WHILE other families celebrated the arrival of their beloved newborns around them, Richard and Michelle Daniels cradled their lifeless daughter, Emily.

The Chilwell couple could have had no idea they would not be returning home with their second child after a completely normal pregnancy culminated in labour last December.

But while they say they received good care at the hospital, they will never forget having to cry their first tears and learning to grieve in a room created for a new, happy family – with the pained shouts and triumphant cheers of childbirth echoing around them.

That is why, just days after finding out Emily had died in the womb, this special couple resolved to do something about the situation; they set up a charity – Forever Stars – and started a fundraising campaign designed to raise £50,000 or more to solve the problem.

"We just felt it wasn't right that someone in that situation was just put back in that room," Richard said.

The 38-year-old dad-of-one added: "It was set up for a newborn baby. There was a cot and advice in there – that's quite distressing for parents to be sitting in that sort of environment.

"We decided we wanted to try to raise money which facilitated a sound-proof soft room where you can both sit together, a double bed and softer lighting and refreshments. It's actually a government recommendation and both Leicester and Derby have bereavement suites. Nottingham have little. We are the poor relation."

Michelle added: "We didn't have any expectation of there being a problem, as some families do.

"We were on the brink of the birth of our daughter and to find out that far along that we weren't going to get that, you just feel robbed and it's so harsh being in the clinical labour suite environment and hearing people all around you having healthy babies.

"You need shelter from that and it just makes the situation worse. That's your only time with the baby but because of the environment, I felt I needed to get out of hospital, even though spending more time there would physically have been better."

Despite going through so much herself, Michelle's priority is to make a difference for others.

She said: "We want to provide families with shelter and protection from the outside world where they can grieve and come to terms with what happened.

"It would have a massive impact – lots of families will want to try again and if you can provide a better setting, it helps to be able to try again and have a different experience.

"That time does stay with you forever, so if we can help to make it softer and more gentle, all for the better."

Just 23 weeks after they set up the charity, generous fundraisers have contributed to the couple's magnificent efforts to raise around £30,000. Michelle and Richard are full of praise for the whole city of Nottingham which has got behind their campaign.

Richard said: "We just went on Facebook to start with and thought if we could get 100 likes, we could create some momentum, but it just snowballed.

"We got more than 5,000 followers and we get about 1,500 hits a week on the website. It's gone really well. We've tried to make this a Nottingham-centric charity so people can see the results of what they are doing locally but it's been incredible.

"Today, we've just been announced as Beeston Sainsbury's charity partner.

"There's a bit of a club out there – so many people go through this. People will come up to us 30 or 40 years after the stillbirth and they still have tears in their eyes and they can remember exactly the same experience that we had. You don't appreciate until you've had it happen what an impact those hours and days have on you.

"But we've hit the £30,000 mark and we hope that we are going to smash the total."

He added: "We want to have achieved our target by Emily's birthday, which would have been December 19. That would mean we have achieved the legacy we wanted for her."

The first phase of the couple's project will mean a bereavement suite being created at the QMC which will be soundproof and contain a chilled cot – allowing parents to spend more time with their stillborn baby. They also hope to play a part in redesigning the hospital's maternity suite in the next few years if more money can be raised.

Alison Atkinson, head of midwifery with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, says: "We are extremely grateful to Michelle and Richard for their outstanding efforts, which will help to improve the facilities, environment and experience of future patients and families in our care.

"By listening to and learning about the experiences of families such as Michelle and Richard, we can improve the maternity unit and improve the way in which we deliver care so it is the best it can be.

"We are meeting regularly with Michelle to discuss the immediate improvements we can make to the environment so that we can be ever more respectful of the feelings of women and families who have had a bereavement."

The Post is supporting the Forever Stars campaign and will be bringing you a series of articles on the couple's latest efforts. To donate, go to foreverstars.org.

AN injunction banning boy racers from "car cruising" at a retail park looks set to be extended.

