELLO and welcome to a brand new feature: Big Bother on the Buses – an exciting reality series set on a bus.

It's where grievances are aired, differences settled and where you get to be the judge: the ultimate conductor of conduct.

And, with 11 CCTV cameras on this bus, nothing will go unseen. It's a reality show on wheels.

All aboard? Ding, ding! And, we're off – buckle yourselves in, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

So, you join us at midnight, on the Trent Barton Indigo bus, heading to Beeston by way of Spondon. Our driver? A popular choice, it's 51 year-old mum-of-two, Elaine Stokes from Bramcote. A seasoned driver, you may recall our Elaine as this bus company's Driver of the Year for 2013, she's quite a gal.

Watching this timetable of events along with you at home is our esteemed commentary panel. First up, it's everyone's favourite bickering double act, Bert 'n' Joyce, ably joined today by the affable, Ed Walton.

And, the most important panelist of all? It's you the judge. The passenger passing a verdict.

Gavels at the ready? Then let's see what Elaine makes of this little challenge we've got lined up for her.

Bert:' Ere what's all this then? There's a ne'er do well getting on the bus.

Joyce: You're always complaining, if it's not the kids of today, it's the lack of guidance from their parents, teachers, the coppers, politicians... give it a rest.

Ed: Look out, he's wearing a hoodie! His face is covered, this doesn't bode well.

J: He's threatening the driver! He's saying: 'Give me your money, I've got a gun!'

B: Oh crikey me, how's Elaine going to handle this puzzler?

J: Go on Bert, give her a hand, help her!

B: No way, I'm not getting involved.

E: What the blazes? She's grabbing the delinquent's jumper! I say – he's not a gun after all, he's pretending, it's his fingers instead. She's double bluffed the thieving rob dog.

J: Listen, Elaine's about to say something...

Elaine: "Can anyone help me get this plonker off my bus?"

All: Oh, bravo! (spontaneous applause breaks out).

So, was Elaine a hero: you decide...

Joyce: I think she was really silly, that crook could have hurt her, it's not worth being a hero over a few pounds. Besides, everyone uses a Mango card on Trent Barton, don't they? Can't exactly have been rich pickings rattling around in the money box. Why didn't she tell him she hadn't got any money?

Bert: No, she should have handed over the cash and let the boys in blue tackle him. Where are they when you need 'em, eh?

Ed: Balderdash! She did the right thing. If there were more people like Elaine out there, those hooligans wouldn't fancy their chances as much. She's exhibited uncommon bravery in the face of danger, she's a remarkable sort. Well done her.

Now, over to you. Was Elaine foolish or fearless?

The judges' votes have been counted and verified and it's unanimous, you all say Elaine is a hero! She's the bus driver who pulled out all the stops.

And here's her prize: A front page splash in the Nottingham Post on Thursday, I can see the headline now: 'Get off my bus, you thug' – Hero driver Elaine sends 'armed' robber packing'.

It's just the ticket.

She's a brave woman indeed, now, that's the reality.

ARMY bomb squad officers were called to Bulwell yesterday after reports of a suspicious package.

The package was discovered at the Job Centre, in High Street, Bulwell, at about 11.50am yesterday.

Around 80 staff and 200 customers were evacuated from the centre as a precaution and police set up a cordon from Cinderhill Road to Main Road.

The Army bomb squad was also called in.

Lynne Roome, customer services operations manager at the Job Centre, said: "At about 11am one of our staff opened our post box and found a suspicious package.

"It was a box that looked like something we would never normally get.

"We contacted the police immediately and moved customers and staff to a safe place.

"We are reassuring our customers that if they were due to sign on yesterday we will automatically post them their benefits."

Buses in the area were delayed and some diverted.

Janet Smalley, who works at Bradrail Blinds, in Main Street, said: "Suddenly the police arrived and I saw them cordoning the road off.

"The police said they were waiting for the Army to come down.

"It's frightening because you just don't know what's happening and we're quite close to it."

Shaun Brown, of Cross Street, Arnold, said he stumbled on the drama while out doing some shopping.

Mr Brown, 52, said: "I've never seen anything like it here before. I'm not particularly worried, but you never know though. It could be anything."

The cordon was lifted at about 2pm.

A police spokesman confirmed the Army bomb squad had been called in, but said that, after investigations, the package contained no explosives or harmful substances.

PLANS to knock down a historic pub and build a budget supermarket and micro-pub have divided opinion in a Notts town.

But the landlord of the Pavilion, in Derby Road, Stapleford, says despite the fuss no final decision has been made.

Broxtowe Borough Council has received an application tor permission to demolish the Pavilion due to decreasing trade.

Landlord Damien McGrath also wants to build an Iceland store on the car park – creating 14 jobs. The pub would need to be knocked down to "provide better access for service and delivery vehicles".

Once the store is up, a "viable and sustainable" micro-pub would be built on the neighbouring site at 93 Derby Road.

The plans have caused a stir, with many residents saying the shop is not needed but Mr McGrath denied the development was a done deal.

He said: "We've just put the application in so we know what we can do in the future because the pub is not doing as well as it could do.

"It's not set in stone that it's going to be taken down – it's just to see whether we would get planning permission.

"Iceland have expressed an interest in the site and having the planning permission in place would make the site more marketable but nothing is set in stone.

"It has caused a bit of a hoo-ha but the pub is remaining as it is for the foreseeable future."

According to the application the micro-pub would be subject to a separate planning application and depends wholly on the success or failure of the plans to open a shop.

It would be paid for by money generated through the sale of the pub and land.

Stapleford resident Carol McCready Wheatley commented about the proposal on Facebook, questioning the need for another supermarket.

She said: "Having an Iceland right across from Farmfoods is not on. How about a Morrisons or something for the kids, who don't want to go to church youth clubs, to hang out?"

But Stapleford Community Group chairman Richard MacRare welcomed the plan.

"I think this could be a very good thing for Stapleford," he said. "Iceland is a big brand and sometimes when you get one big brand others tend to follow. I think with the trams coming and the HS2 at Toton Sidings things are going to change a lot in Stapleford and as far as I'm concerned it's all good.

"Sadly the pub is under-used, which seems to be the case with all pubs, so if this one does shut down you would hope others will benefit.

"Anything that brings jobs as well is a positive thing."

A spokeswoman for Iceland confirmed the chain had expressed an interest in the site.

She said: "It's still very early days but we have expressed an interest. It's something we would like to do and we would like to open a store in the area.

"If the planning application was approved and it all went ahead it probably wouldn't be until at least spring next year that it would open."