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AS a rich oasis in the heart of The Meadows, it is not hard to see why the Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens attracts more than 7,500 visitors each year. With it's variety of produce and stunning selection of flowers it is, quite literally, blooming. It is hard to imagine it started out life as a rubbish dump. The gardens have been entered into the Nottingham Post Environmental Awards 2014 and are in the running for the Environmental Community of the Year Award. Nominations are now open for the awards, which were launched on Monday. Ten years ago, the acre of land where the garden now stands was littered with waste and rubbish. Fed up of seeing it as a blot on the landscape, local residents decided to transform it. The site now grows dozens of varieties of fruit and vegetables and has 22 mini plots for Meadows residents to rent and grow their own veg. Community development officer Clare Selwood said: "In the past year Arkwright Meadows Community Garden has continued to grow and sell low cost, organic fruit, veg, herbs and plants to the local community. "We are a community project run by Meadows residents who voluntarily manage the garden. "People love it and the fact we've been open for 10 years just speaks for itself." The garden also runs after-school clubs for children who can enjoy activities such as gardening and craft work. Clare added: "Children love to come and visit our chickens, see what's going on in the pond and have fun in the playhouse. "Our beehives have been extremely productive this year and the honey is always very popular." The team believes the hard work that goes into maintaining the garden is worthy of a Post award. Chair of trustees Dee Whitworth said: "The AMC Gardens grew out of the hard work and dedication of local volunteers from the very beginning and they continue to play a big part in its success over ten years later. "The management committee, all volunteers, are residents of The Meadows and are completely committed to caring for the gardens." The Environmental Community of the Year Award is sponsored by EDF Energy. A spokesman said: "It is important to EDF Energy to ensure that the effort made by members of the wider community is properly recognised and rewarded. We hope to encourage others to help protect and improve our local environment in the future." To enter the Nottingham Post Environmental Awards write a 400-word piece detailing which category you are entering, and why you meet the criteria for that category. Email the entry to events manager Suzanne Bowery at suzanne.bowery@nottinghampost.com and reporter Ellie Cullen at ellie.cullen@nottinghampost.com. The closing date for entries is midday on Friday, October 17. An awards ceremony will be held on November 11.

Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens enter Nottingham Post Environmental Awards 2014

More than 50 staff working at Phones 4U have been told that their jobs are at risk following the closure of all Nottinghamshire stores. The company which has also closed all 550 stores across the country has blamed network providers for the drastic action. A message on the high street retailer's website posted on Monday said: "Following the unexpected decision of EE and Vodafone to withdraw supply from Phones4U, we regret that we are offline. "Please accept our apologies and we will update you as soon as possible." The message goes on to give phone numbers for worried customers followed by a graphic of a sad face which is signed off by "The heartbroken Phones4u Team". There are nine stores across the county with 55 staff in total. David Kassler, chief executive of Phones 4u, said: "Today is a very sad day for our customers and our staff. "If the mobile network operators decline to supply us, we do not have a business. A good company making profits of over £100 million, employing thousands of decent people has been forced into administration. "The great service we have provided should have guaranteed a strong future, but unfortunately our network partners have decided otherwise. The ultimate result will be less competition, less choice and higher prices for mobile customers in UK." The chain, which is owned by private equity firm BC Partners, employs 5,596 people across the country. Stefano Quadrio Curzio, representative of BC Partners, said: "Our overriding concern is for all the dedicated hard-working employees of Phones 4u at a time of uncertainty for the company. "Vodafone has acted in exactly the opposite way to what they had consistently indicated to the management of Phones 4u over more than six months. "Their behaviour appears to have been designed to inflict the maximum damage to their partner of 15 years, giving Phones 4u no time to develop commercial alternatives. "EE's decision on Friday is surprising in the context of a contract that has more than a year to run and leaves the Board with no alternative but to seek the Administrator's protection in the interests of all its stakeholders."

Nottingham Phones 4U staff could lose jobs as stores close

A pitch invasion during the Nottingham Forest and Derby County game led to several arrests which were caught on video. The match on Sunday at the City Ground was stopped for around 10 minutes in the second half so that police could deal with fans from both teams. Here is a fan's video which has already had more than 11,000 views. Warning explicit material. In total four Forest and three Derby County supporters were arrested.

