This Is Newark

Latest News from Newark on Trent and Surrounding Areas

Three men charged with murder after body found in Boston river
Three men have been charged with the murder of a man whose body was found in a river Boston, Lincolnshire. The body of Jan Pawel Stochnialek was discovered in the South Forty Foot Drain the the town on Wednesday, January 25. Piotr Szymon Firlit, 23, and Bartlomiej Marszalkiewicz, 25, both of Fieldfare Croft, Boston, and Zlanek Dziob, 34, of Hadley Street, Salford, Manchester will appear before Boston Magistrates today.

Bird observatory to form part of pound;600k development on Lincolnshire coast

A NEW bird observatory could soon be attracting wildlife-lovers to the Lincolnshire coast.

Plans for a pound;600,000 visitor centre at Huttoft car parking deck have now been submitted by Lincolnshire County Council and form part of the proposed Coastal Country Park.

Long-term plans for the park will see land between Sandilands and Chapel St Leonards transformed into a natural habitat to attract more wildlife, particularly birds.

Development plans for the proposed new building include an art gallery, a cafe and a National Coastwatch Institution lookout post in addition to the bird observatory.

Economic infrastructure development manager Peter Fender said: "The project forms part of the proposed Coastal Country Park, which aims to protect wildlife and attract more visitors to the area, particularly outside of the traditional tourist season.

"The building has been designed to fit in with the surrounding natural environment, providing panoramic views of this beautiful coastal area.

"The most elevated part of the building will be a bird observatory, using the latest technology to help visitors learn about the one million birds that migrate along the coastline each year."

The project has attracted pound;100,000 of funding from the Arts Council for England with the remainder of the scheme being funded by LCC.

The building has been designed with a number of environmental factors in mind with a glass frontage angled to maximise winter heat gain at lower sun angles, while minimising heat during the summer. The plans also make use of rain water harvesting for uses such as hand washing.

The plans have been welcomed by chairman of LCC's environmental scrutiny committee, councillor Colin Davie.

He said: "The proposals put forward for the development of the bird observatory underline the county council's long term and strategic vision to deliver the Coastal Country Park project.

"I believe it, along with other projects announced, and in the pipeline will help and support coastal businesses. It will also enable others to develop new economic possibilities to serve the increase in visitors who wish to enjoy our coastline, in all its glory."

LCC are expected to make a decision on the planning application around Easter.

Gainsborough man faces jail after police find cocaine and cannabis at his home

A man has been told he faces jail after he was convicted of drug dealing following a police raid on his home.

Officers discovered both cocaine and cannabis during the raid on the Gainsborough home of Gary Law and Hayley Mellership.

Timothy Palmer, prosecuting, told a jury at Lincoln Crown Court that the cocaine found in the property in Trinity View was "extremely pure".

Mr Palmer said: "The typical purity of street level deals of cocaine is between 3 and 30 per cent. This cocaine was 69 per cent pure.

"It is the sort of cocaine a dealer would dilute in order to maximise his profit. There was a large quantity of cocaine which was too much for personal possession and must have been for supply.

"The officers also recovered a set of electronic scales which when tested were found to have traces of both cocaine and cannabis."

Mr Palmer said that when officers entered the property they found a strong smell of cannabis and a supply of the drug was also found in a kitchen cupboard.

Text messages found on his mobile provided further evidence of drug dealing.

Law had pound;6,500 in a Co-Operative Society account and another pound;1,000 was found in the house but in the year ending April 5, 2011 he declared that he had earned no income.

Law admitted being involved in cannabis dealing but denied cocaine dealing saying the drug was for his own use.

Mellership, who was originally the sole tenant of the property but later entered into a joint tenancy with Law, was described by the prosecution as having played a lesser role.

She denied any drug dealing.

Law, 27, of Trinity View, Gainsborough, denied possession of cocaine with intent to supply on September 9, 2010 but was found guilty by a jury.

He admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply and supplying cannabis. He denied supplying cocaine and was cleared on the directions of the judge.

Mellership, 25, also of Trinity View, Gainsborough, denied charges of possession of both cannabis and cocaine with intent to supply on September 9, 2010 and was cleared by the jury who found her guilty of the lesser charges of possession of both drugs.

She denied permitting premises to be used for the supply of cannabis but was found guilty.

She admitted supplying cannabis.