More than 200 people had been gathering with their cars at Victoria Retail Park, in Netherfield, on Sunday evenings after the shops closed.

After complaints from people living nearby, a court injunction was approved in April 2012.

It bans drivers and passengers from taking part in the activity in an area stretching from Burton Joyce to Colwick.

The current injunction preventing car cruising at the Victoria Retail Park runs out in December.

A report to tonight's Nottinghamshire County Council community safety committee on Tuesday says: "Although there has been a slight re-emergence of the problem, the menu of actions successfully deployed two years ago will be used again.

"Work is progressing in getting procedures in place to refresh the injunction in December 2014."

MORE than 2,000 litres of heating oil was stolen in one village over three days.

The thefts happened in Oxton last week when thieves drained heating oil from storage tanks outside homes.

Retired joiner Alan Rockley noticed that his tank had been tampered with on Monday , after he unexpectedly ran out of heating oil.

On closer inspection he found that thieves had stolen around 1,000 litres of oil, leaving only a few inches in the bottom of the tank.

The 62-year-old said: "We think they have had about £550-worth stolen.

"We are not very happy about it and I think they siphoned it off over the hedge.

"It looks like they then dragged whatever they put it in across two meadows.

"We have put extra security in place including extra locks and an alarm."

Neighbour Shirley May was also affected, with thieves stealing around 500 litres on the same night, only to return two days later to steal the remaining 500 litres.

The 63-year-old retired administrator said: "We have lived here over 30 years and never had a problem till now.

"It is disgusting and beggars belief.

"I think we were targeted because we are out of the way. They must have had a good look round because the tanks are not visible from the road.

"I am incredibly shocked and it makes you feel vulnerable because they have been so close. We have now added extra locks, lights and an alarm."

BoilerJuice runs a national heating oil theft database, alerts system and a comparison site.

Spokesman Francesca Oldham said: "Heating oil is a valuable commodity, with the average 1,000-litre order currently costing around £550.

"If thieves target your tank, it can be a huge blow to your finances. It's important to make sure that you take practical steps to avoid theft all year round, by securing your oil tank and protecting your supply."

Has your heating oil been stolen? Let us know by e-mail at newsdesk@nottinghampost.com.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S ambulance service has spent more than £412,000 over two years on vehicles equipped to help transport obese people.

East Midlands Ambulance Service has revealed via a Freedom of Information request that it has bought six specialised vehicles to cope with a growing demand by larger patients.

In the past financial year, the service spent £214,358.11 on three vehicles fitted with bariatric equipment to help transport obese patients to hospital. The vehicles are equipped with a hoist to assist paramedics in getting patients into ambulances.

This is an increase on 2012-2013, when £197,658.80 was spent, although it is believed the difference between the two financial years is linked with inflation rises rather than demand or other factors.

No spending figure was recorded for 2011-2012.

The service says that across its area, one of these six vehicles is located in Nottinghamshire. In addition, new top-of-the-line ambulances are now equipped with winged stretchers, providing appropriate space for obese patients.

According to an EMAS spokesman, around 50 per cent of its vehicles now include bariatric stretchers.

The spokesman added: "We have a duty to provide for all members of the community and to provide vehicles with the right equipment to provide a service to these people."

He added that having this equipment available "practically eliminated" the risk of muscular or skeletal injuries to staff.

Last year, figures showed more obese people in the Bassetlaw borough of Nottinghamshire were admitted to hospital than anywhere else in the UK.

The figures, from the NHS Information Centre, showed 2,878 per 100,000 people in the borough were admitted for obesity-related illnesses in 2011-12. The national average was 502.

There are an estimated 69,000 obese people in Nottingham as well as further 166,000 in the rest of Nottinghamshire.

Around one in five children between the ages of four and five in the county are classified as overweight or obese, increasing to one in three in children aged ten to 11.

Anne Pridgeon, senior public health manager for Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "The council recognises that obesity continues to be a concern in the county, as it is nationally, and is committed to tackling the issue.

