THREE drug dealers have been jailed after police smelt cannabis in their car.

Wasim Akbar, 18, of Baldwin Court, Radford, Aqeeb Hussain, 19, of Grant Street, Radford, and Asad Asif, 23, of Eskdale Drive, Aspley, were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday October 17.

The trio received five and a half years between them, with Akbar sentenced to two years in a young offenders' institution and Asif handed 18 months in jail.

Hussain was given two years in prison and also convicted of supplying and possession of cannabis on a separate charge, and sentenced to a further one year one month to run concurrently.

They each pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and convicted of possession with intent to supply MDMA.

All three were caught by police on Sunday March 9 when officers saw them acting suspiciously. Police stopped a car which smelt strongly of cannabis off Ilkeston Road at 12.20am.

They were arrested after police found all three with large cash bundles and three wraps of MDMA powder.

Further searches revealed the trappings of a drug dealing business, with 250g of MDMA, cannabis and business cards linked to Hussain in Akbar's car.

Evidence from seized phones showed that they were supplying drugs across Nottingham city centre, The Meadows, Radford, Beeston and Wollaton.

PC Tom Andrews, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This result came about as a result of a routine traffic stop, which led to the occupants being stopped and searched.

"Stop and search is a contentious issue, but this shows that if used correctly it can have a beneficial outcome for our communities.

"In this case three drug dealers have been given significant custodial sentences, taking them and their drugs off the streets of Nottingham.

"Akbar stated that an addiction to cannabis and a debt to a drug dealer had led to his involvement. This shows that any drug can, and does, lead on to more serious criminality."

Any money proven to have been earned by the men selling drugs will be invested back into the community by the force.

The Subways - Leeds & Reading acoustic backstage 2008 on MUZU.TV. For fans of the 2009 Empire EP featuring ex-lead vocalist Craig Mabbitt and current lead vocalist Tyler 'Telle' Smith, new album REAL went down a treat maintaining TWA's classic heavy breakdown and catchy-chorus led style. Tracks The Runaway, Glass Castle and Light House left the lively crowd satisfied at the live album performance.

Shiver me timbers! It be 20 years since the opening of an "invaluable" Gedling playgroup, which invited a pirate entertainer to celebrate its anniversary.

Dozens of young mateys sang nursery rhymes and had balloons made for them at All Hallows Parent and Toddler Group's celebrations at its Memorial Hall base in Main Street on Tuesday morning.

Former volunteers joined current organisers Sara Grimbley and Vicky Dukes at the party, which also featured parachute games, a treasure hunt and raffle.

Mum-of-two Leanne Smith brings her son Michael, three, to the group from East Bridgford every Tuesday.

She said: "It's been absolutely lovely to celebrate 20 years of the group. The pirate entertainer has made Michael a balloon sword, which he loves and they've been doing some games to keep them entertained."

Leanne drives 25 minutes from her home in Croft Rise to bring Michael along now her five-year-old daughter Sophia has moved on to school at St Peter's Primary in East Bridgford.

"We've tried loads of different playgroups," said Leanne. "But this one is the best. The kids love it because they've got lots of great toys and all the parents are really friendly."

Childminder Jo Fisher, of St Austin's Drive, Gedling, brings three children to the weekly sessions after her own daughter Lola, five, went to All Hallows.

"It's an invaluable resource for the community and deserves its recognition," said Jo, 37.

"The kids have great fun. There are toys for all different age groups, with slides and balls for the older ones to rattles and touchy-feely toys for the little ones.

"I bring the children here to help them socialise with others their age, which is crucial to their development."

Jo praised the work of Sara and Vicky, who she said are always quick to offer support with any parenting problems or issues that mums and dads run into.

"There are a lot of young parents and there is always that level of support. It's like a whole little community," said Jo.

Sara Grimbley said the group welcomes upwards of 30 young children up to the age of five each week from 9.30am to 11am.

"It's been really good fun to celebrate the 20th year like this. There's fun and games and crafts for the children with party food to keep their stomach's happy.

"It's always well attended and was always a busy playgroup over the years. We've also loved having some of the ex-volunteers back with us today to celebrate."

THE ambulance service for Nottinghamshire has failed to meet its targets for responding to the most serious emergency calls.

East Midlands Ambulance Service is supposed to respond to Red1 and Red2 calls - which include people having strokes and heart attacks - within eight minutes 75 per cent of the time.

But newly released figures show the service only hit their target time for 73 per cent of 999 calls. In Nottinghamshire, 74 per cent of Red1 calls and 72 per cent of Red2 calls were responded to within the target time. Elsewhere, ambulances reached patients in Lincolnshire within target times but performance dropping significantly in Northamptonshire.

