POLICE are appealing for information after a woman was attacked in St Ann's Hill Road, St Ann's.

At about 1.30am yesterday morning two men in their late 20s to early 30s approached a 20-year-old woman. They punched her to the ground and then kicked her.

They fled empty-handed in a small silver car towards Cramer Street.

One man was black, 6ft 3ins tall and average build. He had short hair, was wearing a baseball vest and had a tattoo covering his left arm. The other man was mixed race, medium build and had short hair. He was wearing a white t-shirt.

Witnesses should call police on 101.

TRIBUTES have been paid to a councillor who was "committed to her community".

Marilyn Hegyi, former councillor for Toton and Chilwell Meadows on Broxtowe Borough Council, has died after a battle with cancer.

Mrs Hegyi (pictured) was elected to the borough council in 2009 and also served as a governor at Bispham Drive Junior School, in Toton.

Writing in her letter to constituents, MP for Broxtowe Anna Soubry said: "It is with great sadness that I have learnt that borough councillor, and my good friend, Marilyn Hegyi has died after a short illness.

She added: "Marilyn was committed to her community in Toton. Not one for blowing her own trumpet, she worked quietly and effectively.

"Mal worked tirelessly to get Toton officially recognised by Royal Mail and it was a pleasure to work with her on this successful campaign.

"We will miss Mal greatly and my thoughts are with her daughters Fran and Melanie, as well as everyone who knew and loved her."

TWO men were drunk when they assaulted a Clifton resident as they walked home from a party, a court heard.

Logan Yeomans and co-accused Bradley Wallis were with others in the street when Yeomans stumbled into a parked Volkswagen Sharan.

Yeomans, 23, of Thistledown Road, Clifton Estate, said: "Who put that car there?" and attacked the vehicle, Nottingham Crown Court was told yesterday. The victim was assaulted when he went to investigate the commotion outside his home, suffering injuries to an eye and an arm.

Yeomans and Wallis, 24, of Conifer Crescent, Clifton, were arrested, and admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Wallis joined in the attack, punching the victim when he appeared to be getting the better of Yeomans on September 8 last year, the court heard.

Yeomans was sent to prison for 15 months, while Wallis received a 12-month sentence, suspended for a year, 150 hours of unpaid work and an order to pay £300 compensation.

WORK on a new unit for children and teenage cancer patients has been delayed.

A £5 million overhaul of facilities is being undertaken at the Queen's Medical Centre and it was expected that the project would be completed towards the end of November. But delays mean it is now likely to open in December.

The new teenage cancer unit at the QMC will include two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a three-bed bay and a social area with TV and games.

The new facilities will feature wards tailored to young patients, facilities for children with neurological disease, space and accommodation for parents to stay overnight with their children, new furniture and play equipment for the playroom and an improved ventilation system to reduce the risk of infection for the most vulnerable patients.

Jonathan Evans, Clinical Director for the Family Health directorate at NUH, said: "Our new facilities for children's cancer and neurosciences patients will open up to four weeks later than planned due to unforeseen delays during construction works. We are working with our contractors to do everything possible to open the facilities sooner than mid-December so our patients, their families and carers can benefit from the new facilities as early as possible."

PLANS for a high-speed rail link at Toton Sidings are close to being abandoned, the Post understands.

A report later this month is expected to say the HS2 station for the East Midlands should be moved into Derbyshire.

Sources say the move is being made to try to link HS2 into existing rail lines to Nottingham and Derby.

It is believed that the proposed new site will be somewhere between Long Eaton and Breaston.

It could remove the need for an expensive tunnel underneath East Midlands Airport, which forms part of the original route proposal.

The change will not be revealed until October 27, when HS2 bosses are due to release a report into the second phase of the £42bn project.

But the move has already been labelled a disaster for the local economy.

Councillor Milan Radulovic is leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, which Toton is part of.

"This is the worst kind of penny-pinching," he said. "It will be a disaster for the East Midlands economy. This underlines my lack of confidence in central government. They want to shave some money off the line up here when you just know they won't do the same where it goes into London."

