WAITING four days for the perfect lighting to do justice to the bloody and moving story behind a former Great War battlefield, Michael St Maur Sheil was nothing if not patient.

The Oxford-educated photo journalist embarked almost a decade ago on the ambitious project aiming to showcase the scars, regeneration and legacy of 66 of the most poignant scenes of war – and says it changed his life.

A onetime history novice, Mr Sheil originally intended his "easing into retirement" project to be published as a book but the collection, along with the photographer's passion for the past, grew beyond his wildest expectations.

"Eight years ago I knew nothing about military history, but I am now in a party of people doing a five-day battlefield tour," he says.

A tour of the western front's trenches and the graves of the fallen is however, just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Mr Sheil's involvement and expertise in the subject.

In eight years, the former Time magazine and Newsweek photo journalist has progressed from what was somewhat of a working schoolboy's knowledge of the 1914-1918 conflict to becoming a qualified battlefield guide and elected member of the British Commission for Military History.

Speaking to the Post from French trenches ahead of the Nottingham leg of his touring photo exhibition, he said he was overwhelmed by how many people had seen his work so far.

The exhibition was launched in April in Paris, where 1.6 million people saw it. The English version was unveiled by the Duke of Kent at St James's Park, off Horse Guards' Parade, London.

Mr Sheil says: "That was something really special, to exhibit in St James' Park, which doesn't to my knowledge normally have exhibitions, that was extraordinary."

Nottingham has the honour of being the first city outside London to host the touring street exhibition. It runs here from tomorrow until November 11 and includes nine Nottingham-based panels showing the city council and Trent to Trenches logos next to information about the county at war.

And while the 66 large pictures will be the same as those displayed in London, the information on the panels will be adapted to reflect Nottingham's history and involvement in the Great War.

The Nottingham subject areas covered are:

The first shot of the First World War, fired by Nottinghamshire boys of Royal Horse Artillery's E Battery

The Boots factory during the war and the development of pharmaceuticals as a consequence of the conflict

The Wipers Times, which was started by Notts soldiers

Zeppelin raids on the city

Albert Ball, the Nottingham-born flying ace

The Chilwell shell factory explosion

Franz Ferdinand's visit to Welbeck Abbey and the hunting accident that nearly killed him a couple of months before his assassination

HMS Nottingham, which was sunk by torpedoes

John Player & Sons' cigarettes and their importance to the troops on the front line.

The exhibition also includes a huge walk-on map of the world showing the battlefield locations and an education unit, both of which will be displayed in Nottingham's Old Market Square.

Once the trail leaves Nottingham it will tour various cities across the country for the next five years.

Mr Sheil says: "I'm not sure how it is going to work in Nottingham as it will be the first time that the photos have been distributed around a city.

"At the moment they are all together and it is organised with a theme in mind, so it will be interesting to see.

"It's a wonderful thought that people may be walking through the city doing their shopping or going to work and they will stumble upon these pictures almost by accident."

"It mirrors quite well how, during the war, young men may have just been walking along the streets when someone grabbed them by the collar and shipped them off to France. It grabs you quite unexpectedly."

He adds: "I wanted the pictures to tell a story which, as a photo journalist, I understand.

"Most landscape photographers will pick a place of natural beauty, whereas my methods were dictated by history and that has been the challenge."

Mr Sheil, who is of Irish heritage, chose to shoot the pictures in colour.

He said: "All the First World War photographs are in black and white, so it is a striking contrast which really demonstrates quite well how time has passed."

Mr Sheil has visited more than 60 countries over the course of his prestigious career – which has included work on child trafficking in West Africa and the bomb squad in Northern Ireland during the 1970s.

The following quote by First World War veteran P J Campbell, which written at the end of the war, inspired the conception of the Fields of Battle project.

"They were everywhere... they would not be lonely,

"There were too many of them.

"I saw that bare country before me...

"...but the country would come back to life...

"They would lie still and at peace below the singing larks, beside the serenely flowing rivers.

"They could not feel lonely, they would have one another.

"And they would have us also ...we belonged to them, and they would be a part of us for ever."