Video: Pitch invasion and arrests during Forest and Derby match

A COMPANY which produces plastic components for toys, household goods, medical tools and building products celebrates 25th year in business this month. S&S Plastics was established by managing director Richard Munyard in 1989. The plastic moulding company has taken on 27 new staff during the last nine months and is set to recruit seven new employees in its finance and production departments over the next six to eight weeks. Mr Munyard said: "We experienced 23 per cent growth last year and I'm expecting between 18 per cent and 27 per cent growth this year. "We are going to invest in youth through our apprenticeship scheme, but are also looking to recruit skilled staff." After starting life as a plastic recycling business, S&S moved into plastic moulding during its first few years in business – producing widgets and clips for the double glazing industry. Today, supplying window components for the glazing industry accounts for 50 per cent of the company's business. The firm also makes components for bathroom and shower industry and building products. It produces a small amount of components for the toy industry and it manufactures plastic components used by BPR Medical Gas Control in Mansfield to create fire safety valves for use during oxygen therapy. After outgrowing its original base in Ilkeston, the company has expanded several times to meet customer demand over the years and it now occupies a custom built 21,000sq ft site in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. It employs 68 people and it is expected to turnover £4 million during the year ending March 2015. The recent growth was aided by a £56,000 grant from the local enterprise partnership, D2N2, which helped fund new machinery and upgrade the firm's warehouse. Last year S&S won a contract to supply engineering and technology services giant Siemens with a range of electrical switchgear components. McAlindon, SCM manager at Siemens, said: "Over the last two years S&S has achieved a top five supplier status within Siemens Protection Device Ltd and I look forward to working with and building on the relationship for many years to come." Terry Grant, from Sibbalds Chartered Accountants, said: "Congratulations to all at S&S on 25 years in business. We have been with them all of the way. We have really enjoyed working with Richard and his team. It has been wonderful to see the business grow to where it is now. We are looking forward to the next 25 years."

Notts firm S&S Plastics celebrates 25 years in business

DOGS are being used to investigate the huge fire at the new £20m building at the University of Nottingham while construction workers returned to the smoldering scene.

The sniffers form part of a huge investigation into the so far unknown cause of the blaze by searching out "accelerants" which could include petrol and paraffin.

Some of the debris is still too hot for investigators to approach so CCTV, witness statements and phone calls are being analysed.

John Mills, group manager at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue, praised the efforts of firefighters who tackled Friday's blaze.

He said: "I've never done a fire investigation on a building that size. The hydrocarbon dogs are brought in to see if any accelerants are used. At this stage, we can't rule anything out and must explore."

He explained that all buildings under construction are more vulnerable to fire because some precautions are still being built themselves.

"We always try to reflection big incidents and we are hoping to work with the construction industry to see if any lessons can be learned. This incident has been a catalyst for that."

Despite Triumph Road remaining closed, university heads were keen to stress it was business as usual.

A faint smell of ash lingered in the air in Jubilee Campus yesterday, a week before Fresher's Week when most students traditionally return.

International students have arrived and some undergraduates who returned early described the atmosphere on Jubilee Campus as "eerie".

"I think that's the best attitude," said English student Jonathan Lobley, 19, of Derby Road. "You can't close everything down because of one building. It's two weeks until we start lectures and you've got to move on.

"But one of my friends does chemistry and she said she wanted to do a masters just because of that building. She might change her mind now."

Chen Chang, 23, is an exchange student from the university's Ningbo campus in China. The architecture student, who lives in Dunkirk, said: "That building is beautiful and looked like it was nearly finished. It's a tragedy that it's gone."

The latest statement from the university, registrar Dr Paul Greatrix said: "We want to stress that it is business as usual at The University of Nottingham."

"Our chemistry department, while understandably disappointed by this loss, won't be affected either from a teaching or research perspective in the immediate future. This is a setback for us but one from which we have no doubt we will recover."

CONSTRUCTION worker Chad Birkin returned to work on Monday morning not to don his hi-vis jacket, but simply to see the wreckage of months of hard-work.

The 21-year-old from Pinxton had been working at the new carbon neutral laboratory at Jubilee Park for more than two months and left the site just hours before Friday's inferno began to rage.

He said: "It's devastating. I think we were about 70 per cent there, most of the structural work was done.

"My blood, sweat and tears have gone into that. Each timber board we lifted was 50kg so it was a lot of graft.

"Everyone who worked on that job will be devastated; a lot of work went into it."

Fortunately for Chad, who is self-employed, he has contacts in the industry and is confident he will find a new project soon.

"I just wanted to see it for my own eyes," he said. "I've been on some big jobs but this was so different to everything else. It was all top spec materials and there was no cutting corners. I was so proud to be a part of it."

Mr Birkin said he would happily return to the fold as and when the University of Nottingham announces its forward plan for the building it has vowed to replace.

"Something so innovative like this is momentous," he said. "You don't see a completely wooden building every day."

For now, the university said it cannot speculate on when they can expect to rebuild the building as it makes room for staff that would have moved in to the research centre.

"We will still be doing the same chemistry research," said registrar Dr Paul Greatrix. "Just not in a brand-spanking new building."