It's not clear at this stage what impact the switch might have on the route through the rest of Nottinghamshire.

While cities like Birmingham and Manchester have forged ahead with proposals for development around their proposed HS2 stations, the eastern leg of the line has been dogged by disagreement.

Nottingham City Council was happy with HS2's proposals for a station at Toton. But Derby City Council then put forward a separate proposal for the station to be sited in Derby city centre.

The proposal was criticised by Nottingham City Council leader Councillor Jon Collins as causing damaging uncertainty to the eastern leg of the project. It is believed to have been rejected by HS2.

A spokeswoman for HS2 told the Post: "A report by our chairman will be announced on October 27 when there will be an update about the second phase of HS2. That report is still in draft form so it would be pure speculation to say what it might contain."

The biggest business organisation in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire says that if a new site is proposed, politicians must get behind the proposal immediately.

George Cowcher, the chief executive of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: "If we don't get our act together then we risk not having HS2 in the East Midlands.

"We have seen other parts of the country get behind their proposals. We need to put differences aside and do the same, otherwise government will conclude the eastern leg is too difficult to deliver."

Mr Collins said he had not seen any reports containing proposals to change the HS2 station.

He said: "HS2 isn't just about connectivity, it's also about economic regeneration and I stand by Toton as an opportunity to do just that.

"If there is a decision about a new route or a new station then I would view any economic development potential around that as important, but as an addition to what we already have at Toton."

Anna Soubry, MP for Broxtowe, said she was concerned by rumours that Toton might lose its HS2 connection.

"If this turns out to be true then we will have squandered a golden opportunity for Broxtowe," she said.

"There were proposals for housing around the site, but the proposals for economic development connected to the HS2 station are not good enough. It needs a high quality business park but what has been proposed is second rate."

THE STORY of HS2 in the East Midlands casts an unflattering insight on local city politics.

When plans for a high-speed rail route into England's regions were revealed, cities like Birmingham lost no time in coming up with proposals to exploit the economic potential.

But over here, there was a spat between Nottingham and Derby about where the East Midlands station should go.

HS2 said it should be in Toton, a site with an existing rail sidings which is some seven miles outside Nottingham and 10 miles from Derby.

While Nottingham was happy with the suggestion, Derby didn't like it, council bosses launching a campaign to get the station moved into their own city centre.

Privately, business leaders despaired at the spectacle of two cities bickering while other parts of the country came up with agreed proposals to make the most of the biggest infrastructure project the UK has seen in decades.

One senior business figure told the Post: "It is a sideshow. The problem is that it makes it easier for the Government to look elsewhere."

Nottingham City Council initially stayed quiet about Derby's proposal in the belief that the case for Toton had been clearly made. But as Derby continued to push its case, city council leader Jon Collins warned publicly that its campaign risked causing damaging delays.

There were questions about Toton as a site, which didn't have direct rail links into either city but would have a tram to Nottingham.

But there were even bigger questions about Derby's proposal, which would have taken the line into one city but away from two others. Mr Collins said he understood the politics of Derby's proposal but not the economic logic.

In the end, HS2 looks to have rejected Derby's proposal outright. But it's also rejected Toton.

Right now, the reasons aren't clear, but it's thought the lack of direct links to the two cities (and no links at all to Leicester) has been a key consideration, one said to be of particular concern to Network Rail.

The precise location of a new site won't become clear until October 27, when HS2 chairman David Higgins unveils a new report into the second phase of HS2, which goes through the East Midlands.

But it's thought to be somewhere between Breaston and Long Eaton, close to the area where the Midland Main Line from the south splits in two to go to Derby and Nottingham.

Significantly, it's also closer to Leicester and to East Midlands Airport. The new route could also mean that an expensive train tunnel under the airport – part of the current route proposal – is no longer necessary.

Shadow rail minister and Nottingham MP Lilian Greenwood said : "HS2 should not be seen as just a piece of standalone infrastructure – it's about improving the whole rail network and onward rail connections are a key part of that. So if there is a change which enables better connectivity that is something which should be welcomed.