"We also need to influence wider social and economic factors that impact on ill health and obesity, including working with food manufacturers, retailers and schools to make sure that young people are helped to make positive healthy lifestyle choices."

Which healthcare services require priority? E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampost.com.

GLOBAL fashion chain Next has removed thousands of baby grows from sale – after a Bulwell couple noticed it was covered in penis drawings.

Carla Westerby, 24, and partner Shane Gallivan, 23, were shocked to discover the drawings while feeding their twin daughters, Evelyn and Emelia.

Next admitted that a drawing of a jumper hanging over a washing line ended up looking like a penis because of a misprint.

Carla said: "Shane was just feeding Evelyn when he suddenly said 'Oh, my god, what is that?' He'd noticed that there was a drawing of a penis on the trousers (circled in the picture, left).

"At first, we thought it was just one, but then we looked again and saw the baby grow was covered in them. I was really shocked."

Land surveyor Shane said he thought he was imagining it at first, until Carla confirmed he was right.

He said: "I wondered whether it was one of the designers having a laugh. I was really angry – it's not the sort of thing you want to dress your daughters in."

Shane and insurance worker Carla were given a pack of the baby grows by Carla's mum, Jenny Westerby, just after the twins were born three months ago. The couple had been dressing the babies in the sleep suits ever since but are now refusing to use them after noticing the design flaw.

Carla, pictured with Emelia (left) and Evelyn, said: "I don't think it's acceptable to have that sort of thing on a baby grow, especially as they are both girls.

"We just thought it was a cute, nice baby grow with a washing line with clothes and socks on it but then we saw this. Once you notice it, it is unmistakable."

A spokesman for Next said the offending design was pulled from shelves after it received another complaint about the item.

In a statement, the store said: "We were shocked by the image that ended up on one of our sleepsuits. The offending part of the design started life as an upside-down jumper with a neck binding and placket with buttons (hanging on the washing line) but unfortunately has been over-simplified by the printer and has unintentionally become something else.

"This is an innocent mistake that had not been picked up in the approval process. As it was inappropriate, we made the decision to withdraw this item from sale as soon as it was bought to our attention."

GET your buckets and spades at the ready – Old Market Square is this week transformed into a beach once more as Nottingham Riviera opens to the public.

The Riviera could not arrive at a more perfect time as Nottingham looks set to experience temperatures reaching the mid-to-high 20s during the week.

The event, now in its sixth year, includes a giant paddling pool, 250 tonnes of golden sand, a beach bar, rides and free family activities over the summer.

It will also have a wide range of musical performances including steel drum bands, DJs, historical plays and tribute artists among others.

It opens on Friday and runs until Tuesday, September 2.

Lord Mayor of Nottingham Councillor Ian Malcolm will officially open the attraction next Tuesday at noon.

Stallholders have been setting up in Old Market Square including the team behind its tropical bar, which has already attracted hundreds.

Weather watcher Andrew Shaw, from Stapleford, said the pattern of weather so far in May and June gave Nottinghamshire a good chance of sun for the rest of the summer.

He said: "Things are looking pretty good at the moment.

"It's been pleasantly warm so far. It's not been so hot you're going to get uncomfortable, either.

"If I was a betting man, I would bet that it will be pleasantly warm and fine this summer."

The Riviera, sponsored by Nottingham Express Transit, is organised at no cost to the taxpayer through a partnership between Nottingham City Council and entertainment specialist the Mellors Group.

Sue Kgatuke, a member of bar staff at the beach bar, who worked at last year's Riviera as well, said she felt it had become an event that people were now looking forward to every year.

She said: "So far, the bar's been doing really well.

"We've seen loads of customers popping in during the cricket and the World Cup.

"The atmosphere has been great. We've had some really good bands on – everything's gone perfectly.

"Working on the beach is always really cool. You've got the sand, we're serving great drinks – it's always a great atmosphere.

"I think it's an awesome thing that the council's been able to do during the summer."

Councillor Dave Trimble, city council portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: "Year after year the Nottingham Riviera proves to be a real hit with families from across the city.