He then approached the late, well-respected, military historian Brigadier Edward Richard Holmes, known as Professor Richard Holmes, eight years ago to help him with his project.

He says: "Richard and I decided it would need to be made into an exhibition but we didn't want it to be in a museum or gallery because we wanted it to be accessible to all and not everyone goes to museums and galleries. I think what we should be doing is learning from history, we shouldn't just be getting maudlin about it, walking around cemeteries and looking at memorials."

The experience has been an emotional adventure and he cites one of his most moving moments when he was allowed to take a 99-year-old football (above) out of a museum to replace it on the very same soil it was kicked on back in September 1915.

He says: "I travelled a lot shooting the exhibition, and some shots are more emotional than others.

"You need a lot of patience – and an understanding wife."

THE latest tipple produced by Castle Rock has created a bit of a buzz – as 50,000 bees were enlisted to help in its creation.

Bittern is the latest real ale to have been brewed by the Queens Bridge Road-based firm to support the Notts Wildlife Trust.

And beekeeper Alec Thomson lent a helping hand to the cause by donating 10 kilograms of honey to add to the 4.1 per cent bitter.

And the 63-year-old of Thackeray's Lane, Woodthorpe, only got the opportunity to help out by chance.

He said: "I was at St Ann's allotments for an open day last summer for the Beekeepers' Association and I swapped some of my honey for some jam that someone else had.

"It turns out that she knew someone at Castle Rock and they needed some for this Bittern brew, and I was more than happy to let them use my honey.

"I started with bees five years ago and never could have imagined my honey would end up in beer. It's not a bad tasting pint either," the retired environmental health worker added.

He has 14 hives at allotments in the Gedling area and at the height of summer they contain up to 50,000 bees.

Castle Rock's head brewer Adrian Redgrove said he was pleased with the result of the brew – which is now on sale at pubs across the East Midlands.

He added that putting honey into the recipe gives it a wonderful floral sweetness" and that this "complements the spicy notes of the hops".

Castle Rock has brewed a number of beers to promote the work of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust since 2001.

Last year's offering was called Honey Bee and raised awareness of the importance of the species.

It was flavoured with honey and Endeavour hops, with Erin McDaid, of the trust saying: "One of the benefits of our relationship with Castle Rock Brewery is that we get to choose the names of their natural selection beers each year and this provides us with a platform to highlight issues and to put key species in the spotlight."

This year's Bittern has been released to coincide with the seasonal arrival of rare bitterns to the trust's Attenborough Nature Reserve.

The beers have also raised more than £120,000 for the Trust since the partnership began 13 years ago.

Police are on the lookout for a 12-year-old boy who has not been back to his Bilborough home since last Wednesday.

Tionne Loftman's mum dropped him off at Standhill Park, in Carlton, to meet friends at around 5.30pm. He failed to meet her again at 9pm, as agreed.

Tionne was seen the Queen's Medical Centre at around 11am the next day, and in Hogarth Street, near St Ann's at 6.15pm.

He was seen again at just after 10pm at McDonald's in Clumber Street in the city centre. Police think he may be staying with friends.

Tionne is black, of slim build, around 5ft tall and with short black hair. He was last seen wearing blue jogging bottoms and a green Regatta jacket with a hood, which he often wears up.

If you have information contact 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111. 

A box of children's Christmas presents have been stolen from a house in Mansfield. 

At some point between September 7 and September 14, burglars entered a property in Herbert Street through a bathroom window.

They also stole three Sky boxes. 

If you have any information contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111. 

IF you were at the City Ground on Sunday when Nottingham Forest played host to their fierce rivals, Derby County, you may have witnessed something rather special taking place?

While the moment that both sets of supporters stood to acclaim the legendary manager, Brian Clough, who passed away ten years ago on Saturday, was incredibly moving and beautiful, it was just prior to kick-off that caught the imagination of many supporters.

As the chimes of Mull of Kintyre, Forest's now customary and anthemic song was bellowed out by 29,000 passionate Reds fans, a unique and spine tingling display in one part of the stadium was taking place. It was a sight to behold and utterly befitting of the occasion.