Nottingham University fire: Dogs used in investigation as campus calls for 'business as usual'

SEA cadets have finally taken to the water again after one of their boats was stolen a year ago. Long Eaton Sea Cadets were able to return to action thanks to a £2,000 grant from Erewash Borough Council. The keen sailors had been out of action since June after thieves took one of their lightweight safety boats during a break-in at Attenborough Sailing Club – where they sail and store their boats during sailing season. The group's treasurer, Kevan corrChatterley, reported that the boat has been spotted along the River Trent since the incident. He added: "All the cadets could do without it was take the long boats out and row. "They can't sail, they can't kayak or anything like that. "Some of the kids who were doing on-shore sailing this year should have been doing off-shore but, because they haven't got their basic qualifications, they can't. "On the sailing front it's delayed them by a year." The group received a leg-up after one of its members suggested they make an application to the council's small grant scheme. It was quickly approved and with £2,000, alongside money from the club committee, the group was able to buy a new boat. The engine is now stored securely and the boat locked up outside of sailing season. Petty officer Jessica Bradshaw, 19, of William Street, Long Eaton, has been with the sea cadets since she was ten. She said: "It really affected the cadets – we've only had the rowing boats so its been a struggle to keep them entertained and off the water. "We've been trying to keep them occupied but there's a lot of repetition when they can only row on the water and do task books. They'd much rather be out there. "We only have two rowing boats so we can only get 12 kids out there at a time. "It's just an amazing thing to have happened now – they can all do what they wanted to do over the summer. It's liberating." The group holds its meetings twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays between 7-9pm, at the unit headquarters in Oakleys Road, Long Eaton. Councillor Carol Hart, deputy leader of Erewash Borough Council, said: "We've actually doubled our small grants pot this year. "We think there are a lot of groups out there that struggle financially and it doesn't take a huge amount to help them out. "The Sea Cadets are a good group, they're keeping young people occupied with interesting things and we're happy to give them the grant." "There's lots of organisations out there and we think this is a particularly good one. This is one of the groups where we've got some really good people in it and we want to help them out where we can."

Long Eaton Sea Cadets set sail again after boat stolen

AS police continue to investigate an allegation that Sir Cliff Richard sexually assaulted a boy in 1985, Sir Cliff has said the claim is "completely false." Many people wrongly accused of serious sex offences say that the experience has devastated the rest of their lives; but the question of anonymity for suspects in sex abuse or rape cases is one that divides opinion. When in 1988 the Thatcher government removed the right to anonymity for defendants in rape cases that had existed for the previous 12 years, it was a move which has been widely approved. However, the current debate turns on the position of someone who has not been arrested or charged, and is not a defendant. Whenever an allegation is made the police have a duty to investigate, and it is not until that investigation is completed and the matter reviewed by the CPS that a decision is made about charging someone. Until that decision they remain a suspect only. David Cameron has said that there is no simple answer, stating that there is a 'difficult balance' to be struck between respecting the privacy of suspects and publicising when arrests are made, as the latter can help to encourage other potential victims to come forward. So where does this leave us? The coalition government's pledge to introduce anonymity for rape suspects in England and Wales until conviction was dropped when ministers said there was not enough evidence to justify change in the law, but in June the House of Lords voted in favour of suspect anonymity. The Government is now promoting anonymity before charge in cases of rape. Those against the anonymity proposals say that it is wrong to pick out rape offences for particular attention as it might suggest the complainants in such cases are more prone to lying, and deter victims from coming forward. Anyone can be arrested on suspicion of committing an offence. An allegation only has to be made by one person and this can trigger an arrest. The difficulty is that being linked to an alleged offence, particularly one of a sexual nature, causes some members of the public to jump to their own conclusions and the damage is already done to the person concerned – the "no smoke without fire" dispute. It seems only fair that proper consideration be given to balancing a consistent approach, taking into account the freedom of the press, the rights of any victim and the rights of the accused. I have no issue at all with people charged before a court of law being named in the press. That is absolutely in the public interest. Before even being charged though, I am not sure. By Samantha Pegg THE allegation of sexual assault against singer Sir Cliff Richard has once again raised the question of whether we should protect the anonymity of those accused of sexual offences. Sir Cliff has not been arrested or charged, but even allegations of sexual offending can ruin reputations and tear apart families. If these allegations are proven in a court of law we may say the offender deserved this humiliation, but what if the accused is innocent? In cases where charges are dropped or defendants are acquitted, this stigma is a terrible side effect. Anonymity was introduced for complainants and defendants in sexual offence cases in 1976. Although anonymity for defendants was abolished in 1988, there have been periodic calls for its reinstatement, most recently in the coalition's programme for government. That proposal was later abandoned. The police maintain they need to be able to name suspects to investigate cases effectively. Naming may also encourage other victims to come forward, giving them confidence they will be believed. As reporting rates for sexual offences have historically been low and offenders pose a serious risk, this police claim seems reasonable. We also have a system of open justice, where the criminal justice process should be as transparent as possible. But is it too transparent for those defendants who are later exonerated or have false accusations made against them? As the old saying goes, rape is the easiest allegation to make and the hardest to disprove, and the same can be said for offences against children; but research by the Crown Prosecution Service last year found false allegations of rape are rare, and when made they are taken extremely seriously. Rosie Dodd, 20, of North Sherwood Street in Nottingham, who falsely accused three men of rape, was given a two-year jail sentence in 2012, and other offenders have received sentences of a similar length. Perhaps the real issue here is the press reportage of these cases. Obviously the Cliff Richard case will be reported to its conclusion by the press, but what of the man in the street who has been accused of rape? The press needs to be a more active partner in the process of open justice and to follow cases to their conclusion. Then the public will not only understand that sexual offences are taken seriously but that not all those accused are guilty. We need to publicly clear names, not only in a court of law but in the court of public opinion. By Andy Cash

