Seven million people? How do you account for the show's success?

It's huge in scale and scope and we take the audience on a journey. We go back in time and show them how the dinosaurs might have actually looked in their prime – huge, sometimes frightening, sometimes comical monsters – that fought for survival every day of their lives. Our dinosaurs move exactly as if they are real – with all the roars, snorts and excitement that go with it. It is mind-blowing.

What is Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular about?

The 90-minute show features ten different species and 20 life-sized dinosaurs from across their 200 million year domination of life on earth. It tells the story of their emergence and evolution, complete with all the climatic and tectonic changes that took place and takes the audience through the Triassic to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods introducing them to a range of pre-historic giants along the way. Oceans form, volcanoes erupt, a forest catches fire – all leading to the massive comet, which struck the Earth and led to their extinction.

Who is the show aimed at?

The show is suitable for anyone aged three to 93. It's ideal for all the family and is loved by parents and kids everywhere. It's thrilling, it's astounding and it's educational.

When and where was it first performed?

The show originated in Australia and debuted at Sydney's Allphones Arena in 2007. Since then, in under five years we've performed it 1,746 times in 206 cities across the world, and played to an astonishing 7.3 million people.

When were you last in the UK?

In the summer of 2009. We played to 500,000 people across eight cities.

Who had the idea for the original show?

The late William May, artistic director, developed an original idea by entrepreneur Bruce Mactaggart to produce an arena version of the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs TV series. May is best known for co-producing shows with Malcolm Cooke for the past 30 years, including The Hobbit and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

Why did you want to come back to the UK?

It will mean that all those children who were too young to see it the first time around will no longer feel like they've missed out. They'll be able to learn about these fascinating creatures up close and really appreciate their unique size, might and strength.

Walking With Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular runs at the Capital FM Arena from May 15 to 19. Tickets are £25 from the box office in Bolero Square, call 0843 373 3000 or go to www.capitalfmarena.com.

ARE you one of those parents who gleefully force your kids to write thank-you notes for all those gifts received at Christmas?

I'm not. Thankfully, when I was a small person my immense extended Irish family was far too skint to bother with the unnecessary faff of buying presents for nieces, nephews, distant cousins and annoying in-laws.

So I never really experienced my mum breathing down my neck in the days after Christmas insisting I spend time begrudgingly composing thank-you notes for the nice socks, Des O'Connor LP or second-hand foot spa.

But, I know a lot of you are sticklers for this kind of pointless exercise, I mean, time-honoured tradition when a kind aunt has gone to the great trouble of sending your child a festive gift, however naff.

It's just etiquette, innit?

Well excuse my French, but Je crois c'est tout blummin' ridiculous.

Don't for one minute think I'm condoning bad manners. I'm all for teaching children how to say please, thank you and excuse me – I can't abide rudeness of any description.

No, it's the insistence by some people that the festive thank you has to come in the form of a stuffy written note that I find a little difficult to stomach.

Surely a phone call, text, email or tweet saying "ta" would be acceptable in this day and age on receipt of a gift. But oh no, that's not good enough for some folk.

I had one friend tell me that she "didn't think it counted" unless a proper written note was sent. Even if it was, say, a wedding present that she'd personally handed over to the bride, who'd given her a big tearful hug of appreciation there and then.

Nope – she would also expect a formal note in the post as well.

That's what grates when it comes to some of this silly etiquette stuff. It doesn't seem to have evolved with the rest of the world.

Which is why I'm hoping a proposed new etiquette school which plans to hold new classes at the Hilton Hotel in Nottingham in the New Year hasn't fallen into the same trap.

Teaching the good people of Nottingham to be more courteous, I'm all for.

Holding doors open, giving up seats on the tram for those in greater need, not breaking wind in polite company – this is all fine with me.

I just hope the people behind this new venture don't insist on following some outdated patronising etiquette like only holding a door open for a lady.

I don't need people to behave any differently to me because I'm a lady. I like people to hold doors open for me because it's flipping rude and ignorant not to do that for a fellow human being.

As for thank-you cards, I hope the new finishing school tells pupils to stuff 'em where the sun don't shine (ever so politely, obviously).

And, by the way, if you've taken the trouble to read this column when you could be watching Celebrity Mastermind or World's Strongest Man, thank you very much.

I'll be sending out cards later...

IF Councillor Steve Barber and the tram constructors are surprised by the difficulties of bulldozing a route through Beeston and Chilwell, then they must be the only ones who are.

It comes as no surprise to most local residents or myself as a county councillor.

I was elected to represent Beeston South and Attenborough in 2009, but before that my Conservative colleagues Councillor Richard Jackson and the late Councillor Tom Pettengell repeatedly expressed their belief that the proposed route was inappropriate, including at the public inquiry attended by Councillor Barber in 2007.

One of their specific points was about the narrowness of High Road/Chilwell Road compared to the vast boulevards of many European cities, where trams are far better suited.

We are told that the proposal to close Chilwell Road and part of Chilwell High Road for such a lengthy period of time, rather than implement a one-way system, is for safety reasons.

I do wonder whether this is driven more by cost pressures and a desire to save time to avoid hefty fines for late project completion.

It don't think it's an exaggeration to say the traffic situation in Beeston, Attenborough, Chilwell and Toton over the past few months has been absolute chaos. I doubt there are many car drivers, public transport users or pedestrians who have escaped the effects.

