COREY Neilson says Nottingham Panthers will not be bullied on the ice, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Fife Flyers enforcer Matt Nickerson enjoyed his evening last Saturday as he scored in their 4-3 win and dished out some punishment, particularly to Max Parent.

There was no obvious retaliation against Nickerson, but head coach Neilson says there is no need to recruit a player in the same mould.

He says a fight would not have been necessary if Panthers had made the most of the power play opportunities the giant defenceman gave them.

"I would hope the players are willing to protect themselves and each other and not be bullied. Matt Nickerson was punching Max Parent (pictured)," he said.

"He wasn't punching one of the smaller guys like Lacho (Rob Lachowicz) or Nathan Robinson.

"Max is someone who can fight. He can take care of himself but he chose not to fight him.

"That gave us a great chance to win the game early. If we score on those power plays it could have been game over."

Panthers had a shocking evening on the power play as they failed to score in more than five straight minutes of five on three.

Neilson admits the power play units are yet to fire, but he is convinced the foundations are there for them to make best use of advantages.

"I look at tapes and I see that our power play is as good as anyone's in the league. We move the puck into the zone and set it quickly, better than other teams," he said.

"Our special teams are good and we set up chances. We need to create more clear chances. We need to convert more of them and I believe we will.

"We're not hot at the moment. I still think teams would want our scoring ratio though."

WE are graced on a daily basis by the advancement in technology and how it offers things to improve our lives, but what is the cost to our quality of life?

Technology makes us available 24/7 with no escape from work or commitments. How many times have readers been besieged by people offering an array of all sorts or services and products, usually at the most inconvenient times?

Now we have those who abuse technology for their own personal agenda, from fraud to theft, nuisance to harassment.

The most stressful aspect of it all is the intrusion into our privacy in the name of providing services and products from the use of our technology. I – and, I suspect, a lot of readers – just want to use the technology to ensure we keep in contact with our family and friends.

But unfortunately companies and organisations seeking customers abuse technology to implement systematic calling programmes, trying to sell products and services to some who can ill afford it or stop the abuse.

Technology is available if we require anything to meet our needs, so why the unnecessary intrusion?

TONY MORRIS

Manor Green Walk

Carlton

FOUR men from London have been charged with intending to commit acts of terrorism.

The men are accused of taking an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) militant group and arranging to buy a handgun equipped with a silencer, the BBC reported.

They are charged with conducting "hostile reconnaissance" of a police station and Army barracks in London using Google Street View.

They were charged following arrests in London over the last two weeks. A fifth man has also been charged with a firearms offences.

Tarik Hassane, 21, Suhaib Majeed, 20, Nyall Hamlett, 24, and Momen Motasim, 21, are jointly charged with the intention of committing acts of terrorism between 8 July and 7 October this year.

Nathan Cuffy, 25, also from London, has been charged with two firearms offences.

All five men are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later.

The terror charges also include allegations the four men set up "methods of secret communications" and "entered into covert discussions". They are also accused of discussing the sourcing of a moped, along with where they could store the vehicle in Shepherds Bush, west London.

Police say the men are also accused of viewing and retaining images sent via Instagram of two Met Police officers and two Met police community support officers, and had "graphic images" of the beheading of US journalist Steven Sotloff.

A 26-YEAR-OLD Brazilian security guard who lived with his mother has confessed to murdering 39 people, which would make him one of the world's most prolific killers.

Thiago Henrique Gomes da Rocha was arrested by police in Brazil when they found he was facing trial for stealing the number plate on a motorbike at a supermarket in January, the Daily Mail reported.

After he had been arrested, he confessed to the killings which he put down to the "fury he felt against everything", which only subsided when committing murder.

He shot his victims dead from a motorbike, while "cruising the streets". Among them were 16 women in the city of Goiania.

CAREER criminal Declan Madigan has dodged paying back £26,000 in drug money – after claiming burglars stole it from under his kitchen sink.

A court heard that Madigan, described as a "one-boy crime wave" when he was handed the country's first Asbo in 1999, had made £47,000 in profits from his drug-dealing empire.

Police went after his money through the courts and seized £22,762 from his bank account but were unable to get their hands on the rest.

This was despite Madigan inheriting £75,000 from a relative in 2010.