In October of last year the service was called to a risk summit with local health chiefs after concerns were raised over performance and patient safety. Since then performance levels have improved with the service hitting all targets for the first quarter of this financial year.

The service is expected to discuss plans for a restructure of ambulance stations across the East Midlands at a private board meeting on October 30.

A university student's dreams of a career in the law could be over after he was jailed for drunkenly slapping a sleeping woman's face with his flaccid penis.

Criminology student John Luke Dale, 21, took advantage of the woman after she fell asleep at digs in Nottingham last year.

As a friend filmed the act with a mobile phone, the Nottingham Trent University student stripped to his boxers and attacked her.

But his behaviour did not come to light until later when the pal showed the video to workmates and the police were called.

Dale, of Abbeydale Grove, Monkston, Milton Keynes, admitted sexual assault and was jailed for nine months at Nottingham Crown Court in September.

On October 21, lawyers tried to overturn the sentence at the Court of Appeal, but three top judges rejected their case, leaving Dale's law career hopes in tatters.

In a victim impact statement, the unidentified victim said the incident had made her feel violated.

She was worried that the video might still get into others' hands.

'It makes me think that it could still be out there in someone's possession and that anyone could have it,' she said.

'Knowing that it could exist petrifies me.'

Dale's barrister, Trevor Burke QC, argued that his sentence was too tough and claimed that Dale had received no sexual gratification from the act.

'What it was was a stupid drunken incident that lasted a very brief period of time, where he slaps his flaccid penis on the head of a sleeping woman,' he said.

'It was extremely unpleasant, but not driven by any sexual motivation on his part.'

The student had done everything he could to mitigate the offence, vowing to keep away from the university until his victim had graduated, he said.

He had moved back to his family home, where he was being kept under curfew by his parents and working for his dad to earn money to pay the victim compensation.

Potentially losing his studies and hopes of a career as a solicitor were additional punishments which meant a prison sentence could have been avoided, Mr Burke continued.

Rejecting the appeal, Judge Alistair McCreath, sitting with Lord Justice McCombe and Mr Justice Spencer, said the offence had caused the woman 'obvious and significant distress'.

'One can see in stark form the distress caused to the victim of this offence and the continuing nature of it,' he said.

'The sentence which the judge imposed cannot possibly be wrong in principle.

'She struck a balance between the mitigating and aggravating factors and exercised her judgement in a manner which was open to her.'

Bulwell High Road closed. RTC involving bus and pedal cyclist. Police on scene. Road closed. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/11weXiXRCG

— Notts Roads Policing (@NottsRPU) October 22, 2014

Ashley Carter from the city centre looks at why smokers choose to keep on puffing away

BILL Hicks used to tell a joke about Yul Brynner and the anti-smoking adverts he made, which were released after his death from lung cancer.

He drew a comparison between the actor, who died aged 65, and running enthusiast Jim Fixx, who died only a few months before at the age of 52. His point was that the absence of activities like smoking and drinking from your life are no guarantee of longevity.

Recent statistics on addiction have shown that smoking 20 cigarettes a day cuts a decade off your life, whereas drinking more than two alcoholic beverages a day will shave 23 years off the life expectancy of an alcoholic.

While I would never recommend an increase in either activity to anyone I knew, I would hesitate to suggest they stop, either.

The dangers of smoking and alcohol consumption have been common knowledge for long enough. As with most things in life that are fun, you have to decide yourself how much you enjoy it compared to the damage it could do.

I don't want to live forever; the thought of that terrifies me more than dying.

I have been a smoker, although have recently made the change to the awful, mouth-drying electronic cigarettes. Although the decision was partly motivated by health concerns, I don't fear getting cancer, or any other disease that comes with smoking.

To a child, adulthood feels like some intangible fantasy. You sense that at some point you will suddenly evolve into the same form of human your parents embody.

But the older you get, the more acutely aware you become that you remain exactly who you always are; the years just pass by at ever-increasing speed. The lines in your face increase, but the same two eyes stare back at you every single day.

It is this fact that makes decisions like drinking and smoking increasingly more important. There comes a point when you are forced to choose just what it is you are going to regret when you are older. The thought of not living my life as I want to terrifies me a lot more than any downsides that smoking or alcohol can bring.

So although both smoking and drinking will have an adverse effect on your health, the fact remains that both activities are enormous fun. If it came down to a straight trade-off between smoking for the rest of my life, and an extra decade at the end of it, I'd probably roll the dice.

