THE 1st Hucknall Rainbows made their own soldier scarecrow. Sue Downs, one of the group leaders, explains how they did it:

We made the face out of an old piece of sheet and stuffed it with straw. We then used felt for the eyes, nose and mouth, which we stuck on with glue.

For the body, we put a long, wooden brush handle inside an Army T-shirt which had been stuffed with straw.

The trench was made out of cardboard boxes which we covered with a sheet and painted brown to look like mud.

The poppies were then stuck on. We made them out of all different things, including tinsel, gloves, food wrappers and even an old tax disc.

To finish it off we added wire and the kids wrote lines from the Flanders Field poem on to a cork board.

Have you had a problem with a noisy neighbour in the past year? For anyone who lives in the UK, there's a higher than one in four chance that you have. And according to a recent survey, the biggest problems are loud music and televisions, slamming doors, noisy footsteps – and pets.

That's why the complaints by residents of an Old Basford street, who say they have had problems with a neighbour's noisy dogs for years, should not be taken lightly.

Anyone who has suffered from nuisance noise will know that, while it may seem insignificant, it can have a major impact on daily life, from disrupting sleep to feeling unable to have the windows open on a warm day. It causes tensions and arguments, and in some cases can lead to a general escalation in noise, if the only response seems to be to turn up the volume in your own house in order to hear everything clearly around you.

Five years, which is the length of time the residents say they have been suffering, is much too long to have to put up with any noise nuisance, whether it is intermittent or not.

It's understandable that residents have not known who to approach abut the issue, and that their slightly scattergun approach has taken in the police and RSPCA as well as the organisation which actually needs to investigate, the local council.

Now, with the council saying it is indeed looking into the issue, and the neighbour in question pledging to resolve the issue, one hopes that the residents of Heatherley Drive can soon be living in a bark-free zone.

THE Citizens' Advice Bureau for Sherwood and Newark is looking for a new chairman and volunteers.

The organisation provides free and confidential advice to residents, dealing with 4,500 clients each year.

The Newark branch – which opened in January – is looking for people who want to take on challenging but rewarding roles. Contact Amanda Soraghan on 03000 231589 or email Amanda.Soraghan@citizensadvice.org.uk

Nottingham: City lawyers took part in a charity treasure hunt and raised £4,000 for the NSPCC.

Fourteen teams from Eversheds LLP, Standard Hill, ran around the city, completing tasks, answering riddles and finding clues in local pubs while also doing a charity bucket collection on the way.

Mark Wood, partner at Eversheds' Nottingham office, said: "The NSPCC is a vitally important charity who we have partnered with to support the charity's ChildLine Schools Service.

"As a firm we are committed to making a real difference in the communities in which we live and work.''

Mansfield: Museum staff are holding a charity coffee morning in aid of World Mental Health Day.

The town's branch of mental health charity MIND will offer information at the Leeming Street site.

Meanwhile, Mansfield Museum's exhibitions on Clipstone Camp in the First World War and open art will also be on show.

Guests are invited along for coffee, tea and biscuits between 10am and 12.30pm on Friday.

NOTTINGHAM hospital workers swapped scrubs for ballgowns for a Strictly Come Dancing-themed charity event.

Five couples from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust took to the floor at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Friday.

Julie Brailsford, deputy chief executive of Nottingham Hospitals Charity, said: "As well as being hugely entertaining, the event has raised vital funds for our £3 million Saving Lives Helipad Appeal."

Mansfield: A 17-year-old boy has been charged with kidnap, criminal damage and assault of a police officer, after an incident involving a woman in Bath Lane, near Carr Bank Memorial Park in Mansfield on Friday. The boy is due to appear before Mansfield Magistrates' Court today.

Boots Library: Fire crews were called to the Boots Library at Nottingham Trent University, on Shakespeare Street, after a fire alarm was set off due to a suspected electrical fault.

Toton: Police would like to speak to this man following the theft of a weathercock and gardening equipment from Bardill's Roses and Garden Centre, Toton Lane on September 16. The man was in his late 40s, white, about 5ft 7in to 8in with a slim build.