A proceeds-of-crime hearing at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday was told Madigan, who has committed over 100 crimes, had kept £26,000 under his kitchen sink but it had been stolen.

Madigan, now 27 and in a wheelchair since being paralysed from the chest down in a car accident, is serving an 11-year prison sentence after he persuaded two others to fire shots at a house in Aspley in retribution for a man losing some of his drugs money in 2011.

He admitted possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, two charges of using another person to hide a firearm and three drugs offences.

Madigan's barrister, Michael Evans QC, told the court yesterday his client would have said, if he had given evidence at the hearing, that he kept £26,000 behind the sink and an amount of it was spent on "general living."

Madigan, whose picture as a baby-faced crook once made headlines, claims he does not know where the money has gone.

He did not even report the theft to police, the court heard.

Mr Evans told the judge: "My Lord will understand his relationship with police is not always at the forefront of his mind."

The court heard that a variety of different accounts had been given about where the money was – it had been stolen by masked men in a burglary or by a carer.

Judge Michael Stokes QC ruled that Madigan's benefit from his crimes had been £46,905. But the only amount he had available in the bank was £22,767.02, and that had already been seized.

Madigan, previously of Bulwell and Newark, has committed more than 130 offences in his time, including affray and assaulting police officers.

He appeared via video link in court yesterday from his wheelchair at HM Prison Long Lartin, a Category A men's prison, in the village of South Littleton, Worcestershire.

MANSFIELD Town defender Luke Jones is unlikely to play this season after suffering an Achilles injury in training.

The summer signing had been pencilled in for a comeback from tendonitis in the next couple of weeks, having recently started doing some light jogging.

But the club confirmed he now faces a spell on the sidelines of between 'four to six months'.

Jones has yet to feature for the Stags this term, after returning on a free transfer following a season-long stay with Stevenage.

He adds to a growing absentee list for boss Paul Cox, who was without seven first-team players through injury for this afternoon's clash with Cambridge United, plus suspended skipper Adam Murray.

Chris Clements, John Dempster, Liam Hearn, Ryan Tafazolli, Matt Rhead and Ollie Palmer were all ruled out for one reason or another, with Cox unable to field a full bench at the One Call Stadium.

Only last week, Cox had said of Jones: "He's doing light jogging, but we've got to this stage a number of times and he's had a bit of a relapse. In a way, we want to wrap him up in cotton wool and make sure we're not pushing him too hard."

A SECOND successive stalemate saw Mansfield Town held to a goal-less draw at home to Cambridge United.

Stags had the better of the first half, with plenty of positive play, but struggled to find a creative spark up front.

And it was the visitors who emerged from half-time fired up, only some good saves from Sascha Studer and the woodwork preventing them from grabbing a goal.

The injury problems which have dogged Stags all season struck once again during the week.

Boss Paul Cox was unable to name a full substitutes' bench, with Ollie Palmer sidelined and Alex Fisher coming into the starting line-up in place of Matt Rhead, who suffered a hamstring tear in last week's 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.

On-loan Nottingham Forest keeper Dimitar Evtimov though, was among the subs, after overcoming a groin strain.

But there had been further bad news prior to kick-off, with the news defender Luke Jones is unlikely to play this term due to an Achilles problem.

The absence of Rhead against Cambridge certainly made for a less direct style of play from the Stags, and they strung together some lovely passing moves – much to the delight of the crowd.

Chances though, were not forthcoming in the first half – for either side.

Instead, it was referee Mark Heywood who took centre stage, with four yellow cards dished out in the opening 20 minutes.

Mansfield felt they should have had a penalty before the ten minute mark, when visiting keeper Chris Dunn clattered into Fergus Bell as he looked to latch on to Ritchie Sutton's free-kick.

It was the Stags midfielder however, who went into the referee's notebook.

Less than ten minutes later, Jamie Sendles-White's name went the same way.

The defender went in hard on Richard Tait, sparking a melee as Cambridge players called for him to be sent off.

Heywood settled on a yellow, with Kwesi Appiah also booked for his protesting.

As far as the action went, it was a decent start from Mansfield but they never really looked like breaking the deadlock.

Fisher was well over with a shot on the turn from range, while Simon Heslop at least found the target from a free-kick, but fired straight at Dunn.