LOW 'n' slow is the motto at Jim's Smokehouse, where the food is finger-lickin' good.

Push the cutlery aside when sinking your teeth into sticky chicken wings or juicy spare ribs – served as a rack, an impressive foot long.

Mouth-watering barbecue ribs, chicken, beef and pork are dry-rubbed, left overnight, and smoked on hickory wood for 12-16 hours to replicate that intense barbecued flavour of Texas in middle England.

To achieve this, a smoker has been brought all the way from the US to the Hockley restaurant's kitchen.

It's just 12 days since the venture opened – and the first Saturday's rush of customers took owner Prashant "PJ" Jaiswal by surprise.

"We ran out of food early in the evening because I wasn't expecting it to be as busy as it was and had to turn a lot of people away.

"If there's more people on the door, you can't just take some food out of the fridge and start cooking it," says PJ.

"The smoker is where the whole magic happens. It is a very slow process of smoking the food and, at the same time, cooking the food as well, very slowly and on a very low temperature for a long time."

Cooking time varies depending on the cut of meat. Chicken and ribs take around 12 hours but for joints of beef brisket and pork shoulder, it's more like 16.

From the smoker come three types of ribs: St Louis (the most meaty), baby back (tender and tasty) and thick-cut belly – all coated in a tangy homemade barbecue sauce.

Ribs not your thing? There's beef brisket, spicy pulled pork and barbecue chicken – which, the menu informs diners, is fully cooked and the pink tint is from the wood smoke.

Accompanied by a generous bowl of colourful red cabbage and carrot coleslaw and fries, these dishes aren't for the faint-hearted.

"In their feedback, people were amazed by the portion sizes. It is more than they were expecting," says PJ.

For something lighter, meat-filled hoagies (a submarine sandwich) are a popular option.

Burger-lovers can have their fill on a ribeye steak in a bun, a hog patty with maple sugar or the Wild Wild West, a giant tower of meatiness made up of a homemade cheeseburger, beef brisket, pulled pork, bacon, fried onions and onion rings.

For extra flavour all the tables have smokin' barbecue sauces. Choose from sweet, hot and tangy or mustard.

The surroundings are casual and relaxed. Think American diner (mismatched plastic seats and plastic sauce bottles) with an edgy industrial feel (from the floorboards and wood on the walls).

The restaurant is located in the very first home of Red Hot World Buffet, in Goose Gate, before it became the huge national operation it is today.

PJ was its operations director at that time and oversaw the move to the prime spot it has today in Nottingham's Cornerhouse.

He decided to go it alone and last year, back at Goose Gate, opened his first solo venture, Rakono, a multi-cuisine grill offering Chinese, Indian, Thai and Italian. But, he says, the food wasn't different enough to stand out among so much competition in the city.

This is why he's so excited about Jim's Smokehouse.

"I believe Nottingham was waiting for something like this.

"I have been in this industry for the last 13-14 years, working for big hotel chains and restaurant groups, and I was looking for something quite unique in terms of the taste.

"Smoking the meat is very different to grilling it. There is a lot of depth – it's a completely different taste."

At the moment, there's not a massive choice for vegetarians except for bigger versions of starters of nachos, hush puppies (savory fried balls), taco sliders (with chilli beans) and jalapeno flamers (chilli peppers stuffed with chipotle cheese).

"We're looking at incorporating more vegetarian options; maybe a hoagie with chilli beans and veggie burger," says PJ, who studied hospitality in Birmingham.

As time goes on, specials of chicken breast with Cajun sauce and tiger prawns will be added to the menu.

The 105-seater restaurant has wide appeal, attracting office workers, students and families.

PJ says: "Everyone loves a barbecue when the weather permits but at the same time, when the sunny weather goes away, people can come here for a good barbecue indoors with nice juicy meats.

"People are always looking for something new and it's all about bringing the authenticity as well. This is fantastic food and there's nothing like this in Nottingham, so let's bring it on."

Customers Pat and Ade Ford, who have travelled Route 66 in America, say the restaurant could give Wyoming hot spot Cassie's Bar a run for its money.

"The chicken was so succulent with a hint of smoke on the shin – utterly delicious. The ribs were meaty and so tasty," they say.

Jim's Smokehouse, open Tuesday to Sunday, will be opening from 12pm for lunch as well as in the evening and all day Sunday. Telephone 0115 9241742.

STUART Pearce may not have got the win he hoped for, but he got the performance he had demanded, as Nottingham Forest demonstrated their character to earn an encouraging point at in-form Watford.

The Reds boss had demanded an improved display, after seeing his side surrender their unbeaten start to the campaign at Cardiff with their worst performance of the campaign so far.