In view of the obvious impracticalities, I still find it astonishing that the public inquiry found in favour of the tram route, just as local people shook their heads in disbelief at Nottingham Express Transit's claims that many residents supported it.

Councillor Barber sticks to his assertion that the tram will be beneficial to Beeston, but I have serious doubts, not least around value for public money.

The cost of the NET Phase Two project was being estimated at £600 million before work started and we can only wonder what the final figure will be.

The workplace parking levy is intended to meet part of the cost of the new lines, but the pressure to make the tram pay will be intense and I believe the temptation to promote it at the expense of other public transport options will be significant.

Conservative-controlled Notta County Council withdrew funding and support for the Phase Two extension in 2009. Others decided to take the tram project forward and our sole focus now is to protect the best interests of county residents.

Councillor Barber neglects to mention that the framework for a traders' financial assistance package was negotiated as part of our withdrawal, on better terms than traders in the City received for NET Line One.

We have already negotiated a package with bus operators to protect services during the construction phase and we have made a clear pledge that a workplace parking levy will never be introduced within the county while we remain in control.

COUNCILLOR ERIC KERRY

Long Lane

Attenborough

LISTENING to someone who's just failed a driving test, I felt saddened by the reasons for the failures.

In my opinion the examiner should be the person that has taken you week in week out, for all your lessons.

I can imagine (and know) how a test can make you nervous. A friend of mine said it was luck.

I was good on the test. It's £100 plus every time to take a new test and its all so unfair, and there's the waiting game – ten days or more. Letters like this don't always get printed, but I'm sure if they did readers would agree, some people who have passed their test shouldn't be on the road, while those that can't pass a test are very often "good drivers".

I wanted to be driving when I was 30, then 40, 50 and then 60 years old.

Every two years, I had to take the theory again, even then I had three passes, three fails, but the years ran out. I had four tests, but failed each time on something else.

I stopped in the end because of the cost. If I win the lottery I'll go on a course or hire a chauffeur, ha ha!

JEAN TAYLOR

Barlock Road

Basford

ONCE again AJ Askew reiterates a view I have expressed several times in my letters. We have every reason to use our fossil fuel resources and none not to do so, apart from threats from the EU to penalise us if we do.

Like the USA, Britain has planted huge numbers of trees. Unlike the USA, Britain does not optimally use its coal resources.

Yet several large countries are not only burning coal but are also destroying forests. There is something wrong here. I am moving off the fence.

Some of our trees are now threatened by a disease which has swept across Europe. The EU failed to act effectively against it.

Whatever advantages there are to being in the EU they are far more outweighed by the reasons for leaving it.

From the date we joined, too much of our financial input has gone to supporting inefficient French farmers who use blackmail tactics every time any move is made to put this right.

There is the corruption and high rates of pay and expenses for politicians and officials, as well as a willingness to increase spending unnecessarily whilst everywhere else there are cuts. In addition we have the Human Rights nonsense which gives criminals a better deal than honest citizens, and has huge financial threats if we fail to deliver to criminals things which goes far beyond what human rights should be about, food, shelter and freedom from torture.

The financial penalty imposed on us by the EU if we meet our energy needs by burning our coal would probably make it not worthwhile.

That is the last straw. The EU membership becomes more and more of a burden. Unless Europe backtracks a long way we would be better off outside of it.

RL COOPER

Harlequin Close

Radcliffe-on-Trent

WITH reference your story about the new medical centre planned for Wilford Lane, West Bridgford ("£8m super surgery gets go-ahead," Post, December 13).

I am thankfully not a resident of West Bridgford. I live in a nearby village with excellent medical centres that are within easy walking distance for 95% or so of its inhabitants.

However, I was still shocked to read that the much protested against amalgamation of several Bridgford practices, to be housed in a purpose-built building on the outskirts of the town, had been passed with about as slender a majority as is possible.

This is just another case of damn the public, our plans will go ahead regardless.

We see it on a regular basis where controversial plans that usually involve spending wads of cash, building on green areas and adding to traffic congestion, etc, go ahead despite any amount of protest by local inhabitants.

I was also intrigued to note that several workmen's vans were on the proposed site several days before the vote was decided!

A medical centre by its very nature deals in most instances with people who are for one reason or another less able to travel distances.. the pensioner, the disabled, the young mum or mum-to-be or simply the unwell citizen.

One is forced to ask the question "Who will benefit from this move?"

ANTHONY O WILKINSON

Clifton Road

Ruddington

After watching the St Margaret's Players pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, I must say the cast was really good. It was a great show, Josh Knott as Madame was so funny. We are still laughing.

ELAINE WARBURTON

Cardale Road

Bakersfield

THE month began with a tragic story about a 14-year-old who was jailed for bludgeoning his mother to death with a claw-hammer.

Daniel Bartlam, of Georgia Drive, in Redhill, was named after the Post asked for reporting restrictions to be lifted.

His baby-faced picture was shown in national newspapers across the country after he was sentenced for life, serving a minimum of 16 years, for murdering his mother Jacqui and setting fire to her body to cover his tracks.

Another high profile crime saw police launch a murder investigation following the death of Malakai McKenzie, 19, who died at the QMC following an incident outside the Hubb pub in Hucknall Road, Sherwood, on Saturday, April 21.

It is believed he was shot in the car park. Four men have since been charged with murder, with a fifth being detained in the States.