There was some lovely link-up play between Bell, Rakish Bingham and Fisher; the former two playing some delightful passes to their team-mate, who just couldn't get a shot away.

And just before the break, it was Cambridge who almost snatched the lead.

Ryan Donaldson's corner took a deflection and was cleared off the line by Bell, with Liam Hughes finding the woodwork at the far post.

Kieron Freeman looked to give the hosts something to build on going into the interval, trying to send Bingham's cross back across goal, only for the visitors to clear, while Fisher drove wide before the whistle.

The latter found himself clean through moments into the second half and looped a crossfield ball over towards his strike partner.

Bingham did well to reach it, but was unable to make the most of the opportunity, sending his effort well wide.

After a quiet start, United then sprung into life as Appiah went close three times in the space of five minutes.

Studer intervened on the first two occasions.

Appiah's shot from outside the box looked to be heading for the far bottom corner, but the Stags keeper, brilliantly got down to his left and got fingertips to it.

And Studer followed that up by stopping the front man's downward header on the line, following a corner.

He had the woodwork to thank with 58 minutes gone though, as the Cambridge forward fired a venomous low drive on to the post.

The home side had yet to get going in the second half and were coming under increasing pressure at the back.

Appiah was at the heart of much of the visitors' attacking play, threading a ball through to Ryan Donaldson, who scuffed his effort wide.

The best Mansfield had to offer was a nice ball from Bell which almost let Bingham in, but Cambridge dealt with the threat before the forward could pull the trigger.

Studer was called upon again as the match entered the final ten minutes, pushing away a good effort from Liam Hughes, but his team had defended well in the second half and deservedly hung on for a point.

MANSFIELD: Studer, Sutton, Riley, Sendles-White, Beevers, Heslop, McGuire, Bell (Taylor 86), Freeman, Fisher, Bingham. Subs not used: Evtimov, Lambe, Marsden, Thomas.

CAMBRIDGE: Dunn, Tait, Nelson, Coulson, Taylor (Chadwick 80), Champion, Simpson (Dunk 56), Hughes, Donaldson, Appiah, Elliott. Subs not used: Norris, Lanzoni, Lennon, Bird, Naylor.

ATTENDANCE: 2,925 (410 away).

The Nottingham accent is very distinctive and different from the rest.

We found this video featuring four different Nottinghamshire people taking the famous Accent Challenge.

What's your favourite Nottingham word? Let us know in the comments below...

The saying 'let your imagination run wild' was put into play at the Nottingham Festival of Words as visitors were encouraged to make-up stories based on museum artefacts.

Since the start of this week, dozens of writers from across the globe have been taking part in discussions, readings and performances at the festival.

On Saturday, visitors were encouraged to take part in the 'Nottinghamshire's stories' event, where they chose an item from a table, and created their own tale.

Festival board member Anne McDonnell said it didn't matter if the person was right or wrong with the story, it was about inspiring them to get their creative juices flowing.

She said: "It is about thinking of the story behind the items. A lot of people have been picking up a replica of a Roman Brooch and saying that it was from a soldier who was fighting at war in a different country, but they didn't know why. They thought it was something that his lover has given to him.

"I don't I would have chosen that story, I thought it might have been a woman's brooch, but they are all equally valid."

The festival, set up with a £15,000 Arts Council Grant, is organised by the Nottingham Festival of Words group in conjunction with a range of partners, including both of the universities.

Its focus, as the name suggests, is based around the exploration of the spoken word at a range of events throughout the city.

Ms McDonnell added that she hopes that the event - now in its second year - will continue for many years to come.

She added: "Nottingham is a great place for the Festival of Words because it is a very creative place. We have had some really interesting speakers and there's been some good discussions with the audiences.

"To say this is the second event I think it is doing well. The feedback has been positive."

The objects on display were all from Nottingham City Museums and Galleries' 11,000-strong 'Access Artefacts' collection.

Simon Brown, Nottingham City Museums and Galleries' artefact loans officer, was also helping people create stories through objects.

He said: "Everyone has been drawn to a different object. We have one object, called a mystery statue, that we don't know anything about.

"It is great because it triggers different stories. One person said she had seen that style of statue in India, and another said it could be the Virgin Mary. It just goes to show that one object can mean something to everybody.