"I haven't seen proposals to change HS2. But whatever happens, it is important that Nottingham and the East Midlands does not get left behind."

George Cowcher, the chief executive of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said it was crucial that politicians across the region got behind a new route.

"If we don't get our act together then we risk not having HS2 in the East Midlands," he said. "We have seen other parts of the country get behind their proposals. We need to put differences aside and do the same, otherwise government will conclude the eastern leg is too difficult to deliver.

"We have yet to be convinced about the onward connectivity from Toton. There would be a tram to Nottingham but that is not the right solution – there needs to be rail connectivity into the wider East Midlands.

"The objective is to find the right transport solution and then get behind it."

While HS2 is expected to reveals details of proposed changes on October 27, a final decision about whether or not to allow the eastern leg of HS2's second phase to be moved will be taken by Parliament.

THE Nottinghamshire meals-on-wheels service has been given a top award.

The county council's meals at home service was named Catering Team of the Year.

The National Association of Care Catering presented the award to the service, which supplies food to 1,700 residents.

The Worksop-based team makes 4,000 meals a day using fresh produce.

TWO community groups in Burton Joyce are set to merge and set out their constitution tomorrow night.

Members of Burton Joyce Preservation Society and Burton Joyce Residents Association are pooling resources and efforts to form the new Burton Joyce Society.

The two groups have monitored planning applications, environmental and community issues which affect life in the village in the borough of Gedling.

All villagers are invited to attend the meeting, at 7.45pm at the Carnarvon Rooms, in Chestnut Grove.

THE names, for the most part, are long gone – either closed or swallowed up by bigger concerns, they have disappeared from the Nottingham scene.

Flicking through the pages of a 1960 edition of Nottingham Industrial, it is amazing how many memories are stirred by looking at the adverts.

James Shipstone & Sons was featured, proclaiming more than a century of fine brewing at the Star Brewery, in New Basford, but few people would have foreseen the future and that little more than 30 years later, the brewery would be closed, taking a slice of Nottingham's Saturday Night and Sunday Morning history with it.

Trent Motor Traction Company, which began in 1919, was promoting its bus services in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, along with luxury coach tours and seasonal excursions to local beauty spots. The name lives on as Trentbarton, created after a management buyout in 1989.

A 1960 advert by Austin distributors Atkey's, in Lower Parliament Street, paraded the qualities of the new A40 Countryman, costing £659.

The story behind Atkey's is fascinating. Albert Atkey came out of the back streets of St Ann's, from a small, hemmed-in terraced house built close to the lace factories of the late 19th century where his father, Charles, worked.

Driven by remarkable determination, ambition, vision and the true pioneering spirit, he became a leading figure in the city's public and business world, and an instantly recognisable name in the first half of the last century.

He was training to become an engineer but his passion was cycling and he opened a cycle repair shop over a blacksmith's in Canal Street, which would eventually blossom into Atkey's Motors.

The budding tycoon was at the leading edge of the motor age, reputedly among the first people to drive a car through the city streets.

Clearly a man who saw few obstacles, he travelled to South Africa to sell his cycle accessories. The year was 1898 and coincided with the Boer War.

He established lasting friendships there and, within a few years, had become the first man to introduce the motor car into South Africa.

Business boomed for Albert and, by 1921, with son and grandson to follow him, he had registered offices in Trent Street and a motorcycle branch in Arkwright Street.

Parliament Street became the main showroom and there were other branches in Mansfield, Derby, Ashbourne, and Uttoxeter.

He became a member of Nottingham City Council in 1908 and he would go on to become sheriff (1911), an alderman (1928) and lord mayor (1929).

In 1918, he stood as Conservative coalition candidate for Notts Central and for the next four years served the area as MP.

During his time at Westminster, he became chairman of the Water Association and in 1921, he cut the first sod for the New Holme Lock at Holme Pierrepont and became heavily involved with Trent Navigation.

Despite losing his parliamentary seat, Albert's good works continued and in 1927, he wrote a series of three talks – on the water industry, flight and the motor car – which he then read on the BBC Home Service, not once, but twice, so well received were they.