Kirk Hallam: Firefighters spent large parts of Friday night putting out grass fires. The biggest blaze involved 200 square metres of grass alight at Wirksworth Road, which was dealt with by a fire crew from Ilkeston.

AROUND £1.5 million is to be poured into the local economy as visitors flock to the city for the Robin Hood Beer Festival at Nottingham Castle.

Up to 30,000 people are expected to make the ale pilgrimage to sample some of the 1,250 beers on offer – the biggest selection in Europe.

Hotels, pubs and restaurants are expecting business to be booming, with experts predicting the event will result in tourists and locals pumping money into the city's economy.

Bob Douglas, who runs Magpie Brewery, opened the company's brewery tap The Crafty Crow earlier this year. He is anticipating a major rise in business, as the pub is on Friar Lane, opposite the entrance to the beer festival.

He said: "We can't be sure how much difference it will make – but we are thinking that a lot of people still don't know about the pub. By being so close to the beer festival, I assume by the end of it a lot of people will know.

"Short-term we are expecting a huge upturn in business and longer term we are hoping it will persuade more people to come to see us and the other excellent pubs in the area.

"It's going to be mostly about having plenty of beer and cider and having a good range. We've also got lots of beer in the brewery down the road."

Magpie Brewery will have a stall at the festival, where 40 per cent of the beer will be from within 20 miles of the city.

Carl Gibson is manager of the Trip to Jerusalem which is also next to the castle. He said: "It is a really good time for us and for Nottingham – the city shines. There's a lot more people in this part of the city who visit the castle and the square so it is good for us. We do sell a lot more than usual – we have a busy weekend."

Keith Laird, head of business development at Experience Nottinghamshire, the county's tourism promoter, said: "The knock-on effect for the local visitor economy is fantastic – festival-goers often stay overnight in the city, and are keen to visit nearby attractions, bars, pubs and restaurants. The festival's impressive array of beers and ciders and iconic setting mean it is one of the most popular annual events in the city, and one worth travelling for."

The beer festival runs from Wednesday until Saturday.

Pre-sale tickets for Friday and Saturday are sold out but tickets will be available on the door on a limited basis.

Shelford: PEOPLE will be given eight weeks to have their say on plans for a quarry in Shelford.

Brett Aggregates has said it wants to quarry for sand and gravel at sites near the River Trent at the village. But a local campaign group has been set up to fight the plans.

The county council is currently drawing up its Minerals Local Plan Preferred Approach – a blueprint for development over the next 20 years. Consultations on the overall plan have already been completed, but the Shelford site has recently been added to the list and an extra period of consultation has now been agreed.

It will run between October 15 and December 10.

For more details, visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/ thecouncil/democracy/have-your-say/consultations.

Mansfield: POLICE will be holding a meeting on Wednesday to establish its main priorities in the area. Members of the public are invited to talk to the force and community representatives.

The event is at the Babworth Court Tenants Meeting Room in Babworth Court from 7pm.

THE cover price of weekday editions of The Post will rise from today, to 60p. The price of Saturday's Weekend Post will remain unchanged, also at 60p.

Editor Mike Sassi said: "No publisher wants to increase the price of its newspaper. But we genuinely believe that, at 60p, The Post still represents tremendous value for money.

"Every day, we carefully select the most important local news, views and pictures that we think you will want to read. Whether it be new shops and businesses that are opening, or court cases and council decisions being made behind closed doors, you'll find details in The Post.

"Our aim is for The Post to tell you something you didn't know about the place where you live or work, every time you open its pages.

"Today, a daily cup of coffee will set you back up to £2 – a pint of lager, even more. We think that 60p is a small price to pay for a truly local, quality daily newspaper.

"The Post has been serving you, the people of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, for more than 150 years. We hope you're as proud of it as we are."

Police have warned of severe journey delays following a four vehicle crash on the A453.

The incident which occurred at around 6.30am on Monday, October 6, was believed to have involved one lorry and three cars.

The collision on the A453 in Barton in Fabis has led to road closures in both directions from Junction 24 of the M1 to Crusader Island in Clifton.