"Once again it brings the seaside to the heart of the city for everyone to enjoy.

"There's something here for everyone."

Are you planning a special summer event in Nottingham? E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampost.com.

THIS summer, D2N2 discovered how successful it had been in bidding for the Local Growth Fund, the £2 billion a year pot of Government money set up to help support Strategic Economic Plans for the 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Support for the Strategic Economic Plan is crucial to the delivery of D2N2's long-term economic ambitions, specifically its desire to help create 55,000 net new jobs by 2023.

But that work is already under way, thanks to a number of other funding streams.

One of the most significant is a programme called Unlocking Investment For Growth – known as UI4G – which is supported by £5million from the Government's Regional Growth Fund and £2.8 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

UI4G provides vital funding to businesses who are ready to make substantial capital investments that will generate long-term growth, but can't quite get their hands on all the money they need.

D2N2 estimates that by providing this additional funding, UI4G could actually unlock around £20million of direct investment in businesses in Derby and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. What's more, this funding will support hundreds of new jobs.

There are a number of criteria that must be met for a successful application to the fund – and competition is, of course, intense.

As these pages demonstrate, a number of businesses in the D2N2 area have already secured backing from UI4G – and a number of other applications are currently being considered.

The programme will provide a grant in support of capital investment projects with a minimum overall project value of £200,000. In exceptional circumstances up to £500,000 of grant funding is available for projects that can demonstrate real potential to create new jobs.

The main criteria for assessment will be:

Overall strength of business case in terms of deliverability, impact and risk minimisation

Number of new sustainable, private sector jobs created

Level of private sector support investment that is leveraged by the grant funding

Eligibility for Regional Growth Fund support – including State Aid compliance

Value for money

Dozens of applications are being worked through and EMB Ltd, who manage the programme on behalf of D2N2, want to see capital investment projects that will create long-term sustainable jobs. For more information, go to www.d2n2.org/UI4G, email UI4G@embltd.co.uk or call 01332 826366.

IT IS not overstating the case to say that this has been a decisive year in the history of your Local Enterprise Partnership.

Not so long ago, these young organisations were trying to find their feet at a time of enormous financial and economic uncertainty. We had been handed an important mission in local economic development by Government, but lacked some of the tools needed to deliver.

Towards the end of 2012, our chairman, Peter Richardson, was appointed and made it his first task to recruit an operational chief executive – which is where I came in!

Since then, we have put in place structures, relationships and plans that together mean we have moved firmly into delivery mode.

Plans have been drawn up, budgets are being secured, and the result is that the area we cover – Derby and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – is now in a better position to exploit its considerable economic assets and drive growth.

We don't pretend for a moment that we are alone in this. Our plans are here to serve the people and businesses of our area and they have been drawn up with the help and wisdom of local authority partners, sector agencies, business organisations and the many stakeholders in the economies we serve.

But I genuinely believe that D2N2 is now a stronger, more robust and more delivery-focused organisation than it was 12 months ago. With our partners, we WILL make a difference.

A year ago, we set ourselves three clear targets: that we should become a visible force for good, that we should set out a clear economic plan for the area we cover, and that we should secure resources that would enable us to begin delivering that plan.

What was the thinking behind those targets? We needed to become more visible because we needed to engage with our business community and the area's stakeholders, harness their knowledge and crystallise our collective priorities, while at the same time making central government aware that there was significant potential that must be supported.

A clear economic strategy was the necessary consequence of those conversations. It has resulted in the development of a Strategic Economic Plan, known as the SEP, that has supported an application for substantial government resources to help us exploit that massive potential.

Those resources will be added to substantial sums that have already been secured:

£5 million from the Regional Growth Fund and £2.8 million from the European Union's European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the Unlocking Investment for Growth programme

£5.5 million to support the development of the new MediPark business incubator within the Nottingham Enterprise Zone

244 million Euros of European Union funding between now and 2020 from the ERDF and the European Social Fund (ESF)

5.5 million euros from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)

This is not some opportunistic trawl for public funding. What lies underneath the SEP and the funds we have and hope to secure is an ambitious – but achievable – outcome: the creation of 55,000 new jobs across the D2N2 area by 2023.

