Unleaded

1. Asda, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, 114.7p

2. Asda, Radford Road, Hyson Green, 114.7p

3. Tesco Toton Extra, Swiney Way, 115.9p

4. Tesco Long Eaton Extra, Waverley Street, 115.9p

5. Sainsbury's Castle Boulevard, Castle Bridge Road, 116.9p

Diesel

1. Asda Nottingham, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, 119.7p

2. Asda Hyson Green, Radford Road, Hyson Green, 119.7p

3. Asda Long Eaton Automat, Midland Street, Long Eaton, 119.7p

4. Mpk Carrington, Hucknall Road, Carrington, 119.9p

5. Brobot Bunny, Loughborough Road, Bunny, 119.9p

Nottingham Panthers young gun Jordan Cownie picked up a host of accolades following the conclusion of the World Championship tournament in Tallinn at the weekend.

The GB U20 team were already the winners of the round-robin competition after their victory over Korea on Friday, to help them gain promotion to Division 1B next year, but the team crowned off a fine week with a 3-1 win over hosts Estonia in their final game.

Another Panthers young gun Lewis Hook scored twice and was named player of the game for GB, while Bobby Chamberlain added an empty net goal.

But it was Cownie who then took centre stage when the end of tournament awards were dished out.

The forward, who plays for MK Lightning in the lower league alongside turning out for the Panthers in midweek games, was named GB's player of the tournament.

At the end of tournament presentation ceremony, Cownie was also named the tournament's best forward – voted by all competing teams – while he also picked up the GB Supporters Club player award.

ILKESTON FC are on the march in the Evo-Stik Northern League Premier Division as they made it eight wins in a row in all competitions.

The Robins' latest win was a 4-2 success away to Trafford which keeps them fourth but sees them just nine points off leaders Skelmersdale United but with five games in hand.

Ilkeston also have two games in hand on second-placed Curzon Ashton, who they trail by four points, while Kevin Wilson's men are just two points behind third-placed Buxton with three games in hand.

The Robins also have the best goal difference of the top four sides, at plus 20, and their 4-2 triumph on the weekend saw them hit 50 goals for the season after 22 games.

Rob Duffy gave them the lead as early as the second minute and it was 2-0 on 12 minutes thanks to James Reid.

The hosts levelled through Cliff Moyo and an own goal from David Morgan, but Ashley Hunter gave Ilkeston the lead once more on the hour and Kane Richards added a fourth in stoppage time to make sure of the points.

In the Evo-Stik First Division South, Carlton Town's game at Coalville was off due to a frozen pitch, while Rainworth Miners Welfare lost 5-2 at Sutton Coldfield Town – Emeka Nwadike and Gino Kelleher netting in the second half in the loss.

Meanwhile, the Football Association has confirmed that Midland Football League sides Basford United and Long Eaton United, as well as reformed NCEL Premier outfit Worksop Town, have applied for promotion to the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League next season.

They are among a host of clubs to apply, some of which will be playing at the highest level in their history if they can finish high enough in their league and pass the necessary ground grading tests.

And all three of these teams tasted fine victories on Saturday.

Long Eaton remain three points clear in the Midland Premier after a 5-2 win at Brocton, with Basford still hot on their heels in second after their own 2-0 away win at Westfields thanks to a Ruben Wiggins-Thpmas brace.

The goals, one in each half, capped a fine performance by Basford, who fielded three 18-year-olds in the side and were good value for the win.

The opener, ten minutes before half time, was a superb solo effort.

Taking a pass from the impressive Blair Anderson, Wiggins-Thomas broke down the left and evaded three challenges before cutting inside to score.

The second came after 69 minutes, again involving Anderson, whose low cross from the left was turned in by the striker.

Basford keeper Saul Deeney made excellent stops from Craig Jones and Marcus Palmer, while debutant Jahred Russell came close to a third ten minutes from the end but his shot came back off the angle of post and bar.

Worksop enjoyed a 10-0 thrashing of Glasshoughton Welfare in the league in front of 338.

Connor Sellars and Mitch Husbands both scored hat-tricks, while there were two each for Conor Higginson and Chris Whincop.

In the East Midlands Counties League, Radford won 3-0 at home to Ashby Ivanhoe with all the goals coming in the second half through Dave Udoh and Hemagou Kevin within three minutes of the restart and then a later goal from Sheriff Babatunde.

Radford keeper Callum Dunning had to make some great saves to keep a clean sheet.