A police spokesman said he did not know how long the driving restriction would be in place for.

Major crash on A453. Road closed, may cause delays on M1 and Clifton. Please find alternative routes.

— West Bridgford (@WestBridgfdCops) October 6, 2014

The A453 into Nott'm has been closed due to an accident. Delays are likely on the A52 & affecting red arrow, indigo, skylink, i4, 18, 21.

— trentbarton live (@trentbartonlive) October 6, 2014

Due to the serious RTC on the A453, we continue to experience severe delays on all Navy and Orange Line buses and the L53.

— Nottm City Transport (@NCT_Buses) October 6, 2014

A man has been taken to hospital after being rescued from a fire at a flat in Netherfield.

The incident occurred at around 0.26am on Monday October 6 in Victoria Road.

Fire crews from Carlton and Highfields attended the scene.

The teams are not treating the incident as suspicious and no fire investigation will be carried out.

NOTTINGHAM Forest's efforts to sign Jack Hunt permanently have stalled – after Crystal Palace doubled their price-tag on the player.

The Reds had agreed a fee with the Premier League side for the full back, shortly before the transfer window closed and a deal had only stalled when a financial package could not be agreed with the former Huddersfield player.

Forest did agree personal terms with Hunt (pictured) last week and hoped to push forward with the move once more – only to find the London club had increased their asking price for the 23-year-old, who has made a big impact on loan at the City Ground.

And boss Stuart Pearce says Palace's valuation on the man they signed for just over £2m a year ago will now make any permanent switch impossible.

"We had agreed a fee with Crystal Palace, at the back end of the window when it was close to shutting. We could not agree terms with the player, at the time," said Pearce. "Subsequently we have agreed everything with the player, when it comes to wages and such like, and we again matched Palace's initial price, which they had put on the lad's head.

"But when we went back to them to do the deal, over the past week, that price had apparently doubled.

"I have explained that to Jack, because he is desperate to come here and join us. He is disappointed. He feels the support we have given him has been fantastic, he is enjoying his football.

"We are ready to do the deal, but at the level that Palace have quoted us now, we cannot take that forward."

Palace have changed managers this summer, with Neil Warnock replacing Tony Pulis since Hunt arrived on loan at the Reds. But Pearce does not believe the change is a factor in the situation.

"I don't know that it is the change of manager that has influenced things, no. I think the financial decision has come from above the manager. Every time we have dealt with Palace – I dealt with Tony Pulis before and this time it was obviously Neil Warnock – it has been the board who have put the prices on the players' heads," he said.

"That is the way I see it. But what Palace are saying is that they want to have a look at their player. We have him here until January at the minute and we will keep asking the question of Palace. But what they are asking is just too much, when it comes to the finance."

While Hunt's long term future remains in limbo, Pearce will use the international break to secure one or possibly even two loan signings.

"We will look at it this week, there are one or two positions within the squad we need to strengthen, we think. If the right players come up, we will come in and get them," said Pearce. "If the right players are not available, we will sit tight."

Forest's targets do not include Chelsea starlet Lewis Baker, however. Baker, who has received his first call up to the England under-21 squad, is a player the club have looked at, but Pearce said: "I think that is more Middlesbrough, who are keen. He is a player we have looked at, but he is not one for right this moment."

A COUNCIL pest control expert is under investigation following allegations that his own pets are making his neighbours' lives a misery.

People living around Heatherley Drive, in Old Basford, claim dogs kept in the man's back garden bark "constantly" for around eight hours every day. Owner Adrian Dove, pictured, told the Post that he had not realised the noise was so bad and promised to "sort it" in the next few days.

But residents claim the issue has been going on for five years and, despite appealing to Nottingham City Council, police and animal charities, nothing has been done to stop it.

The city council confirmed it is now investigating a complaint about the noisy dogs. Mr Dove works in pest control at Broxtowe Borough Council but the authority has refused to comment on the issue.

Gary Walton moved into the adjacent street – Barlock Road – four months ago and said the noise has left him and his partner Sharon "at their wits' end". Mr Walton, 48, whose garden backs on to the pest controller's property, said: "When we moved in, we thought it was a freak occurrence that a dog was barking all day. But now we know it is constant. It has had my partner in tears and my son has just started college but they keep waking him up. You just can't escape it."