Judge Sean Morris adjourned sentence for the preparation of reports and granted the couple bail.

He told Law: "You must know that you are facing a prison sentence. There is only one sentence for these offences. You know what the sentence is going to be. It is just a matter of how long."

The judge said "all options are open" in the sentencing of Mellership.

Cost-cutting plan could see Boston CCTV monitored from another district

CCTV in Boston could be monitored from another district under cost-saving plans.

Boston Borough Council's draft budget includes proposals to slash pound;70,000 from its annual costs by "working with other councils in providing CCTV."

A final decision on the plan will be made by the full 32-member council on March 1 but if agreed the move would either see Boston's 72 cameras being monitored remotely elsewhere or the borough charging a fee to look after other authorities' systems.

The council's strategic director Phil Drury stressed whatever decision was eventually taken, there would be no cut-backs in CCTV provision.

He told the Target: "It is proposed that either we monitor the CCTV systems of two other authorities or one of them monitors ours.

"There would be no impact on the service ndash; all cameras would continue to be monitored.

"If adopted there would be an impact on staff across all three authorities but no decisions have been made yet."

Mr Drury declined to name the other local authorities that could be involved although East Lindsey and South Holland are both rumoured to be likely partners for the scheme.

Overall the council is looking to save pound;1.1 million over the next five years.

Among other proposals in the draft budget are changes to various car parking fees including making Blue Badge holding disabled drivers pay to park their vehicles at the council's on-street car parks and reintroducing evening charges.

If approved, these two suggestions are expected to bring pound;80,000 and pound;15,000 per year respectively into the council's coffers.

Defending these proposals, joint deputy leader and portfolio holder for finance, Councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire, stated car parking was an important revenue stream for the council and without the fee increases all council taxpayers would see a hike in their bills of around pound;6.

He said: "This would include people who do not own a car and never use the car park, and that would not be fair.

"It also has to be borne in mind that 40 per cent of the people who use our car parks come from outside the borough and do not pay us council tax.

"By increasing the charges those who use the car parks contribute towards their maintenance."

Fees at council-run facilities such as the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre and the crematorium are also set to rise under the budget plan while the council's ageing fleet of bin lorries will be replaced.

Meanwhile the authority's Labour group has hit out at the council's decision to advertise for a transformation programme manager on a 12 month fixed term contract with a pound;35,000 wage.

In a statement the group called for the post to be removed from the budget and for the job to be integrated into the work of existing staff.

They claimed there was "no evidence to prove that we really need this extra job."

Independent film-makers seek leading man for sci-fi flick being shot in Lincolnshire

The search is on to find the man who will boldly go where no man has gone before ndash; to star in a sci-fi epic being shot in Lincolnshire.

Independent filmmakers Backyard Productions say they are looking for an actor to take on the lead role of Starship Captain John Goodwin in its first feature-length movie.

The voluntary role for the charity production calls for a man in his 30s or 40s to take part in nine days of filming, with two days at the end of February and the rest in March.

The original script, called The Drift, is being filmed on location in Lincolnshire, with the set for the inside of the starship being built in a disused room at RAF Waddington.

Darren Scales, who is heading up the project, said: "This is an ideal opportunity for anyone who is serious about making movies.

"Normally students and enthusiasts can only get involved in small, short productions. We are inviting local filmmakers to join a team of almost 100 people shooting on huge sets right on the doorstep of Lincoln."

For nearly 20 years, Backyard Productions has made spoofs of other well-known films such as Doom Raiders, a send-up of Indiana Jones, and the Star Wars spoof, The Emperor's New Clones.

But this will be Backyard's first attempt at a serious production.

With a shoestring budget of pound;3,000, the film is being put together by people who are giving up their time for free.

Any money raised from sales will be given to RAF Waddington's Charity Committee which hands out cash to local causes. It is hoped that the film will be available on Amazon and iTunes.

"If we get the sales we're hoping for, it could raise around pound;7,000 to pound;8,000 for charity, which would be great," said Flight Lieutenant Scales.

"I think it is a great way of helping everyone. We get volunteers and resources for free. We're also looking for people to help with the pre and post production stages."

The film is set in the future at a time when spaceships are used as salvage crews to visit "spaceship graveyards", also known as "drifts", where abandoned ships end up.