Arnold Town beat Blaby & Whetstone Athletic 4-0 at home thanks to Stephen Cox (2), a James Price penalty and Courtney Hastings, while Gedling Miners Welfare won 6-2 at Borrowash Victoria with a hat-trick from Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, two for Mitchell Slawson and one for Luke Adam-Stanley.

Radcliffe Olympic, however, lost 6-2 themselves at Ellistown & Ibstock United – their goals coming from Kenneth Reeves and Lee Potts.

Selected non-league football results for Saturday, December 13:

FA Trophy: Lincoln City 0 Alfreton Town 2

Evo-Stik Premier Division: Curzon Ashton 2 Grantham Town 4, Trafford 2 Ilkeston FC 4

Evo-Stik First Division South: Loughborough Dynamo 1 Romulus 2, Sutton Coldfield Town 5 Rainworth Miners Welfare 2

Midlands Football League Premier: Brocton 2 Long Eaton United 5, Dunkirk 2 Coventry Sphinx 2, Kirby Muxloe 4 Shepshed Dynamo 2, Walsall Wood 3 Loughborough University 0, Westfields 0 Basford United 2

Northern Counties East League Premier: Worksop Town 10 Glasshoughton Welfare 0

Northern Counties East League Division One: Shirebrook Town 3 Knaresborough Town 2

East Midlands Counties League: Arnold Town 4 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic 0, Borrowash Victoria 2 Gedling Miners Welfare 6, Ellistown & Ibstock United 6 Radcliffe Olympic 2, Radford FC 3 Ashby Ivanhoe 0

ADAM Murray has warned he will not tolerate any 'passengers' in his new Mansfield Town regime.

The Stags are still too close to the League Two relegation zone for comfort, slipping down to 19th place following their 1-1 draw at home to Cheltenham Town.

With the January transfer window coming up, it seems Murray is planning to make changes – and he has told his squad to shape up or face being shipped out.

"People know how I was as a player, and I'm not someone who takes second best," said the manager.

"I refuse to take any passengers – get on board, do what I'm asking you to do, come to the party or go find another party.

"They are all going to get an opportunity. They've all been brilliant for me. But there are standards.

"If you can't hit that standard, that's fair enough, but don't expect to be sitting around my dressing room.

"At the minute, these boys have given me everything, and they continue to do so.

"I've said to them, there will be no rubbish talk from me. You will have honesty. You will have black and white. What I say, I'll do. What you ask of me, I'll try to do. And I'll always give 110 per cent.

"If people can't hit the standards then we'll have to look elsewhere."

Mansfield had plenty of possession against the Robins, but created few chances, with Vadaine Oliver's opener one of only two efforts on target.

Murray accepts it will take time to implement his style of play, though with Stags having recorded just one win in their last 11 games there is a need to turn results around quickly.

"At the minute, we don't know how to win a football match," he said. "We're probably lacking a little bit of leadership and a little bit of character at times.

"In games, when we are going through a rough period, people have got to stand forward.

"We have prepared them thoroughly. They couldn't have been any more prepared. At some point, you have to take ownership as a footballer."

BRISTOL City remain one point clear of Swindon at the top of League One after both enjoyed victories and clean sheets.

While the Robins playing at Meadow Lane enjoyed a 3-0 success, their rivals with the same nickname won 1-0 at home against Crawley.

But Steve Cotterill's side had looked in danger of being knocked off the summit until Luke Ayling struck in the 87th minute.

Preston and MK Dons both lost ground on the front two after drawing 1-1.

Sheffield United sit fifth and also drew 1-1, at Fleetwood, while Rochdale make up the play-off spots after a fine 4-1 win at Colchester with Matthew Lund, Peter Vincenti, Ian Henderson (penalty) and Jack O'Connell on target.

Dale sit on 30 points, as do the Magpies, Oldham and Peterborough.

Crewe remain at the foot of the table following a 2-1 loss at Scunthorpe, with Luke Williams and Miguel Angel Llera netting.

League One results: Bristol City 1 Crawley 0, Chesterfield 0 Bradford 1, Colchester 1 Rochdale 4, Doncaster 1 Gillingham 2, Fleetwood 1 Sheff Utd 1, Leyton Orient 1 Peterborough 2, Notts County 0 Swindon 3, Oldham 0 Yeovil 4, Port Vale 0 Coventry 2, Preston 1 MK Dons 1, Scunthorpe 2 Crewe 1, Walsall 3 Barnsley 1

BOURNEMOUTH became the latest team to lead the Championship standings in a season where the top end of the table is very congested – with two points now separating the top five.

