NOTTINGHAM'S gay and lesbian community have reasons to be cheerful ahead of today's Pride march, according to a prominent equal rights campaigner.

Peter Tatchell said the Equal Marriage Act was a huge step in the right direction for equal rights.

But he said there was still a way to go for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people to achieve full equality – and events like Notts Pride played their part in making a claim for this.

Mr Tatchell, who has been involved in gay rights campaigns since the late 1960s, said the city should be proud of Pride.

Addressing Nottingham City Council's LGBT Network, at Loxley House, he said: "I think it's great that Nottingham diverse communities celebrate their particular unique contribution to the city's life and culture.

"LGBT people make a huge contribution to enrich the cultural life of Nottingham. Pride is partly a celebration and partly a claim for equality of human rights.

"Although we have made massive advances, there are still areas of discrimination: all the equality laws have qualified exemptions for faith organisations, LGBT asylum seekers often get a rough deal from the Home Office and sex education for LGBT kids is very poor."

Mr Tatchell said people should take heart from the change of laws that allowed gay marriage to take place and admitted he did not expect the change to take place so quickly.

He said: "The same-sex marriage act is a huge positive advance but it's not quite full equality. It still embodies areas of discrimination, including inequalities in pension inheritance and the ongoing ban on opposite-sex civil partnerships.

"I didn't expect it would be this quick. There was so much opposition by Government and other political parties even as recent as three years ago."

A GROUP of seven friends are organising a glamorous ball in memory of their friend who died from mouth cancer.

Alice Collier, Laura Daniels, Olivia Greenwood, Abigail Packham, Rachel Lambert, Kate Selwyn, Victoria Monk and Alexis Peadon all attended Nottingham Girls' High School.

In December 2012, four days before her 18th birthday, Alexis was diagnosed with a rare form of mouth cancer.

She left school to undergo chemotherapy, an extensive operation and radiotherapy. She made an initial recovery, going back into the school's sixth form.

But the cancer returned and Alexis lost her two-year battle on January 26, 2012, aged 20.

Now, her friends are organising The Great Gatsby Ball to raise money for the new Teenage Cancer Unit at the Queen's Medical Centre.

Alice, 21, of Southwell, who is studying at Durham University, said: "Alexis was an inspiration to us all.

"All proceeds of the ball will go to Teenage Cancer Trust, which will donate the money to the new cancer ward. We know first-hand what a difference this will make, as Alexis – who had just turned 18 – only had the option of either a child or adult ward.

"A new ward specifically designed for the needs of teenagers will be great."

The ball will be held at Goosedale Conference and Banqueting Centre, in Papplewick, on Friday, September 13, from 7pm.

Alice added: "The night should be one of 1920s glamour and we are well on our way to achieving our goal of 500 people.

"We have had sponsorship from Dunelm Mill and support from HSBC, Boots and Kier Construction so far."

Alexis's parents, Richard and Sue Peadon, of Bingham, said: "Her friends want to raise awareness of the plight of young people suffering from cancer by raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust. As a family, we have become increasingly aware of the superb work carried out by the trust in Nottingham.

"Please come and support us on the night and help us make it a night to remember, to celebrate Alexis' life and to support Teenage Cancer Trust."

Tickets cost £50, or £45 for students. For more information about the ball or to book tickets, go to www.ggballnottingham.com

AMONG the men listed on the Spanish Civil War memorial is James Burley-Poole, of Shelton Street, Nottingham, who fought with the British Battalion.

He was last seen at the Battle of Belchite, when 80,000 Republicans and their International Brigade supporters clashed with Franco's Nationalists.

The town of Belchite was reduced to rubble and somewhere in its ruins, James Burley-Poole was lost.

Robert Goodman, who lived at 10 Newton Park Road, in The Park, Nottingham, was another city man who threw in his lot with the Republicans. He was killed during fierce clashes in the Jarama Valley in 1938.

