THE boss of the ambulance service for Notts has announced he is quitting.

After less than two years in his role as chief executive of the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), Phil Milligan is leaving and said that his role had been "very demanding".

EMAS, which has its head quarters in Nottingham, said its director of finance and performance, Jon Sargeant would take his place in the interim until a successor is found.

The news comes after EMAS was fined £3.5 million last month after it missed national targets for patients involved in life-threatening emergencies – for the third successive year.

Of the ten ambulance services in the country, EMAS recorded the lowest figures for 2012-13 in one of two Government targets.

The target is to get to 95 per cent of cases within 19 minutes, while EMAS achieved 91.85 per cent.

The ambulance service has, under Mr Milligan's tenure, approved controversial and radical plans to reshape the operation in an attempt to improve its response times – an area where the service has struggled to meet targets for many years. Across the East Midlands Mr Milligan's ambulance service approved plans – known as the Being the Best programme – to replace 65 ambulance stations with nine "superhubs", 19 stations and more than 100 community points.

In Notts there will be one "superhub" – in Nottingham – and the county will retain six stations and gain a further 25 community standby points.

Jon Towler, chairman of the EMAS board, said: "Phil led the organisation through a time of significant change. He leaves EMAS in a considerably better shape and with a clear plan for the future.

"The whole board extends its thanks for the improvements made and wishes him well for the future."

Mr Milligan's departure follows an NHS career which spanned more than 30 years.

He first joined the service in 1981 as a nurse in the Midlands before going on to take senior roles in both the NHS acute and private healthcare sectors.

He said: "I joined EMAS to make a difference. With the plans in place I am proud to leave EMAS in a much stronger position.

"I am looking forward to spending more time with my family.

"The role of chief executive has been very demanding and has required very long hours to make the progress necessary.

"It is time for me to take a back seat for a while and to leave the driving to someone else.

"Clinical care and overall response times are the best they have been for some time thanks to the 'Being the Best' programme.

"I'd like to thank my colleagues at EMAS for their support and hard work in delivering this important change programme."

A MAN says he has been waiting more than 15 months for answers after the shocking death of three relatives.

Pauline Barker, her partner Archie McKelvie and their daughter Corrin Barker were all found dead in April, 2012.

Pauline's body was found in the River Trent on April 15. Mr McKelvie and Corrin were found shot dead at his West Bridgford home 11 days later.

Detectives launched an inquiry, but an inquest into the deaths has still not been held.

Friends of the family said the tragedy came as a huge shock as all three had appeared happy and to be acting normally before their deaths.

Now one of Pauline's brothers, Paul Barker, has spoken publicly for the first time, saying he believes it is taking too long to hold the inquest.

He said: "To me it should have been cleared up months ago. It's been a long time to wait – too long."

"I remember my older brother called me to tell me it had happened.

"I miss Pauline. It was very, very sad – for a person to end up in the Trent like that. It's hard to hear. She may have had problems we didn't know about.

"You end up just assuming what happened. There are still questions you hope the inquest would help with."

Paul, 69, emigrated to Canada in 1980 with his wife and three children after growing up in Nottingham with Pauline.

Last summer he flew back to Notts to visit Pauline's home in Oak Tree Close, Lady Bay.

He also visited West Bridgford and went to Corrin's house in Edwalton, hoping to get a sense of what happened.

The retired electrician said: "I hoped to see if I could get an idea of what took place – I didn't really, but at least it gave me some sort of closure. You wonder if I'd lived there still, would things be different? The system is the system. It's hard to shake things up."

The bodies of Corrin, 31, and Archie, 64, were discovered by police at Mr McKelvie's home in North Road.

The body of Pauline, who lived separately from Mr McKelvie, was found in the River Trent 11 days earlier.

Police stumbled on the scene at North Road only because they were going there to get help in identifying Pauline's body.

They found Mr McKelvie and Corrin dead in the kitchen from gunshot wounds – in a case which shocked the local community.

Detectives later established that Archie had last been seen alive at 12.30pm on April 24 at his North Road home. Corrin, who lived in Wood View, Edwalton, was last seen at 3pm on April 25, in West Bridgford. Pauline's last movements are not known.

