NOTTINGHAM band London Grammar have been listed in BBC Radio 6 Music's Album of the Year.

BBC 6 Music presenters and staff compiled their top 15 albums of the year, which features London Grammar at number 11.

The band – Hannah Reid, 23, Dot Major, 22, and Dan Rothman, 23 – met at the University of Nottingham in 2009.

In September, London Grammar, who played at Glastonbury and Bestival this summer, released their debut album If You Wait.

Gilles Peterson, who presents his show every Saturday on BBC Radio 6 Music, said: "It's been an incredible 2013 for London Grammar. I first heard them over a year ago and, with that singer and that arrangement and those songs, it was evident it was going to go well for them."

BILLY Davies does not want a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas, he just wants the one missing piece he believes is needed to complete the picture at Nottingham Forest.

The Scotsman has told his players they must remain upbeat, despite a run of just two wins in nine matches, that has seen the Reds slide out of the top six for the second time in December.

Because he remains convinced that Forest are not far from being the finished article in the Championship.

Davies has repeatedly insisted that the important thing is to be in the right position in the table come January. But there will need to be an improvement in form if the Reds are to start 2014 in the lofty position the manager hopes for.

But he argues that it will not require a dramatic improvement in performance levels for that to happen.

"We are creating a lot of chances, there is no doubt that we are creating a lot of chances. As I said, I am very pleased. There is that piece of the jigsaw puzzle that we will eventually get," said Davies.

"I see the same players in training, putting things away. At the moment, things are not going for them in front of goal.

"We will just keep working away, we will do what we do in training and we will keep encouraging them to get that last little piece."

Davies will be backed again by owner Fawaz Al Hasawi in January, when the transfer window opens.

But the Reds boss believes he already has the players in his squad to address their stuttering form.

"I think we have that now (in the dressing room). We have people who can score goals, we have people who can create goals. You can see that from our play," he said.

"As I said before, I would be very concerned if we were not creating chances. I would be very concerned if we were sitting back.

"We have all seen the game here. We all know what the situation was today. We were against a side that is on fire and we took another clean sheet, which is good.

"Overall, games are all about finishing and that last little bit is letting us down."

When asked how many players he hopes to add to the squad in January, Davies said that he was more concerned about getting the best out of the current team.

"My only concern now is to get the boys back in (to training). We will keep working because, as I said, in terms of tactics, attitude, effort and set-plays, there is a lot to our game that is not too far away," he said.

"We will just keep working on the day-to-day drills that we have to do with the strikers and with the wide players.

"The one thing I can say is that it is just that final piece of the jigsaw puzzle. We just need to get that right, then we will be okay.

"We are dominating games, without doubt, against very good sides. Ipswich are a very good side, they are on fire. We know ourselves, from that point of view, that a clean sheet is a positive.

"You know and I know that nine-tenths of this team is good. It is just that final little bit that we need to get right.

"We ran into a keeper who was in good form. He made some very good saves. That is what he gets paid for.

"We get paid to finish and put the ball in the back of the net and, at the minute, that is just not happening for us."

Davies was so keen to emphasise the point that there is not a problem with confidence or belief within the squad that he even extended an invitation for the media to visit the training ground.

"Confidence is great, spirit is great. You are all more than welcome to come down to the training ground and have a look and a listen," said Davies.

"Their tails should be up, they are a good bunch. Their work rate and attitude is excellent.

"I keep telling them all the time, come back in on Monday morning with a smile on your face. We are in a fantastic job and we will keep working on that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle."

LIFE-LONG Nottingham Forest fan Mabel Wright celebrated her 100th birthday in style on Saturday at the City Ground.

Kicking off her special day with a family lunch at the Jubilee Club, Mabel then watched the game against Ipswich from the directors' box before being presented with a cake from club manager Billy Davies.

Born on December 13, 1913, Mabel went to her first Forest match at the tender age of eight along with her late twin brother Frederick and father Samuel.

The Colwick resident has been hooked on the club ever since and has been a season ticket-holder since the 1950s.

Her favourite player of all time is defender Stuart Pearce.

The avid gardener even travelled to Munich in 1979 to watch Forest storm to victory for their first European Cup win.

Mabel, along with her twin, father, mother Jess and older brother George, lived in Port Arthur Road, just off Sneinton Dale.

The family then moved to Vale Road, Colwick, when Mabel was about 11 years old and the Forest fan has stayed there ever since.

Mabel, who has never married, is part of a close-knit family which includes one nephew, one grandnephew, one grandniece and three great-grandnieces.

Nephew Malcolm Wright, 66, who is married to Maggie, 65, said: "Perhaps being single is what has kept her going for so long because she's never had to worry about a man in her life."

He added: "Aunt Mabel is so full of life and is fiercely independent.

"She still lives in her own house and only started using a stick to help her walk about a year ago."

Mabel began her working life at 14 when she joined the rest of her family at William Lawrence Furniture.

During the Second World War the furniture-makers helped the national effort by making torpedo boats and gliders – which Mabel contributed to.