Sharon Walton called the situation "utter madness".

The 45-year-old added: "The smell that comes from the garden is disgusting. It is an absolute nightmare and just horrendous to live through."

A spokesman for the city council confirmed it was looking into the issue.

He said: "If we get evidence that there is a problem, then we can serve a noise abatement notice which could lead to prosecution if it isn't complied with."

Mr Dove admitted the barking had been going on for years "off and on", but said it was only one dog, and said "other dogs bark on the street, too".

He added: "I have put measures in place to stop it. I was horrified when my neighbours told me how bad it really was.

"It is my daughter's dog, a lurcher, which gets lonely, but it is only the one that makes the noise. I have apologised but I love my animals. I am not an anti-social person. I am going to sort it in the next few days."

But the Waltons are furious nothing has been done after informing the city council, police and RSPCA. "Nobody wants to know," said Mr Walton. "They each pass the buck and say it is someone else's responsibility.''

The RSPCA said it has received calls regarding the noise and directed them to the council but the spokeswoman urged any residents to call again if they have concerns for the animal's welfare.

Police said they had received calls about noise but directed the callers to the council. A spokesman from the force said: "The advice given was as it was a complaint about noise, it should be directed to the city council. It would be the job of the council to address it."

The Highways Agency has said that the A453 is expected to remain closed in both directions until early afternoon.

Emergency services are still at the scene following a four vehicle crash in Barton in Fabis at around 6.30am on Monday October 6.

It is believed that the crash involved one lorry and three cars.

Severe delays have been reported as the road is closed in both directions from East Midlands Airport and Crusader Island in Clifton.

Crash causalities are "in the hands of the East Midlands Ambulance Service" following a serious collision on the A453.

Firefighters, police and the ambulance service were called to the crash site in Barton in Fabis at around 5.55am on Monday October 10.

In total, two fire crews from West Bridgford and Highfields fire stations attended the incident, which involved a lorry and two cars, along with the Specialist Rescue Unit and the Rapid Response Unit.

Nobody was trapped in the vehicles when the crews arrived on scene.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Firefighters were called to an incident on the A453 this morning at 5.55am.

On arrival, the casualties had already been released from the cars and were in the hands of the East Midlands Ambulance Service. Our fire crews worked hard to ensure that all the vehicles were made safe."

NOT paying an £8 rail fare cost East Midlands Trains passenger Thomas Bennett nearly £600.

The 31-year-old, of Exeter Road, Forest Fields, was found guilty in his absence and fined £400 at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. He travelled between Nottingham and Syston without paying on February 13 . JPs ordered he pay £8 compensation, a £40 victim surcharge and costs of £135.

TWENTY new houses could be built in Awsworth depending on a decision tomorrow.

The site would be developed to the east of Main Street, Old School Lane.

The applicant – Martyn Pask, of Radleigh Group, in Riverside Court, Derby – wants to build four two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom homes.

Members of Broxtowe Borough Councils's development control committee have been recommended to allow planning permission to go ahead, although with several conditions.

These include no development taking place until a survey of the site is carried out and a landscaping scheme has been submitted.

The development control committee meeting takes place tomorrow at Beeston Town Hall at 7pm.

THE health service in Nottinghamshire is coping despite increased pressures, according to bosses, who also say a plan is in place to transform the way care is provided locally.

It comes after leading members of health bodies wrote a letter addressed to political leaders to the Independent newspaper.

The letter said the "NHS has just been through the longest and most damaging budget squeeze in its history" and was "at breaking point".

Rob Heywood, director of operations at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs the Queens' Medical Centre and City Hospital – said: "Our emergency services remain under pressure and our staff are working incredibly hard to improve the timeliness and quality of care for our emergency patients."

The Trust is investing £3.7million on 69 extra beds in response to these demands on services.

But city hospital bosses are forecasting a financial deficit of £19 million at the end of the financial year and must make £44 million worth of savings.