Meanwhile, life-long Nottingham Forest supporter Andrew Lowe was banned from matches for ten years after making two hoax bomb threats during a game.

But it was certainly not all doom and gloom. On April 9 we reported how a dad broke through a door before helping his partner give birth to their son on the bathroom floor.

Brent Farrell, 35, forced open the locked bathroom at their home in Horace Avenue, in Stapleford, to help girlfriend Amy Cray, 34, after her waters broke.

They had been planning to head into the QMC but baby Sebastian was born just 30 minutes after his mum's waters broke.

Meanwhile, the University of Nottingham received a welcome gift from pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which donated £12m towards a new laboratory complex.

It was the largest corporate gift received by the university in its 130-year history.

Construction on the Jubilee Campus will start in Spring 2013, with the new facility due to open the following year.

It was also good news for children in April as the Post revealed that Notts County Council is setting aside nearly £5 million over the next four years to pay for free travel to school for pupils.

The money will be for families who choose not to send their children to their nearest catchment-area secondary school.

And the month also showed a drop in the number of children being excluded from schools in Nottingham.

Another of April's big stories gave details of the shocking amount of time-wasting calls made to the emergency services.

On April 17 we revealed that paramedics had been called out to deal with a budgie with breathing difficulties and someone who needed help defrosting a turkey.

They also went to the home of a man who claimed to have been bitten by a snake – only to find he was high on drugs and the snake was on a wildlife programme on TV.

A RADFORD store could lose its alcohol licence after more than 70 packs of counterfeit cigarettes were discovered.

A sniffer dog was sent into the Ezee shop in Ilkeston Road on August 9 by police and Nottingham City Trading Standards Service after reports that the cigarettes were being sold.

The dog found almost 100 packs of cigarettes and rolling tobacco hidden behind a metal shelving unit under the till, none of which had the correct written warnings on them, as required by the law. Sixty-six of the packs were counterfeit.

When the cigarettes were discovered, the owner of the shop, Anwar Abbas, was on holiday.

However, when the man working in the shop was questioned about the cigarettes, he said: "We are selling it."

Mr Abbas returned to the UK in September. He said he had been out of the country since March and had left another man in charge of the store, although he had only met him a couple of times.

A report written by Jane Bailey, of Trading Standards, said: "Mr Abbas told Trading Standards during his interview that initially he expected to only be away for one month,

"However he discovered when he arrived abroad that his mother was ill and he extended his trip, eventually returning in September 2012."

He said the counterfeit cigarettes were a "complete surprise" to him and blamed the man looking after the shop.

However, in her report Ms Bailey said: "During the interview Mr Abbas displayed a very relaxed attitude to his responsibilities as a licence holder.

"He did not seem to think it was concerning that he had left someone in charge of his store for a considerable amount of time, who he knew very little about and who had received little training.

"There has been evidence that this store has been supplying smuggled tobacco and cigarettes as part of their business for some time.

"Prior to Mr Abbas's ownership, in November 2010 and March 2011, seizures of illicit and counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes were made from the store. While Mr Abbas was not the owner at this time, he was present at the store at the time of the seizure in March 2011."

Trading Standards are now calling for his alcohol licence to be revoked.

A licence is not needed to sell tobacco, however selling counterfeit cigarettes is serious enough to warrant a review of an alcohol licence.

Councillors on the special licensing panel will discuss the case on January 15.

Mr Abbas was not available for comment.

CHARITIES in Nottingham have reaped the rewards of city students' record-breaking fund-raising.

Karnival, the University of Nottingham's student-led fund- raising group, has collected a massive £1.6 million in 2012.

It is the most ever collected by a student-run group in Europe – smashing the group's own record of £1.3 million.

Cash from Karnival has been distributed between national charities like Oxfam, the Poppy Appeal, Hope for Children, the Meningitis Trust and Children in Need.

Local campaigns such as the Teenage Cancer Trust's drive to open a new £500,000 teenage oncology ward at the Queen's Medical Centre also benefited.

Angela Horsley, clinical lead for Nottingham Children's Hospital at the QMC, said: "The money raised will make a real difference to patients on our oncology ward."

The money has also funded HeartLight, a university-led project to develop equipment to resuscitate newborn babies. Clinical trials have already taken place, but scientists say they need extra funding.

Money came from a variety of events and activities, including a trek on the Inca Trail.

Karnival is led by a team of students – 11 executives and 127 representatives – who organise fundraising events throughout the year.

Roxy Ward, publicity officer for Karnival, said: "A lot of people see students in a bad light. This shows that students do good things and raise money for very worthwhile causes. Everyone who took part deserves tremendous credit."

BOXING day has always been a special day on the football calendar, but for Forest fans it brought an extra present.

Club chairman, Fawaz Al-Hasawi gave the club's supporters a late Christmas gift with the installation of two super-sized screens, premiered in the game against Leeds.

The mood of the home supporters was only improved by an impressive 4-2 win.

But, as fans watched the action, they had no inkling of the behind-the-scenes drama that would culminate in manager Sean O'Driscoll's sacking

The state-of-the-art video screens inside the stadium were joined by LED advertising hoardings around the pitch, representing a combined investment of £1 million.

Forest fans will have been pleased, however, that the screens didn't replay Leeds' opening goal, scored by Paul Green on 12 minutes.

During half time, replays of the action from the first half were played.

In the 49th minute, a Dexter Blackstock header went narrowly over the bar and groans from the crowd rang out as the replays showed the chance go begging.