Some Notts heroes survived the desperate fighting, which claimed at least half a million lives – about 500 of them from Britain.

Walter Gregory, of 13 Ingram Terrace, Bulwell, answered the Spanish call for help.

He was in the thick of some of the worst clashes. Three times he was wounded: at Jarama, Brunette and Ebro.

On August 6, 1938, he fought around the shattered town of Corbera.

It was the last day of action for the British Battalion and Gregory, who commanded a company, was captured.

He was later repatriated and wrote a novel about his experiences called The Shallow Grave.

The Civil War devastated Spain from July 17, 1936, to April 1, 1939, ending with victory for the rebel forces, the overthrow of the Republican government, and the founding of a dictatorship led by General Franco.

A MEMORIAL to fighters in the Spanish Civil War will be displayed again after being taken down in 2009.

It pays tribute to 24 Notts men who fought against the fascists.

The plaque was removed from outside County Hall when the Conservatives came to power. It was replaced with a memorial dedicated to all of Notts' war dead.

But Labour now run the council and their leader, Councillor Alan Rhodes, said the memorial had been found in a basement.

A service will be held today as the plaque goes on display again. It will be attended by relatives of those who died in the fighting, and Nottingham Clarion Choir.

Kirsty Weatherall is the grand-daughter of Frank Harold Ellis, of Hucknall, one of the volunteers who joined the International Brigades that fought in Spain. He died in 2007.

Ms Weatherall said: "It's a shame that so few people know about the Spanish Civil War or the sacrifices made by the volunteers from this country, like my grandad.

"No-one told them to go to fight fascism, it was just something they passionately believed in."

Twenty-four men from Notts joined the International Brigades between 1936 and 1939. Sixteen were from Nottingham, two from Hucknall, four from Mansfield and two from Worksop.

They fought against a fascist uprising led by General Franco and supported by Mussolini and Hitler.

Nine Notts men were killed, including Bernard Winfield and John Mellors, from Nottingham.

The memorial plaque was unveiled in 1993 by the then Spanish ambassador.

Councillor Rhodes said: "Many people are unaware of the significance of the Spanish Civil War as a forerunner to the Second World War or the role played by people from this country and our county in fighting fascism, even before Hitler's assault on Europe."

The memorial put in place by the Conservatives will stay in place.

FOR years and years, I didn't realise I had the hep C virus. In my twenties, blood tests showed my liver wasn't working very well, but the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me.

Then in 1989, a new test became available. Two years later, my doctor asked me if I wanted to take it. I did, and it came out positive for hepatitis C.

At that stage, it didn't really affect me. In 1993, I was offered a place on a trial and started treatment. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful and, despite trying treatment again in 2004, the medication was stopped because I was having terrible side effects and I was still unable to clear the virus.

My condition was deteriorating badly and I developed cirrhosis of the liver. I was very tired, had flu-like symptoms and no concentration. I would get up and not do much for two hours but still feel like I had run a marathon.

I also had really bad itchiness from the toxins which the liver would normally expel going into the skin, plus swelling of the ankles and legs.

I work as a self-employed sales agent for fashion accessories, so I was still able to do some work from home.

In 2009, I had a liver transplant, which was quite problematic, as I was back into hospital seven or eight times. The virus still returned very aggressively, damaging my new liver.

Since then, I have been having more treatment and the virus is not active now, although I do still get some muscle ache and tiredness.

I still don't know how I contracted the virus. It could have been when I was in the army in Italy, when we had a lot of injections from the same needle, or it could have been from dental work.

Back in the 1990s, not many people knew about hepatitis, and many still don't today. But I always told my friends and family that I had hep C. I didn't have the problems that I know some people have, with their friends thinking it is stigmatising, the same way some people think about Aids.