"The festival is still in its infancy but you can see the potential. I think it is a fantastic thing to bring people together to share and learn."

Sunday is the last day of the event. For the programme see www.nottswords.org.uk.

Concerns that fracking could come to Nottinghamshire have been highlighted in a flash mob by campaigners.

Shoppers stopped in their tracks when they saw a performance being carried out in the Old Market Square on Saturday.

It was organised by Frack Free Nottinghamshire to express their fears that fracking could come to the county, and to get more people to sign their petition against it.

Onlooker John Andrews, of Carlton, said anything to raise awareness of the controversial method of gas and oil extraction is good.

The process usually involves a mixture of water, sand and some chemicals that is pumped into a well under high pressure to force gas from shale rock.

The 55-year-old scientist said: "I have seen a number of programmes on TV about it and I don't think people actually know the results that will come from it.

"I think the major concern is upsetting the water table, and the volume of water that is used to operate with. If that gets into our drinking water then it is obviously going to be toxic. It could cause cancer, it could cause anything, and that's what no-one really knows.

In the UK, the use of fracking was halted in 2011 after some minor earthquakes near Blackpool were attributed to test wells being drilled by energy company Cuadrilla Resources Ltd.

Amy Britton, 27, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, was another passer-by to sign the petition.

She said: "I have been against fracking since it has been in the media. Have they got proof of how it's going to benefit people? All the research I have read has showed the negative impact that fracking will have on the environment and to communities."

One of the organisers of the flash mob, Ellie Mitchell, said the event attracted at least another 40 people to sign the petition.

The 30-year-old, of Forest Fields, said: "I feel strongly about protecting our county against fracking and the risks that are involved.

"We wanted to do this to raise awareness in the city because, although it is not necessarily going to come to the Old Market Square, a lot of people don't know the impacts. The number of signatures we have collected today is absolutely brilliant."

The campaign already has 790 petitions and will be given Nottinghamshire County Council, calling on it to take action against fracking.

A spokesman for IGas told the Post in September: "We have a number of licensed sites in Nottinghamshire and we have conducted seismic tests. There are no planning applications prepared to be submitted."

What do you think of fracking? Tell us below

Hurricane Gonzalo has downed power lines, damaged buildings and caused flooding in Bermuda. 

The hurricane - believed to be the strongest Atlantic storm since 2010 - reached Bermuda on Friday night, with heavy rain and 110mph winds. 

Although it caused no major injuries, it left more than 31,000 homes without power, and ripped up dozens of trees. 

It is now making its way the the UK, where it is expected to bring heavy downpours and 40mph winds to Nottinghamshire by Monday night. 

On Tuesday, rain is predicted for most of the day. 

Met Office spokesperson Mark Wilson said: "Although the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo will move to the UK, it is unlikely it will bring extreme conditions. The weather will be very typical of this time of year so nothing exceptional by any means.

"But because it is still a few days away, things could change. We advise people to keep an eye out on the Met Office website in case there are any weather warnings."

Later in the week, Wednesday and Thursday is expected to remain dry, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 15C. 

STUART Pearce says he is disappointed for his Nottingham Forest players – because they failed to do themselves justice at Cardiff.

The Reds lost for the first time in the Championship this season, as Cardiff City marked the appointment of new manager, Russell Slade, with a 2-1 home win.

Goals from Federico Macheda and Peter Whittingham put the home side in control before half time and, while Britt Assombalonga's 89^th minute strike provided late hope, the Reds could not claw their way back.

The Forest manager admitted the performance had been disappointing and admitted they had deserved their first League defeat of the campaign.

"On the day we were not good enough, from 1 to 11 and I am disappointed. I am disappointed for the players, because they have not done themselves credit," said Pearce.

"The fighting spirit was there in the final five minutes, but over 90 minutes we were disappointed. We are disappointed to have been beaten in the game because I felt that, had we been able to up our tempo a little bit, we might even have won it, never mind just have got ourselves back into it.

"We have to learn by this, we have to show the quality and desire that we have previously this season."

Forest head to Watford on Tuesday looking to bounce back with a win – but will face another tough challenge. But Pearce says he will be keeping a level head.