Season ticket holder Andrew Cove, 31, said: "It looks pretty good. There are a few kinks to iron out. The advertising boards looked slick and I can see the brains behind them."

Before the game, the big screens welcomed Forest fans with replays of moments from classic games.

Mr Cove added: "It was nice to see the vintage black-and- white highlight reels."

Andy Butler, 23, of Bishops Drive, Southwell was at the game and said the new-look equipment made the ground look more professional.

"They're a useful asset and money well spent."

When Leeds United's Rudolph Austin scored an own goal, fans looked to the screens as the action unfolded quickly.

Mr Butler said: "They were really good then, because it helped to clear up what had happened."

Arun Verma, 26, of Worwood Drive said: "It changes the whole aesthetics of the ground. Every replay was awesome – for all the goals it was great.

"All the fans were looking at them and it changed how you interact with the players."

THEY have played a vital supporting role at Nottingham Arts Theatre for nearly 50 years.

But, after more than 500 performances, it's time for the curtain to fall on a mainstay at the theatre over those five decades – the seats.

Theatre bosses want to raise more than £19,000 to refurbish each of the 320 seats at the venue, which have been in place since being donated from Derby Playhouse in 1963.

Volunteer Shirley Ellis, of Carlton, said: "Author Terry Pratchett sat in these seats when we did Wyrd Sisters, which is one of his Discworld books. He was quite delightful.

"Alan Sillitoe was also in the audience when we did his novel Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. The likes of Sherrie Hewson, Peter Bowles, and Sue Pollard have also come and gone through here."

She added: "I've been involved with the theatre for around 50 years and the seats when I first started were very much harder with wood around them.

"These current ones were definitely an improvement – the season ticket holders certainly thought so.

"We used to do anything between eight to ten productions a year, so the seats must have been used by audiences at more than 500 shows over the years.

"The seats have now seen better days and it would be nice for the future generations to do them up.

"It's a jolly nice theatre and a bit of old Nottingham that still exists."

The theatre, in George Street, has so far received more than £1,400 in donations since it launched a seat refurbishment fund over the summer.

That is enough to refurbish just 23 of the seats so far.

Theatre manager Peter Mayall said around £20,000 had been spent over the last 12 months in other schemes to spruce up the theatre.

He said: "We have upgraded all of the technical, lighting, and sound equipment.

"We have also painted the auditorium, and the seats are the next stage of the whole refurbishment.

"They have certainly served us well and they are all still useable but have seen better days.

"We are grateful for what the public have donated so far."

Mr Mayall added the there are also plans to refurbish the theatre's bar, which could cost a further £50,000.

He said: "We have a long, narrow bar area and we want to open that up during the day as a cafe and bar. As a charity, it would help our cash flows.

"We want to bring the theatre up to such a level so we can then start attracting bigger names into the theatre."

As part of the efforts to raise the required funds the theatre is offering its patrons the opportunity to sponsor a seat in the auditorium.

Donations are being collected in boxes around the theatre in the foyer and coffee bar.

Cheques can also be made payable to Nottingham Arts Theatre Ltd and sent to Seat Refurbishment Fund, Nottingham Arts Theatre, George Street, Nottingham, NG1 3BE.

Donations by credit or debit care can also be made by calling the box office on 0115 947 6096.

LEE Hughes' quicker-than-expected recovery has left everyone shocked, even Notts County.

The Magpies thought the 36-year-old striker was going to be out until the new year with a virus – but he called boss Keith Curle on Christmas Eve to say he was well enough to train.

Curle then asked him on the morning of their Boxing Day clash away to Shrewsbury Town if he could start – and he did, scoring his sixth goal of the season in a 2-2 draw.

Hughes has revealed he was struck down with the norovirus winter bug – and that he is still not 100 per cent right, but was glad to be back sooner than expected.

"I've had that norovirus and I've still got a throat virus and a cold so I'm not 100 per cent, but I do feel a lot better than I have done in the last few weeks," he said.

"I've had some personal issues as well that I don't really want to talk about, so my head wasn't right. But I spoke to a few people, got my head right and phoned the gaffer. I asked if it was OK to come in training on Christmas Eve.

"It was the first time I'd trained in a month so I didn't expect to start, let alone score!

"But he asked me if I would be OK to start and I was never going to say no because I want to play every game. It was nice to be back out there and score."

Curle added: "I spoke to him yesterday morning and told him I wanted him to start and be a spark for us and he was – there aren't many other players that would have scored the goal he did."

Shrewsbury v Notts County report – Page 43

MORE than 3,000 council staff across Notts are paid less than the living wage – the amount needed to lead a "decent life".

Around 2,000 employees of Notts County Council are paid below £7.45 an hour – a sum considered to be the minimum amount deemed necessary to cover costs such as housing, food and utilities for themselves and their families.

And a further 940 from Nottingham City Council and 88 from Broxtowe Borough Council are paid below the living wage.

However, five councils across the county – Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Gedling, Newark and Sherwood and Mansfield – either already pay or will soon pay the wage.

The rate is worked out by the Living Wage Unit and is worked out every year.

At £7.45 an hour, it is higher than the UK's national minimum wage of £6.19 an hour for adults and £4.98 for 18-to 21-year-olds.

The campaign for local authorities to pay the living wage is being pushed by trade unions and a demonstration was held outside Nottingham City Council headquarters at Loxley House earlier this month.