For more information, visit www.hepctrust.org.uk

NOTTINGHAM Forest last night secured their second signing in the space of 24 hours, as Jamie Mackie completed a £1m move to the City Ground. The striker or winger was initially expected to arrive in the city today to complete a medical, but the deal was pushed through late last night. (Friday, July 26)

"THE squad is shaping up very nicely. Mackie was a key part of the QPR side that got promoted and will work his socks off for the cause. Was a very popular player with the Rs fans and I expect he will be popular here as well. "As for Abdoun, who knows – dangerous to judge from a few YouTube clips, but from what I saw, he reminded me of Chris Waddle (with more pace and a better barnet). Got a trick or two to beat a player and get a cross in and a good finisher. "I still think we look a bit short of cover at CB and if I am being greedy, a goal poacher in the Ernie/Johnno mould. But well done Fawaz and Billy on some very good additions."

thebearwoodred

"WHAT a great player with a top goals-to-games ratio – he makes Cox look prolific. Quality signing! U reds."

paul72

"WELCOME to the City Ground, Jamie. Actions speak louder than words and the ambition of our owners is very clear. Looking good, can't wait. U Reds!"

redtedng9

"MORNING fellow tricky trees. These two new signings are a joke. An Algerian nobody and a QPR cast-off. QPR sign Hooper, who was a big target of ours, and we get Jamie Mackie surplus to requirements at tinpot QPR. This deadbeat has only scored goals for Plymouth in Division 3. Where are the stellar signings? "So, in summary, we have signed freebies, a journeyman, a third division kid from Mickey Mouse Walsall, an Algerian nobody and a QPR cast-off. Result – 15 years with no Premier league football. City Ground, oh mist rolling in from the Trent, I desire....."

Durkers

"CAN'T wait to watch the Billy Davies pantomime again this season, staged at the home of comedy football! We know the script well in advance and all the characters... the unsupportive board, the under-experienced team, the poor refereeing decisions. Can't stop laughing... roll on Act One!"

Ramdownunder

THE Church of England is taking a significant step by offering to accommodate credit unions in its buildings.

Some people may find it uncomfortable to have money lenders in churches.

However, the Church recognises that there is a pressing social need to support people who are finding it hard to make ends meet.

Currently, many of those who are hard-pressed turn to payday loan companies. Slick marketing and quick access to money is appealing but the interest rates are crippling by any standards if a borrower falls behind on repayments.

Debt charity StepChange estimates that 19 per cent of people in Nottingham have had a payday loan in the past year – a dramatic increase on eight per cent the year before. On average, Nottingham borrowers owe £1,660, which is a big sum, particularly for people on a low income when interest rates can top 5,000 per cent per year.

Hard-up residents would be better off using a credit union which offers lower interest rates.

The Church has rightly recognised that it has a role to play.

A problem for credit unions is that they are less accessible than payday lenders. The Church in Notts has 300 buildings, which gives it the reach the unions crave. This partnership has the potential to make a real difference.

MORE than 20 children are suspended from school every day in term time, shocking new figures have revealed.

Students are sent home for offences including assaults on fellow pupils and adults, verbal abuse, racism and even drugs and alcohol offences.

In the 2011-12 academic year, 4,010 children were given a fixed-period exclusion.

Among these were 1,280 in city schools. The other 2,730 attended schools in the rest of the county.

Rob Illingworth, of the Notts division of the National Union of Teachers, said it was an increasing problem.

"It is a real balancing act between the needs of an individual student and the school overall," said Mr Illingworth, himself a teacher.

"We know schools use exclusions as a last resort and this must remain the case.

"What is important is how to provide educational quality for these children.But it is a much larger societal issue that leads to high amounts of exclusions in the city and county."

The figures showed that there were 2,270 fixed-period exclusions in Nottingham and 5,230 in the rest of Notts, meaning most suspended children suffered the same fate more than once. This was an increase of around 200 from the 2010-11 year taking the combined city and county figures into account.

Among the most common reasons were physical assaults against a fellow pupil: 362 in the city and 885 in the county; physical assaults against an adult: 121 in the city and 200 in the county; and drugs and alcohol-related issues: 55 in the city and 79 in the county.