Should suspect sex offenders get anonymity? Nottingham Post columnists discuss

WEST Bridgford teen Ethan Buttress has become one of the youngest people in the world to donate bone marrow. The 17-year-old made headlines after it was revealed he would be undergoing the potentially life-saving donation for a child he had never met with cancer. Ethan, a student at Bilborough College, is the youngest person in the United Kingdom to donate stem cells through bone marrow harvest while under general anaesthetic. He made the donation in London last week and has now spoken about his experiences following the procedure. He said: "I'm definitely pleased with what I've done. "For me to be able to donate a life-giving part of myself to someone is fantastic. I really want to encourage more people to do it. "I want to try to get more of my friends to and, throughout my life, hopefully, I'll get a few more people on board." Ethan signed up to the donor register for the Anthony Nolan trust, a blood cancer charity, after a visit at his college. Earlier this summer he was told he was a potential match. After undergoing a series of tests he was confirmed a definite match for a child he has never met suffering from cancer. "It would be nice if we got to the stage as a society that, if someone were donating their bone marrow, we would not feel the need to make a big deal out of it, because it's such a simple thing to do," he said. "I think that if you are worried that your son or daughter might not be able to complete the donation safely, you shouldn't think like that. "It's such a simple procedure that it's not worth worrying about. "If you broke your arm, you wouldn't think twice about going in and having an operation. "This is even simpler than that, you're not having anything cut open." Chris Bradford, Ethan's principal at Bilborough College, that all the staff and students were behind. He added: We are extremely proud of Ethan for making this donation, especially at such a young age. "It is a truly inspirational act and we are happy to hear that he is feeling well and coming back to college" Katie Day, Register & Be a Lifesaver programme lead at Anthony Nolan, said: "Ethan has done an incredibly selfless and generous thing. "We are delighted that a Register & Be a Lifesaver talk led to him having the chance to save someone's life and we are very glad to hear that he found the procedure so comfortable and rewarding.

West Bridgford teen Ethan Buttress becomes one of world's youngest bone marrow donors

PUB staff were held at knifepoint by two masked men during a robbery in Stapleford. The incident took place at around 1.20am on Thursday morning at the Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren pub in Derby Road. The men threatened staff before leaving with cash and mobile phones. A black Vauxhall Corsa, registration FH14 UVL, was also stolen from a member of staff. The vehicle has not been recovered and may still be in the area. Both of the men involved in the robbery wore dark clothing, balaclavas and had large kitchen knives. They both had local accents. The incident has been linked to another robbery at the Old Moore Lodge pub in Mornington Crescent, Nuthall, on Thursday, September 4. If you have any information call Nottinghamshire Police on on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting incident number 40 of 11 September.

Masked men held Stapleford pub staff at knifepoint during robbery

Mums and dads across the county will be voting this week for their child to win this year's Baby and Toddler of the Year competition. Hundreds of proud parents entered this year at the intu Broadmarsh Centre to be in with the chance of having their kid named cutest in the county. And on Tuesday, the Post will not only be releasing its supplement featuring all of this year's tots and toddlers but also the opportunity to vote for your winner. There are four categories to vote in; 0-9 months, 10-18 months, 19-35 months and 3-5 years. The top 20 most voted for children from each age category will then appear in a top 80 pull-out, before being put forward to a panel of judges. The winner of each age group gets £500, while the overall winner will be presented with a cheque for a further £1,000. The voting coupon will appear in Tuesday's paper and every copy of the Post until Saturday, October 18. You can vote as many times as you like via the voting coupons in the paper. There will be special double, treble and quadruple voting days to help build up the votes. Votes can be sent in one at a time, in batches, or all in one envelope. Each envelope however must contain one completed voting registration form. There will be one included in Tuesday's paper and one every Saturday during the voting period. Voting coupons sent in without a registration form will not be counted. You can also cast one additional vote at nottinghampost.com/promotions and on Facebook at facebook.com/NottmBabyoftheYear The closing date for votes is 5pm on Wednesday, October 22. So, make sure to pick up tomorrow's copy of the Nottingham Post for our huge supplement and get voting!