She later moved on to Somnus Bedding where she worked stuffing mattresses until her retirement.

Besides Nottingham Forest, Mabel's passion lies in gardening and up until recently she tended an award-winning allotment on Chandos Road, Netherfield – although she does also have a not-so-secret place in her heart for legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood. Mabel has been known to set her alarm to catch one of his films on television, regardless of the time of day.

The centenarian celebrated her actual birthday on Friday with family, friends, some fish and chips and her mixed-breed terrier Molly.

Malcolm said: "She loves dogs and gets her friends to take her down to Radcliffe Kennels where she always picks the ugliest looking dog – always the one no one wants, as she's just that kind of wonderful person."

A TOP football club has been rescued from closure.

Eagle Valley, the home of Arnold Town, has been saved through a partnership between the club, Nottinghamshire FA, the FA, the Football Foundation and Gedling Borough Council.

It was revealed in September that the club owed £180,000 following a loan of £150,000 made by former manager Andrew Muldoon in 2008.

Arnold Town were given 21 days to pay back the money. Now the club and its new partners have worked together to get funding in order to keep it open.

Club chairman Paul Cottee, said he was relieved and added: "After many months of hard work and negotiations, we are delighted to have secured our future at Eagle Valley for grassroots football and the community. Now we can focus our attention towards moving the club forward as a whole and making it a success for all who are associated with it.''

Thirty-nine teams play at the club's pitches and would have struggled to find alternative locations to play on.

POLICE are appealing for information after vandals struck at Basil Russell playing fields in Nuthall.

A spokesman said: "Sometime between 4.30pm on December 14 and 7.50am on December 15, an unknown offender cut through green plastic mesh fencing near the compost heap in order to gain entry to the bowling green.

"It is suspected to be youth-related anti-social behaviour as three empty lager cans and an empty bottle of cola were thrown on to the green.

"A traffic cone was damaged near to the tennis courts.

"The same fencing material was also forced away from the wooden shed next to the tennis courts."

Officers are appealing for anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious near the playing fields to call 101 quoting incident number 261-15122013.

PLANS for 470 homes at a former colliery are set to be rubber-stamped today.

The £100 million redevelopment of Cotgrave Colliery would also see 240 jobs created in an employment zone.

The project was given permission by Rushcliffe Borough Council in March 2011 and, if approved, work could begin in February.

The development would include allotments, orchards and play area. Houses, ranging from one bedroom to six, would include a sizeable garden and at least one car parking space. A footbridge would link the area to Cotgrave town centre.

Notts County Council's finance and property committee will vote on whether to grant the lease to developers Barratt.

A TODDLER is among hundreds of Bakersfield residents pleading for Nottingham City Council to reconsider its plans to close the local library.

Frank Richmond, two, with help from his mother, created a letter to express how much he enjoys his visits to Bakersfield Library in Watson Avenue.

Frank handed the letter over to Dales ward Councillor Gul Nawaz Khan at the library on Saturday. It will be presented to the council.

Frank wrote: "I really like the library. It is near my house. I talk about it a lot and I read the books. If it goes, I will really miss it."

He signed the letter with his hand print and asked other children to show support by doing the same. The 20ft-long letter had more than 100 hand prints.

His mother Sarah said Frank enjoys his Wednesday Tots Time sessions at the library.

Sarah, 39, said: "This library is a very popular place. They have a Tots Time session and a homework club and the staff are particularly helpful. Libraries get children reading and help their education. It is so important for kids to have a service like this.''

Simon Smith, 42, of Hereford Road, regularly takes his two children to the library. He said: "It would be a shame to lose this library. It is only small but it provides a good service. The kids have been coming here since they were toddlers.''

The council faces a further £55 million cuts in the next two years.

Mick Flower, 60, of Swains Avenue, has borrowed 208 books from the library in the past two-and-a-half-years since he retired. He said: "It would be a tragedy if we lose what is really Bakersfield's only public amenity. We could use libraries elsewhere but it doesn't cost that much to run this one. It is such a brilliant service. I know a lot of people use it."

He hopes to hand a petition with 1,000 signatures against the closure to the portfolio holder for leisure and culture, Councillor David Trimble.

Former Sneinton councillor Ali Asghar, who lives in Bakersfield, has also set up a petition. He hopes to collect around 600 signatures before handing it to council leader Jon Collins.

Mr Khan said the library costs the council £27,000 to run each year. He said: "It is a big asset for the young children and I am not in favour of it closing. For me, it is a good help for the children with their education."

Residents are being consulted about the library becoming run by volunteers before a decision is made.

FURIOUS residents have hit out over council plans to close seven Notts youth centres next year.

The proposal put forward by Notts County Council is part of a youth service restructure which, it is hoped, will save the authority £1.3 million.

It would see the 38 youth centres across the county reduced to 31 as well as the axing of six mobile youth facilities.

Opening times of the surviving young people's centres would be reduced from 42 weeks to 37 weeks a year.