The vast majority of exclusions were in secondary schools and academies.

Meanwhile, there were 140 permanent exclusions: 40 in the city and 100 in the county.

Councillor Liz Plant, vice-chairman of the county council's children's services committee, said they were hopeful they could reduce the figures. We want all our children and young people to be receiving their education within school whenever it is reasonable for them to do so.

"We have therefore been working closely with schools to try and reduce exclusions."

The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was temporarily excluded twice said she disagreed with the practice. "I think sometimes schools exclude children far too readily. The schools need to look carefully at how they deal with children who cause trouble."

FOR Shirley Westerman the arrival of summer is not marked by sunshine, the arrival or Nottingham's Riviera or lighter evenings but by ink-stained fingers.

The membership secretary of Carlton Life Saving Club has taken part in all three Cash For Your Community campaigns.

This year has been no different and for the past month, Mrs Westerman has cut out, collected and delivered hundreds more coupons.

Now that voting has closed and coupons have been counted, all she and the other entrants can do is wait.

"You never really know how well you've done because you don't know how many other groups have collected.

"But I think after the last two years we'll be up there," said Mrs Westerman, 75, of Mapperley.

Any money Carlton Life saving Club receives in the scheme this year will be spent on promoting the club to attract new members.

In the past year, membership has dropped from 80 to 40.

Mrs Westerman said: "We desperately need new members, so we will be concentrating on recruitment this year.

"We'll also keep some of the money because being down on the membership like we are means there is nearly always a shortfall each week when it comes to paying the hire fee."

For coupons to be counted in the Cash For Your Community scheme groups had to get them in to the Post by 5pm on Wednesday, July 17.

They have now been counted and results will be revealed in the Post on Friday, August 9.

Peter Stanhope, of Nottingham Building Society, the Post's partner in Cash For Your Community, was part of the panel responsible for adding up the 119,076 votes received this year.

He said: "This is the third year that we've run the Cash For Your Community initiative with the Post and I think this year, more than ever, we have seen a really diverse range of groups."

The ten groups which have collected the most coupons will be invited to a special presentation evening on Thursday, August 8.

Cheques to other groups will be sent out during the week beginning Monday, August 12.

NOTTS Chief Constable Chris Eyre has hit out at red tape which, he says, is hampering efforts to fight crime.

Mr Eyre said laws and regulations such as the Data Protection Act make life difficult for officers trying to share information with other organisations, like the city council.

He spoke after a meeting heard about a ground-breaking project in Aspley, in which youths involved in antisocial behaviour built friendships with their victims.

The meeting heard the scheme would be hard to replicate across the city because it could run into too much paperwork and procedure.

Mr Eyre said he had spoken to Notts officers who were holding back on talking to other authorities about people involved in crime.

He gave an example of an inspector who felt unable to share information about a council house tenant with Nottingham City Homes for fear of breaking information laws.

He said: "I'm trying to say to officers: 'be lawful but enabling'.

"But we've got to cut back incessant bureaucracy in the public sector.

"It's not just a Nottingham issue, we've got to deconstruct the architecture we've built up over the last few years."

The project was set up last year after complaints by residents about lads hanging around on the streets of Aspley and causing trouble.

Notts Police and Nottingham City Council work together as part of the city's Community Protection department.

Community protection officers share the same offices as city police officers and have a data-sharing protocol in place, meaning they have access to police systems.

But Richard Antcliff, head of neighbourhood enforcement for Community Protection, said it had been "painful" to navigate the permissions required.

A spokeswoman for the Information Commissioner's Office, which provides enforcement and guidance on data protection, said: "The Data Protection Act is not a barrier to information sharing. There are processes to follow but the idea behind it is it is possible to share information."

A TEACHER died after he fell more than three metres from an unlit road on a school trip, an inquest heard.

Jonathan Taylor, 44, was an IT teacher at Christ the King School, Arnold, and fell down a bank while on a visit to Matrei, in the Austrian Tyrol, in March.

