BANKS along the River Trent would be "destroyed" if plans to quarry sand and gravel nearby were granted, it has been claimed.

Fishermen are said to be upset at plans put forward which would mean 1.5 million tonnes being extracted near the Trent at Shelford.

Nottinghamshire County Council is set to launch an eight-week consultation on the proposals, which form part of the development of the Minerals Local Plan – a blueprint for where quarrying in the county will take place until 2030.

Ian Mac, of Nottingham Federation of Anglers, said people would feel strongly about the plans.

Mr Mac, of Edward Road, West Bridgford, resident added: "It wouldn't be good for the area at all. Shelford is a quiet village and it's popular with anglers but all that could be lost if these plans go ahead.

"I think the river would be destroyed round there – boats on the river carrying the gravel throughout the day would cause problems."

Other areas being looked at for quarrying include a 196-acre (79.6-hectare) site between the A453 and the River Trent at Barton in Fabis.

The other sites have been consulted on previously and the council's environment and sustainability committee will set in motion the consultation on the Shelford site on Thursday.

Brett Aggregates is promoting the site at Shelford as an alternative to the draft plan's current reliance on hauling a large proportion of the South Notts' construction materials needed from more distant sites at Newark.

It added that plans were afoot to use barges to transport the materials because this would be more efficient than using lorries.

A spokesman for the company said: "We have over recent months reduced the size of our proposed Shelford quarry by a third and believe that what is currently farmland can, through sensitive restoration, become wetland of national significance with greatly improved public access to the Trent.

"The site can also make a real contribution to local flood alleviation.

"On balance, we think this site offers one of the best options to help Nottinghamshire meet its need for vital construction materials over the coming years."

The consultation will run between October 15 and December 10.

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

MORE Nottingham school leavers than ever before are in further education, employment or training.

Of the 2,870 students who took GCSEs this summer, 2,691 – or 95.1 per cent – have taken the next step, up from 92.5 per cent in 2012.

The figures have been revealed to the Post by careers advice service Futures.

Nottingham's ratio is higher than other core cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Newcastle.

Of those who are not currently in further education, employment or training, many have been offered an opportunity and are due to take this up soon.

Councillor Nick McDonald, Nottingham City Council's portfolio holder for jobs and growth and a Futures director, said: "We're delighted that so many young people in Nottingham have gone into further education, an apprenticeship or some form of training.

"This is testament to the willingness of students to work hard to achieve their career ambitions.

"It is also due, in part, to the team of specialist advisers employed by Futures who provide support in schools across the city.

"The advice and guidance provided is invaluable. Some young people simply need pointing in the right direction, others need more in-depth support."

Nottingham has traditionally had high numbers of young people not going on to further education, employment or training after sitting their GCSEs.

The government has set targets for all school leavers to take up an opportunity post-16.

Futures has been working hard to change the city's trend, sending advisers to see all young people in Nottingham schools to look at the options open to them.

Mike McKeever, head teacher at Trinity School in Aspley, said they had growing numbers of applications from students to stay on in their sixth form.

He said: "I am very pleased to hear that this trend is being replicated in other parts of Nottingham. Young people who are NEETs (not in education, employment and training) cost the city a lot.

"Hopefully these figures will continue to increase."

Scott Smith, 20, stayed on at East Leake Academy to do A-levels after his GCSEs. He is now doing an IT apprenticeship at My Jobs Place.

The firm, in Broadmarsh Centre, is a recruitment specialist which allows young people to upload CVs, including videos, to 'sell' themselves to employers.

Scott, of Clifton, said: "I was keen to find an opportunity after my GCSEs. It is great to hear other young people are following suit.

"It is good for Nottingham that young people are being given opportunities and taking them as well."

A NURSE who held a dementia patient's arms down and forced her to take a tablet has been struck off the register.

Susan Mary Watkinson was working at Bassetlaw General Hospital when a patient became agitated and aggressive.