Besides Paul, Pauline is survived by another brother and a sister in Notts, and a brother now living in Australia.

A Notts Police spokeswoman confirmed the police investigation had been completed and said files were handed to the coroner's office last August.

Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths. The force said in a response to a Freedom of Information Act request earlier this year they believed Mr McKelvie had shot his daughter before turning the gun on himself.

Dr Liz Didcock, Assistant Coroner for Notts, said she was unable to comment on the case specifically, but said: "I am aware that this is a complex case, and therefore there will necessarily be a much longer than average time taken from death to inquest date.

"We endeavour to manage all cases as expediently as possible, but Notts is the biggest jurisdiction in England, with over 6,000 deaths a year referred to us.

"We do our very best to meet time-scales, and to ensure all information needed to understand the full facts surrounding a death is available at the time of inquest, to ensure we reach the correct conclusion or verdict in each case."

CHILDREN and parents dressed up as storybook characters for the 25th annual Lark in the Park fun day in West Bridgford.

The event's Once Upon a Time theme saw princesses, pirates and storybook legends in Bridgford Park.

Sports and arts and craft sessions were laid on by more than 50 community groups, with free entertainment from One Direction tribute band Only One Direction.

Daniel Howard, 32, of Netherfield, took his eight-year-old son, Connor, of Ruddington. He said: "I'm from West Bridgford and we used to come here when I was younger.

"From the start it has been a popular event and it's grown so much that I'm now bringing my kid to it."

Connor joined other children in trying Futebol de Salão with the help of Brazilian Soccer Schools. Coach Jez Grundy, 37, of Beeston, said more than 100 kids tried the sessions in the first two hours of Lark in the Park.

He added: "We've been coming here for six or seven years and it's always busy. It's a well-known event and we've had children from as far away as Arnold and Beeston take part."

The free event was organised by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Elsewhere, youngsters queued up to try out rowing machines. Kids aged under five rowed 100m, while older children tested themselves over 300m.

Nine-year-old Mackenzie Stevenson, of Clifton, completed 300m in one minute 51 seconds.

She said: "I've never been on a rowing machine before. My legs hurt now but I enjoyed it. I like the idea of rowing and would like to take it up."

She added: "I've been coming to this event since I was a baby. I like trying new things."

Penelope Rowan, 43, from Forest Fields, enjoyed a picnic with her six-year-old daughter, Orla, and Orla's best friend, Soraya Mills.

She said: "We come every year as it's a free and affordable day out. It's good to get some fresh air and I can see the enjoyment on their faces."

Orla said: "We've been making some sea creatures and crowns, and been on the bouncy castle."

See tomorrow's Post for a special four-page supplement of photos from Lark in the Park.

Got a family event taking place near you? Let us know by e-mailing newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk.

O N a week in which the new Doctor Who is unveiled, haart is offering you the opportunity to buy your very own Tardis! Looking at the interior pictures of this three-bed bungalow in Redhill, you just can't fail to be surprised by the space and open layout.

The refitted breakfast kitchen, for instance, provides plenty of working space with its range of fitted units and work surface as well as having room for a breakfast table.

There is also open access from the kitchen to the family room/sitting room – a room that provides flexibility to the accommodation and has patio doors leading to the garden.

A utility room provides a further laundry and appliance area.

A prime example of a room within the bungalow that provides plenty of space is the lounge, measuring 20ft 4in x 15in (6.20m x 4.57m).

This room also features a gas fire with marble hearth and feature surround.

There are three bedrooms, two on the ground floor and the third, a dormer bedroom, which is accessed via a spiral staircase.

The dormer bedroom has useful storage space into the eaves and an en suite shower room, which includes a shower cubicle, WC, wash hand basin and heated towel rail.

The second bedroom has fitted wardrobes, and patio doors which open out onto the rear garden.

Both ground-floor bedrooms share the use of a wet room, which includes a power shower, WC, wash hand basin, and a heated towel rail.

The bungalow is less than five miles or a 15-minute drive from the city centre and you might also be surprised to see that it has lovely views over countryside complementing the bungalow's delightful gardens. There are lawns, stocked borders, a driveway and a garage. But the best gardens are at the back, where there are two patio areas, a further lawned garden with flowers, shrubs and trees, a useful greenhouse, a shed and a sun canopy. All with that countryside backdrop to enjoy.