He was knighted in 1934 and, at the age of 67, had completed a remarkable journey of life. But he then became deeply involved with author and academic Lionel Curtis's two major books on Britain and its foreign police, which led to a Nobel Peace Prize nomination from Sir Winston Churchill.

On July 2, 1947, a joint celebration was held in Nottingham to mark Sir Albert's 80th birthday and the golden jubilee of Atkey Motor Engineers. It was to be the last important event of his life.

He died a few months later.

Other adverts offered the services of industrial painting firm Westons, of Glasshouse Street, and the Universal Engineering Company, of Castle Boulevard, originally set by the young Albert Ball.

Vic Hallam, of Langley Mill, promoted its Derwent system for prefabricated timber buildings, while Geo Blackburn & Sons, based at Atlas Works, in Kirkewhite Street, The Meadows, advertised their varied roles as builders of knitting machines and winders and general engineers.

Nearby Nottingham firm WJ Furse, based in Traffic Street, was busy designing, building and installing lifts, while an advertisement placed by lace manufacturer GW Price, of Stoney Street, said the firm had resident agents in all overseas companies.

Player's had the famous sailor on its advert for its Navy Cut medium cigarettes and another well-known Nottingham firm, Meridian, described its underwear, knitwear, nightwear, nylons, swimwear and socks as "the best quality you can buy".

Other adverts were placed by Nottingham Laundry; AC Gill, promoting its Witchcraft laces and Radiant bridalwear; and car dealer Oscrofts, in Castle Boulevard.

Flitterman's Stores, in Southwell Road, advertised protective clothing; LV Pannell, of Lowdham Street, promoted its luminous tubes and neon signs; while Boswell Publicity, of Bilbie Street, promised to produce "good advertising to catch the eye".

FOR architect Julian Marsh, living an eco-friendly lifestyle is not just a passion – it is a necessity.

As a founder of Marsh: Grochowski Architects, he and his colleagues are among the city's best-known proponents of green building design.

The firm, based in the Lace Market, is now in the running for the environmental development category in the Nottingham Post Environmental Awards 2014.

Julian, 63, has been at the helm of a host of eco projects – not least his own house in The Meadows.

The red-brick terrace, called Meat Factory, in Felton Road, is constructed from hemp insulation, clay plaster and sustainable timber.

Solar panels and solar water heaters mean his heating bills have been cut from £3,000 a year to just £300.

Following the success of the project, Marsh:Grochowski embarked on an ambitious development of 38 townhouses in Green Street, The Meadows, all with solar panels and designed to be ultra-airtight to minimise heat loss.

"They were snapped up in no time," said Julian. "They were people who wanted to reduce their bills and I think they've found that works pretty well."

The team is now creating a naturally-ventilating theatre at Nottingham Girls' High School. Julian added: "The fact is, if we don't stop pouring carbon into the air at the rate we're doing now, it won't end well."

To enter the awards, write a 400-word piece detailing which category you are entering and why. For category details, visit nottinghampost.com/environmental-awards. Email your entry to events manager Suzanne Bowery at suzanne.bowery@ nottinghampost.com and reporter Ellie Cullen at ellie.cullen@nottinghampost.com. The closing date is noon on October 14.

THE way that mental health has been dealt with in our society has always left a queasy feeling in my stomach.

There are the all-out wrongs of the past, from drilling holes in people's heads to "let out the evil spirits" to the frighteningly recent tools of shock treatment in the 1900s.

But it is the more recent attitudes that have left that acidic feeling in my throat – where people continue to fuel misunderstanding of conditions and stigma. To suffer from depression, for example, has so many misconceptions surrounding it that it hardly feels like we live in the 21st century at all.

For starters, you can have what others might deem the perfect life but still suffer from depression. Look at the tragic end of Robin Williams. Many would beg for the opportunities he had, let alone the money, but these things do not stop you from getting a cold, breaking a leg or contracting a disease – so why would you not have a mental health condition?