Ms Watkinson physically restrained the woman before forcing her to take a tablet and saying "well choke then" when she voiced her distress.

The staff nurse, who worked on Ward C2 at the hospital, was handed a suspended sentence by magistrates last year after being convicted of assault and has now been told she is not fit to practice.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing in London heard from a witness, Ms 1, who was with Ms Watkinson during the ward round at 6pm. She said: "Using her left hand, with significant force, Susan held both of Patient A's arms, which were crossed over her abdomen, down over her abdomen by the wrists."

Ms 1 said she then managed to convince the patient to put the tablet in her mouth, before Ms Watkinson "put her left hand under Patient A's chin and over her mouth".

Ms 1 added: "Patient A stated that she was 'going to choke' or words to that effect. Susan responded by saying 'well choke then'. Susan's tone was loud and aggressive."

The incident, in November 2012, was reported to the police and several members of staff gave witness statements.

According to a report of the NMC hearing, which took place on Friday, Ms Watkinson accepted that her actions breached the nursing code.

The council's report said "Ms Watkinson's conviction is evidence of a harmful, deep-seated attitudinal issue" and there was significant risk of these actions being repeated.

It continued: "The panel has concluded that nothing short of striking off would be sufficient in this case."

The council found that Ms Watkinson's fitness to practice was impaired due to the vulnerability of the patient, putting the patient at risk of choking, a lack of empathy and the custodial sentence imposed.

Ms Watkinson can appeal.

The former nurse was convicted at Mansfield and Worksop Magistrates' Court on September 2, 2013, of assaulting Patient A. She was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, required to carry out unpaid work and ordered to pay £420 in costs.

Hospital bosses had called a disciplinary hearing for Ms Watkinson but less than two weeks earlier, she retired.

The meeting found that she would have been dismissed for gross misconduct if she had not resigned.

COMMUTERS will be able to use the Forest park-and-ride in Gregory Boulevard again tomorrow.

The site has been closed to make way for the city's annual Goose Fair celebrations.

Last week, tens of thousands of people flocked to the Forest recreation ground for the event, which attracts visitors from across the city and beyond.

Jamie Swift, NET marketing manager, said: "Whilst the park and ride was closed to traffic, the tram stop remained open and was very busy through the five days of the event.

"Although the celebrations drew to a close on Sunday, the park-and-ride has remained closed for a few more days to allow the many attractions to be removed from the site."

And he added: "I'm pleased to say it will be business as usual from 6am on Wednesday morning and we apologise for any inconvenience the temporary closure may have caused."

TWO people were rushed to hospital after a crash between a lorry and two cars on the A453 yesterday.

Firefighters, police and the ambulance service were called to the crash site in Barton in Fabis at about 5.55am.

The drivers of both cars, a grey Peugeot and a black Ford Fiesta, were taken to Queen's Medical Centre by paramedics.

Following the incident, police closed the A453 for more than nine hours in both directions, from Junction 24 of the M1 to Crusader Island, in Clifton.

Drivers faced severe delays in the surrounding areas for several hours, with many struggling to get to work on time at rush hour.

The chaos was further exacerbated by a second crash on the A453 near the Tesco Express opposite Garret Grove, Clifton, at about 11am.

Steve Roberts, 48, of Victoria Road, Sherwood, was stuck in traffic on Clifton Lane, close to the Crusader Island.

He said: "I hadn't heard about the crash, so I was quite surprised to see all the traffic.

"I'm now late for work – it's very frustrating.

"But I suppose we've got to be thankful that we're not involved in the crash."

Roz Holton, 56, of Thomas Road, Kegworth, was trying to get to work at Queen's Medical Centre.

She said: "I've been stuck not moving for about 40 minutes.

"It's incredibly frustrating, especially when you're not going anywhere at all. But there's not a lot you can do.

"I just hope everyone involved in the crash is OK."

Dennis Gill, 59, manager of the Crusader pub, said he had seen "several" ambulances and police cars "screaming" towards the crash site at about 6am yesterday.