Where will those jobs come from? These will be private sector jobs that come from the transformation of the economy from one that is currently service-sector oriented to one that has a broad spread of strengths across industries like manufacturing, bioscience, food and drink, clean technology, the visitor economy, transport and logistics.

Alongside that goal, we have identified a strategy to help develop and improve the skills among people at schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace in a way that supports the needs of these industries.

This is crucial to making sure that growth is sustained in the longer term, and the collective work done by our further education colleges has been encouraging.

The confirmation of our Growth Deal with Government, a £555 million co-ordinated programme, kickstarts our journey. The initiatives it will support over the next six years, will help us to secure those new jobs.

We believe there are compelling reasons why our SEP should be supported, and that substantial investment in the local economy would deliver considerable long-term benefits not just to the area but to the UK economy as a whole.

Derby and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire can justifiably claim to be the engine room of the East Midlands economy, with acknowledged centres of excellence in industries which are at the forefront of global economic growth – aerospace, automotive and transport engineering, life sciences, creative industries, data analytics to name but a few. We have significant opportunities, too, in emerging areas of the local economy – clean technology, logistics, food and drink and the visitor economy, for example.

There is another reason why substantial investment in the D2N2 area makes sense: the East Midlands is the fastest-growing economy in the UK outside London and is showing most growth in the private sector.

One of the most important things for any organisation responsible for stimulating economic growth is meaningful data, and we now have 12 key metrics measuring the performance of the local economy.

Every single one is in 'green for go' territory and we believe substantial support from the Local Growth Fund is justified.

Priorities include:

Infinity Park at Derby, the 250-acre commercial and technology park which will support 8,000 jobs in high-tech and knowledge-intensive industries

Preparatory work for the development of the proposed HS2 rail station at Toton between Nottingham and Derby

The development of the Southern Gateway to Nottingham, which supports the development of the city's multi-modal transport interchange, the redevelopment of Broadmarsh and its surrounding area, and the project to enhance Nottingham Castle's status as a visitor destination of national standing

The Newark Southern Relief Road, which will provide an important strategic link between the A46 and the A1

Chesterfield Waterfront, the ambitious proposals for the development of new office and commercial space alongside Chesterfield Waterside

The provision of new industrial employment space alongside Rolls-Royce at its site at Hucknall

There are two reasons why driving ahead with projects like these is important. As I have already identified, the economic potential is there provided we grasp it. But while ground can be gained, it can also be lost: the planned closure of large-scale employers like Thoresby Colliery and Imperial Tobacco, show we must remain vigilant and be vigorous in pursuing new opportunities

So although our economy has momentum, genuine global strengths and some clearly identified opportunities, there is a job to do.

That includes increasing our efforts to raise the profile of the D2N2 area, both as a location for inward investment and as a visitor destination. We supported Derby and Nottingham at MIPIM, the international property development and investment expo in March, and the conversations we had with senior figures in the industry made it plain that now is the time to market the area as hard as we can.

By the same token, our research tells us that we can significantly increase the numbers of people who visit and stay in our area as a tourism destination. The work done by the Peak District Business Partnership in developing a growth plan has been encouraging, as have the successes of Experience Nottinghamshire in both visitor numbers and conference wins.

Put simply, there has never been a better time to invest in destination marketing.

While external partnerships are critical to D2N2's success, I also want to acknowledge the role played by the two teams within the organisation itself.

One is the Board, which has offered both support and wisdom at decisive moments, working incredibly hard to help us deliver. The other is the small team of staff within D2N2. Their commitment – embodied by numerous late nights helping us to put plans together – has been incredible.

I firmly believe that D2N2 has demonstrated that it can make a significant contribution to the growth of the economy in Derby and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. We're ready for action.