Leading the campaign is Jean Thorpe, co-chairman of Nottingham Unison.

"The lowest paid workers are not being given enough to provide a decent standard of living – how is that acceptable in the 21st century?" she said.

Paul Martin, of the PCS union, said: "We're in a recession and businesses are shutting – if the public and private sector paid the living wage, we would have more people spending money in the high streets. I believe having the living wage is the right thing to do."

Councillor Michael Payne, deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, agrees.

He said: "We want the living wage to become a real consideration for those who do business with us. We're also keen that Gedling becomes a living wage borough."

However, city council leader Jon Collins said: "Maintaining services and protecting jobs has to be our top priority. We're taking steps towards implementing the living wage to support the lowest-paid staff and will be discussing this further with the trade unions."

A city council spokesman added that the authority was looking at abolishing the lowest pay band – from £6.29 to £6.62 – and to look at implementing the living wage in future years.

Across the river at the county council, nearly one in four of their 9,590 workforce is paid below the living wage – the lowest salary is £6.31 an hour.

The authority said it has considered adopting the policy but has no immediate plans to implement it.

A spokesman for the council said: "It will not be adopting the living wage due to considerations of practicality and affordability."

But it's not only local authorities that are being asked to consider the living wage. A list of 100 companies to pay the living wage was announced during Living Wage Week in November.

The head of St Ann's-based communications company Emtel, John Townsend, said he was glad his employees are paid the living wage.

Mr Townsend, who set up the company in 2004, said: "Making employees feel valued comes down to more than what you pay them. You have to think of other factors, but pay does come into it and that's why I'm happy to pay my staff more than the living wage.

"That said, I can understand why some larger employers might not choose to pay the living wage and it's good that it remains optional."

This view was echoed by George Cowcher, Chief Executive of the Derbyshire and Notts Chamber of Commerce.

He said: "Many employers support the idea of a living wage and recognise the benefits it brings to their organisation, such as staff retention, increased morale and an improved reputation."

However, Mr Cowcher said he didn't believe the living wage should be enforced.

He added: "There is a danger that forcing businesses to pay above market rates could lead to a less competitive economy."

ONLY one in eight youngsters in an area of Nottingham go to university – the lowest rate in the country.

Just 13 per cent of 18-year-olds from Bulwell, Aspley, Bilborough, Broxtowe Estate, Basford and Bestwood end up studying for a degree or an alternative higher education course, compared to a national average of 34 per cent.

And, although this is an increase from eight per cent in 2006, the constituency remains at the bottom of the Higher Education Funding Council for England statistics.

Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North, said he was glad to see an increase but that more needed to be done.

He said: "Given the right start, our kids can achieve just as much as kids anywhere else.

"Our city should plan to meet the aspiration that not one in eight but one in three of our kids in Nottingham North enjoys the life-changing benefits of further education.

"People in Nottingham especially parents, teachers and all who support them, are working really hard to improve the life chances for our young people.

"Recent improvements are very welcome, but they need to continue to feed through to the top of the educational food chain – the numbers going on to university and further education."

Research was conducted by Dr Peter Gates at the University of Nottingham into the issue of university participation in Nottingham North in 2007.

He said: "Attending university isn't the be all and end all – if I want someone to fix my boiler, it doesn't matter whether they have gone to university or not.

"We also have two fantastic further education colleges in Nottingham that encourage further educational attainment."

Four Notts constituencies were among the bottom fifth for participation in university – the rate in Ashfield was 21.4 per cent, Mansfield 22.4 per cent and Nottingham East 25.3 per cent.

Nottingham South was 201st out of the 650 constituencies at 29.5 per cent, Gedling was 263rd with 31.8 per cent, Broxtowe 384th on 36.7 per cent and Newark 387th on 36.8 per cent.

The area with the highest participation in higher education was Rushcliffe, which had 49.3 per cent of youngsters heading to university, 593rd in the country.

NOTTINGHAM Forest fans were last night shocked after hearing the news that boss Sean O'Driscoll had been sacked.

The announcement from the City Ground came just hours after they had sent supporters home full of festive cheer following a 4-2 Boxing Day victory over Leeds United.

But despite the positive Championship result, Forest owners Fawaz Al Hasawi and Abdulaziz Al Hasawi made the decision to part company with O'Driscoll – who only took the reins in July.

When buying the club in the summer, the Kuwaiti backers had initially said this season would be one of consolidation. But they have now ramped up their ambitions and want the team to gain promotion to the Premier League during this campaign.

Chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi said: "Sean can count himself unlucky to have lost his job with the team just one point away from the top six.

"But we have a responsibility to look to the future for this great club because we have huge ambitions for it.

"We knew when we bought the club it would take time for the players we brought in to settle but that process has taken longer than anticipated.

"The timing of our decision may look a little odd after the win over Leeds but sometimes you need to make changes with the long-term future in mind. Sometimes those changes need to be made from a position of strength rather than weakness and that is what we are trying to do."

Forest fans were surprised after the decision last night.

Dave Russell, 57, of Florence Road, West Bridgford, has been a fan for 33 years. He said: "It's a huge shock. I don't think he's done too much wrong, maybe they're too ambitious."

Mike Shaw, 27, of West Bridgford, said: "I'm disappointed he wasn't given more time. After playing the best we have played, it seems really odd."

Manchester-based fan Adam Metcalf, 26, who has been a season ticket holder for ten years, added: "I think it is a bit of a crazy decision. You can't win 4-2 and sack the manager."