Baby and Toddler of the Year: Pick up Tuesday's paper for our huge supplement

This trespassing tomcat has charmed his way into the hearts of elderly residents in a block of flats – and now has his own chair in the communal room.

The black-and-white stray has been sneaking into Newgate Court, in Lenton, every day for a year and using it as a bed and breakfast – despite the caretaker's initial efforts to discourage him.

Residents, who have nicknamed him Newgate the Cat, believe he is trying to take shelter from demolition works.

Despite the complex being 'no pets allowed', even landlord Nottingham City Homes has a soft spot for the moggy.

Tenant Eileen Gough said: "We asked around to see if anyone owned him but he has no collar or identity tag. We even put up posters just to make sure he wasn't a lost pet.

"He turns up at 7am every morning asking for food, then goes and settles himself in the communal room for a nap.

"The residents love having him around. We can't keep pets in the flats so this is the next best thing. We all play a part in looking after him."

But the 55 residents, all aged over 60, may soon have to say farewell to the cat as they prepare to move to new accommodation so that Newgate Court can be demolished.

The demolition, along with four other blocks of flats behind the Savoy Cinema, in Derby Road, is part of Nottingham City Homes' Building a Better Nottingham Programme. They will be replaced by 140 bungalows, family houses and medium-rise flats.

Maureen Birkin, housing patch manager, said: "Everyone knows Newgate the Cat. The residents love spoiling him with treats and have even bought him his own bed. He laps up all the attention and can usually be found curled up asleep in a sunny spot."

Dr Jacqueline Boyd, senior lecturer in Animal Science at Nottingham Trent University, said: "Positive interactions between humans and other animals are well documented to have beneficial effects.Particularly for elderly people, animal interactions are recognised as a useful way to mediate and reduce distress, whether that distress relates to loneliness, ill health, depressive states or an altered situation, such as a change in living circumstances."

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Tomcat charms his way into the hearts of Lenton residents

A pensioner with dementia died after walking through a fire exit at his care home then falling down a flight of stairs, an inquest has heard.

George Chicken was being cared for by his wife Jean at their Mansfield bungalow.

But the 76-year-old stayed at Rose Court Lodge Care Home, in Mansfield, on two occasions for respite care.

During his second stay, from October 17 to November 4 2012, his daughter Valerie Clowes said staff had told her that Mr Chicken had been wandering the corridors but reassured her that there was "always somebody about".

However, at around 9pm on November 4, Mr Chicken walked from his first floor room, past a set of fire doors, and pushed his way through an alarmed emergency exit.

He then fell down 20 concrete steps before landing, unconscious, at the bottom.

He died four days later at King's Mill Hospital, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, of head injuries.

Speaking at Nottingham Coroners' Court on Monday, Ms Clowes said her father had problems with his short-term memory, needed the aid of a walking stick, and wore glasses for his short-sightedness.

She also said that he had no concept of his own safety and she would often have to remind him that there was a step outside his front door.

Ms Clowes, of Warsop, told assistant coroner Stephanie Haskey: "He was funny. He knew he had dementia and was always talking about it.

"He used to laugh to us about it.

"He always said the staff were lovely, that was his favourite saying. They looked after him as far as he was concerned.

"I said [to the staff] if his wandering is going to keep happening I want to know. When you are being constantly reassured he is safe you give the benefit of the doubt, but if I had known dad had been opening doors the answer would have been 'no, if you can't accommodate him, I'll have to look elsewhere'."

Dr Mahesh Cheyala, a former employee at King's Mill Hospital, said Mr Chicken had suffered a fractured skull, arm, and bone around his eye.

Mr Chicken also suffered a bleed on the brain, which contributed to his death.

He added that he been told by a neurosurgeon that "nothing could be done", and that the injuries sustained were "fatal".

David Saddler, a detective constable at Nottinghamshire police, said the route Mr Chicken is believed to have taken could have been covered in around half a minute, although he added that it would have taken the pensioner longer.

He also noted that this alarmed fire exit door did not give a typical "screech" when opened, unlike other emergency exits in the care home.

He added: "This particular door was connected to the nurse's call system, which would alert the nurse that a door had been opened. It is a different sound [to the other fire exit door]."

DC Saddler said that after the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service they found no evidence of gross negligence.

The property had also been inspected by a fire officer in September who found that "everything has been to his satisfaction".