It sees the crew onboard spaceship Deliverance set off on a salvage mission, but they find a ship with people still alive on board.

But rather than asking for help, the crew on the ship discovered by Deliverance begin instead to hunt them down in an attempt to take their ship.

Sci-fi enthusiast Jimmy Bowles, 28, of Bardney, said: "It sounds like it could be a real laugh to get involved. How many chances are there to be part of a film which will actually be seen by loads of people?"

Filmmakers and media students interested in taking part should contact Darren Scales by emailing drift@bypuk.com or calling 07876 021609.

More information is also available at their website www.backyardproductions.co.uk

Latvian man wanted for gunpoint rape deported after being found living in Gainsborough

A Latvian man wanted for raping a teenager at gunpoint in his home country has been deported after being found living in Gainsborough.

Romans Jekabsons, 40, was living in Waterworks Street when UK Border Agency officers swooped.

It had come to light that he was wanted by Latvian authorities for raping a 15-year-old girl at gunpoint in his home country in May 2005.

But Jekabsons fled Latvia and came to the UK before the arrest warrant had been issued.

He was sentenced in his absence to 10 years' jail by the Latvian authorities.

But the sex attacker was taken into custody here after a European Arrest Warrant was served.

He was arrested in Gainsborough in December and deported on January 5.

Andy Wells, from the UK Border Agency's Lincolnshire immigration crime team, said: "We are determined to ensure that serious foreign criminals cannot escape justice in their home countries by hiding here in Lincolnshire."

Contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Alternatively, visit the website at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/report-crime

Suspected arson at block of flats in Lincoln
A fire at a block of flats in Lincoln is being treated as arson. Fire crews attended a small blaze at Shuttleworth House in Stamp End, Lincoln, at around 8pm on Saturday night and notified police that they suspected the fire was deliberate. The fire was started in a store cupboard away from the residential areas of the building and was quickly extinguished. Although the fire is being treated as arson, the location was such that the residents were not at risk of harm. Lincolnshire Police for anyone with any information about the offence to contact them on 101, quoting incident number 542 of February 4.

Aamp;E doctors in plea for emergencies only as cold weather hits Lincolnshire

The NHS is warning people to only use Aamp;E in an emergency as the weather gets colder.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust says people who are unsure where to go for help, particularly when they have unexpected healthcare needs, should call the NHS 111 number to have their needs assessed and be directed to the most appropriate service to prevent undue pressure on Aamp;E departments.

Coughs, colds, aches and pains can be easily treated with medicines from home or your local pharmacy. Minor illness and injuries can be treated at Lincoln's walk-in centre in Monks Road.

If your symptoms persist or get worse over two weeks, make an appointment with your GP.

Accident and emergency consultant Vikas Sodiwala said: "We see a range of different people in Aamp;E with a range of different care needs. However, if you need medical advice and it is not life-threatening you can be treated quicker by using the most appropriate NHS service.

"When the weather gets colder many people may develop coughs, colds and flu like symptoms ndash; none of these conditions require you to come to Aamp;E. The new 111 service is very good and I would advise anyone with non-emergency conditions to call them for advice. Visiting an alternative medical service could also mean that you get to see someone quicker too during busy times."

The 111 number is free to call from landlines and mobiles.

Trust in bid to make Louth Town Hall a hub for school and family services

A LOCAL education group wants to make Louth Town Hall a hub for school and family services while maintaining it as a popular community facility.

Louth Community Education Trust, a not-for-profit organisation, has been invited to develop a full business plan for taking on the Grade II listed building.

Seven community groups expressed an interest in taking on the town hall after East Lindsey District Council announced it wanted to transfer the building to a community group to run.

Andrew Howlett who is leading the Louth Community Education Trust's application said the plan, which is at an early stage, will ensure that Louth Town Hall is maintained as a community facility for the town ndash; including retaining features such as the hall's Compton organ.

He said: "It is important that Louth retains its town hall as a community access centre. We want to do that and develop it as a base as a local improvement centre for local schools, families and the community to access services which are currently fragmented and difficult to access.

"Under the terms of our proposal, the town hall would enhance and develop the facilities and services for the community and become a central access point for education quality in Louth and the surrounding area . It will be a hub for services that are currently fragmented, no longer part of the local provision, difficult for schools and families to access or outside the current availability for schools and the community."