SHOPPERS arrived in Nottingham as early as midnight to scoop the best bargains in the Boxing Day sales.

While most shops in the Victoria Centre opened at 8am yesterday, Next started letting people in from 6am for its sale which featured discounts of 50 per cent or more.

Queues stretched at least 100 metres from the centre's main entrance, down to the Oceana nightclub.

Imran Ali, 29, of Forest Fields, was the first one to arrive with his friends Zeeshan Nadeem, 23, of Radford, and Ehtiesham Shah, 21, of Papplewick.

"We got here at midnight and it was absolutely dead," he said.

"We have not been to bed. We kept warm by walking around and talking and we brought some hot drinks.

"The first people after us started to arrive at around 1am."

Mr Ali had saved a spot for his wife, Sitara, 27, who joined them at 6am.

The couple spent £250 in Next on items which would usually cost around £400.

"I've been looking forward to these sales more than anything else," Mrs Ali said.

"I started looking at things I might like a month ago.

"The deals on the fragrance gift sets were really good. We got some, which normally cost £16 to £18, for around £2."

Amber Perry, 23, of Arnold, arrived at the shopping centre at 6am to buy clothes for her children, aged four and ten weeks.

At 7.30am she said: "We've been freezing for one-and-a-half hours. I came to the sales last year also at 6am and just walked straight through the doors.

"I don't know if I'll do this again. There was a pregnant woman who collapsed just in front of us. I think they took her away in the ambulance."

Jo Wilkinson, 41, of Hucknall, arrived at 7am on the hunt for bargains at Next, but was still in the queue by 7.30am.

"I don't know what I want to get but I don't want to spend more than £50," she said.

Makhliyo Normatova, 33, of Dunkirk, who arrived in Nottingham less than a year ago from Tajikistan, said she had never seen anything like yesterday's sales.

"I didn't expect so many people to be here. There are hardly any buses, the taxis are more expensive and it starts really early," Mrs Normatova added.

"I couldn't believe how many people there were when we arrived at 7am."

The sales also attracted shoppers at Debenhams, off the Market Square.

John Probert, 48, of Wollaton, bought himself sports clothes after going along with his 22-year-old daughter, who was so horrified at the queue for Next that she decided to go to Debenhams instead.

"We arrived in town at 7.30am. I have never done the Boxing Day sales before and I will never do them again," Mr Probert said.

A SCHOOL which was put into special measures by Ofsted has made good progress.

Bennerley Fields Specialist Speech and Language College, Ilkeston, was branded inadequate by inspectors after a visit in January.

It was told pupil achievement wasn't high enough and teaching was often inadequate.

As a result the school has regular inspections, the second of which took place last month.

In a letter to the school, inspector Sue Morris-King said good progress had been made since the first monitoring inspection and overall progress since special measures was satisfactory.

She said: "The improving quality of teaching is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' progress, particularly in Key Stage 3.

"Most pupils' books and other work show that their progress has accelerated since the previous monitoring inspection. In the majority of lessons observed, pupils made steady progress. Pupils have adapted well to the new, more demanding ways in which they are being taught."

ROBERTO Di Matteo would be Garry Birtles' first choice to replace Sean O'Driscoll – but the Nottingham Forest legend today blasted the club for sacking him in the first place.

The European Cup winning striker says the Al Hasawi family were too hasty to part company with the manager, at a time when he felt things were coming together for the side.

"Forest had just thumped one of their promotion rivals, so it seemed a strange time to get rid of him," said Birtles.

"He was doing a good job. Things were coming together. It was always going to take time for him to put things in place, given all the changes that were made in the summer.

"But he was starting to get Forest playing in the way he wanted to; starting to get his ideas across. It was a strange time to sack him.

"Given the timing of it, you would suspect they already have somebody in place."

It is believed that former Forest favourite Roy Keane, who has managed Sunderland and Ipswich, and Di Matteo, who was sacked by Chelsea last month, lead that race.

"For me, Di Matteo would be the one to go for out of the names who are being linked with the job," added Birtles.

"He guided Chelsea to the Champions League last season and, if big signings are the route that Forest want to go down, he has the experience of dealing with the biggest of them all at Stamford Bridge.

"He seemed to have the respect of the players there, they were sad to see him go. If he can be persuaded to drop down to the Championship, he would be a good choice. But the fact is that Forest should not be looking for a new manager right at this moment. It is a shock decision."

After the announcement by the club last night some of the Forest players took to Twitter to give their reaction.

Simon Cox wrote: "So we win 4-2 and the manager gets the sack. Gutted for Sean, pleasure to work under. Wonder who will walk through the door next?"

The two-goal hero against Leeds yesterday, Billy Sharp, added: "Gutted, that ruins a decent day."

PAUL Cox blasted his Mansfield Town side's sloppiness after the Stags boss watched his team return from a two-week break from action with a 2-1 home loss to local rivals Alfreton Town in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

His side took the lead through John Dempster only to concede from a free-kick two minutes later. And then centre-half Exodus Geohaghon was too easily knocked off the ball, leading to Alfreton's second-half winner.

This below-par display was the last thing Cox wanted, ahead of entertaining leaders Grimsby on Saturday and visiting Alfreton on January 1.

He said: "I thought the lads would be a little bit more energetic. But we were sloppy for both goals. We were sloppy trying to get the ball back and gave away a free-kick, then switched off on the set-piece and the second goal was just a comedy goal really.