CITY councillors have agreed to support a nationwide campaign against changes to the National Health Service.

Campaigners are marching from the north-east to London to protest against changes to the NHS, and are due to pass through Notts next month.

The motion "recognises the threat to our NHS from legislation including the Health and Social Care Act" and "supports the People's March for the NHS along with its aims and intentions".

The same motion was passed by Notts County Council last month and it was passed at a meeting of the city council on Monday.

Councillor Alex Norris said: "We recognise the importance of the NHS to all citizens of Nottingham. A health system that is free at the point of use and based on need, not ability to pay, is a fundamental policy we will continue to support in whatever means possible.

"As long as there are people who will to fight for it, the NHS should be one of our country's proudest assets. I'm pleased to have been able to support this motion today."

BODY-ART enthusiasts are to descend on Notts for the county's first ever tattoo festival.

More than 400 people will be looking for inspiration and admiring each other's tattoos at the inaugural Robin Hood Tattoo Festival, at the Cotgrave Welfare Social Club, in Woodview, Cotgrave.

Organisers Claire Gable and Gray Silva have invited 30 of the best tattoo artists from across the country to showcase their work at the event on Saturday and Sunday August 30 and 31.

"It's art that you are going to carry with you forever," says Ms Gable, 38, who is also the manager at Rampant Ink tattoo studio, in Netherfield.

"I was a bit of a late starter and didn't get my first tattoo until I was 31.

"I had a very small bird done and now I have almost a full sleeve of tattoos and also have some on my thighs.

"Designing and getting tattoos done can be a very personal project and a lot of people are getting more photo-realistic ones done now, sometimes of their children for example.

"We have been thinking about putting this event on for a while. There is an event in Derby but nothing in Nottingham and we wanted to change that – particularly as it is such a central location for artists all over the UK.

"It will be a great day for those that love tattoos, have tattoos, or just want to find out a bit more."

And for those who have not been under the needle, Ms Gable reassures that it is not as painful as you might expect.

She said: "It's not that bad but there are areas that are a little bit more sensitive that others such as the ribs or tops of the feet – it feels like a hot scratching feeling."

Cotgrave resident, Craig Easton, 36, said the festival was long overdue. "I'm really looking forward to going down on the Sunday," he said.

"I was 16 when I got my first tattoo – it was a terrible skull which cost £10 because that's all that I had in my pocket.

"The quality and workmanship now is so much better I have just spent £800 and around 20 hours in total on a piece done at Gaz Reidy Tattoo's in Grantham – so I might enter that into the competition."

The event will include tattoo competitions, with a trophy for the winning artist and a framed certificate for the wearer.

There will also live music including Carmen Ghia and the Hotrods, headlining on Sunday night, as well as food and a licensed bar.

Because a proportion of the proceeds will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support the venue was offered for free by Cotgrave Welfare.

Trustee Maurice Brown said: "We have one of the biggest stages in the East Midlands and we were being underused so we are now trying to get as many different types of events on as possible.

"We have an arrangement that if it is a charitable event we will provide the premises for free."

Entry to the festival is restricted to over 18s and it is advised that tickets are booked in advance at www.robinhoodtattoofestival.co.uk

What do you think of tattoos? Let us know at opinion@nottinghampost.com

IF modern politics is a battle fought on Twitter, then Ken Clarke has no intention of entering the fray.

Similarly, the message on his mobile voicemail tells you all you need to know about his attitude towards modern communications: "You are very reckless ringing it up because I tend to collect these once every six months."

But it would be a mistake to think that Mr Clarke's absence from social media or his general technophobia is the mark of a man who has nothing left to say.

On Britain's relationship with Europe – likely to be one of the defining issues of the next General Election – he will be robust and eloquent. He is almost certain to be a continuing feature on current affairs discussion programmes, too, because of his experience and a consistent refusal to compromise on points of principle.

Those principles may ultimately have cost him the biggest prize of all in a career during which he held two of the four Great Offices of State, Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Clarke was the man who bluntly told Margaret Thatcher that her time in Downing Street was over when she was fighting to hang on.