Services which could be offered at Louth Town Hall through the Trust include enterprise activities, citizenship development, careers development, learning development, parent and student advice and support such as admissions and anti-bullying and teacher/staff training.

The trust's bid includes the running of the hall through a management board.

All the seven applications sub mitted to take on Louth Town Hall were independently assessed by an outside organisation on behalf of East Lindsey District Council.

The criteria was that the proposal had to ensure that the hall continues to be available to the local community, as well as show that it can be financially supported and maintained into the future for the benefit of Louth and the wider community .

A spokesman from ELDC said: "The decision will not be made until the summer, by which time Louth Education Trust needs to demonstrate they meet requirements about future use, governance arrangements and community access before they are accepted."

Mum-of-four spared jail after pinning fake burglary in Lincolnshire on her boyfriend

A MOTHER of four who staged a fake burglary and then blamed it on her ex-boyfriend has been given a suspended jail sentence by a judge.

Anita Bird, 22, pointed the finger at her estranged partner, Eddie Thomas, after he moved out of the couple's Ingoldmells home and returned to South Yorkshire to be closer to his children.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Bird caused nearly pound;2,000 worth of damage to the couple's former rented house in Windsor Court after becoming angry when Mr Thomas failed to attend a scan for their baby.

Bird told police a friend's laptop computer and her purse containing cash and bank cards had been taken during the burglary and she suspected Mr Thomas who had recently moved out, the court was told.

Detectives found damage to a rear lock and Mr Thomas was forced to attend a voluntary interview with police where he was questioned under caution about the burglary.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, told the court Mr Thomas was never charged but added: "There was a period of time where he was under suspicion and he was interviewed as a suspect."

When the alibi given by Mr Thomas checked out police began investigating Miss Bird, Mr Scott said.

They found Miss Bird had contacted a friend and asked if her partner would burgle the property which he refused to do.

Further investigations showed the laptop computer had also never been stolen.

Bird was questioned by police and eventually admitted faking the burglary to get back at Mr Thomas.

In mitigation the court was told Bird now lived with her aunt in South Yorkshire and was the mother of four children all aged under 3.

Bird, now of Windsor Square, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, admitted charges of criminal damage and perverting the course of justice on June 17, last year.

She was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and was placed under the supervision of a probation officer for two years.

Judge Michael Heath told her: "If somebody perverts the course of justice they usually go to prison.

"In this case because of your youth and immaturity, your personal difficulties and the fact you have four children all under 3, I can draw back from that."

This Is Snow: So far no reports of school closures
THERE are so far no reports of school closures tomorrow due to last night's snowfall. Updates on this and other services will be put out on Nottingham County Council's Twitter feed and Nottingham City Council's website, as well as here on www.thisisnottingham.co.uk. Anyone travelling by bus can check for service alterations on Nottingham City Transport's Twitter feed and Trent Barton's Twitter feed. We have already had some fantastic reader photos submitted of snow-covered Notts today. You can see all the photos submitted by email and Facebook here, and browse other galleries and pictures submitted by readers here.

In pictures: Nottinghamshire snow
Snowfall causes disruption and dealys to transportation in Nottinghamshire.

East Midlands 'derby' called off
The cold weather and poor road conditions force the cancellation of the Nottingham Forest match with Derby County at Pride Park.

Drivers urged to avoid icy roads
Police urge drivers to avoid poor driving conditions in Nottinghamshire.

This Is Snow: Send us your photos
LAST night Nottinghamshire finally saw the first heavy snowfall of the season, with several inches settling across the county. We have already had some fantastic reader photos submitted of snow-covered Notts today. You can see all the photos submitted by email and Facebook here, and browse other galleries and pictures submitted by readers here. You can use this link to post your snow pictures directly to the site yourself, or alternatively post them to our Facebook page here or email them to tom.pegg@northcliffemedia.co.uk. Click here to see photos of snow-covered Notts submitted by users of This Is Nottingham.

Made by Yahoo Pipes

RSS

Newark Advertiser

Forest's Doughty found dead
Nottingham Forest chairman and Nigel Doughty has been found dead.

Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty found dead at home
Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty has been found dead at his home.

Stevenage fixture off
Notts County's npower League One fixture against Stevenage, scheduled for Saturday, February 4, has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Call for new Gilstrap trustees
Newark Town Council is calling for new trustees to be appointed to the charity responsible for the Gilstrap Centre.