Then there is the idea that someone can just "snap out of it" or "cheer up". People with depression dislike how they feel and act just as much as you do, and I am pretty sure if they could just "get happy" they would do it in a shot.

The medical fact is these types of illnesses are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. When there is an imbalance, the messengers within our brains do not function in the way they are supposed to and, as with any other illness, there are side effects.

What people need is support and understanding to help them tackle the issue and seek help. People with depression need to know that their friends, colleagues and doctors won't just tell them to "get over it" but understand they are unwell – and it will take them time to learn how to cope with the illness through medication, therapy, or a mixture of both.

There were some new flickers of hope this morning.

Nick Clegg announced a new policy for the Liberal Democrats during this week's party's conference to introduce waiting-time targets for mental health patients.

This would lead to people with depression starting "talking therapy" treatments within 18 weeks and young people with psychosis being seen within 14 days – the same target set for cancer patients.

And it is not just Clegg who is backing reforms around mental health. David Cameron has promised to increase funding for mental health services and Ed Miliband said mental illness was "the biggest unaddressed health challenge of our age".

But these chaps are all trying to win votes. What really matters to people experiencing mental illness is that those around them won't judge and will support them.

I believe that in a city like Nottingham, we can help stamp out any prejudice and offer that shoulder to lean on to those who need it.

THE prospect of another film featuring Nottinghamshire's own hero, Robin Hood, is worth getting excited about. Whenever Robin strides across the silver screen it gives this city and county a real boost.

His profile is enduring, and valuable to Nottinghamshire but the feature films introduce him to new audiences and they remind others of his age-old and charming story. They never fail to show this area in a good light and drive people to visit us, or perhaps put us in the minds of conference organisers seeking a destination, rather than an airport hotel.

The figures speak for themselves. The publicity which Nottinghamshire benefited from following the last big movie in 2010 was reckoned to be worth around £1.5 million. The city sought to take advantage of the profile, too, by organising an exhibition at Nottingham Castle of props from the film.

It was a more co-ordinated approach than Nottingham has achieved in the past and, therefore, represented progress. However, if Sony does decide to produce a series of Robin Hood blockbusters, the city and the wider county need to improve on previous efforts.

There has been significant progress towards developing the castle, which will include elements from the Robin Hood story. But plans to develop the visitors' centre at Sherwood Forest have stalled.

We have a great story to tell, a market that wants to hear it, and a steady stream of publicity. There is no room for complacency. Let's make sure we are ready to make the most of the next movie, whenever it is made.

I WANTED to raise with you some issues regarding your story "Free school for problem kids" (Post, October 3), about the proposed Channeling Positivity Alternative Provision Free School in Rushcliffe.

My grandson is 15 and both his primary and secondary school tutors have always praised his approach to his studies, as well as his politeness and behaviour.

Earlier this year, however, he made one mistake. He punched a boy in an argument over a girl.

Please understand that in no way do I condone what he did. The school he attended had a strict no-violence policy and consequently he was permanently excluded. He was offered a place in a mainstream school but, after hearing of the free school in Nottingham city centre, he and his mother visited it and were extremely impressed with the whole set up.

He was accepted there and has never looked back. He now looks forward to going to school, takes a lot of interest in almost all subjects and gets on really well with both tutors and students (as told to us by the tutors).

Just as importantly, though, he is treated as an individual regarding both his studies and, as a person, he is made to feel valued.

I genuinely feel the way these schools operate has lots of benefits to offer students.

Although I am sure there are some children with a variety problems that do attend these schools, I am sure there are also similar children in mainstream schools.

While the proposed school in Rushcliffe is for pupils who have "social, emotional or behavioural issues", I do feel there is a danger that children who attend any free school could be labelled as "problem kids". If that is the case, is it any wonder people don't want the schools in their area?

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

JUST before Christmas, Nottingham Rugby star David Jackson was forced to retire after sustaining a brain injury on the training pitch.

For a long time afterwards, he suffered from headaches and saw stars as part of post-concussion syndrome.