"We were sloppy in the last third as well and at the end, we should have scored. I am just hoping that one or two have not got their eye on January 6 (against Liverpool, FA Cup).

"We lacked that mental strength. I expected more from us, I am bitterly disappointed."

JEREMY Nelson, 23, of North Gate, Newark, has been fined £100 for being drunk and disorderly in Castle Gate, Newark, on December 2. After pleading guilty at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, he was given the fine. He must pay a £20 victim surcharge and costs of £85.

GEORGE Bint, 87, of Hoe View Road, Cropwell Bishop, is charged with two road traffic offences. He is accused of driving a Ford Escort van in Hoe View Road without a licence and without due care and attention in June. Magistrates in Nottingham will hear his case on January 28.

LEE McCarthy, 37, of Havenwood Rise, Clifton, denied obstructing a policeman in Clifton on December 1. He will appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court again on February 15 for his trial. He is on unconditional bail.

EDWARD Garofalo, 25, of Kelham Drive, Sherwood, was fined £214 at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. He failed to report a road traffic accident in Hucknall Road, Sherwood, on July 1 this year. He had been driving a Peugeot when there was an accident with another car. After pleading guilty at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, he was handed the fine, told to pay a £15 victim surcharge and costs of £35. He will have six points endorsed on his licence. He admitted a second offence of failing to stop after the accident but no separate penalty was imposed.

RYAN Graham, 23, of Thornham Crescent, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, was fined £280 at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. He pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention in Giltbrook on September 17. He must also pay a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £35. His licence will be endorsed with six points.

REECE Kitching, 22, of Bridle Road, Burton Joyce, is to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on January 15. He is accused of failing to stop or report an accident in Arnold on September 15.

TOM Larcombe, 20, of Andover Road, Bestwood Estate, has been fined £110 by magistrates in Nottingham. He pleaded guilty to urinating in Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham, on October 14. He also has to pay a £20 victim surcharge and costs of £35.

GORDON McBride, 45, of Alvenor Street, Ilkeston, is charged with a series of road traffic offences. He admitted driving whilst disqualified, without insurance or a seatbelt in Nuthall on September 2. He is on unconditional bail to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on January 17.

MATTHEW McDonald, 26, of Church Street, Edwinstowe, is accused of driving without due care and attention in Edwinstowe on August 12. Magistrates in Nottingham have adjourned to hear his case on January 18.

MATEUSZ Mikula , 26, of Ella Road, West Bridgford, is charged with driving without due care and attention. He was in a Renault Clio in Manvers Street, Sneinton, when the offence allegedly happened on May 30. Magistrates in Nottingham will hear his case on January 28.

YVETTE Nicolle-Anderiesz , 68, of Nene Crescent, Oakham, Rutland, is accused of driving without due care and attention. The offence allegedly happened in Upper Broughton on July 24. Magistrates in Nottingham will hear the case on January 28.

KATIE Chandler, 31, of Blacksmith End, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, is charged with failing to report an accident in Cropwell Bishop in April. Her case will be heard at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on January 8.

LLOYD Giscombe, 26, of Perry Road, Sherwood, has been fined £65 for driving without due care and attention in St Ann's on February 2. At Nottingham Magistrates' Court, he pleaded guilty and must also pay a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £35. He further admitted that he failed to report an accident in St Ann's on the same date. His licence will be endorsed with five penalty points.

ZIDRUNAS Zilinskas , 37, of Glentworth Road, Radford, was fined £400 for driving without due care and attention. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on December 17. The court heard the offence happened in a Vauxhall Signum car in Daybrook on February 15. He must also pay a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £35. Six penalty points will be added to his licence. No driving disqualification was made due to mitigating circumstances. The court heard the defendant would lose his job as a lorry driver and the loss of income would cause exceptional hardship to him and his family.

LAST week, Sean O'Driscoll met with the Al Hasawi family – and they bluntly told him that promotion was now the goal for Nottingham Forest this season.

Last night, they delivered the even more hard-hitting news they did not believe he was the man to deliver it.

After beating Leeds United 4-2 at the City Ground, O'Driscoll revealed the club's owners had moved the goal posts significantly. But even he could not have envisaged what was about to follow, as, instead of plotting to field a 4-1-3-2 against Palace next weekend, he was instead left to consider a different set of numbers – a P45.

"They have indicated that they want promotion and that it would be good if we can deliver it this season," said O'Driscoll, after seeing his side demolish United. "That is a tall order. But, if you asked the players, they would say 'yes, we can do it'. They believe we are as good as anything in this league.

"The Al Hasawi's are keen, they have put money into the club and they want to see it expand and grow. They have brought the club because they believe it is a Premier League club.

"I don't think anyone is going to argue with that. The difficulty is that, while everyone wants it, you have to find a way to do it. That is the difficulty."

The harsh reality – and harsh is the right word, given the progress he was making – is that Forest will now turn to a different man to deliver that promotion; to secure that place in the top flight craved in this part of the city for more than a decade.

The last time a manager was sacked on Boxing Day, you could see it coming on the horizon, as Forest struggled to acclimatise to life in the Championship under Colin Calderwood. Even Nigel Doughty, a patient, considered man who was never quick to pull the trigger, was prompted to take action as Forest struggled.