Valuer Elaine Tassi said: "The property lends itself to a growing family, as there is so much spacious living accommodation on offer."

It is beautiful inside and with the added bonus of no chain it makes it ideal for those looking for a quick move."

And it's not just the accommodation and gardens that will appeal, the location is a popular choice too.

Elaine said: "Arnold is a thriving town centre offering a range of amenities, including a market three times a week offering local produce."

In fact, in Arnold's large town centre and the surrounding areas you'll also find big supermarkets and a good range of independent and high street shops.

In addition there are good schools and leisure facilities and public transport links into the city centre. The town even has its own theatre – the Bonington.

Facilities and landmarks of note continue with Arnot Hill Park, which is off Nottingham Road, and there is also the picturesque St Mary's Church which dates back to the 12th century.

Arnold really is a self-contained town and with all this on your doorstep, combined with a home with countryside views, it is no wonder that the selling agents think this property will be a popular choice with home buyers.

For full details of this lovely bungalow and its location, contact the selling agents.

A VAN driver is in hospital with serious injuries after being shot as he drove through St Ann's.

Detectives yesterday were trying to piece together the details of the incident.

A van which the injured 23-year-old was believed to have been driving was found in Woodborough Road, St Ann's.

Yesterday, a cordon was in place in Alfred Street North, off Woodborough Road, and around the Asiana Hypermarket, in Woodborough Road.

A police spokesman said yesterday it was not clear where the man was shot, but detectives suspect it happened at around 10pm on Tuesday.

Ketan Ahir, store manager at the Asiana Hypermarket, arrived for work to find his business inside a police cordon.

He said: "I have not seen anything like this before.

"It must be something serious for the whole area to be closed off."

Pilates teacher Fiona Burnham, who lives in nearby Hibiscus Court, said: "We have never had anything like this before. The police haven't told us anything yet. They cordoned off the car park so I couldn't get my car out."

Leon Radford, 42, of Hibiscus Court, said: "I have lived here since September 2011 and have not known anything like this. There has been some trouble from kids but nothing like this."

Police said they were unable to say what part of the body the man had been shot in.

Last night, he was in a stable condition in the Queen's Medical Centre.

The van was being forensically examined by officers.

Uniformed police patrols are being stepped up in the area to provide reassurance to neighbours.

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident 925 of August 6, 2013. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

What do you think? E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

SEVENTY jobs are to be created at a city call centre – and hundreds more could be up for grabs before the end of the year.

Domestic and General, in Talbot Street, is taking on the new staff after expanding the number of businesses it works for.

The jobs will all be full-time and the firm is looking to have the 70 staff in place by next month, with more vacancies in the pipeline as the company makes its annual recruitment drive in the autumn.

The news provides a boost to the city, with more than 13,000 people claiming benefits for being out of work in June.

David Colley, the firm's senior HR adviser, said: "These are good opportunities for a whole range of people – from those picking up exam results soon through to more mature people who are looking for work.

"We're looking for people who are good communicators and are eager to learn. We can offer training and support in the roles.

"Given the recent figures about areas of Nottingham having above-average unemployment levels, we feel the job vacancies are not just positive news for us as a business but for the city.

"The other thing to point out is that it's nothing like a call centre here.

"We want people for the long haul, not just stop-gap jobs, and if people are keen and want to learn and progress, they can turn their jobs into careers here."

Domestic and General provides warranty services and product protection for more than nine million customers in the UK and 15 million worldwide, on behalf of household names including Sky and Whirlpool.

There are just under 1,000 staff working at the offices, their ages ranging from 16 to 66.

Kirsty Sime, 31, joined Domestic and General seven years ago after moving from Pizza Hut. She now works as a team leader.

She said: "I first applied when a friend who works here told me about Domestic and General.

"It's great, I really enjoy what I do and never thought I would work somewhere like this.

"People who are thinking about giving it a go should put an application in.

"We're all very supportive of each other and I really enjoy my job."

Are you looking for work? Tell us your story. E-mail opinion@nottinghampost.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM Forest fans will not forgive the manner in which he delivered his message, but they might just appreciate the sentiment.