The inquest, which is being heard in front of a jury, continues on Tuesday.

Pensioner with dementia dies after falling down flight of stairs at care home

HAIRDRESSER Niall McNulty has earned a place on an elite team of stylists after a national selection competition.

The 20-year-old from Bulwell will keep working at Dudleys Hair and Beauty, in Commercial Road, while hopping down to London to link up with his new colleagues.

He is one of four stylists selected by hair care brand Matrix for its House of Talent - or H.O.T. - team.

"It's amazing," said Niall, of Highbury Vale. "Being part of this team will help me push my talent to the top level and bring it back to Bulwell and it exposes our salon that little bit more in the industry."

As part of the audition process, Niall, who had already submitted a 30-second video application, was interviewed by one of his role-models, stylist Ashleigh Hodges, who will mentor the team.

"I was a bit star struck if I'm honest," he said. "She's won lots and lots of big industry awards. She's the perfect person to have as a mentor. She's lovely and really down to earth."

After impressing Ashleigh, Niall was invited to London as one of nine finalists who had two-hours to style his chosen model's hair. He opted for a classic finger wave look on his subject - Ruby Richardson, of Derby.

"I wanted to make it modern and slightly disheveled," said Niall, who was confident he would make the cut. "I used a traditional GHD styler to create a curl and polished it out then added texture using product, which was Matrix shampoo and mega dust."

Following the styling, Niall then had to further demonstrate his creativity by instructing a photographer how to photograph his model for the best angle.

"I was confident but the competition was tough," he said. "There were people from big salons with lots of years of experience but the judges could see that I wanted it and everything I was saying must have ticked all the boxes. I'm so happy to have made the team."

Niall scooped a place on H.O.T. from hundreds of applicants nationwide and will be part of the team for a year.

They will now work together and be given a custom-made

Judge and mentor Ashleigh Hodges said: "The H.O.T. team will receive loads of education; from cutting with Ross Taylor to colour,

hair up, avant garde and inspiration days with myself and the rest of the Matrix team.

"I want to spend proper time with these amazing up and coming hairdressers and help

develop their careers.

"The four winners oozed passion and enthusiasm and showed us they worked well under the pressure we put them under. Niall's inspiration was fantastic."

Ashleigh will lead education days for the elite trainees as well as team-building days and orchestrate a demonstration on the Fellowship Stage at Salon International fashion show in London next month.

"I was looking for all-rounders who could produce well thought out and fresh hair and wanted to see true passion, dedication and team spirit. People that would work well together yet balance each other out," she said.

Bulwell hairdresser chosen for elite stylist team after national selection competition

THE SIGHT of Stuart Broad patrolling the Trent Bridge boundary is normally a positive one, but the fact he was on crutches was a stark reminder of what Nottinghamshire could have done with to help keep their season alive.

Broad meandered round the ground in the evening session as he begins his rehab from the knee surgery which means he could not join his England team-mates in playing some part for their counties with the international summer over.

Crumbs of comfort have been rare for Notts lately but a fine Luke Fletcher inspired fightback saw Sussex reduced to 358 for nine at stumps on day one at Trent Bridge after being 252 for two.

With their trophy hopes for the season abruptly ended in the last couple of weeks, Notts suddenly face the prospect of finishing mid-table in the County Championship even though they started their previous game in second.

All the talk going into this final match of the season was of the need for one final push to finish on a high and that could yet happen despite losing the first two sessions pretty heavily.

Chris Nash led the Sussex charge with his first century in a year, making a terrific 178 before falling to Gary Keedy, who took three for 96.

Fletcher was the pick of the bowlers though as a fired up new ball spell of two for eight from eight overs saw him finish with three for 49.

Notts are in dire need of something to smile about given the capitulation of their season as minds and bodies grew weary.

They might have found that with the injection of youth as debuts were handed to opening batsman Jake Libby, fresh from signing a two-year deal, and left-arm seamer Luke Wood.

Libby will have to wait a little longer for his chance to impress after Sussex won the toss and chose to bat, but Worksop native Wood was given his chance to impress.

The 19-year-old England Under-19 international recorded figures of two for 76, taking the wicket of former England international Michael Yardy with the first ball after tea.

He was quick into the piece and thrown into the deep end against Ed Joyce, one of the best on the circuit. A maiden will have given him confidence and from there he proceeded to show the promise that earned him his chance.

Libby came into the team for Steven Mullaney with Wood replacing Jake Ball. Wood's first wicket came in a burst of three for five runs off 19 balls.

That followed a spell of mixed bowling collectively before a good finish with the new ball gave Notts something to build on going into the second day, even though a hefty 59 boundaries were scored.

Sussex weren't to know how little there would be for the bowlers on a green tinged pitch which was in use for the first time since the season opener against Lancashire. They started cautiously and lost their first wicket on 16.