Some Conservatives never forgave him for that.

And his passionate belief that Britain's future lies in the European Union rather than out of it may well be the reason why his three attempts to follow in Mrs Thatcher's footsteps and lead the Tories were unsuccessful.

Kenneth Clarke QC MP will be 74 years old next May, an age when most people will have cast off the chains of working life and perhaps decided to indulge themselves.

One look around the sitting room of Mr Clarke's West Bridgford home will tell you that politics IS his indulgence.

It is littered with books about politics past and present, along with mementos from a career that has spanned that period when Britain was slowly moving away from a deferential postwar legacy to the noisy, multicultural and meritocratic society that it is today.

The House of Commons which Mr Clarke entered back in 1970 reflected historic social divisions, with Knights of the Shires on the Tory side facing a Labour opposition packed with MPs who wore their trade union affiliations or their intellectual belief in Socialism on their sleeves.

Though educated at Nottingham High School and Cambridge University, and by profession a barrister, Mr Clarke represented a new generation whose experiences were not necessarily defined by the war.

He served as a Government whip from 1972 onwards during the period when the Heath Government fought the first in a series of pitched battles with the miners that did not really end until the 1980s.

It was in the late 1980s that he began a relentless rise up the Cabinet table, becoming Secretary of State for Health in 1988, Secretary of State for Education in 1990, Home Secretary in 1992 and Chancellor only a year later.

It was an office he held until Tony Blair stormed to power in 1997, leaving behind an economic legacy which arguably laid the foundations for Labour's subsequent success.

But Number 11 Downing Street would be the closest he got to the house next door.

He stood in the Tory leadership election in 1997, losing to William Hague. He stood again in 2001, losing to Iain Duncan Smith. His last toss of the coin was in 2005, when he lost to David Cameron.

Mr Cameron's decision to keep him in Cabinet first as Justice Secretary then as Minister without Portfolio spoke volumes about his experience.

Mr Clarke's career has been defined by more than the offices he has held, though.

Like his Tory contemporary Michael Heseltine, personal charisma has lifted him above the ranks of political operators. A rumpled appearance, a preference for cheroots rather than political correctness and a blend of affability and directness have made him a stand-out advocate – whether that was for a personal principle or a policy that had to be delivered.

For all his political prominence he has remained ordinarily accessible at constituency level and shown little interest in the trappings of power. He has supporters, mates and long-term friends – and his long-suffering wife Gillian – but that's the closest you would get to a political entourage.

Beyond his taste in jazz, suede shoes and beer, there is no more a Brand Ken than there is a Team Ken.

And to get a handle on the MP for Rushcliffe you're better off having a pint at the Stratford Haven than going on Twitter.

STAND-IN emergency crews were not needed during yesterday morning's fire strike, the service has revealed.

Crews from across Notts took to the picket lines in a dispute over pensions. The industrial action is set to continue into next Monday, July 21.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union are upset with a proposed increase to the normal pension age of 55 to 60, which Fire Brigade Union members claim could put jobs at risk.

Fire Minister Brandon Lewis condemned the strikes, saying firefighters would still have one of the best pensions in the public sector.

POLICE are urging the owners of two suspected stolen bicycles to come forward.

A blue Apollo BMX and a yellow Tremor mountain bike were recovered from an address in Sutton-in-Ashfield on Monday.

Anyone who has had a bicycle stolen in recent months and thinks either of these models match the description of their bike should contact Notts Police on 101 and ask to speak to PC Dean Fenton at Mansfield Police Station.

Proof of ownership will be required before the bikes are handed over.

DELAYS are expected today during roadworks from 10am to 1pm in Wollaton Vale, near Balloon Woods.

A lane closure, near to the junction of the A609, past Spices restaurant, will be put in force as maintenance to detector loops in the carriageway is carried out.

Drivers are being warned to expect moderate delays. The road works are planned to last for today only.