The clubs at risk of closure as of October next year are Balderton, The Core, in Southwell, The Lodge in Arnold, Bingham, Collingham, Winthorpe and Ruddington.

The County Council said the seven clubs have been identified based on deprivation factors and the number of young people in each district.

The news has come as a blow to the clubs which have seen a significant increase in attendance of young people and a large capital investment over the last five years.

Posters have been put up in and around Ruddington village in a bid to save the youth club on The Green which only two years ago had £10,000 invested in it and has seen attendance double.

Comments from residents on Facebook have expressed concern over the club's potential closure.

Giz Humber said: "They moan about the young hanging around shops - well what is there for them? The few centres there are, are being closed."

The reduction of the annual budget for youth service comes at a time when the County Council is being forced to save £154 million as a result of Government grant reductions.

Conservative councillor for Ruddington Reg Adair said: "It's bad for Ruddington and bad for Ruddington's kids - it is really not good - we've got up to 70 young people in there on a Friday night and some are up to 18 years of age and if we take the club away they're going to be back on the streets.

"And some of these young people may get in trouble and undo all the hours of good work that has been done.

"There are a lot of older people in Ruddington and when they see young people on the street it concerns them and that is what will happen without the club."

He added: "For me it's not about finance, young people are more than finance.

"I am dead against the closure and people should try and get their voices heard through writing to the authorities of signing the petition."

The consultation period for this proposal is now open and residents can voice their opinion by emailing or writing to their councillors by January 17 2014.

The final decision will be made at the full council meeting on February 27.

THE University of Nottingham is in contention for two national awards.

Its Nottingham Open Online Course is shortlisted in the distance or online learning category of the Guardian University Awards.

And the school of pharmacy's five-year undergraduate programme, which launched in September, is nominated for teaching excellence.

The awards celebrate the outstanding innovation, creativity and impact of UK universities in delivering world-class teaching, research and engagement.

Nottingham Open Online Courses are free and open to all students and staff at the University of Nottingham in the UK, China and Malaysia.

Dr Sarah Speight, who leads the open online courses team, said: "We feel that we have come up with a winning format. "We've had 1,500 enrolments on the Sustainability NOOC, which has just finished its second run. Being shortlisted for a Guardian University Award tells us that other people can see the potential of the format, too, for organisations that are looking to build their community across time zones."

The university's five-year undergraduate pharmacy course is the UK's first to fully integrate scientific, clinical and pre-registration training, providing students with an education to allow them to stay at the cutting edge of the modern profession.

A DRINK-driver has been disqualified from driving for three years after being nearly three times over the legal limit.

Phillip Froggat, 29, pleaded guilty to driving a Ford Transit van in Windsor Road, Mansfield, while over the limit.

Froggat was found to have 94 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Froggat was fined £500, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £50 and costs of £85.

His ban will be reduced by 39 weeks if he completes a driving course by January 1, 2016.

A £6 MILLION plan to encourage small firms to set up in an empty building in Sneinton is set for approval.

Disused buildings on Dakeyene Street, off Carlton Road, could become home to up to 45 businesses if the plans succeed.

Nottingham City Council has secured more than £3.7m in European funding to support the project and plans to put in a further £2.25m of city taxpayer's money.

It says it will spend the combined £6m pot on turning 1a Dakeyne Street into workshops, offices and studio units.

There will also be meeting rooms and networking spaces where the businesses based at the site can get together.

The scheme is inside an area of the city centre known as the Creative Quarter, and the council hopes that the development will attract businesses which work in the digital and creative sectors.

It is also close to Sneinton Market – which the council plans to spend a further £4m on refurbishing to bring its old buildings back to life.

Nottingham City Council leader Jon Collins, who will approve the plans, said: "Alongside the redevelopment of Sneinton Market, which has also successfully secured ERDF funding, these plans for a creative hub in Dakeyne Street are an important part of our plans to regenerate this area of the city.

"As part of the city's emerging Creative Quarter, these facilities will play a significant role in supporting the creation and growth of creative industries, which are already a significant growth sector for our economy, creating good quality jobs for local people."

The Creative Quarter covers an area which stretches from Sneinton, through Hockley and the Lace Market out to London Road.

The area is already home to businesses operating in a range of sectors including digital media and design, biotechnology, film and TV, architecture and construction engineering.

THE Conservative Group at Notts County Council has launched a campaign calling for a freeze in council tax.

The group roup has started a petition calling on the Labour administration to freeze tax next year.

Conservative leader councillor Kay Cutts said: "Labour are not offering Notts residents the option of a council tax freeze in their budget consultation, so it falls to us as the main opposition to give people the chance to have their say through this petition.

"Thanks to Labour's legacy, Nottinghamshire remains the highest taxing shire county council in the country, so our residents are certainly entitled to see their rates frozen until they are receiving a fair deal in comparison with other councils.

"In our election manifesto, Conservatives made a pledge to freeze Council Tax until at least 2016."