It took nine months for him to be able to complete his first run without side effects.

But despite having been forced to give up the career he loved, David is getting on with life and having success in other areas – including as a personal trainer.

He said: "I still don't remember anything that happened. You have to build yourself back up. I had to deal with it ending my career."

He has now agreed to be patron of the new team at the Queen's Medical Centre.

He said: "I know only too well the impact that a brain injury can have on your life and I've only been through a fraction of what some of these patients have endured. The work that this team does is so important for children and their families and I am honoured to lend them my support."

He added: "I don't want to be here just to do media interviews. I can be a positive role model for these children. They can use me as someone who has been through some of these difficult times and had a lot of these experiences."

WHEN Ivy-Mae Broughton-Lines suffered an infection of her central nervous system, which left her in a coma, she had to spend 17 weeks in hospital.

The two-year-old's condition affected the transmission of messages between the brain and the body, which meant she struggled to walk.

But a year and a half on, Ivy-Mae is making an impressive recovery, even though she still has a weakness down the right side of her body.

As Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust launches a new team of therapists to help children in similar situations, Ivy-Mae's parents cannot help but wish the development had been around for her.

Mum Emily Broughton said: "The support we received while we were in hospital was fantastic but 17 weeks is a long time and it would have been awesome to have Ivy-Mae home sooner.

"It's great to know that other families will now get this chance."

The Brain Injury Living Life (Brill) team will work with children at the QMC who are suffering with the lasting effects of a brain injury – whether that be after an accident, an infection, a stroke or an operation to remove a brain tumour.

Its aim is to help children to return to home sooner.

Previously, some children would end up staying in hospital to receive the rehabilitation therapy they needed when they were otherwise medically fit to be discharged. And often there would be a gap between hospital services and community services.

Miss Broughton said the new team could make a big difference.

The 30-year-old said: "Any child now that has a brain injury will have this dedicated care. Just being able to be at home and recover at home makes a massive difference, without a doubt.

"For us, it was such a horrible, difficult time. She had great care at the hospital but no parent wants their child to be in hospital."

The new team will work with patients in hospital, visit them at home immediately after their discharge and see them as outpatients.

The team consists of a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist, a therapy support worker, a neuro-psychologist and a consultant – and will complement the existing therapy team at Nottingham Children's Hospital, at the QMC. It is estimated that around 43 patients have passed through the hospital this year who would have benefited.

Rachel Keetley will work as the children's physiotherapist in the team and has been involved in the project from the very beginning, being one of a team to originally pitch the idea to the hospital board.

She said: "We think it will make a massive difference and it's something we've wanted to do for a long time.

"We're talking about children with life-changing conditions or who have been in serious accidents."

Dr Jane Williams, consultant paediatrician, said: "We have recognised for a long time that we needed a neuro-rehabilitation team for children and it is great that this dream has been realised.

The team has initially been funded for a year at a cost of £170,000.

THE number of people in work is on the up in the borough of Broxtowe – but more than 1,000 people are still looking for their way into employment.

With just under 110,000 residents in the borough, Broxtowe boasts one of the highest population densities in the county.

And figures from the Office of National Statistics show the employment rate of people between 16 and 64 in the area sits at 69.4 per cent – squarely in the middle when compared to the country's lowest employment rate of Ladywood in Birmingham (45.3 per cent) and the highest of Huntingdon, in Cambridgeshire (87 per cent).

But while unemployment numbers have fallen by around 500 in the past year, the most recent figures from Nottinghamshire County Council reveal there are still over 1,000 people searching for jobs across the constituency.

David Ralph, chief executive of D2N2 - the local enterprise partnership which works to promote jobs in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire – said: "We recognise that, while things are improving, there are still a number of challenges for people, particularly the long-term unemployed and those entering the job market but significant local enterprise partnership funding, which will be available from 2015 onwards, is dedicated to helping deal with such challenges."

Mr Ralph also remained positive for the future thanks to large scale projects on Broxtowe's borders.