Luke Wells went for ten when a beauty from Harry Gurney drew the edge and Chris Read took the catch. Sussex soon settled into the game and it looked like it was going to be a long day in the field.

The away team were 110 for one at lunch with Nash having moved to his half century off 73 balls. The 100 partnership came up in the first over after the interval but then it was swiftly ended as Joyce suffered a relatively rare failure against Notts.

With an average of 70, six centuries and a score of 204 not out in the corresponding game last year, he would had have high hopes of adding to his collection of impressive stats.

However, he had to settle for 31 this time as an unusually loose shot to Fletcher saw the ball guided to Riki Wessels at first slip to end a stand of 103.

Craig Cachopa, like Joyce, has enjoyed a fine season since joining from Wellington in New Zealand with five 50s in his last six innings.

He and Nash put on 134 with Nash reaching a 17th career hundred and fourth against Notts off 152 balls.

Nash had been in terrific form to that point, but he did offer up a couple of incredibly tough chances approaching tea, both to Alex Hales at first slip off Keedy.

The first on 116 flashed past him before he could fully react and the second, on 125, flew through his legs at pace.

With those alarms having passed the pair went on the attack against the spin of Keedy and Samit Patel. Nash reached 150 with his third 50 coming off 42 balls.

Cachopa's exuberance got the best of him on 48 as he charged Keedy. This time Hales had all the time in the world to react at slip as the ball looped tamely off the bat straight into his hands.

That sparked something of a slide from Sussex as Luke Wright was lbw to Keedy for four looking to sweep and then Wood took his first senior wicket, Yardy guiding tamely to Michael Lumb at gully for a five ball duck.

Keedy struck again to finally remove Nash for the second highest score of his career. Just like Wright he looked to sweep and once again Richard Kettleborough was happy to raise the finger.

Notts continued to ease their way back into the game with the new ball as Fletcher was rewarded with the wicket of England seamer Chris Jordan.

He was convinced he had his man caught behind on ten, but he was not to be denied as Jordan nicked one to Read.

Ben Brown (46) was also dispatched by a fired up Fletcher as he fended to Patel at second slip and after three juggles he held on well. Wood took his second wicket as Steve Magoffin went for a three ball duck to make it 354 for nine.

Nottinghamshire v Sussex: Day one report - Luke Fletcher leads comeback

NOTTINGHAM has been named the 2015 City of Football. Five months of hard work by the city's bid team have paid off after Sport England confirmed Nottingham had seen off competition from Portsmouth and Manchester – the other shortlisted cities – to gain the accolade. Nottingham will now get up to £1.6 million of National Lottery funding to run a two-year pilot programme aimed at getting more people, particularly those aged 14-25 years, playing all forms of the grassroots game.

Nottingham's vision to try and become the very first 'City of Football' in the UK started back in May when a consortium of partners put together an 'expression of interest' to try and make the shortlist of three to be the first to clinch the accolade from Sport England – this after 22 cities put their name in the hat initially. After making the shortlist, Nottingham's bid team went to work putting together their ideas and a full proposal with which to impress the judging panel from the governing body –who paid Nottingham a visit last Wednesday and were greeted by the bid team as well as Forest legend John McGovern at the train station with European Cup neatly tucked under his arm for good measure. The proposal that impressed the judges includes plans for month-long festivals of football to a world record attempt in Old Market Square; from changing the culture of 'no ball games' to using cutting-edge social media communication techniques so people know when and where they can play. The eye-catching bid was part of Team Nottingham's vision to inspire "a social football revolution to help everybody find a connection to football". "We will spark an explosion of football participation enjoyed by people of all ages," they say. Through this scheme, they aim to deliver a 25 per cent increase in the number of people playing football once a week, to 20,000 by March 2017. The programme will be led by the award-winning community teams at Nottingham Forest and Notts County, supported by more than 40 partners, including local football clubs, schools, further education colleges, universities, the City Council and global corporations like Boots and Capital One. Team Nottingham believe the city has some brilliant football facilities in place and they say 20 per cent of the city is an "available green playing pitch". They aim to get people using these spaces by offering a free set of goals to play with if they already have a group, a ball and a preferred green space. Team Nottingham will also work with Nottingham City Homes to identify new urban spaces where football can be played, with new signs saying 'ball games allowed' being installed in new places. "We recognise that there's no point creating a new demand for football in the city if we can't also help people realise it," say Team Nottingham. "We will make it as easy as possible for people to get to their game. If football isn't delivered to them in their community, then public transport will take them there at an affordable price. "We'll create freedom and flexibility for football players to enable them to play."