The inquest heard he had been drinking with other teachers when he slipped and fell while walking back to his hotel. Father-to-be Mr Taylor lost consciousness within minutes and died as a result of injuries suffered in the impact of the fall in the early hours of March 31.

The inquest heard that Mr Taylor, who lived with his wife in Arnold, had drunk a "moderate" amount of alcohol during the evening of March 30, after the pupils had gone to bed, and was nearly twice the drink drive limit at the time of his death.

Postmortem tests showed he suffered severe injuries as a result of the impact of the fall and that he had 173mg per deciliter of alcohol in his blood at the time of his death, the inquest heard.

However, Notts Coroner Mairin Casey said there was no evidence to suggest that he or any of the other teachers had drunk to excess.

James Cullen, a business teacher at the school who was also on the trip, told the inquest: "It was a sensible holiday atmosphere. We were professional and knew we had our duties the following day."

Miss Casey said the dangers posed by the dark and dangerous, unmarked and unlit road had been the dominant factor in the accident.

She added: "This particular section of road was extremely dangerous. It was a poorly-lit track. It did not have suitable provision for pedestrians; the edge of the track was crumbling away.

"If the accident had happened in this country, the police would have been referring the section to the Highways Agency."

She recorded a verdict of accidental death.

David Wilson, chairman of governors, said: "The governors of Christ the King School would like to thank students, parents, staff and the wider community for their support and prayers following the tragic and untimely death of Jonathan Taylor on the school skiing trip to Austria at Easter.

"During this term, the school has investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident to ensure its policies and supervision expectations were adhered to.

"The school can confirm that no students were involved in the incident and that they were safe, in the hotel, under the care of other experienced school staff.

"Jonathan was a respected, professional and gifted teacher who is greatly missed in school. Students have and will commemorate his commitment to them in a fitting memorial."

FIFTEEN kind-hearted volunteers are offering free hugs in the city centre today – their annual day of kindness.

InKindNotts has organised the Nottingham Day of Kindness three days before the UN International Day of Friendship on Tuesday.

The volunteers have set up a stall in St Peter's Square, where a "kindness conga" will set off at 1pm, with hugs and cakes available all day.

Participants are encouraged to do something good for others and give certificates to people who have been kind.

Jeff Buck, of InKindNotts, said: "What is amazing is people's willingness to get involved. Kindness has that ripple effect that just keeps spreading. Last year, three girls came and had a free cake. They returned with three bags of sweets for us to hand out that they'd bought themselves."

Mr Buck said that an act of kindness did not have to be a huge gesture but something as simple as a smile or holding a door open.

"The day will hopefully cheer up a lot of people but the overriding message is for people to be kind as often as they can."

The group was formed two years ago from people who were working in the voluntary sector and community development.

Joining them in celebrating the day is Notts Nosh, which produces a guide to locally-produced food.

Its is running a local foods market at Sneinton and will be handing out free cakes and hugs, while local food historian Ruth Dames will be telling stories at 10.30am and 1.15pm.

Notts Nosh project co-ordinator Shona Munro said: "Food is a very inclusive thing that everybody can enjoy.

"Free hugs are a nice thing to do, they are a good way to loosen people up."

The market will also host a food swap at 1pm that will allow people to trade home-made or home-grown food and drink.

Dr Glenn Williams, a specialist in the psychology of well-being at Nottingham Trent University, said that when people hugged, a hormone called oxytosin was released, which could reduce stress and anxiety.

"It's probably as good an anti-depressant as you can get," he said. "As long as both people involved are happy about it, it works as a bonding agent. Doing a charitable act can also release the hormone.

"I think that Nottingham Kindness Day is a great idea because it encourages us to be compassionate."

CREDIT unions are being invited into Notts churches in a bid to drive payday loan companies out of business.

Some of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham's 300 buildings will be available to credit unions, which lend money at lower rates, after the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, attacked high-interest payday loan firms.