Bosworth beaten, bring on Oakham
Newark Rugby Club first team captain Chris Tate believes his side can continue their high-flying form on Saturday as they take on third-placed Oakham, having last week dispatched second -placed Market Bosworth.

Chemical spill on Brunel Drive
Firecrews from Newark and a special environmental protection unit from Stockhill Fire Station, Nottingham, were called to a chemical spillage on Brunel Drive last night.

Forest crash to sixth straight defeat
Nottingham Forest 0 Burnley 2 (Rodriguez 3, 64)

Battling Notts see off Saddlers
Walsall 0 Notts County 1 (L Hughes 3)

New treatment denied on NHS
A man with a rare genetic condition that has already robbed him of his sight has been told the local NHS will not pay for innovative treatment at a London hospital.

Wells joins Falcons staff
Newcastle Falcons have added ex-Newark Rugby Club star John Wells to their coaching staff on a deal until the end of the season.

Joynes: 'Our toughest test of 2012'
Newark Town boss Tony Joynes said his players face one of their toughest tests of the season on Saturday when they take on fellow promotion chasers Pinxton away from home.

COMMENT: Two in, two out for Reds
In what proved to be an eventful last few days of the transfer window, Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cotterill secured the loan signings of two Premier League stars but allowed a fans favourite and promising youngster leave before the window slammed shut.

The Newark Advertiser

RSS

BBC Nottingham News

East Midlands 'derby' called off
The cold weather and poor road conditions force the cancellation of the Nottingham Forest match with Derby County at Pride Park.

Forest owner Doughty found dead
Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty is found dead in the gym at his home in Lincolnshire at the age of 54.

Airport opens after weather delay
East Midlands Airport is fully operational after some delays because of poor weather, managers say.

Drivers urged to avoid icy roads
Police urge drivers to avoid poor driving conditions in Nottinghamshire.

Woman rescued from a frozen lake
A woman is taken to hospital with hypothermia after being rescued from a frozen lake in Nottinghamshire.

Cold weather forces cancellations
Two football matches and one rugby match are called off because of cold weather in Nottinghamshire.

Village sets up fake speed camera
Residents of a Nottinghamshire village set up a fake speed camera in an attempt to slow down traffic.

In pictures: Nottinghamshire snow
Snowfall causes disruption and dealys to transportation in Nottinghamshire.

VIDEO: Couple's electric blanket warning
A couple who lost their house as a result of an electric blanket fire urge people to replace their old ones.

Covert policeman 'defied' bosses
An undercover policeman whose actions led to the collapse of a trial of environmental protesters had "defied" management instructions, a report says.

Derby P-P Nott'm Forest
Sunday's Championship fixture between Derby County and Nottingham Forest has been postponed on safety grounds after heavy snow

Notts County P-P Stevenage
Saturday's League One fixture between Notts County and Stevenage has been postponed because of a frozen pitch.

BBC Nottingham

RSS

BBC Lincolnshire News

Police warn motorists over snow
Police report 25 traffic accidents in Lincolnshire after snow and cold weather hits county.

Tanker driver strike is postponed
A 13-day strike by tanker drivers on Teesside and North Lincolnshire is suspended after 24 hours to allow talks to take place.

Airport opens after weather delay
East Midlands Airport is fully operational after some delays because of poor weather, managers say.

Forest owner Doughty found dead
Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty is found dead in the gym at his home in Lincolnshire at the age of 54.

New Jubilee garden for town park
A newly-designed garden is to be planted in a Lincolnshire park to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and 2012 Olympics.

Cyclist killed in crash with car
A 77-year-old Crowland cyclist dies in a road crash in Lincolnshire.

Food plant closure hits 340 staff
A Grimsby-based frozen food factory is facing closure, with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

VIDEO: Calls to honour Margaret Thatcher
A debate starts over wheher Grantham's Guildhall should renamed in honour of Baroness Thatcher.

Town set to feature in TV advert
A Lincolnshire coastal town is to feature in a national television advertising campaign, celebrating what Britain has to offer tourists ahead of the Olympic Games.

VIDEO: Britain's Best Street celebrates
Lincoln's Steep Hill holds its first event to celebrate winning the title of Britain's Best Street.