Phil Smith, Sport England's Director of Sport, says: "We're delighted to name Nottingham as Sport England's City of Football. Football is this country's most popular team sport but there is still a real capacity to grow. Nottingham has an exciting and inventive response to the challenge of getting more people to play the game and we will look forward to working with them to make this happen." Nigel Cooke, Head of One Nottingham, said: "This is great news for Nottingham and its people and will transform the footballing landscape in the city. One Nottingham will continue to bring together organisations and experts from across the city to ensure we deliver an exceptional, joined-up and creative programme, resulting in a social football revolution. "Over the next two years, we will create new football partnerships; develop new technologies; encourage more people to play, especially 14 to 25 year olds, women and girls and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds; and share our learning so that the rest of England can benefit from our insight."

City of Football: Nottingham wins title and £1.6 million for sport

TRAIN staff refused to allow a charity cyclist to take his booked rail journey home – after he had completed a gruelling 220-mile bike ride.

Thirty-nine-year-old Jonathan Hunt had to get back on his bike and pedal for part of the journey because there was no room for his bike on the East Midlands Trains service to Mansfield.

Mr Hunt (pictured) was returning from a ride organised by London clothing company Rapha to raise money for Ambitious About Autism.

The IT voice engineer rode for 13 hours on Sunday, from Manchester Velodrome to the Olympic Park, in London.

His employer, Nottingham-based Capital One, covered the train tickets and hotel expenses and promised to match the money he raised – which currently stands at almost £700.

But when Mr Hunt reached Nottingham station and tried to board his 5.37pm onward connection to Mansfield, he was told there was no room for his bicycle.

He said: "I explained I had pre-booked tickets but I was told there were already two bikes on the train and that was the allocation.

"Even when I told him where I had been, he just dismissed it. I was really angry as I wanted to get home to my wife who was unwell to help with our child."

Mr Hunt had no choice but to pedal the final 12 miles home.

An East Midlands Trains spokeswoman said the firm had invested in providing more cycling storage at its stations and a cycle hub was planned for Nottingham in the coming year.

But she added: "Space for the carriage of cycles is based on a first come, first served basis and is limited to two spaces per train. This is the case across our network ."

Charity cyclist rides 220 miles... and is then forced to cycle back home

A NOTTINGHAM man has been jailed for 11 years for his role in a multi-million-pound drugs conspiracy.

Kevin Murray, of Weaverthorpe Road, Woodthorpe, was among five men in the East Midlands who, in conjunction with organised criminals in the North East, conspired to import amphetamine from Europe.

Consignments of furniture were used to conceal the drugs, which were then stored at yards in Nottingham and Northamptonshire.

Kevin Murray led the East Midlands group, along with Northamptonshire man David Faulkner.

DNA and other articles linked two members of the East Midlands group to a unit raided by officers in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, where 408 kilos of amphetamine and 30 kilos of heroin was found.

The drugs had a combined street value of £55 million.

Murray denied the charge of conspiracy to supply class B drugs but was found guilty following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

He was sentenced last week to 11 years in prison.

The four other members of the East Midlands group received sentences between five-eight years and four months.

WELCOME to day two of Notts v Sussex at Trent Bridge, where the visitors resume on 358 for nine.

RELIVE: Nottinghamshire v Sussex - day two

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'S Police and Crime Commissioner has called for an independent review of allegations about children's care homes in the county "as soon as practically possible".

The police are carrying out a massive investigation – named Operation Daybreak – to look into historic claims of sexual and physical abuse at five former children's homes from the late 1960s until 2000.

The homes linked to the operation are Beechwood, in Mapperley; Sycamore House, in Sherwood; Bracken House, in Bulwell; Wollaton House, in Wollaton; and Hazelwood, in Nottingham.

Commissioner Paddy Tipping says the call for an independent review has been backed by the leaders of Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County councils.

He added: "I am also in discussions with our local safeguarding boards on the best way forward.

"In the meantime, I receive ongoing briefings from Chris Eyre, Nottinghamshire's Chief Constable, to make sure that I am up to date with the force's progress in these matters."

"The public want some reassurance that everything possible is being done to ensure that any claim – whether this is historical or current – is fully investigated and will never be swept under the carpet and any lessons are learned."

Care home abuse: Police and Crime Commissioner calls for independent review

A 23-YEAR-OLD man charged with murder is now due to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, September 19.

Santino Giovanni Genovese's case was listed for a bail application hearing at the court on Tuesday, September 16.

But the hearing was put back until Friday, when he must attend from custody where he is on remand.

A preliminary hearing has been listed on September 30.

Genovese, of Charlotte Street, in Ilkeston, is charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder.

He previously appeared in court after emergency services were called to a flat in Charlotte Street at about 5.40am on Thursday, after reports that two men had been seriously injured.

Paul Averill, 30, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another man remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Paul Averill death: 23-year-old to appear in court on Friday charged with murder