Huge flags and banners, which you may be more accustomed to seeing on the continent, in Germany or France perhaps, acclaiming those who have played a part in the clubs prestigious history welcomed the two sets of players, including Clough and his number two, Peter Taylor, along with legendary players like Brian's son, Nigel, Kenny Burns, John McGovern and Stan Collymore to name but a few, were being displayed by supporters keen to improve the City Ground atmosphere and help boss Stuart Pearce in his quest to take the club back to the top flight.

A group of fans, who funded the display through online donations, are now appealing for more like-minded Reds to come forward and enjoy making the Lower Bridgford stand an atmosphere like no other. Campaign leader, Richard Lewis, said: "It has gone well and the positive enthusiasm from fans involved in the area is becoming infectious, spreading to other areas of the ground."

Forest have won two and drawn one of their first three home games so far this season, with Pearce's opening game against Blackpool being a sell-out, while Sunday's game saw a modern attendance record at the City Ground, with 30,227 packing themselves in and Richard is hoping that can be the catalyst for a bright future. "We would ideally like to become fully backed as a singing area by the club, like we have seen with Derby County and Huddersfield Town. The club has done what it can to help and I know there's only so much they can do. We have all ages involved within the campaign from ages 8 to 65. The passion for the area to succeed is huge; the display on Sunday shows that."

Club ambassador John McGovern was full of praise for the efforts of the fans: ''It was an electric atmosphere on Sunday, especially the tributes to Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, which was good thinking on the fans part. Their idea was great thinking, encompassing the whole history of this great club. It brought a warm feeling and was certainly appreciated by everyone.''

Stuart Pearce was visibly moved by the events on Sunday, saying "It was probably the best atmosphere I've ever known at this ground - that includes my playing days. It was absolutely outstanding and credit to both sets of fans", and as Forest take on Fulham on Wednesday night, Richard and his team will be hoping Pearce will be saying that more and more.

AS part of Nottingham's successful bid to be the 2015 City of Football, among the ideas that helped them see off Manchester and Portsmouth for the title was the creative use of space to get young people playing the game.

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.

John Folwell, regional manager for the Football Association in the East Midlands, was part of the bid process in the Nottingham consortium and knows it was the ability to think outside of the box that helped them clinch the title.

The 36-year-old, himself a former YTS player alongside Shaun Derry at Notts County when he was younger that also played non-league football for Eastwood Town, said: "This is about two years of trying different things to engage new people in football and trying to retain those playing at the moment.

"Some of the great ideas that are coming out are about using festivals. We have done a lot of things around music and gaming in the creative quarter in the city and we want to use those ideas to see whether we can transfer them further to football.

"Can we have mass festivals? Can we have pop-up pitches? Can we take football to those people in different areas of the city where they haven't got places to play? Can we use old warehouses, car parks and set up pitches and engage in youths that might be engaging in things maybe they shouldn't be?

"It's all about different ideas and some of those coming out are really off the wall, but let's have a go and see if it works.

"We've got signs around grass spaces that say no ball games, we want to turn that on its head and we want people playing ball games and finding green spaces to play football.

"I smiled when I saw that piece with Shaun Derry in the Post about playing football in parks when he was growing up as I used to play with him as a trainee at Notts and I can relate to what he said as I used to go out on a weekend at nine O'Clock in the morning to play football and not get back until eight O'Clock at night.

"There is a generation that hasn't done that for lots of reasons, so let's try and capture some of that and see whether we can take football to those people, open some sites up so they can play but also be creative about where they can play football.

"It's about stimulating some interest, using the partners like Notts County and Nottingham Forest, NCVS and lots of other community groups and getting coaches out there, provide them with opportunities and then allowing them to keep it going by stepping away and only providing a little bit of support where needed and hopefully that will be more sustainable."

Police are on the hunt for a middle-aged man who behaved in a threatening way at the Nottingham Forest v Derby County game on Sunday September 14.

The man (pictured) is described as white, aged between 35 and 40-years-old and he was said to be wearing a dark coloured t-shirt.