He said: "They had their blue lights flashing, so they were obviously in a hurry.

"It's horrible when you hear about crashes like that.

"The traffic has been awful. My assistant manager had trouble getting in and he only lives on Nobel Road."

Two fire crews from West Bridgford and Highfields fire stations attended the incident, along with the specialist rescue unit and the rapid response unit.

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

The lorry involved in the collision was believed to be from haulage company Turners.

The firm did not wish to comment on the incident.

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

TWO "mean and despicable" burglars have been jailed for six years each after breaking into the homes of vulnerable elderly women as they slept.

Craig Mercer and Shad Mercer got into the homes of their terrified victims – aged 91 and 82 years – by smashing into safe boxes outside the properties containing a carer's key.

In both cases, the women woke up to find the raiders in their bedrooms and watched, horrified, as their belongings were snatched.

At Nottingham Crown Court yesterday, Judge Jeremy Lea sentenced the men for the burglaries in Cotgrave and West Bridgford on September 19.

He said: "You have both admitted mean and despicable offences in the same night when you broke into two elderly people's bungalows.

"You removed the key safe on the wall to gain entry. They were plainly well-planned and well thought-out."

The 91-year-old victim, who has arthritis, had been alone in her two-bedroom Cotgrave bungalow when she was woken by a bang and a flash of light.

She saw one of the Mercers at the side of her bed, holding a torch and looking at her dressing table, where her jewellery box was kept.

Chris Geeson, prosecuting, said the woman shouted at the man to leave and got up and slowly used her walking frame to follow him into her living room. "She found the men were there and they had searched all her cupboards and drawers," he said.

"Police were called and they attended.

"They found the two defendants had removed the outside key safe by forcing it off the wall by the rear door."

After leaving her home, the Mercers targeted their next property in West Bridgford, again gaining access by breaking into the key safe.

The victim there woke to see one of the Mercers standing at the foot of her bed near her dressing table. "One of the men asked her where her money was and where she kept her handbag and she said she was elderly and had no money," said Mr Geeson.

"One of the men managed to find her handbag and purse. Thankfully, she had an Age Concern alarm but one of the defendants saw this and threw it across the room."

The men, both convicted burglars, escaped with cash and credit cards in a Ford Focus but were caught by police.

Craig Mercer, 24, of Glenloch Drive, Clifton, had £110 in £10 notes between his buttocks when he was arrested.

Harry Ewing, in mitigation, said his client could not explain why the offence happened.

At the time, he had split from his partner and was upset at not seeing his child regularly, said Mr Ewing, but none of that justified what he did and he added that he apologises.

Solicitor Matthew Smith represented Shad Mercer, 23, of Conifer Crescent, Clifton. He said his client knew his only mitigation was his plea of guilty, and he accepted they were terrible offences and impacted on two elderly, frail victims.

After the case, Rasik Kotecha, managing directing of key safe company Securesafe gave his opinion on the crimes, saying it was the first case he had heard of.

"The location of the key safes are as discrete as possible, so people have to look for it. They are pin-coded and only accessed by a carer."

THE Grand Tour? In the 18th century it was a gap year for young toffs between their education and a life carousing at the gaming tables. A trek across Europe would show them the architecture of ancient civilisations and the art of the Renaissance.

Welcome to the new Grand Tour – a 21st-century reinterpretation of the artistic adventure that organisers believe will get art lovers flocking to Notts and Derbyshire and boosting the regional economy.

"We all do exhibitions, so it is not new for us," the Grand Tour launch event was told by the Duke of Devonshire, whose Chatsworth House will be one of the four key venues for shows both next summer and in 2016.

"What is new," he stressed, "is that the main justification of the Grand Tour is bed occupancy."

In other words, the work of past masters and living artists like Simon Starling, Pablo Bronstein and Rose English are potential tourism assets – no different in principle to Sherwood Forest and the legend of Robin Hood; a tour of Haddon Hall or a hike in the Peak District. And just as capable of getting people into local hotels, restaurants, guest houses and pubs.