But Forest's determination not to be beaten came to the fore once more, as Michail Antonio twice found the back of the net to cancel out goals from Odion Aghalo and Matej Vydra and secure a 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road.

It may only have been enough to earn them a point, but this was the kind of response Pearce would have wanted, as Forest gave the side that had started the evening at the top of the Championship table a tough game.

Forest were forced into one change, with Henri Lansbury suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign amid a frustrating afternoon in Cardiff, but Pearce made three in total, as he looked to bounce back from that defeat in South Wales. David Vaughan and Ben Osborn were both brought into midfield, while Dan Harding slotted in at left back, with Jack Hunt and Matty Fryatt dropping to the bench.

This meant a reshuffle in formation, with Forest fielding an extra man in midfield to help combat an ambitious Watford approach that saw them adopt a hugely fluid 4-3-3, with a dangerous attacking trio led by Matej Vydra, supported by Odion Ighalo and Fernando Forestieri.

It was Forest who threatened first, with Eric Lichaj – switched over to right back after starting at left back in recent games – delivering a cross from out wide, which former Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes flapped at slightly, under pressure from Britt Assombalonga, with Antonio just failing to make contact when stretching a foot out desperately at the far post.

It was Karl Darlow who had to make the first save of the game, right in front of the travelling fans, with Forestieri connecting perfectly with a 25-yard effort that the keeper parried well.

Forest were set up to hit their hosts on the break, with Lichaj happy to get forward in support of Chris Burke down the right side and Antonio his usual physical presence down the left. The former Sheffield Wednesday winger almost carved out an opening goal when he rampaged into the box and let fly with a cross-shot that Gomes did well to pounce on at his near post.

A foul on Lichaj then gave Vaughan a chance to deliver a whipped in free kick which almost sneaked inside the far post – and would have done if not for a deflection off a defender that took it narrowly wide.

A flurry of quick Watford passing left Forest looking on as Vydra ghosted clear through the centre, but Darlow was impressively quick off his line to block, as the striker connected with a low shot.

Assombalonga drew a foul on the far side to give Vaughan a chance to fire in another free kick, this time picking out defender Kelvin Wilson, but he sent his header looping over after stooping to connect.

But it was the home side who were to take the lead. Vydra had provided a warning shot of sorts, forcing a fine save from Darlow following a fine passing move from the Hornets. And Watford maintained a spell of pressure, after the resulting corner. When Almen Abdi crossed from the left, Gianni Munari provided a beautiful flick on with his heel in the centre, leaving Ighalo with the task of converting from close range, which he did with aplomb.

That goal came in the 29th minute and, two minutes later, Forest were level, following fine work from Antonio. The winger picked up possession on the left side and simply launched himself towards goal, leaving more than one Watford player in his wake before calmly slotting the ball beyond the advancing Gomes.

Gianni Munari flashed a shot wide of the post following more patient build up from the hosts, as they looked to restore their advantage.

A controversial moment came before half time, as Vydra went down on the edge of the box, having run across the front of Mancienne. It was clever play from the striker, who did have his heels clipped, but seemed to be looking for the free kick. But what followed was more unsavoury, as the majority of the Watford players furiously surrounded referee Dean Whitestone, to demand a red card. In the end, it was a yellow card flashed by the match official.

There was still more work to do for Darlow before the break, as he continued his personal battle with Forestieri, this time palming away brilliantly, diving to his right, after the Italian had bent a shot towards the far post.

Watford had to make a change five minutes into the second half, with Abdi seemingly having collected an injury and being replaced by Sean Murray. But it did little to halt their momentum as, within two minutes, they were ahead again.

Vydra was the man at the centre of things as he went down under a sliding challenge from Wilson. If referee Whitestone had let Forest off the hook in the first half, he did not this time, as he pointed to the spot almost instantly. Vydra was equally decisive, firing powerfully to Darlow's left to make it 2-1.

Harding was almost the unlikely source for an equaliser, following a fine run and left footed shot that was only just wide, after taking a deflection off a Watford boot. While Tesche too was not afraid to have a go, missing the target by only a foot or so with a swerving 25-yard effort.

Forest did pull themselves level again, however – and in spectacular fashion. It was Antonio who netted his second of the game – but it was Burke who was the architect, as he produced a superb run down the right side, carrying the ball 60 yards, beating two Watford players, before sending a perfect cross to the far post, where Antonio headed powerfully home from a few yards out.

Suddenly it was Forest who were full of confidence, with a Mancienne header deflected wide from a corner and Assombalonga lifting a shot over the bar when he had more time to find his range. But, with Vydra testing Darlow once more before the final whistle, it felt like a good point for the visitors.

