NOTTINGHAM Forest boss Stuart Pearce has amazingly not been named Manager of the Month in the Championship today.

The Reds manager looked a dead cert for the accolade, after inspiring an almost perfect start to the new season at the City Ground.

But he has been beaten to it by Wolves manager Kenny Jackett.

Forest's Michail Antonio has also missed out on the Player of the Month award for August to Charlton Athletic's Igor Vetokele.

Pearce has led the Reds to the top of the Championship with an unbeaten start to the season, with four wins and a draw in their first five matches.

The bookies have also installed them as early favourites to win promotion into the Premier League.

They have played some great football, scoring 11 goals in the Championship, with Antonio scoring four goals, in all competitions, to be the joint top scorer with £5m man Britt Assombalonga.

They thumped Reading 4-0 at home and gained superb wins at Sheffield Wednesday and Bournemouth.

Despite that, Pearce has been pipped by Jackett, who has led Wolves to third, with wins against the three teams relegated from the Premier League in Norwich, Fulham and Cardiff.

The Nottingham Forest webchat is back!

The Post's Paul Taylor will be answering your questions from 12pm.

You can either tweet your questions in advance to @nottmtails, email paul.taylor@nottinghampost.com or simply leave them as a comment on the blog once we've started.

Sims 4 video game has been released - and it's getting Nottingham talking. EA announced that the eagerly anticipated game was due for release back in 2013.

The Sims is a life simulation video game series that allows gamers to take their characters from birth to death.

Gamers choose everything from the character's looks, clothes, career and even the house they live in.

The first Sims was released in 2000 by EA and has since been named as one of the most successful video games of all time.

Nottingham shared their thoughts on the social media website, Twitter.

First customer to buy sims 4 in Asda!!

— emma louise x (@emma_lcx) September 5, 2014

On the bright side, it's sims 4 day today! :3

— Emma Turtonater (@MemoriesbyEm) September 5, 2014

I need The Sims 4 to add to my collection, and I need it now, omg. #pleasedad#ivebeenonaboutthisformonths

— Daniella Louise; ♥ (@DanniiLou97) September 5, 2014

SIMS 4 IS OUT TODAY

— chlo (@chloetoft) September 4, 2014

Really want Sims 4 ����❤️

— Josh (@Joshandallthat) September 4, 2014

Currently the game is only available to Windows PC users.

It is unclear as to whether or not EA will release a version for MAC users yet.

Fuming that there's no Sims 4 for Mac.

— Jack Pascoe (@JackPascoe) September 5, 2014

Me and @grant_ellie have been waitin for the sims 4 to come out forever but now it's not out on mac and my computers broken #dreamdead

— Katie May Gascoyne (@KatieGascoyne) September 4, 2014

I cannot believe that sims 4 only comes out for PC and not MAC! #furious

— Abi Wendels (@Abiwendels) September 4, 2014

Have you got your hands on the new game yet? Tweet us or Facebook us your thoughts.

Charity bike riders led by the University of Nottingham's vice-chancellor raised £600,000 towards research on curing brain tumours in children.

Sir David Greenaway led a team of volunteers from the university on the Life Cycle challenge, a 1,400-mile ride taking in all four corners of the UK.

The 15 cyclists were raising money for the university's Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, with each cyclist riding in honour of a patient.

The current total is more than double the total from the previous Life Cycle challenges, but fundraising continues and the aim is to reach an ultimate target of £750,000.

Contributions have included the riders' own sponsorship, large individual donations and sponsored community rides, including one held in Nottingham late last month.

Sir David was riding in honour of Sam White, who died aged 16 a year ago from a brain tumour.

Sam's dad Mike said: "This money allows the professionals and their teams to move forward and hopefully one day come up with a way of not only dealing with the cancer, but giving the patients an improved way of living after treatment."

To make a donation visit nottingham.ac.uk/lifecycle

Single mum, Kerry Poxon told the National Lottery phone operator she would still be holidaying in a caravan in Skegness - even though she had just scooped almost £1.2 million on the Lottery.