The duke pointed out that Chatsworth is currently hosting the Beyond Limits sculpture exhibition. "We know that these events can add 20,000 visitors over seven weeks," he said. "And a lot of them will be staying the night in Derbyshire and nearby."

As well as Nottingham Contemporary and Chatsworth House, the other two Grand Tour venues (see panel) will be the Harley Gallery, to be found on the Welbeck Estate, near Worksop, and Derbyshire Museum and Art Gallery, home of the world-renowned Joseph Wright Collection.

The Grand Tour is a partnership between the four venues and the two counties' tourism agencies – Experience Nottinghamshire and Visit Peak District and Derbyshire.

Nottingham Contemporary director Alex Farquharson, hosting the launch event yesterday, said there would be connections between contemporary work and the art of the Enlightenment – the age of the original Grand Tours.

He said: "The Grand Tour played a major role in shaping the world-famous art collections, architecture and landscape of this region. Grand tourists transformed British taste by bringing home with them a fascination with the culture of the ancient world and its influence on the artistic innovations of the day.

"Our own Grand Tour builds on this history through exhilarating encounters between leading contemporary artists and these world-class collections. Contemporary art will shed new light on the cultural riches of the region through a new Grand Tour that is completely of its time."

Funding for the project comes from the joint Arts Council England and Visit England £3m Cultural Destinations programme.

The Notts and Derbyshire project won £350,000 from that pot and further support has come from D2N2, the local enterprise partnership involving the two county and two city councils. The first Grand Tour shows will be seen in the two counties from July to September next year and a number of associated events will be announced nearer the time.

The second season will run from March to July 2016.

Arts Council chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette, who, as a young broadcast journalist in the late 1970s, worked for BBC Radio Nottingham, said: "Art and culture are among the top reasons tourists choose to visit England. The Arts Council's and Visit England's investment is supporting arts organisations to work in partnership with the local tourism sector to really make the most of England's superb cultural offer."

Visit England chief executive James Berresford added: "As one of a number of projects aimed at driving local economic growth through developing the arts and cultural offering in England, the Grand Tour is a welcome and innovative addition to the Cultural Destinations programme."

You might not know the name James Norton, but chances are, he terrified you to your core, if you were one of the millions who tuned into Happy Valley earlier this year.

London-born Norton starred as psychopathic killer Tommy Lee Royce, who tormented Sarah Lancashire's policewoman and was responsible for one of TV's most disturbing death by motoring scenes.

"He was a nasty piece of work," admits the handsome 29-year-old, grinning. "I'd spent the last couple of years being offered period dramas, and nice, wholesome English guys, so it was a joy to play Tommy.

"I know you've got to be a bit careful, saying how great it is to play a psychopath, because people get weirded out, like the psychopathy is rubbing off on you."

In preparation, he read up on the subject, and watched other performances including The Take with Tom Hardy and See No Evil: The Moors Murders, which starred Maxine Peake as Myra Hindley.

"That was for the Northern accent as well," admits Norton, sounding like a well-spoken Southerner, despite growing up in Yorkshire, where he attended "the posh [boarding] school" Ampleforth College.

"Everyone was very clipped and would go, 'You're such a Northerner'. Before that, all my friends back home thought I was posh, so I was screwed either way."

At Ampleforth, his house masters and teachers were all Benedictine monks, "inspiring, bright human beings, but like we all are, filled with conflicts," says Norton.

In short, the perfect inspiration for his latest role, as vicar Sidney Chambers in ITV's new six-part series, Grantchester.

"It was a lovely transition to get Tommy out of my system, although there wasn't a lot of time between the projects," says Norton, who studied theology at Cambridge University, but never had aspirations of entering the priesthood. "Half the course are studying from a belief-based perspective, and half are studying with academic interest," he explains.