Lincoln City P-P Braintree Town
Saturday's Blue Square Bet Premier fixture between Lincoln City and Braintree Town is postponed because of a frozen pitch.

Hickman to race for MSS Kawasaki
Louth racer Peter Hickman joins the MSS Kawasaki team for the 2012 British Superbike Championships.

BBC Lincolnshire

RSS

This is Nottingham

This Is Snow: So far no reports of school closures
THERE are so far no reports of school closures tomorrow due to last night's snowfall. Updates on this and other services will be put out on Nottingham County Council's Twitter feed and Nottingham City Council's website, as well as here on www.thisisnottingham.co.uk. Anyone travelling by bus can check for service alterations on Nottingham City Transport's Twitter feed and Trent Barton's Twitter feed. We have already had some fantastic reader photos submitted of snow-covered Notts today. You can see all the photos submitted by email and Facebook here, and browse other galleries and pictures submitted by readers here.

This Is Snow: Send us your photos
LAST night Nottinghamshire finally saw the first heavy snowfall of the season, with several inches settling across the county. We have already had some fantastic reader photos submitted of snow-covered Notts today. You can see all the photos submitted by email and Facebook here, and browse other galleries and pictures submitted by readers here. You can use this link to post your snow pictures directly to the site yourself, or alternatively post them to our Facebook page here or email them to tom.pegg@northcliffemedia.co.uk. Click here to see photos of snow-covered Notts submitted by users of This Is Nottingham.

Ed Miliband and Gordon Brown pay tribute to Nigel Doughty
LABOUR leader Ed Miliband and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown have today both paid tribute to Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty, who was found dead yesterday. Mr Doughty, 54, was found in the gym at his home in Skellington, Lincolnshire. Mr Doughty, the co-founder of private equity firm Doughty Hanson Co., was also a key supporter of the Labour party, having donated at least £3.5m in the last seven years as well as being on the board of assistant treasurers. Labour leader Ed Miliband said he was 'shocked and saddened' to hear of Nigel Doughty's death. He said: "I was with him only a week ago and he was full of life, enthusiasm and vigour. "He was a kind, generous man with a deep desire to make the world a better place. "My heart goes out to his wife Lucy and his children. We mourn his death deeply and will sorely miss him." And former prime minister Gordon Brown said Mr Doughty would be remembered as a 'gentle giant, a good soft spoken man with a deep commitment to public service who, from his great success in business, became one of our country's most generous benefactors'. He said: "For all his life he was loyal to all the causes that he had grown up with - his love for his team Nottingham Forest, the Labour Party, of which he was a life long supporter, and charitable causes that benefited from his generosity. "I know him as a family friend and someone who supported the Labour Party and its leadership through thick and thin. "He will be mourned by many who never knew him or met him but were beneficiaries of his commitment to good causes. "My thoughts are with his widow Lucy and his whole family whom he loved so much." Shadow chancellor Ed Balls tweeted: "What terrible, tragic news: the untimely death of Nigel Doughty - Labour supporting, Notts Forest owning, visionary business leader." And former Downing Street spin doctor Alastair Campbell tweeted: "Cannot believe the news about Nigel Doughty. Spoke to him Tuesday and he seemed really well. Great friend of Labour and of football. RIP." Lincolnshire Police have said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Doughty's death. The spokesman would not reveal any further details relating to the death.

Forest game called off

NOTTINGHAM Forest's match with Derby County at Pride Park today has been called off on safety grounds.

While the pitch is in good condition following the heavy overnight snow, the surrounding roads are treacherous and an early decision was made to postpone the match.

No new date has yet ben announced.

Review: Breabach, Lakeside Arts Centre, by Peter Palmer

Bagpipes are liable to be viewed with suspicion at border controls, and their appearances within a concert hall are rare. Yet two such instruments form part of the musical armoury of Scots folk group Breabach, who returned to the city at the weekend.

Founding member Calum MacCrimmon fielded one of them, when not blowing whistles or playing the cittern. The bagpipes heralded a rousing opener before guitarist Ewan Robertson, the quintet's co-founder, launched into the song of Green Fields.

Each member of the group had his own speciality and a personality to match. That they combine so well is a tribute to their artistry. Double bass player James Lindsay applied something of a jazz ethos tonbsp;lively contributions.