The National Lottery have released a number of YouTube videos showcasing the life-changing moment when players called to confirm their wins - and Ms Poxon's is among them.

The mum-of-two's winning ticket was sat pinned to the fridge for two weeks before she finally made the call confirming her win.

You can now listen to the moment when Ms Poxon, of Eastwood, discovered that she had won a life-changing amount of money.

During the call, Ms Poxon exclaims that she "can't believe it" and states that she won't "stop grinning now."

At the time, Ms Poxon was days away from her birthday.

In an interview with the Post, Ms Poxon said: "I checked the numbers on my phone and I didn't believe it when my numbers came up. So I checked them on another device but was still convinced something was wrong with my internet.

"So I called my dad to get him to check and he told to me sit down."

You can listen to all of the winner's phone calls here.

DAVID CAMERON faces a damaging new revolt over Europe as up to 100 Conservative MPs prepare to defy him by declaring they will vote to leave the European Union no matter what concessions he wins for Britain.

Rebel Tory Eurosceptics will pledge in their personal manifestos at next May's general election that they will definitely vote for the UK to quit the EU in the referendum Mr Cameron has promised in 2017, the Independent reported.

This would be widely seen as a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister's ability to win a good deal for Britain when he renegotiates its membership terms after the election.

It would echo the warning by Douglas Carswell, the former Tory MP who defected to Ukip last week, who claimed Mr Cameron was not serious about EU reform and wanted to recommend voting to remain within the union.

Mark Reckless, Tory MP for Rochester and Strood, said: "My election manifesto will confirm my view that we should leave the EU."

Other Eurosceptics predicted yesterday that between 50 and 100 Conservative MPs would make the same pledge in their election material. A revolt on that scale would be almost impossible for Tory HQ to prevent.

Saturday's episode of Doctor Who has been edited by the BBC. 

The episode – which sees Nottingham outlaw, Robin Hood join forces with the Time Lord – has had its footage of a character being beheaded removed. 

The BBC said it has made the changes "in light of recent news events" following the murder of two journalists by Islamic State militants. 

Video footage showing the beheading of reporter Steven Sotloff was released this week and a similar video showing the beheading of journalist James Foley was released last month. 

The third episode of the latest series, called the Robot of Sherwood, was filmed in February in Wales. 

It is believed that the edited section is a fight scene between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham. 

The episode features Tom Riley as Robin Hood alongside the Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. 

A BBC spokesman said: "In light of recent news events, we have made an edit to episode three out of respect."

THERE'S no ribbons, bows or fancy packaging – at the Treat Kitchen it's the sweets that are the stars.

The rainbow of colourful confectionery in plain glass bottles and jars that line the shelves is a magnet for sweet-toothed shoppers who can't resist popping in.

Chewy pink shrimps, milk bottles and fizzy cola bottles evoke memories of childhood and old favourites of chocolate limes, bonbons and rock are a crowd pleaser for locals and visitors to the city alike.

Traditional flavours with a twist make up the range of dessert-themed boiled sweets with flavours of rhubarb crumble, banoffee pie, strawberry cheesecake and lemon meringue.

Rows of colourful gourmet jelly beans, it appears, are not only good to eat – they're good to photograph.

"They're proving very popular and the volume of people photographing the display because it's so colourful...." says owner Martin Barnett, who runs the shop with his wife Jess.

"There's 36 varieties, all natural colours and flavours and they're suitable for vegetarians. They come in flavours including pina colada, raspberry jam, strawberry smoothie and banana split."

The Treat Kitchen's fudge is made on the premises resulting in the delicious aroma of cream and melted butter wafting out of the shop in Wheeler Gate so it comes as no surprise that it's flying off the shelf.

Jess, 30, says: "As soon as we opened the doors people were coming in and having a look around and having a taste of the fudge."

The couple, both born and bred in Arnold but never crossed paths until they met on a railway station platform in Sleaford, returned to Notts in April after emigrating to Australia in 2011.