He hopes people won't be alienated by the fact Sidney's a vicar. "He's a very normal guy, doing normal things. He loves his booze a bit too much, women, jazz. There are temptations around him, taking him off course slightly, and the backdrop of the war is very significant too. Like many, he fought and killed and has experienced his own fair share of horror."

Adapted from the novel by James Runcie (and based on his own father, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie), the drama is set in 1953, in the Cambridgeshire hamlet of Grantchester.

"It was lovely to be back, home from home, to a certain extent," remarks Norton. But as picturesque as the setting is, "this isn't like Father Brown or Miss Marple. It's not sugary or chocolate boxy, it's grittier than that. It can be quite gruesome, it's not sanitised."

Sidney turns detective when one of his parishioners dies in suspicious circumstances, and an unlikely partnership is forged between him and overworked police inspector Geordie Keating, played by Robson Green.

"Sidney's trying to do the right thing, but realises he can get into places and into people's lives, and open up confidences where a policeman can't, and Geordie realises he can use that," explains Norton.

"Sidney's looking for adrenaline after the war as well. It's sort of a mutual, quiet understanding between the two of them. They're stepping out of line slightly, but they're a dream duo."

Norton speaks highly of his co-star. "Robson's a lovely man, the best known person in the cast but so down to earth, and that filters through. There were no egos – and it was the same with Happy Valley," he says.

Green might be the bigger name but Norton's the leading man, a responsibility he didn't take lightly.

"This is the first time I'm fronting a show and all the ingredients are in place; a great script, cast and crew. But then you think, if it doesn't work, what is the common denominator? So I'm aware of that!" he confesses, laughing.

Given that Sidney's in almost every scene, it's a good thing Norton thrives under pressure. "The filming on this was so fast, we sometimes had two units and I was running between the two. But I work better in that environment. There's less time to think, so you just work on instinct."

There are already expectations that the drama will do well in the US, and the timing couldn't be better for Norton. "It's a good time for young British blokes, as the awards showed," he says, referring to actors such as Luther's Idris Elba and Homeland's Damian Lewis, who've enjoyed huge success in the States in recent years.

"We're so in vogue, the Brits out there, so it'd be stupid to miss that opportunity, " says Norton, who visits the States for "a few months" every year.

"You can be skiing in the morning, surfing in the afternoon, and then spend the evening in the desert," he says. "But the industry is very gruelling, especially if you're not known out there.

"You go into these endless meetings and you're one of a hundred. You'll sit in a corridor with 25 others who look just like you, and they read out your name like a doctor's waiting room."

He tries to not to dwell on the 'what ifs'. "If you start looking backwards, you're going to drive yourself mad," he says. "But I do watch things I missed out on, and I can't deny if it's rubbish, there's a little part of me..." he says before stopping short, leaving his cheeky grin to fill in the rest of the sentence.

After a brief appearance in Carey Mulligan's breakthrough movie An Education, and various TV series, in 2013, Norton was cast in the F1 film Rush. "I spent two or three days on set, but greedily, I would've loved to have done more," he says.

Working with director Ron Howard was an eye-opener, he reveals. "He wanders around with this cap and a slightly high, nauseating voice, with a cast and crew of hundreds, but he commands total respect."

Parts in the period projects Death Comes To Pemberley and Belle followed, and he'll soon be seen in the upcoming biopic Mr Turner and Northmen – A Viking Saga.

Grantchester begins on ITV on Monday at 9pm. 

STUART Pearce believes he has a better chance of winning promotion with Nottingham Forest than he would with any other Championship club.

With virtually a quarter of the season gone, the Reds boss (pictured) says he will now sit down to analyse the club's progress so far.

Pearce is delighted with how things have gone since he returned to the City Ground in the summer – but also admits he is disappointed to be sitting second in the table, rather than top.

Forest are still unbeaten in the league heading into the international break, however – and the manager is convinced his side will only get stronger as the season goes on.

"We have played 11 Championship games now and three cup games on top of that. And there is nothing that suggests to me that I would rather be a manager of another team in this league," said Pearce.