The five cheapest places to fill up within ten miles of Nottingham city centre:

Unleaded

1. Clifton Express, Clifton Lane, Clifton, 127.9p

2. Asda, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, 128.7p

3. Asda, Radford Road, Hyson Green, 128.7p

4. Sainsbury's, Castle Bridge Road, Castle Boulevard, 128.9p

5. Morrisons, Gamston District Centre, Gamston, 128.9p

Diesel

1. Asda, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, 131.7p

2. Asda, Radford Road, Hyson Green, 131.7p

3. Asda, Midland Street, Long Eaton, 131.7p

4. Sainsbury's, Castle Bridge Road, Castle Boulevard, 132.9p

5. Morrisons, Gamston District Centre, Gamston, 132.9p

For the latest prices, check online at nottinghampost.com.

SHOPLIFTER Phillip Marriott has admitted stealing cigarettes, tobacco and a trolley of frozen food.

The 34-year-old, of Rosecroft Drive, Arnold, took £28.99 of cigarettes and tobacco from Sainsbury's, in Arnold, on June 5, magistrates in Nottingham heard. The day before, he stole £50 worth of frozen food from Iceland, in Front Street, Arnold.

Magistrates handed Marriott a community order with a requirement to attend a thinking skills programme for 19 days. He will be supervised by the probation service for 12 months and must do 120 hours of unpaid work.

A MAN has been granted bail after allegedly throwing a vodka bottle at someone.

Adam Ward, of Holgate Road, The Meadows, is accused of the offence on July 2, despite being subject to a restraining order imposed by Nottingham Magistrates' Court.

The 27-year-old has pleaded not guilty and will appear before magistrates on September 9 at 2pm.

A HOUSE that has stood empty for nearly two decades has finally been sold – after the council intervened.

Amber Valley Borough Council forced the sale of the house in Alfreton.

The property in Prospect Street was sold at auction for £43,000 after the owner had failed to pay the council for around £1,000 of work it had carried out to remove rubbish.

The council used legislation to recover the money owed from the sale of the house, with the rest distributed to those legally entitled to the balance.

Portfolio holder for housing and public health at the council Councillor Tony Holmes said: "This is an excellent outcome for the council and for the people living near this property who have had to put up with its state for years.

"This also goes to show just how committed we are to using every available resource to return empty properties back into use."

THOUSANDS of pounds in fines and court charges have been handed to litterbugs in Nottingham.

The latest offenders to be prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 include:

Nicoline Bedford, 45, of Bracton Drive, St Ann's, was fined £600 for leaving a cigarette in Milton Street, Nottingham, on December 22 last year. She was found guilty and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and costs of £226.32.

Linda Byrne, 42, of Bramley Road, Strelley, was found guilty and fined £600. She left a cigarette box in Nottingham on January 21 this year. She was ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and costs of £226.32.

Nicole Castledine, 36, of Nottingham Road, Eastwood, left a cigarette end at the junction of Derby Road and Kelham Way, Eastwood, on March 9 this year. She was found guilty in her absence and fined £600. She was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and costs of £222.50.

FEWER young people in the county are entering the criminal justice system.

From 2013 to 2014, 65 per cent fewer young people experienced a remand to a youth offender's institution and 54 per cent fewer were sentenced than in 2010 to 2011.

The report by Nottinghamshire Youth Justice Service also found the likelihood of young people re-offending had dropped.

Nottinghamshire County Council's Conservative spokesman for children and young people's services, Councillor Philip Owen, welcomed the news.

He said: "Through youth clubs and other facilities we provided young people with more opportunities to use their time positively.

"We have also intervened more successfully with the few who strayed into illegal activities.

"The report demonstrates that only a tiny percentage of young people in Nottinghamshire are involved in offending but their actions attract disproportionate attention.

"Therefore, I want to use my platform as a spokesman on children and young people's issues to highlight and celebrate the fact that the overwhelming majority of our young people are law-abiding, well-behaved, positive contributors to life in Nottinghamshire."