Before the match started, the two teams had united to pay tribute former manager Brian Clough on the eve of the tenth anniversary of his  death.

Both sets of fans had given a minute long round of applause in the tenth minute, in tribute to the legendary manager.

The game was later delayed for several minutes as two fans invaded the pitch, with a third prevented from doing so. 

The match finished in stalemate at one all.

Anyone who recognises the  pictured man should call Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800
555 111.

Police have lifted the cordon on Triumph Road after it was closed on Friday September 12 following a major fire at the University of Nottingham campus.

The Link L12 bus route has also returned to normal service.

More than 60 firefighters dealt with the fire at the £20 million GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry, in Jubilee Park, after the first 999 call at 8.36pm on Friday.

Notts Fire and Rescue Service received more than 150 calls from concerned members of the public as the building was ripped apart but left no casualties.

Investigations were due to start  today into the cause of the biggest blaze the county had seen in more than a decade.

The University of Nottingham and GlaxoSmithKline, its £12 million partner in the building, have said they will rebuild the facility.

WHERE'S your football?

That's what Team Nottingham are asking as part of their winning bid after being named the 2015 City of Football.

Nottingham will get up to £1.6 million of funding from Sport England to run a two-year programme aimed at getting more people, aged 14-25 years, playing football.

And among a host of creative ideas that Team Nottingham included in their initial proposal was about asking people one simple question: 'Where's your football?'

The partners of the bid team and youngsters from the Nottingham Forest and Notts County football in the community projects were displaying signs saying just this yesterday in the city centre.

"We had this hunch that everybody has a connection to football and the more we've been working this up the more we realised people really do," explains One Nottingham's Nigel Cooke, the chair of the Nottingham consortium for the bid.

"So some of our bid was asking people 'where's your football?' People have them, wherever they are – whether under their trampoline, in the boot of the car or in the garage – they have them.

"That's part of it to get people to get their footballs out and rekindle their love for football, and I think they will as people are already responding to us.

"Once people make the decision not to do sport anymore it's harder to get them to do it again, so we're going to try and inspire and engage young people.

"One of our important partners is Nottingham City Homes and they will be working with us about finding new ways of playing at new venues. But you've got to make it easy for them, if it's hard a lot of people won't do it. There's always a reason not to, but what we're saying is 'here's a very good reason why you should'."

Terrorised widower Alan Walker has been spared from custody after a 13-year-old boy was injured when he fired his shotgun to defend his home.

The 67-year-old, who was recovering from bowel cancer, pleaded guilty to wounding the boy, who had smashed his window, and possessing the gun.

Walker pulled the trigger on his Browning 12-gage double-barrelled shotgun, and the boy was caught by pellets from the exploding cartridges.

Nottingham Crown Court heard on September 16 Walker had only moved to the house two weeks before.

He did not intent to hit the youth outside his home in Thorneywood Mount – he had merely wanted to frighten him – after enduring vandalism and problems with residents using a hole in his fence as a cut-through.

On December 13, Walker sat in darkness in his living room as the situation escalated and he could take no more.

His dining room window was smashed and a window on his Volkswagen car on his driveway.

Walker was standing back from his window when he fired, the velocity of the shots absorbed by the glass window, and the pellets spreading 25 centimetres, hitting the boy across the road.

"The pellets of course did have a lethal potential," said Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting.

Walker had a wide knowledge of firearms and shooting was his hobby.

"If he wanted to kill someone, he no doubt could have," added Miss Pritchard.

After the incident, Walker called police and then his son, breaking down as he told him "I shot him with a gun', the court heard.

His victim, who cannot be named, told his mother he had been "blown up" before he was taken to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.

His injuries were pellet wounds and not life-threatening.

Judge Michael Stokes QC gave Walker, who cried in the dock, an 18-month prison sentence, to run currently on both charges, suspended for one year.

He said the pensioner was plainly convinced he was in danger that night, overacted and took hold of the gun.

"Anyone who fires a gun in these circumstances, in a built-up area, is really creating a tremendous risk of serious injury.

"However, I am perfectly satisfied, that when you did what you did you genuinely believed you were in danger.