"We have had a reasonable start to the season. But I will say the same thing that I have always said: Judge us at the end of the season," he said."This was a tough game, but the result was more about what we did than what the opposition did."

Nottingham's two Michelin-starred restaurant Sat Bains has been ranked sixth in the Sunday Times 100 Top Restaurants.

The Lenton Lane venue was ranked tenth last year, and is the only Nottingham restaurant to appear in the list.

Specialising in modern British cuisine, diners can enjoy dishes such as Goosnargh duck with fermented carrot and salted plum and blackberries, thyme and lemon verbena.

The Top Restaurants guide describes the food at Sat Bains as "sometimes baffling, often entertaining and always quite delicious". 

It adds: "His [Chef Sat Bains] aim, he says, is to leave guests "sated, fulfilled and intellectually stimulated" - and his reward has been a steady rise on our list's rankings."

Other recent accolades for Sat Bains include being ranked sixth in Trip Advisor's Top 50 Travellers' Choice fine-dining restaurant awards, and being names one of the UK's top ten restaurants in the Good Food Guide in August. 

It was also awarded Hotel of the Year in the Gourmet Bolthole category at the Food and Travel Readers Awards.

The list is compiled with Harden's, a long-established restaurant guide, and is based on 70,000 reviews from more than 6,000 consumers. 

Also featured in the list is Hambleton Hall, in Rutland, run by Tim Hart, owner of Hart's Restaurant in Nottingham.

NOTTINGHAM Forest suffered their first Championship defeat under Stuart Pearce, as they paid the price for some uncharacteristically generous defending.

Cardiff claimed a first victory under new boss Russell Slade, as firstly Federico Macheda and then Peter Whittingham carved out wide open spaces in the Reds defence before finding the back of the net.

Forest did not look like clawing their way back until the final stages, when a late rally had the home side on the back foot. But, while Britt Assombalonga pulled one back in the 89^th minute, the visitors could not find a second goal to draw themselves level.

And it was those two goals in the space of five first half minutes that ultimately decided the game, leaving boss Pearce to face his first League loss as Reds boss.

Forest will also head to Watford on Tuesday night without influential midfielder Henri Lansbury, who will be suspended, after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign.

The television cameras had descended on South Wales in the hope of an entertaining contest and, in the opening stages, it looked as though they were going to get one.

Anthony Pilkington forced a slightly awkward but still successful save from Karl Darlow with a driven, powerful 25-yard strike that the Forest keeper managed to push away.

Almost immediately, the Reds – who had named an unchanged side from the one that had drawn 2-2 with Ipswich prior to the international break - hit on the counter and tested David Marshall's reactions, with Matty Fryatt hitting an instant shot that was bound for the bottom corner, until the keeper got down well to push it around the foot of the post.

Forest were forcing a short spell of pressure, with a dangerous cross from Assombalonga cleared from the goal mouth after eluding the grasp of Marshall towards the near post.

When Michail Antonio closed down Bruno Manga on the edge of the box, the winger was able to block his clearance and, for a split second, it looked as though the deflection was bouncing towards goal, but it ended up flying well wide, with Marshall looking on with a little relief.

Chris Burke, the former Cardiff player, demonstrated his threat with a mazy run that took him into a dangerous position on the right, but his cross was well cleared at the near post by Sean Morrison. When Fryatt drove down the centre, it gave Burke another chance to deliver from the right, but Morrison again cleared, at the expense of a corner.

Burke was looking lively and, after leaving two Cardiff players for dead again, he saw a powerful shot beat Marshall, but cleared off the line by Craig Noone.

Less than a minute later, the home side were to take the lead. Federico Macheda was given too much space on the edge of the box, allowing him to carry the ball into the area and slot a simple finish beyond an exposed Darlow and inside the post. It was poor defending from the visitors, who allowed the former Manchester United striker the freedom of Cardiff.

Cardiff's first goal had come in the 22 minute. Their second arrived only five minutes later, as Forest found themselves with a mountain to climb, if they wanted to preserve their unbeaten start to the campaign.

It was Whittingham, a man Forest had pursued for some time earlier in his Cardiff career, who was to inflict the damage, as he engineered the room in which to pull the trigger from the edge of the box. His finish was even more emphatic, as he found the bottom corner with pace and accuracy, leaving Darlow helpless.