Harry Redknapp this week questioned why his QPR side were regarded, by so many people, as being the runaway favourites to win the Championship.

"What about Notts Forest?" he asked. "They won the European Cup twice."

Rightly so, Harry. A fair while ago now, admittedly. But it should still be enough to persuade people to be able to get the name of the club right, by now, shouldn't it?

But I do agree with what he said, if not the manner in which he said it.

I would point out that QPR are the favourites to win promotion because they have spent big money this summer. They even pipped Forest to Charlie Austin, the striker, who cost them £4m to take to Loftus Road from Burnley.

That kind of transfer – along with the addition of people like Danny Simpson, Richard Dunne and Karl Henry – is why many believe Rangers will be the team to beat between now and May.

When you look at the squad they have at their disposal, there will be something wrong if they are not right up there.

But, like Harry, an increasing number of people will be looking at what Forest have done this summer and starting to think to themselves 'blimey, they mean business'.

It is expected that, prior to this weekend, Forest will complete the signing of Kelvin Wilson for a fee in the region of £2.5m.

What a statement it will be, if the defender does return to the City Ground, as we believe is now almost certain to happen.

If Fawaz Al Hasawi is willing to back Billy Davies to that degree in the transfer market, it is a clear sign of the club's ambition.

Given that Forest have already made eight signings, spending more than £4m, it is a significant statement of intent.

But, beyond what other people think; beyond the fact that it has attracted the attention of the rest of the division – because Redknapp is not the only manager to have spoken about Forest as contenders – it is important for another, more pertinent reason.

And that is the simple fact that it has ensured Forest have a very, very good squad at their disposal this season.

Slip Wilson into that back four and Forest, all of a sudden, probably have the best defence in the Championship.

Jack Hobbs is a quality player at this level, Chris Cohen increasingly looks like an outstanding left back and a fine leader and Eric Lichaj is a solid addition with Premier League quality.

As we have discussed in the past, clean sheets are the first step towards victory at any level of the game.

It is a formula that has worked well for Davies in the past and it is certainly one that could be effective in a division where almost every team has a chance of challenging.

It was enough to earn Forest three points on Saturday even if it was a hard-fought, rather than spectacular win over Huddersfield.

That is far from a criticism. Opening day games are tough. Expectation levels are higher than ever when it comes to that first game, when fans have had the summer to build up their expectations.

But Forest got the job done. They did enough to beat a Huddersfield side who came to make life difficult. But, the game also suggested there is still one final piece of the jigsaw that needs to be put in place.

As a Forest fan, as somebody who wants to see the club back in the top flight, I am encouraged by what we have seen so far. The club have done excellent work in the transfer market.

But I am going to be greedy. I want more. If they can go out and spend £2.5m on a defender, I want them to go out and spend big on a striker now. If they have that kind of money to invest in a front man, then you are in 20-goal a season territory.

And that is still what Forest are missing. They did not allow Huddersfield too many chances on Saturday. But, for long periods, they also struggled for chances themselves.

Forest have lots of decent front men with plenty of good qualities between them. But they do not have that real predator.

Wilson will be a quality addition. He will be the kind of signing that makes people like Redknapp talk about Forest with respect and, perhaps, even a little bit of fear.

But, if they can go out and sign a quality striker now, to cap off the good work they have done already, then, when Forest look at other Championship sides, they will probably be doing so over their shoulders.

Billy Davies pulled off a masterstroke last weekend. Not only did he give Karl Darlow the chance he deserved – but he will have filled him full of confidence at the same time.

By giving him the number one shirt and the place in the team ahead of the more experienced Dorus de Vries, Davies gave Darlow the chance he had earned, with his performances last season.

In fairness to the young keeper, he did well. But he will have been walking on air after the final whistle when Davies stated, in clear, concise terms, that he regards Darlow as his first choice.

Keepers are a unique bunch of people. They, like strikers, are judged on their mistakes as much as they are by what they do well.

They have to be strong characters. They have to be confident. As a person, you are either a strong character or you are not. But confidence? Confidence is a quality that can be boosted by others.

And, by going out of his way to say what he said, Davies will have done exactly that.