Seeing their baby son Max, now seven months, with family made them realise what they were missing out on living thousands of miles away so after flying back in May they quit their jobs, sold all their possessions and returned to Nottingham with just three suitcases and a plan to open a sweet shop.

Martin's background as a confectionery buyer for Australia's biggest retail group Kmart had given him the experience and contacts to attempt to go it alone.

And family connections in Notts' sweet industry were a bonus. The Barnett family run two confectionery factories.

Edwardian Confectionery, in Huthwaite, is also known as the 'tuffy factree' – for those not acquainted with the local dialect that translates as 'toffee factory'.

Run by Martin's 73-year-old uncle Michael, the business supplies the shop with rock in all the popular flavours such as strawberry and aniseed, plus a brand new creation, Nottingham rock. Apple and raspberry flavoured, the colours red, green and white represent the county's flag.

"He made it just for the shop," says 36-year-old Martin. "This is a brand we could sell at places like Nottingham Castle and tourist information. Nottingham has this amazing heritage but we don't have an iconic sweet like Harrogate which is famed for its toffee.

"We have a wonderful heritage when it comes to sweets and don't maximise it enough."

The other arm of the family business – Barnett's Confectioners in Standfield Street, Nottingham, which has been hand-making boiled sweets since the 1890s – supplies the Treat Kitchen with sugar-free varieties.

The sweets come in glass bottles or jars, costing £3.95, which the owners hope customers will find a use for once they've scoffed the contents.

Martin says: "We're very keen on upcycling. The product is the hero for us. It's beautiful and colourful enough so we don't need lavish printed packaging.

"All the jars have a secondary use and we would love customers to use them again and take photos to show us via Twitter or Instagram.

"The larger bottles could be used for milkshakes and some girls are using the smaller ones for cocktails."

The sweets also come in plastic pouches for a pocket-money-friendly £1.95.

But it's not just sherbet lemons, cola cubes, pear drops and bulls eyes – there is a section for chocoholics.

Here customers can find chocolate pizzas from the Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company, the Cotgrave-based supplier to Harrods and small boutique shops.

Martin and Jess stumbled across them at the Good Food Show and were keen to formulate ties with another local company.

From his job in Australia, Martin already had connections with Irish chocolatier Lily O'Brien's. Customers can choose from taster and gift boxes or select their favourites from the counter display.

The decor is white, bright and a more modern take on the nostalgic ye olde world of sweet shops.

"Customers have been saying how it's nice to have a sweet shop in Nottingham," says Martin.

"The office workers opposite were watching us setting up and as soon as we opened they came in. I'm really pleased we've had a massive amount of young people in too and people in their 60s and 70s. There is no barrier when it comes to sweets."

Jess, who previously worked in sales and marketing for a clay pigeon company and pre-cast concrete firm, adds: "We have been inspired by shops in Australia and Covent Garden where everything is nice and bright and there's some theatre. And we wanted to bring that to Nottingham."

As for staffing the Treat Kitchen, it is a real family affair.

Martin's father Patrick Flory is in charge of the fudge kitchen.

No sooner had he retired from 35 years of teaching chemistry at Haddon Park School than he transformed into 'Captain Fudge', his new nickname.

Martin's brother Tom quit his job in Notts County Council's adult social care department to work in the shop and his niece Emma Broughton, 16, has been taken on as an apprentice.

Customers, meanwhile, can't get enough of the sweet treats since the shop opened on Monday.

Working opposite at Specsavers, James Peart, 26, doesn't have far to travel to pick up a packet of bonbons and jelly beans. He says: "It's pretty good, a bit different. Working over the road I'll probably be coming here quite a bit."

Visiting Nottingham from Manchester, Emma Birtles says: "It's adorable. So niche but traditional at the same time."

The official opening, with a ribbon cutting by Nottingham's Lord Mayor Coun Ian Malcolm, is taking place tomorrow at 11am and there will be tasty treats to sample throughout the day.