New figures show that people with payday loans in Nottingham owe an average of £1,660.

Diocesan chief executive Nigel Spraggins said: "We are very open to church buildings being used more than they are and serving local communities. We would be up for using more of the churches for community benefit. It is about encouraging people to sign up to credit unions."

In addition, the diocese is considering investing £20,000 in Nottingham Credit Union in order to become a member.

St Peter's Church, in Nottingham city centre, has already met credit unions.

The Rev Christopher Harrison, vicar of the city's All Saints', St Mary's and St Peter's churches, said: "It makes a statement against people making money out of other people's money. We have church halls and spaces in our buildings. It is a way of getting credit unions into the community. I am happy to offer whatever help we can."

In Nottingham, debt charity StepChange estimates that 19 per cent of adults took out a payday loan last year, compared with eight per cent the year before.

The average owed by Nottingham residents was £1,660 in 2012 – up from £1,346 the previous year.

The number of loans taken out by individuals increased from two to three. Annual payday loan interest rates can be 5,000 per cent.

StepChange spokesman Edward Ware blamed the increase partly on payday companies failing to tell people about the risks involved.

He said: "Out of the 50 top lenders on the market, only six were doing affordability checks. This helps support irresponsible lending. We think that payday ads on television should come with a health warning."

Nottingham Credit Union, a cooperative that promises fair and affordable financial services to anyone who lives or works in Notts, says it has seen a dramatic rise in numbers seeking advice over payday loan debt.

Business development officer Martin Swaby said interest payments skyrocketed into the thousands, adding: "A lady who had borrowed £400 ended up paying £8,000. You look at some of the ways that it's marketed – it's very catchy and appealing. The Government have started making noises about it but more needs to be done.

"The level of interest that some of these companies charge is just so distasteful."

The industry says it is taking steps to improve standards. The Consumer Finance Association was recently set up to help ensure that payday lenders operate according to an ethical code of conduct.

Spokesman Richard Griffiths said: "Our code of conduct makes our members go above and beyond the call of duty. They must conduct robust affordability assessments and these responsible lenders will try to ways to help customers with debt.

"It's all part of the industry becoming more mainstream. Lenders don't want their customers to have the lead weight of debt around their necks. It doesn't make sense for their business to allow that."

THREE Notts Police officers have been given written warnings over the treatment of a heavily pregnant woman arrested and handcuffed for 11 hours.

It comes after a case of gross misconduct was proven following a two-day force hearing this week into the treatment of Lynnette Wallace, 43.

The force said an inspector and a sergeant had been given a final written warning and another sergeant had been given a written warning over the incident.

The Aspley woman was seven-and-a-half-months pregnant when she was arrested in July 2011 and taken to the Bridewell custody suite in Nottingham.

Yesterday, Miss Wallace said she was "disgusted" that no officers had been sacked.

She had said she was subjected to unnecessary force during her arrest.

The hearing was told that she was assessed as being at risk of self harming, had her upper clothing removed and was left naked from the waist up for 13 minutes.

She was also put in handcuffs for 11 hours.

She was later charged with offences but these were later dropped.

The mother-of-seven went into premature labour three days after she was released and her daughter Charna was born ten weeks early, weighing 3lb 3oz.

Miss Wallace's case was later taken up by a London firm of solicitors and referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), as previously reported in the Post.

Notts Police referred her complaint to the IPCC in October 2011.

The IPCC ruled that an independent investigation was necessary.

In March this year, the force received the IPCC's report and its findings, which upheld two of the five complaints that had been made.

The force said these were that Miss Wallace, inappropriate to her condition, was left in handcuffs for exceptional periods of time, and there was a "failure to provide her with adequate information to enable her to provide officers with details to allow effective childcare, adding to her distress".

The IPCC also recommended that a number of officers should face charges of gross misconduct and misconduct.

The three officers appearing at the misconduct hearing, which ended at around 9pm on Thursday, had supervisory roles at the time of the incident.