"You were alone, feeling isolated, emotionally very distressed, believing you were going to be attacked and acted as you did in that frame of mind."

FIVE staff have been suspended at a residential home after a family filmed the care given to a relative.

Police and local authorities are now investigating Acer Court Care Home, in Nuthall, and the city and county councils have suspended their contracts with the home.

They called an emergency meeting and immediately decided they would stop sending residents to the Nottingham Road home after viewing the footage – although it has not been revealed what was on the recording.

A full investigation has been launched alongside Nottinghamshire Police and health regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which has sent inspectors into the home.

The firm behind the home, Avery Healthcare, said five members of staff had been suspended after the film came to light.

David Pearson, corporate director of adult social care and health at the county council, said: "We will not tolerate poor standards of care or abuse at any Nottinghamshire care home.

"Where care homes fail to meet our standards, we take swift and robust action as part of our commitment to provide high-quality care."

Helen Jones, director of adult social care at Nottingham City Council, said: "We have allocated a social worker to each of the 16 residents living there who are funded by the city council to offer support at this time."

The home was visited by council staff and health professionals over the weekend in order to check on residents' health and wellbeing.

Council staff are continuing to monitor the home closely.

Speaking on behalf of Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – which represents patients in the area – Joe Pidgeon said: "As the independent voice for health and social care services, Healthwatch urges family, friends, staff, patients and residents to voice any concerns they may have about services."

There are currently 70 residents at the home, which specialises in dementia care.

Sixteen of those places are funded by the city council, 11 by the county council and 43 residents pay for themselves.

Ian Matthews, director of Avery Healthcare, based in Northampton, said: "Five people have been suspended. We don't know if all five are implicated yet.

"I want to preserve the confidence of residents in the home. We've got a great team of staff there.

"We are working closely with the local authority to ensure our reputation as a trusted carer is maintained and we want to ensure that any bad practice is rooted out."

Nottinghamshire Police confirmed the footage was being reviewed by officers and the force was working to establish whether a crime had taken place.

This latest incident comes after the Nottingham Post revealed last week that the county had the highest proportion of failing care homes in the country.

A total of 123 of Nottinghamshire's 345 care homes did not meet all national standards in their most recent CQC inspections.

Inspectors from the CQC are currently inspecting Acer Court, after their visit on June 25 this year found that two of five core standards had not been met. "Essential support information" was missing from some care plans and the manager could not demonstrate that staff who had been subject to disciplinary processes had been monitored or supervised on their return to work.

A statement from the CQC said: "We are working with the local authority with regard to the concerns that have been raised about this home and continue to monitor it very closely."

NOTTINGHAM Forest will face a very different challenge against Fulham at the City Ground tonight – but not automatically an easier one.

That was the message today from Brian Eastick, who warns that the Reds cannot allow themselves to be complacent against the side sitting at the foot of the Championship table without a win.

The Forest first team coach expects the fixture to be very different to the blood and thunder of the East Midlands derby.

But he says there is no chance the Cottagers will be underestimated, as Forest look to end the evening at the top of the Championship table.

"It will be a different game," said Eastick. "I would be surprised if Derby are not in the top six, at the end of the year.

"But any team that has gone that long without a win, as Fulham have, are dangerous. They are dangerous because they have to win sooner or later.

"Coming out of all the emotion of the derby game – the players and the staff have to be completely professional.

"If you are not right in this division, you do not beat teams. You have to be on the money in every game or you are in danger of losing the match."

Forest will hope they are given room to produce their best football by the London side tonight.

"I think Fulham will try to play, they will sit deep and make it difficult for us to break them down. They have good players," said Eastick. "Patrick Roberts is a talented young player. I have seen him play for England under-16 and 17 sides and he is the best player of that age I have seen for a long time.

"What they have done, Fulham, is change their team quite a bit. To be honest, we are not sure what team he (Felix Magath) will put out. He has used 47 players since February and it is a little difficult to predict."

Last time they met

Nottingham Forest 2, Fulham 4, Carling Cup, November 10, 2004

A brave, battling performance from Nottingham Forest was not enough to prevent Fulham knocking them out of the competition.