This was different, in the sense that Forest were not struggling; they are very much in the hunt for promotion. But still another likeable, decent manager – who had held a positive influence in the dressing room – heads into a new year without a job.

It is tough on O'Driscoll and many in the dressing room are sad to see him go. Several players said as much last night, but did not want to upset anyone by publicly voicing their dismay.

But, in a bizarre fashion, the decision is also a reflection of the Al Hasawi family's ambition. O'Driscoll's performance may have been good but, in their eyes, it was not good enough.

At the end of this season, nearly is not going to be good enough. As they told O'Driscoll at their meeting in London, promotion, rather than consolidation is now the goal.

Yesterday, slap bang in the middle of the festive season, it was fitting Forest fans were able to dispatch a handful of their favourite pantomime villains from the city with their ears ringing.

Not only did the City Ground have four goals and a timely victory over one of their oldest rivals to cheer, but they were also able to indulge in giving long-term targets Neil Warnock, El Hadji Diouf and Michael Brown a little friendly stick.

And, at the same time, O'Driscoll's standing should have been improved with the home faithful, as his side served up a Boxing Day treat.

But the decision to sack him does not make the Al Hasawi family villains too. Ruthless, yes. But they clearly believe they are acting with the best interests of the club at heart, whether you agree with their decision or not.

Much will now depend on the choice of successor. The last time a manager was sacked on Boxing Day, Calderwood was ultimately replaced with Billy Davies. He, initially, was not a popular choice, due to his links with Derby County. But he did do a good job.

Davies never managed to steer Forest over the finishing line, when it came to promotion. But he twice came close – And he might have, had he been more focussed on football than politics . . . but that is a different story altogether.

Now, the familiar round of speculation has begun at a club where the new manager will be the 12th to have occupied the hotseat in less than a decade – and the fifth in the last two years.

Roberto Di Matteo and Roy Keane have already emerged as the front runners. Both are men who know a little about pressure and expectation, having played and managed at the highest level.

But that is a good job, because whoever takes on the Forest job will have two things at the forefront of their mind. Firstly, promotion is the target this season and secondly, if they do not achieve that, there are likely to be ramifications.

Having demonstrated their ruthless streak by getting rid of O'Driscoll, the Al Hasawi family could easily make it 13 managers in a decade if they do not see success.

But, what the new manager is likely to receive is backing in the transfer market. He will be supported with new signings in January. His challenge will be to immediately mould them into a promotion-winning squad.

The irony was that, against Leeds yesterday, O'Driscoll had shown signs he was close to achieving exactly that himself.

The now former Reds boss had seen questions asked about his approach following a poor run of results that had culminated in a painful, one-sided defeat at Watford on Saturday.

Having been told by his own players, in the aftermath of that defeat at Vicarage Road, that Forest may be guilty of paying too much attention to opposition strengths, O'Driscoll picked a side that, on paper, should have given Leeds something to think about.

And, in an outstanding second-half display, they did exactly that, as they chalked up an emphatic 4-2 success.

After two earlier calls for a penalty, referee Lee Probert finally pointed to the spot in the 43rd minute, after Lees had brought down Billy Sharp. The Leeds defender stuck out a foot after the striker had turned him at the near post and the referee was quick to point to the spot.

Sharp regained his feet to take the kick, which carried the additional pressure of being taken right in front of the travelling fans – but he kept his composure superbly to drill the ball low to Kenny's left and inside the post and cancel out the early opening goal from Paul Green.

Forest took the lead in the 54th minute, as Dexter Blackstock did well to provide a flick-on for Sharp to chase, skip around the advancing Kenny and apply a composed finish.

Barely two minutes later Forest were 3-1 up, as Elliott Ward was left unmarked at the far post following a Reid corner and, when he powered the ball back into the centre, Rodolph Austin could only divert the ball into his own net.

And, when Andy Reid who bent the ball enticingly into the centre, Blackstock rose to slam home a firm downward header and complete a mad eight minutes of action.

Sub Davide Somma did pull one back, sweeping home from close range, but it was not enough to dampen the festive mood at the City Ground. That only happened once news filtered through about O'Driscoll's shock departure.

Man of match: Billy Sharp. Was denied a hat-trick by a tight looking offside decision, on an afternoon when he netted twice to ruin the afternoon for his old Sheffield United manager. A vintage display from the on-loan striker.

Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire). Missed two penalty claims for Forest in the first half, before finally pointing to the spot when Tom Lees brought down Billy Sharp. Not a Premier League performance from the top-flight official, but it did not influence the outcome of the game.

Attendance: 26,670 (3,235 away)

Forest: Camp, Hutton, Ward, Collins, Halford, Guedioura, Cohen, Majewski (Moussi 70), Reid (Lansbury 82), Sharp (Cox 77), Blackstock. Subs: Darlow, Harding, Gillett, McGugan.

Leeds: Kenny, Lees, Tate, Austin (Pearce 66), Byram (McCormack 79), Green, Diouf (Somma 65), Brown, Drury, Becchio, Thomas. Subs: Varney, Ashdown, White, Norris, McCormack.

Championship Results: Charlton 1 Ipswich 2, Barnsley 1 Birmingham 2, Bolton 0 Sheff Wed 1, Bristol City P-P Watford, Burnley 2 Derby 0, Cardiff 2 Crystal Palace 1, Huddersfield 1 Blackpool 1, Hull 0 Leicester 0, Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn 0, Wolves 0 Peterborough 3