Piper James Mackenzie doubled as a flautist, sometimes laying down the tune. In her solo songs, nimble fiddler Megan Henderson ranged from a Gaelic air to Karine Polwart's Rivers Run. A full house warmed to her step dancing.

Kicking off with a strathspey and traditional reels, the second half featured samples of the new album that Breabach are touring from Exeter to Braemar. Desperate Battle of the Birds ensured a vigorous finale.

Woman fell through ice at Attenborough reservoir
FIREFIGHTERS had to rescue a woman who had fallen into a frozen reservoir on Saturday. The woman had walked into a lake at the Attenborough Nature Reserve in Beeston at around 6pm. When the ice broke, the 35-year-old woman from Derbyshire fell into the water, and two concerned members of the public contacted the police and Notts Fire and Rescue Service. Firecrews from Highfields Fire Station had to use four inflatable dinghies to bring the woman to safety. The woman - who had been reported missing by her family - was taken to the Queens Medical Centre suffering from hypothermia. The rescue took the fire service around one hour ten minutes to complete. Notts Police said people should exercise extreme caution during the cold weather and to stay away from frozen water.

Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty has died
NOTTINGHAM Forest owner Nigel Doughty has been found dead at his home. The former chairman was discovered in the gym at his home in Skillington, Lincolnshire, this morning. He was 54. "It is with enormous sadness that Nottingham Forest announce the death of the club's owner Nigel Doughty," the club said in a statement. "The club would like to appeal for the privacy of Mr Doughty's family to be observed at this sad time. "The club will be making no further comment." A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said: "We received a call at 2.13pm today reporting the death of a male in Skillington. "There are no suspicious circumstances and we have passed the matter on to the coroner." Life-long Forest fan Mr Doughty stepped down as chairman in October after a decade in the job following the sacking of former England manager Steve McClaren. He was replaced in the role by former Forest player and manager Frank Clark. Mr Doughty, who saved the Reds from administration when he bought the club for £11 million in 1999, had plunged more than £75m into the club in an effort to secure a return to the Premier League over the past decade. Many Forest players and Nottinghamshire sportsmen have already paid tribute to Doughty, who stepped down as chairman earlier this season, on Twitter. Striker Robbie Findley said "My prayers are with his family". Matt Derbyshire said: "I can't believe the sad news, my thoughts go out to his family." Dexter Blackstock added: "I can't believe the news. My thoughts are with his family." Garath McCleary praised Doughty for the work he has done for Forest, saying: "He has done so much for Forest, which was not always best appreciated. My thoughts are with his family." Notts and England cricketer, Stuart Broad, said: "He was a lovely man and did a huge amount for Forest. Leader of Nottingham City Council, Jon Collins, said: "I am deeply shocked by this news. I have met him several times and I genuinely liked Nigel. "I know that things have changed at Forest, but he was always a fantastic supporter of the club. "He wasn't afraid to put his money where his mouth was, and he backed the club to the hilt. "Forest and Nottingham as a city will miss him dearly."

Lottery winners "claiming benefits" after £10 million jackpot win
A SNEINTON couple who scooped a pound;10.2 million lottery jackpot have defended their right to claim benefits more than six years later.
Mick and Jean O'Shea won the huge EuroMillions sum in 2005, but Mr O'Shea still receives pound;500 a month disability allowance because it is not means-tested, it was reported in a national newspaper.
The paper claimed that the former builder said: "I worked for 40 years and I'm entitled to it. I've been getting it since about 1996.
"I declared the win to the authorities at the time, but it doesn't matter as it's not means-tested."
He said he has osteoarthritis in his legs and rheumatoid arthritis in his hands and has recently had a hip operation.
According to the newspaper, Mrs O'Shea, 72, said of the allowance: "It's for his eyesight and arthritis. We're entitled to it."
Mr O'Shea, 73, also receives a new car every three years under the Government's Motability scheme for disabled drivers, it was reported.
The couple live in Sneinton, but reportedly also had a house built in Co Kerry, Ireland, after their win.
Mr O'Shea said the pair give away 10 times more than they receive to good causes every year.
Under Government reforms, disability living allowance will be replaced by personal independence payments, which will involve more rigorous checks on claimants but will not be means-tested.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "We do not discuss individual cases but these specific benefits and allowances are not means-tested."

This is Nottingham

RSS

This is Lincolnshire