Miss Wallace said: "When I heard the findings of gross misconduct, it felt like someone was finally listening and had believed me. To then hear that the police officers would keep their jobs anyway was a shock."

Her solicitor, Carolynn Gallwey, of Bhatt Murphy, said: "The decision by Notts Police to keep them in the force sends an extremely worrying message to the people they serve."

Detective Superintendent Jackie Alexander, head of the Notts Police Professional Standards Directorate, said: "On this occasion, mistakes were made. The officers got it wrong and received formal discipline sanctions for their actions. We apologise to the complainant for this fact.

"The force also acknowledges the challenging nature of the work of officers and staff responsible for custody, which often involves them having to make dynamic, fast-time decisions relating to people's welfare.

"In November 2011, the force implemented a rigorous audit procedure into our custody suites and identified several of the organisational learning issues highlighted by the IPCC investigation, which it received in March this year. These have since been addressed.

"We accept the IPCC's findings and are acting robustly to rectify all issues, which have been highlighted, while ensuring that we regularly review and continually seek to improve the service we deliver."

INSPECTORS found staff locking classroom doors at a special school to stop pupils walking out of lessons.

Woodlands School, in Beechdale Road, Aspley, was judged "inadequate" by Ofsted after the discovery last month and has been put in special measures.

Inspectors published their findings after visiting the school on June 18 and 19.

They said the school did not "adequately safeguard pupils" because some classroom doors were "routinely locked".

The report also said some staff responses to low-level disruptive behaviour were "unsuitable".

In a statement, the school said it was "profoundly disappointed" by the result of the inspection and it had already dealt with all the problems raised.

The school has 56 pupils aged three to 16, including some with learning difficulties and others with behavioural and emotional problems.

Executive head teacher John Dyson said that when staff had locked the doors, they had remained in the room, with the key, at all times and children were not in danger.

"We can make excuses and say perhaps it was the pressure of the inspection on the day but we are profoundly put out that we did not get it right for the pupils and the local community."

Locks on internal doors had already been removed, he said. "We recognise that mistake but it's not endemic in the school in any shape or form."

The school will now be subject to extra monitoring and has drawn up a plan for improvement.

The inspectors also said that teaching had been improving at the school and an increasing amount had been "good or better".

Mr Dyson said the school hoped to be out of special measures by January.

In a statement, the school also said: "We would hope that a balance of opinion about the school could be demonstrated during this challenging time.

"The inspection report contains many contradictions which in themselves illustrate the difficult decision that inspectors had in making their final judgement.

"There was no inadequate teaching in the school and 80 per cent of the lessons graded were good or better."

It also assured parents and pupils that staff and governors were determined to make improvements.

Councillor David Mellen, city council portfolio holder for children services, said: "The council is confident that the school has taken appropriate steps since the inspection to address the issues raised in the report.

"Effective measures are in place to ensure that pupils are maintained safely within school.

"Pupils report that they feel safe in school and parental views support this."

A RAIL union says industrial action has forced trains to be cancelled.

Station staff and conductors in the RMT are working to rule, claiming there was not enough consultation over the closure of Nottingham station.

There will be no trains from East Midlands Parkway to Liverpool on Sunday. The RMT said this was due to its action but East Midlands Trains said it was due to a temporary staff shortage unrelated to the industrial action.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "East Midlands Trains said the RMT action would have no impact and yet here they are scrapping entire services this weekend as the action hits home.

"They should stop misleading passengers and start talking with the union about the measures needed to resolve this dispute.

"The industrial relations climate on East Midlands Trains has sunk to a new low with the company attempting to bulldoze through changes off the back of an engineering blockade which has been planned over the long term and is now being dressed up as a bogus emergency to try to justify ignoring procedures and ripping up working agreements."

East Midlands Trains said services would continue to operate between East Midlands Parkway and Norwich, via Derby, this weekend, but would not run to Liverpool.

Customers wishing to travel to Chesterfield and Sheffield should use alternative services from Derby.