"Broxtowe and Nottingham are increasingly well positioned to take advantage of the clear acceleration in jobs that is taking place across the East Midlands," he said. "There are clear economic opportunities in that area, such as the Enterprise Zone, the tram and HS2 on our doorstep."

Gloria De Piero, MP for Eastwood, agreed that youth and adult long-term unemployment remain "stubbornly high" and, having run one herself, believes jobs fairs are a great tool to tackle the issue in her constituency.

She said: "It's great to see another jobs fair to tackle unemployment in our area. It gets a big thumbs up from me.

"I'm really looking forward to going along tomorrow to meet both employers and job seekers.

"It's good to see that with the help of Broxtowe Borough Council and the local job centre, the Post is just as passionate as I am about helping people back into work."

Eastwood is home to over 18.00 people, so the jobs fair couldn't have picked a better venue to get prospective workers and employers together.

A spokesman from Eastwood Town Council said: "We are all set up and the room is ready to welcome everyone.

"We have done all we can along with the Post to get the word out there so I hope we have a really good turn out for the event."

The Eastwood Jobs Fair will run from 10am to 3pm today at the Eastwood Post Office, in Nottingham Road.

A WALKWAY to the new Gedling Country Park by the former colliery railway line has received planning permission.

If built, the pathway would allow pedestrian and cycle access from Lambley Lane Recreation Ground between 8am and dusk.

Fencing, gates and a ramped pathway are set to be built. The temporary planning permission will expire on July 1, 2015.

Building of the new walkway could still hinge on the plans to create the Gedling Access Road linking Burton Joyce and Mapperley Plains.

A newly-formed Friends group has vowed to uphold the mining heritage of the site

David Cameron, Prime Minister, 48; Sharon Osbourne, former X-Factor judge, 62; Gok Wan, fashion expert, 40; Nicky Byrne, former Westlife singer, 36; Brian Blessed, (pictured) actor, 78; Annika Sorenstam, female golfer, 44; Brandon Routh, Superman actor, 35; PJ Harvey, singer, 45.

MANSFIELD town centre has been awarded Purple Flag status for providing revellers with "entertaining, diverse, and safe nights out".

The award, similar to the Blue Flag for beaches, is backed by local government, police and business.

After two visits by assessors from the Association of Town and City Management, as well as the submission of a wide range of evidence, the town was awarded the title.

A team including representatives of the police, district council, Association of Licensed Venues, Business Improvement District (BID) and Mansfield Partnership Against Crime, was set up in 2013 to work towards the award.

Chief Inspector Neil Williams said: "Notts Police work hard, together with our partners, to ensure that people who visit and work in our night time economies are kept safe and the purple flag award is testament to the fact Mansfield is a pleasant place to visit."

Sarah Nelson, of Mansfield BID, said the town would celebrate with an event in the centre next month.

OVER 100 jobs will be on offer at today's Eastwood Jobs Fair, giving job-seekers across Notts the chance to get back into work.

Companies from across the UK will be exhibiting at the event between 10am and 3pm at the Eastwood Post Office, in Nottingham Road, with opportunities ranging from part-time sales staff through to careers in the Armed Forces.

The fair comes after the success of similar events over the summer in West Bridgford, Hucknall, Beeston and Carlton – organised in partnership by the Nottingham Post and Notts County Council.

With over 1,800 people coming through the doors, the leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, Milan Radulovic, was looking forward to an important event for the local economy.

Now, with extra help from the Nottinghamshire Jobcentre Plus, the chance of a dream career could come true for people looking for work in the borough.

Mr Radulovic said: "Both Broxtowe Borough Council and Eastwood Town Council are delighted to be working with the Nottingham Post on today's Jobs Fair.

"People can face many obstacles in finding employment and events like this are incredibly important in helping local people in Eastwood and Broxtowe borough connect with local employers and the job opportunities which are currently available, as well as get valuable advice and support on accessing skills training and apprenticeships."

Among the 14 companies looking for new employees is Avon, looking for self-starters who are able to work hours to suit themselves.