Watford: Gomes, Muinari, Ekstrand, Tozser, Forestieri, Parades, Pudil, Vydra, Abdi (Murray 50), Ighalo (Deeney 65), Bassong (Hoban 85). Subs: Bond, Doyley, Anya, Dyer.

Forest: Darlow, Lichaj, Mancienne, Wilson, Harding, Tesche, Vaughan, Burke, Osborn, Antonio, Assombalonga (Fryatt 90). Subs: de Vries, Fox, Lascelles, Hunt, Paterson, Blackstock.

Referee: Dean Whitestone. The penalty seemed slightly soft when Vydra went down under a challenge from Wilson, but Mancienne could also have been sent off for clipping the heels of the striker when he had been clean through.

Man of match: Michail Antonio. The winger's two goals helped Forest twice come from behind amid a dramatic clash between two sides hoping to challenge for promotion.

TWO schoolgirls have become 'best friends forever' without knowing they started their lives vying against each other to win The Post's Baby of the Year competition.

Photos of the eight-year-old pair from Gedling – Kaira Belshaw and Molly Benner – appeared side by side in the newspaper back in 2006, with both the children and parents being total strangers.

But when they started at Stanhope Primary School, they were put into the same class and became firm friends – only for their mums to later discover an old copy of the newspaper in the loft revealing the strange coincidence.

"It was just so spooky," said Molly's mum Barbara, who teaches music at the girl's school on Keyworth Road.

"We found the paper a couple of months ago and could not get over the fact the kids who were now having sleepovers together were put next to each other.

"I didn't even know Kaira's mum until she started school here and to find out they were next to each other in the photos was such a shock and weird coincidence!"

Kaira and Molly first met in nursery, but it was when they reached junior school that their friendship blossomed.

Theatre fanatic Molly said: "I really liked her because she was really funny and kind when I wanted to play with her. Now we are best friends forever."

And book-loving Kaira said her buddy was great fun, adding: "She always makes me laugh and we just love spending time together."

The duo share a love of singing and dancing, especially when it comes to their biggest passion – One Direction.

"Liam is definitely my favourite," said Kaira. "He is just really nice."

But Molly added: "I like him the best because his birthday is just after my dad's!"

So how many friendships can be born out of this year's Baby of the Year contest?

Submissions for pictures online or by post closes at 5pm today and the top 80 contestants will be revealed on Monday, November 10.

A winner is expected the following week so keep your eyes peeled for The Post and perhaps pictures of best friends of the future.

THE biggest cities in the country, including Nottingham, should be given more powers to boost the economy, a report has suggested.

The City Growth Commission's 12 month report has found that fifteen Boris Johnson-style mayors should head "super-city regions" which would have control over taxes, transport, business rates and higher education.

Nottingham City Council leader Jon Collins said: "

"UK cities already contribute more than a quarter of the combined wealth of England, Wales and Scotland, but as this report says, they have a proud industrial heritage and the knowledge and expertise to do far more.

"Given new freedoms, we estimate that the UK's core cities and their surrounding urban areas could create more than one million jobs and inject over £200bn into our economy over the next 15 years. That's the equivalent of adding Denmark to UK plc."

But Milan Radulovic, leader of Broxtowe Borough Council has some concerns about the report's findings.

He said: "There's always a concern the districts will be left behind and this needs to be looked at.

"The vitality of a city is dependent on outside areas. This needs to be debated more thoroughly."

He added: "There needs to be a greater discussion on devolution of power to local governments in general."

HOME care workers in the city are gearing up for a protest over claims the city council is cutting their working hours.

Unions have organised a demonstration at Loxley House in Station Street over claims that the council is to restructure the service including changing shift patterns which would see around 150 staff work fewer hours.

Union bosses say the move would mean staff spending more on travel, being paid less and vulnerable people receiving worse care.

The protest will take place at 2.30pm on Wednesday.

Adrian Picton is a social worker and union representative for Unison. He said: "It's not just about staff pay we are also very worried about the future of the service and the vulnerable people receiving care.

"We think experienced carers will leave which will impact on people in Nottingham. The people that do the job care about the people they serve and are worried about the future."

Councillor Alex Norris, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health at the city council, said: "We are trying to design a service that better meets the needs of the users, some of the most vulnerable people in the city, whilst trying to make sure that this doesn't impact disproportionately on members of staff. The consultation with the unions is still ongoing and has been extended a further week. We are still hoping to find an agreement with the unions on this."

For more health stories click here.