One of three men accused of being involved in the shooting of a village resident in his groin was used as "bait" by his alleged accomplices, a jury heard.

Khaream Chatterie was allegedly forced at gunpoint to go with his co-accused to Huthwaite where Jamaine McKenzie was shot through his letter box in Cross Lane.

Chatterie, 26, of Colwick Road, Sneinton; Daniel Butler, 30, of Highland Court, Basford, and his brother, Tristan Caunt, 32, of Lobelia Close, St Ann's, are on trial at Nottingham Crown Court, and deny possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Prosecutors say the trio used a shotgun to carry out the crime before leaving in Butler's Ford Focus in the early hours of Saturday, February 8 this year.

But defence barristers have disputed the claims, putting forward their arguments in defence of the trio, who it has been alleged were in it together.

Alwyn Jones, defending Chatterie, told the jury on Friday, September 5, his client's co-accused had their own pre-planned agenda that night and sort to use him as their bait.

He claimed Mr McKenzie may have answered his door to Chatterie, somebody who was known to him.

"Bait. That was the role he was performing that night," said Mr Jones.

"They [the co-accused] thought he [Mr Chatterie] was the perfect bait, not only because he had an association with Mr McKenzie."

Mr Jones also claimed the co-defendants knew Chatterie was a much weaker character and they could manipulate him.

However, at the scene Chatterie apparently refused to cooperate, and later told police he was scared for his life.

Butler said in a statement, at the start of his interview with police, that he had no involvement in the shooting or in any incident at the address.

He went on to say Mr McKenzie was someone he had known most of his life and they were friends.

In summing up the case, Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, said Mr McKenzie was on the other side of his door when he was peppered with shotgun pellets to his hip and thigh.

The prosecution case is that all three defendants were in it together, acting as a team.

"The prosecution rely on a pattern of telephone calls, text messages, cell site data and anpr [automatic number plate recognition]," the judge told the jury.

"The defence for their part, particularly for Butler and Caunt, argue that evidence is equally consistent with them playing no part in the shooting."

Proceeding

Four teachers are helping to make a terminally ill girl's dreams come true after raising nearly £20,000 to send her to Walt Disney World in Florida.

Nine-year-old Rebecca Reynolds, who is a student at The Fernwood School, in Wollaton, was diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy last September.

The genetic disorder affects nerves, muscles, other organs, and behaviour, and slowly gets worse over time.

On Saturday, Catherine Smith, along with three other members of staff, embarked on their final challenge to raise money for the Dream For Rebecca fund by doing a ten mile row down the River Trent.

They completed it in two hours - despite all of them being new to the sport, and having only three months of training.

Catherine, who is also the family's key worker at the school, said : "We just wanted to give something as a gift to Rebecca, so we set up the fund. She is just the most amazing little girl you could meet.

"The rowing has been a huge challenge for me, both physically and mentally because it is so hard to learn, but it has been amazing.

"The one person that got me through each day of training was Rebecca."

Other fundraising events by staff at the school included a 200 mile bike ride from Nottingham to Skegness and back, a half marathon, seven mile walk and dress-up-like-a-princess day.

The teachers were greeted at the finish line by Rebecca, her mum Debbie Smith, and her dad, Simon Reynolds, before joining family and friends for a fun day at the Nottingham Rowing Club, in West Bridgford.

It included facepainting, boat rides, raffle, BBQ and a rowing machine competition.

Debbie, of Wollaton, said: "The row was absolutely amazing. I had a tear in my eye at the end and Rebecca was clapping for them.

"We have just been overwhelmed with the support. It has kept us going. Rebecca can't wait to see the princesses."

The school - with help from the local community - now have enough money for Rebecca's trip in November, plus extra to spend on equipment, such as sensory lights. Catherine added that she would also like to see a sensory garden created at the family's home.