Lynn Kennerell, a sales leader for the firm, in Nuthall, said: "It is a self-employed opportunity, with the obvious jobs the reps that everyone knows about, but we also have party planner and team leader jobs available.

"There are great opportunities for men as well as women as there is such a variety of roles on offer, and it is great for young mums too who can fit it their work around the school run."

Ms Kennerell said the Post's job fairs were a great way for her to find staff and for people to get in front of potential employers.

"We have done a lot of these jobs fairs, from large ones at the Capital FM Arena to smaller ones within the community," she said.

"We like going to the jobs fairs because there is such a captive audience, but we always get a lot of great people to join the company too, with around 50 from the recent Arena one."

The positive experiences of other companies has encouraged new ones to seek out their next star workers through jobs fairs too.

Utility Warehouse – which supplies phone, broadband, gas and electric to homes and businesses – is making its first appearance at the fair in Eastwood.

Steve Smith, a company trainer for Utility Warehouse, said: "It is the first time we have done a jobs fair so we are really excited to see how it goes.

"We are a national company and we need agents across the UK to promote our services.

"We are looking for around two or three part-time people and one or two full-time.

"Nottingham is a great skills base and has a good range of people so we look forward to meeting them."

But for the businesses to find the right staff, it is all about the people who come along, and Nottingham is excited about the new chances jobs fairs bring.

Michael Griesley lives in Bulwell and is currently unemployed. After seeing the advert in the Post for the fair, he was keen to come along and have a look round.

The 26-year-old said: "I've seen it advertised and I think it's a good idea. It gives people the chance to see what jobs are available. It's quite hard to find jobs so it's useful that they're all in one place."

Anna Powell, a student from West Bridgford, agreed the jobs fair was a good chance for people looking for work.

The 21-year-old said: "It's good to have jobs all under one roof in one day.

"I've had friends who have been to them before and they've found them extremely useful and helpful."

As well as getting the chance to meet employers, training organisations, including NAPIT, CT Skills and Catch 22, will be offering options to improve your CV, as well as people to help with filling in application forms.

Post editor Mike Sassi said: "We have been really pleased with the success of the other jobs fairs we held over the summer, so felt the autumn needed a jobs boost too.

"The event will match some top quality businesses with excellent prospective candidates from Eastwood and we hope the pairings will lead to successful working relationships for the future."

CHILDREN at Rise Park Primary School can speak Spanish with confidence – and now they can get help reading the language after a new Hispanic library opened at their school.

The Biblioteca Manuel Mejia Vallejo contains a range of Hispanic children's literature and reference books for pupils and teachers to use.

It was officially opened yesterday by two teachers from the school bearing the same name in Medellin, Colombia.

Ten-year-old pupil Jack Purdy said he was looking forward to using the books, which have been donated from various sources, including the authors themselves.

Jack said: "It is a great idea. We have Spanish lessons and can speak the language pretty well.

"To have the library to actually be able to read the books is very exciting."

Olivia Denison, eight, said: "The library will bring the school together, as we can all use it to help us with the language."

Grace O'Dowd, ten, is also looking forward to using it.

She said: "It is nice to have the visitors from Colombia to open the library. It looks good and has lots of books for us to read."

After the opening of the library yesterday morning by teachers Walter Agudelo Marin and Astrid Ramirez, there was an assembly followed by a traditional British tea party to welcome the guests.

Their school is named after famous Colombian author Manuel Mejia Vallejo.

The teachers will remain at Rise Park Primary for the rest of this week, helping out with a environmental projects.

They have been running recycled bottle workshops, building on an initiative both schools are running called ECO ideas, which emphasises the importance of recycling and reusing items.

Mr Marin said: "The opening of the library, which is named after our school, will no doubt reinforce and inspire the use of Spanish language at Rise Park.

"It is good for the children to have the use of this library, as they can further develop the use of their language and learn about cultures as well."

The library opening follows a visit by two Rise Park teachers to the Manuel Mejia Vallejo School, paid for under the British Council's Connecting Classrooms scheme.

Rise Park head Karen Slack said: "We are very pleased to open the new library and to welcome our visitors."