Matt Ritchie, Harry Arter, Marc Pugh, Yann Kermorgant and Callum Wilson were on target for the Cherries in a 5-3 win over Cardiff at home.

Middlesbrough are below them on goal difference after they knocked Derby off the top with a 2-0 win at the Riverside – former Forest youngster Patrick Bamford netting the first.

Jonathan Douglas, Andre Gray and Jose Ramallo struck as Brentford beat Blackburn 3-1 to sit fifth and two off the top.

Watford are sixth after they won 2-1 at home against Wigan and their old boss Malky Mackay, while Norwich were in the goals as they beat Huddersfield 5-0 at Carrow Road.

Nottingham Forest are now five points off the play-offs and nine off top spot in ninth place after their 0-0 draw at Rotherham.

Birmingham made it four wins in their last six league gams with a 6-1 win over Reading at home.

Championship results: Middlesbrough 2 Derby 0, Birmingham 6 Reading 1, Bolton 0 Ipswich 0, Bournemouth 5 Cardiff 3, Brentford 3 Blackburn 1, Charlton 2 Blackpool 2, Leeds 0 Fulham 1, Norwich 5 Huddersfield 0, Rotherham 0 Nottm Forest 0, Sheff Wed 0 Wolves 1, Watford 2 Wigan 1

JAMIE Paterson says now is the time for Nottingham Forest's new-look squad to find their feet in the Championship.

The winger believes it is unfair to say Stuart Pearce's side have underachieved so far, as a host of new signings have settled into life at the City Ground.

But Paterson does acknowledge that, having had 21 matches in which to find their feet, Forest's squad must now start to produce the goods, if they want to put together a challenge for a top-six finish this season.

"I don't think we are underachieving. This is a team that is full of a lot of new players and we are all finding out about each other. We are a few months into the season now and I do feel that things are starting to click together," said Paterson.

"The attacking power we have does give you the confidence that we can get moving in the right direction again, definitely. We are only a few points off the play-offs still and if we can keep in and around there, we will be okay.

"Every team has a dip in form sometimes and we feel that, if we can have a little good run, we can get back to where we want to be.

"I would rather that happens towards the end of the season, so that we have a chance to get to where we want to be at the right time. But we know we need to get a few wins now, sooner rather than later.

"We are working hard as a team. We are very hard to beat, which is always a good starting point. We just need to score a few goals, to get our confidence up a little more – then we will be flying.

"It is still early days, it is not Christmas yet and you will have seen over the years that a lot can change, if you can get a run of five or six good results going.

"It is that sort of league and, as long as we are in and around the top six, going into the last few months, I think we have a good chance. We believe that we can be there."

Paterson, who has produced two lively performances after being given a chance in the starting line-up, felt Forest could have snatched three points at Rotherham, despite never being at their best in South Yorkshire.

The visitors were under-par for much of the game, but did finish strongly, with Britt Assombalonga inches away from connecting with a Paterson cross at the far post, in the final stages.

Paterson also felt Forest were unfortunate to see a Dexter Blackstock header chalked off for a push.

"I feel as though we always finish the games well. We had a good couple of opportunities at the end, to snatch all three points. I feel as though we were a little unfortunate, when you look at Dexter's header and a couple of crosses we had flashed across the box," said Paterson.

"We just need that one last minute goal to give us a boost. We can go on a decent run, we just need something to get us started; to give us that spark."

BLAIR Adams admitted Notts County could not deal with Swindon Town's quality of football as the Robins maintained their automatic promotion hopes with a 3-0 win at Meadow Lane.

Two goals from Andy Williams and a strike from Massimo Luongo sealed victory against Notts, who had Liam Noble sent off.

Notts created very little in the way of clear cut chances as Swindon bossed possession for large spells.

And Adams said Notts had to admit they were beaten by the better side.

"It was a disappointing result," he said. "They are a very strong team and you can see why they are where they are.

"I would be very surprised if they are not up there in the promotion spots at the end of the season.

"We knew they were a good team and we were ready for it.

"Unfortunately we started poorly, we conceded early and needed to react from that.

"We've had a man sent off second half and it's made it even tougher for us.

"But they were better than us and that's unfortunate.

"They play football the right way and we just couldn't deal with it."

Adams (pictured) said the Magpies' job became much harder in the wake of Noble's dismissal, which was a result of a challenge on Nathan Thompson.

But the former Coventry defender said he refused to give up in his quest to try to overcome the odds and create the unlikeliest of comebacks.

"It's always going to be hard with a man down," he said. "We had to keep digging in and that's what we tried to do.