"I wanted to be top. I will be honest about that. I wanted to be leading the way in the division at this point. But, listen, all I can draw on is the players' mentality, which is outstanding, as a squad. I hope that continues for a long time.

"We have shown a real level of consistency in everything we have done. I think our football can improve, slightly. Nottingham Forest, as a club, have to pass the ball a little bit more. We have got good players in the squad and we will work on and improve on that."

Pearce does believe he has a group of players with the ability to succeed in the second tier. But he is also encouraged by the attitude of his squad.

"I am delighted with the group of people I have got in that dressing room and I am delighted with their focus and ability," he said. "As a coach and a manager, we can improve them as individuals and collectively.

"At this moment in time, I am delighted and I am pleased to be working with them."

"Make no mistake, at the back end of last season, the team would have rolled over (against Ipswich). Particularly once we had conceded another goal, after getting ourselves back in it."

Forest face a tough run of fixtures on their return, with games at Cardiff and Watford followed by the visit of Blackburn.

Forest's players – at least those not on international duty – will get the chance to recharge their batteries over the next few weeks.

But Pearce says they will be well prepared for the trip to Wales and a game against a side set to be managed by former Notts boss Russell Slade.

"I am pleased with how we have done and we will take the chance to look at things now, ahead of the game at Cardiff," said Pearce.

"We will look at where we are scoring goals, where we are conceding goals, what we can do better at and we will check the players individually and collectively.

"We will then ask if we can learn some lessons about where we are and what we have done so far."

YOU got the impression that Stuart Pearce was not impressed with Kelvin Wilson's failure to inform him he was feeling ill, prior to kick-off on Sunday.

But the Forest manager will still have been delighted that, when he did trudge off shortly after, it was because he was sick.

With Jack Hobbs struggling to shake off his ankle problem, Wilson has become an integral figure alongside Michael Mancienne. Beyond the goal Daryl Murphy netted for Ipswich, Forest have conceded only once, when he has been on the pitch, in the Championship.

And, having him back fully fit when Forest head to Cardiff after the international break could be a vital factor, if they are to stay unbeaten.

PEOPLE interested in becoming airline cabin crew have the chance to discover more about the job – and an opportunity to live in Dubai.

Emirates is holding an open day at the Mecure City Centre hotel in George Street on Saturday, to give people an insight into the company and what it is like to work on an airliner.

Applicants have to be at least 21 years-old at the time of recruitment and are requested to bring an up-to-date CV and a photograph.

It is advisable to register online for the event, which starts at 9am, by visiting www.emirates.com/careers.

WORK on a new unit for children and teenage cancer patients has been delayed.

A £5 million overhaul of facilities is being undertaken at the Queen's Medical Centre and it was expected that the project would be completed towards the end of November. But delays mean it is now likely to open in December.

The new teenage cancer unit at the QMC will include two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a three-bed bay and a social area with TV and games.

The new facilities will feature wards tailored to young patients, facilities for children with neurological disease, space and accommodation for parents to stay overnight with their children, new furniture and play equipment for the playroom and an improved ventilation system to reduce the risk of infection for the most vulnerable patients.

Jonathan Evans, Clinical Director for the Family Health directorate at NUH, said: "Our new facilities for children's cancer and neurosciences patients will open up to four weeks later than planned due to unforeseen delays during construction works. We are working with our contractors to do everything possible to open the facilities sooner than mid-December so our patients, their families and carers can benefit from the new facilities as early as possible."

BEESTON railway station is celebrating its 175th birthday today with the unveiling of a plaque.

Sir Neil Cossons, who was born and raised in Beeston and was chairman of English Heritage for seven years, will lead the ceremony alongside David Horne, managing director of East Midlands Trains.

The station was first built back in 1839 for the Midland Counties Railway, with services beginning on June 4.

The small cottage building was replaced in 1847 with the current building.

The unveiling event will start at 11.30am.