Nottingham Rowing Club president Keith Atkinson said: "It is just quite remarkable what they have done. I don't think they realised what rowing involved but they have learned a new skill while getting fitter. They have been driven by Rebecca and I think that is wonderful."

Have you raised money for a good cause? Tell us at newsdesk@nottinghampost.com

A GOAL on his debut for Rakish Bingham helped Mansfield Town to a 2-1 victory at Exeter City.

The young striker caused all sorts of problems on his first Stags appearance and opened the scoring with quarter of an hour gone.

Fergus Bell extended the visitors' lead just before the break before Matt Grimes reduced the deficit in the second half.

The Grecians stepped up a gear as they searched for an equaliser, but Mansfield ended a run of three straight defeats for their first away win of the season.

Stags boss Paul Cox handed deadline day signing Bingham his debut as one of four changes to his starting line-up at St James Park, following a midweek Johnstone's Paint Trophy exit to Notts County.

The 20-year-old partnered Matt Rhead up front in place of Alex Fisher, while Lee Beevers, Jamie McGuire and Bell also came into the first XI, with Simon Heslop, Rob Taylor and Chris Clements dropping to the bench.

A fairly even start saw neither keeper tested, with the only problem for Mansfield stopper Dimitar Evtimov coming from some poor back-passes.

The Nottingham Forest loanee though, dealt with just about everything which came his way and Exeter were unable to capitalise.

Even when Evtimov missed a ball swung in from the left, Matt Oakley's return from the opposite flank was fired well wide and the scoreline remained goal-less.

The Grecians had their fair share of possession in the opening stages but too often were careless with the ball and failed to cause their opponents too many problems.

The nearest they came was from a well-worked free-kick after 13 minutes. Oakley rolled the ball to Craig Woodman, who fired goalwards but had to settle for a corner as Martin Riley deflected it wide.

And with that, the visitors took advantage and opened the scoring shortly afterwards.

An effort from Bell was parried by Grecians goalie Christy Pym, with Bingham on hand to tap home for his first senior goal.

He could have grabbed a second on the half hour.

Adam Murray picked out the front man with a delightful clipped ball forward as Stags launched a counter-attack. But with no support, he was forced to go it alone against three defenders and couldn't battle his way through.

Bingham though, should have done better five minutes later when through one-on-one. His shot from 12 yards was easily dealt with by Pym.

Comfortably in control, Mansfield just needed to make it count.

And they did so five minutes before the break.

Murray's corner wasn't properly dealt with and Bell picked up the loose ball before blasting it into the net from 20 yards.

It had proved a stroll in the first half as the Grecians lacked the necessary cutting edge up front to find a way into the game.

And little changed early on after the break.

Woodman's cross from the left found Christian Ribeiro in the box, but despite having a free header, the Exeter man opted to try to find a team-mate and instead headed away from goal.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Bingham continued to look lively for the visitors.

A superb run saw him carve his way through the Exeter defence and feed Liam Marsden. But the end product couldn't match the build-up as Marsden hit the ball straight at Pym from the goal-line.

Stags undoubtedly had the upper hand, but their opponents grasped a lifeline just past the hour mark.

A free-kick from far out on the right was brilliantly arrowed into the top corner by substitute Grimes from a seemingly impossible angle, leaving Evtimov grasping at thin air.

The Grecians tried to apply the pressure in the closing minutes as they looked for an equaliser, but despite a few nervy moments, Stags hung on for the three points.

EXETER: Pym, Ribeiro (Keohane 64), Bennett, Baldwin (Grimes 46), Moore-Taylor (Nichols 64), Woodman, Wheeler, Sercombe, Oakley, Nicholls, Cummins. Subs not used: Hamon, Butterfield, Davies, Tillson.

MANSFIELD: Evtimov, Sutton (Taylor 56), Riley, Tafazolli, Marsden, Murray, McGuire, Bell (Heslop 65), Beevers, Rhead, Bingham (Palmer 78). Subs not used: Studer, Fisher, Thomas, Clements.

ATTENDANCE: 2,771 (137 away).