CANCER survivor Wendy Nuttall says she's not a sporty person – but that won't stop her cycling 900 miles for charity.

Wendy, 49, will head for Nice, France, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

She is cycling in memory of friend Deanne Zinsaz who died this year of bowel cancer and was cared for in her final weeks by Macmillan.

Wendy, of Ebers Road, Mapperley Park, who had breast cancer in 1998, said: "Because it was quite a time ago now that I had cancer, nearly 15 years, it's a bit of a dream, all in the past and I don't think about it every day any more.

"I think what has brought it home again is losing a friend to it and realising that it's a lottery as to who survives and who doesn't."

At the time of Wendy's illness, daughters Fran and Lizzie were five and three and Wendy herself was only 34.

She said: "I think they were too young to fully appreciate what it was, and it did make it easier for me because I think they kept me going.

"I had to continue being mum to them, looking after them and being there for them and it made it easier because it stopped me being focused on myself the whole time through a difficult part of my life."

Following her recovery, Wendy took part in a Macmillan-run bike ride across Mexico but hasn't done much cycling since then.

"A few weeks ago ,I took very proud ownership of a new touring bike and have named it Winifred.

"I'm not a naturally fit, sporty person. I've lost a couple of stone since April, I was overweight and unfit.

"When you're in your 20s and 30s, it's easy to think you're invincible and it will always happen to other people, but as you get older you think about your own health and your own life."

Wendy's husband, John, 59, will be joining her for two weeks of her journey in northern France.

Wendy, who will set off on August 19, chose to cycle through France partly because of its reputation for cyclist safety.

She will be carrying her tent and supplies on the bike and thinks the trip will take about four weeks.

Rachel Herrick, Notts fundraising manager for Macmillan, said: "We're very grateful that Wendy has chosen to support Macmillan and we wish her the best of luck with her cycle ride.

"The number of people with cancer is growing every day and we want to reach and improve the lives of every one of those people."

Wendy hopes to raise £3,000 and has a JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/Wendy-Nuttall1.

A BUS crashed into a toilet block during tram works in the centre of Beeston.

The Nottingham City Transport double-decker careered into the toilet block at Beeston Bus Station.

No one was hurt in the incident which happened around 8.15pm, but the bus station remained closed for several hours yesterday morning.

It only reopened at 1pm after a large section of overhanging concrete was removed from the building.

No one was in the toilet block at the time and no one was injured in the incident but residents are blaming the nearby tram works for the crash.

Retired shop manager Ivor Travile, of Sidney Road, Beeston, said: "We have had more than enough with everything that is happening in Beeston.

"This accident happened because of bad planning and I am surprised that no one was injured.

"There is not enough room for the buses to get round while the tram work is going on."

Bus user Matt Goold, of Meadow Lane, Beeston, said: "It has been chaotic for weeks in the town and this accident has only confused and annoyed everyone.

"Closing the bus station has caused a lot of hassle for everyone coming to and leaving Beeston."

Since the tram work started, the majority of the dropping-off points at the bus station have been moved.

Resident Susan Buckley of Attenborough Lane, Chilwell, said: "Words cannot describe what we have gone through because of the tram and now this has happened on top of it all.

"I use this bus station regularly and I am surprised that there has not been more accidents because people don't know where they are going from one day to the next."

Nottingham City Transport was unavailable for comment, but other bus operators were quick to act after the accident.

Commercial director Alex Hornby, of Trent Barton, said: "We were made aware of a collision between a bus belonging to another bus company and the bus station building on Thursday evening.

"This necessitated the closure of the bus station and we immediately sent members of our team to the scene to help direct customers to other stops and manage our services during the disruption."

The toilet block that the bus crashed into is owned by Broxtowe Borough Council.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The Beeston bus station was closed to make safe following an accident on Thursday night.

"The council also needed to check the structural integrity of the toilet block itself before it was reopened."

Police say they were called out to the incident at 8.15pm on Thursday.