Fulham came back from a goal down to keep their cup dreams alive. The Reds had taken the lead through Marlon King, only for the visitors to level via Tomasz Radzinski's left foot.

In extra time, Radzinski bagged a second, before Brian McBride made it 3-1. Andy Reid nabbed a consolation goal, but Andy Cole hit a fourth for Fulham.

Opposition manager in the spotlight

Felix Magath: The under-fire German has faced increasing calls for him to be sacked, following his failure to make a positive impact at Craven Cottage.

Fulham were relegated from the Premier League with a whimper, after collecting three wins from 12 matches under Magath.

They are now rooted to the foot of the Championship table, still searching for their first win of the season.

Magath had built a reputation for steering teams away from trouble in his homeland – and has managed some big clubs in Germany, including Hamburg, Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt, VfB Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg and Schalke.

Magath admits to being perplexed at their struggle, saying: "I am very sad about our situation so I can understand the fans. "Everybody is very disappointed. I have never had this in my career and I would never imagine that such things can happen."

Opposition one to watch

Patrick Roberts: The 17-year-old has played only a handful of games, but such has been his impact, that several Premier League clubs are already keeping an eye on the product of Fulham's youth academy.

Capable of playing wide on the right or as a forward, the teenager is not afraid to run at the opposition defence and take people on. He is a player who will be well known to both Gary Brazil and Steve Wigley on the Forest coaching staff, with both men having been in charge of the Fulham youth set-up in recent years.

Fulham may have spent £11m to sign Ross McCormack, but Forest will need to keep an equally careful eye on Roberts, whether he starts or comes on off the bench.

Team news

FOREST will be without skipper Chris Cohen, with the midfielder having undergone a scan to determine the seriousness of his knee injury late yesterday afternoon.

Forest are also without another influential figure, with Andy Reid set to miss a week or two with a groin problem. Matty Fryatt could recover from a groin issue, while Jack Hobbs is battling a foot injury.

Fulham striker Matt Smith is suspended.

A jet ski has been stolen from outside a home in Stirling Drive, Coddington.

Police are appealing for help in tracing the whereabouts of the The Kawasaki STX1100 jet ski, which went missing between 9.15pm on Monday September 8 and 6.45am on Tuesday 9.

The stolen water sport vehicle is white at the bottom with a dark metallic blue top half and orange markings.

It was taken along with its trailer and has the serial number KAW14306L789.

Anyone with information is asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The 20th anniversary of the hit US sitcom's premier is fast approaching. 

Friends first aired on NBC on September 22, 1994 and since then the show has been nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards.

The show - which lasted for ten seasons - revolved around a group of friends (Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross) living in Manhattan. 

To commemorate the occasion we have compiled a list of the top 20 best moments from the TV show.

Ross' classic "pivot" moment: 

Phoebe's lobster theory:

The time Brad Pitt showed up for Thanksgiving:

Monica with a turkey on her head:

Ross' anger when it comes to his sandwich:

Joey has an unusual way of remembering the days of the week:

Ross and Joey's argument:

Joey tries to learn French:

Phoebe's Smelly Cat song:

Ross and Rachel's first kiss:

The time Joey puts on Chandler's clothes and mocks him:

Joey doesn't share his food:

The camera adds ten pounds to Monica:

Ross' leather trouser situation:

Monica and Phoebe's flashback:

Monica and Chandler find out that they are having twins:

Fake Accent University:

Phoebe gives Monica a massage:

Relaxi Taxi:

And of course, the opening theme song:

What is your favourite Friends moment from our list? Let us know in the poll below.

Football fan Joshua Brough will appear in front of Magistrates later this month after walking onto the pitch during the local derby between Nottingham Forest and Derby County.

Mr Brough, 20, of Peatburn Avenue, Heanor, was one of seven fans arrested in the 1-1 draw on Sunday at the City Ground.

Nottinghamshire Police said three Rams supporters and four Forest fans were detained with the majority of the arrests were for a pitch invasion which took place during the second-half of the match.

One Derby and one Forest supporter were also arrested for racially aggravated offences.