Forest suddenly looked shell shocked and nervous, while Cardiff were brimming with confidence. At this point, the priority was for the Reds to make it to half time without conceding again.

Wilson was booked for a clumsy foul as Forest looked to regain some defensive solidity, while Burke and Antonio had swapped flanks, in the run up to the interval, in the hope of carving out an opening at the other end.

But, while the Reds were doing better at holding on to the ball, opportunities were hard to come by. Although Assombalonga might have had a corner when his far post header, from a Jack Hunt cross, seemed to take an obvious deflection.

Referee Michael Jones was making some dubious decisions, with Assombalonga also denied a clear free kick – but the visitors could only have themselves to blame as they went in at half time with a two-goal deficit to close, following some poor defending that was totally out of character for the side that had conceded only two goals in their previous four outings.

Forest began with a sense of purpose after the break, with Antonio trying his luck with a low shot, although it was always well off target after the winger had pulled his effort slightly.

But Darlow had to make a save, in brilliant fashion, to prevent Sean Morrison from extending the home side's lead even further, with a close range header.

After being booked for a late challenge, Lansbury was soon substituted by Forest, with David Vaughan coming on. It was the midfielder's fifth yellow card of the campaign, earning him a one-match ban.

Forest thought, for a split second, that they had pulled a goal back after Antonio had forced a smart reaction save from Marshall, with a crisp shot, but Assombalonga was ruled to be in an offside position when he forced home the loose ball –television replays suggested that it was a marginal, but correct, decision.

That, perhaps, was not a clear, easy decision for the officials to make. But Burke was unlucky not to win a free kick when he had his heels clipped on the edge of the box, as he made dangerous progress.

Forest threw caution to the wind by replacing defender Hunt with striker Lars Veldwijk off the bench, with just less than 14 minutes to play.

Assombalonga did pull a goal back in the 89^th minute, driving the ball powerfully into the back of the net after Antonio had done brilliantly to find the room to deliver a cross from the right.

But, amid a bizarre finale that saw Antonio frustrated by Cardiff's refusal to allow him to use the same towel that Aron Gunnarsson had been using to dry the ball ahead of his long throw-ins, Forest could not find a second goal.

Cardiff: Marshall, Brayford, Manga, Whittingham, Le Fondre, Noone, Macheda (Jones 62), Gunnarsson (Adeyemi 66 (Daehli 70)), Pilkington, Ralls, Sean Morrison. Subs: Moore, John, Maynard, Gabbidon.

Forest: Darlow, Hunt (Veldwijk 77), Mancienne, Wilson, Lichaj (Harding 45), Tesche, Burke, Lansbury (Vaughan 57), Antonio, Fryatt, Assombalonga. Subs: de Vries, Veldwijk, Lascelles, Blackstock, Osborn.

Referee: Michael Jones

MANSEY Common is a fascinating site with a wonderful mix of natural and cultural heritage value. It is a haven for wildlife but what sets it apart is the agreement by which Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust manages it.

As its name suggests, Mansey Common is a piece of common land – but while many such areas are no longer technically "common" land, Mansey is still subject to grazing rights held by local residents – known as "toft holders". Over the years, as less and less people exercised these rights, the common became overgrown, with considerable amounts of scrub woodland developing in place of the precious grassland.

Close to the village of Eakring, the site has been managed by the trust for two decades. Mansey is one of dozens of sites which benefits from the trust's conservation grazing programme, and today the grazing rights of the "commoners" are exercised by the trust.

While machinery has been brought in over the past couple of years to speed up the grassland restoration work, the job of keeping Mansey's grassland in good order now falls to our English long-horn and Dexter cattle, and our Hebridean sheep.

The common supports a range of grasses and wild flowers, and while much of the scrub has been removed, numerous mature oaks and hawthorn trees have been retained.

Great burnet, betony, dyer's greenweed and knapweed are just a few of the colourful but scarce plants to be found on the common, while the dumble which runs along one side of the reserve is dominated by mature trees and is a haven for flowers.

How to get there: Mansey Common is accessible from Eakring by the public footpath forming part of the Robin Hood Way (SK 683608). If you are using a sat-nav, enter NG22 8PA.