"We tried to keep pressing and force a mistake. It's football and anything can happen.

"We got beat by the better side, but the beautiful thing about football is we have another game when we can put it right."

COREY Neilson believes Nottingham Panthers started far too slowly – in every sense – as they slumped to a 6-3 defeat against Belfast Giants.

Panthers were 2-0 down inside four minutes as head coach Neilson blamed a lack of intensity from the warm-up onwards against their Elite League title rivals.

He said: "I don't think we were very good. We were slow getting out the gates.

"We had a full day off on Saturday. We couldn't get on the ice.

"Sometimes that works to your benefit, sometimes it doesn't.

"The NIC is booked solid so we couldn't get on the ice. You saw in the warm-up we were shockingly poor and I thought we might improve but we were slow.

"It does happen. There's no real excuse for it, but we were slow. The guys looked slow in the first period and I don't think they got much faster after it.

"Belfast worked hard. They played with a lot of desperation and earned their luck.

"You have to expend of energy chasing games. Belfast made it tough for us skating real well and being physical.

"When you play like that you give yourselves a chance.

"It's hard when you keep losing goals."

Neilson did take some solace from an ever improving power play as Panthers scored all three goals from that route.

They also conceded two, but he felt both contained a large element of good fortune.

"The power play was real good. We moved the puck and created chances," he said.

"The penalty kill was good. Obviously their final goal whacked off the board and came straight to their guy which sucks.

"The other one was a rebound that hit Cody (Wild) in the shoulder and went in.

"When you play hard all night long you get those kind of lucky bounces."

THE Football League are expected to officially confirm that Nottingham Forest are one of several clubs to be hit by a transfer embargo, within the space of the next 24 hours.

The Reds hierarchy have been preparing themselves to face sanctions for some time, having breached financial fair play loss limits for the 2013/14 season by some distance.

But League officials are expected to officially confirm that Forest, along with at least two other clubs – understood to include Leeds and Blackburn – will be the first to be placed under a transfer embargo, from January 1, having breached allowable losses of £8m last season.

As outlined in the Post in recent weeks, Forest will still be free to make new additions when the window opens, although they will have to operate within a complex set of guidelines.

Stuart Pearce will still be able to sign a minimum of two players in January, either on loan or on free transfers, when the window opens.

Under the tweaked FFP regulations approved in November, Championship clubs are permitted to retain a squad of 24 'established' professional players, beyond January.

Currently Forest's squad has 22 men who fall into that category of 'established' players who are over the age of 21 and have made five or more starts for the first team.

Beyond those two additions, Forest would also be able to make further signings on a one in, one out basis, within certain wage parameters.

Some doubt still remains over the whether the rules may be tweaked again or even enforced in their current form, in the longer term, with clubs in the Championship keeping a careful eye on the fate of Premier League Queens Park Rangers, who are set to challenge their proposed fine of between £50m to £60m, for failing to fall within allowable losses during the 2013/14 season, when they secured promotion.

If QPR are successful in contesting their punishment it would, in theory, set a precedent and open up the door for any Championship clubs who are hit with a transfer embargo, and, beyond that, fines, in the coming months to take similar action further down the line.

Meanwhile, Steve Wigley admits Nottingham Forest must rediscover their quality as a matter of urgency – but believes their cutting edge will be enough to get them climbing the table eventually.

The Reds assistant manager said they had produced a below par performance at Rotherham and conceded that Forest do need to improve.

But 0-0 draw was only the fourth time Forest have failed to find the back of the net in the Championship this season and Wigley believes their firepower will soon come to the fore again.

"That is the thing, it is not like us to lack that cutting edge. We know we need to pass it better than we did, but in terms of cutting edge, we normally have one; we normally have goals in us," said Wigley.

"If people told us we would keep a clean sheet here, I would be confident that we would be taking three points home with us.

"But we did not do that, in what was a tight game. They did not have many opportunities either, only shots from distance really.

"Rotherham have done ever so well, but we know we need to move up a level with our quality. We do know that."

Adapted from the popular Broadway musical, the 1982 film version of Annie is firmly engrained in many rose-tinted childhood memories.

The uplifting story of a flame-haired orphan girl who overcomes insurmountable odds to win the heart of a billionaire businessman taps into our deep-rooted sense of belonging.

Infectious music and lyrics by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin have reverberated throughout popular culture from episodes of 30 Rock, Glee and South Park to a sample on rapper Jay-Z's 1998 single Hard Knock Life.

Will Gluck's glossy modern remake retains most of the original songbook with a couple of new soaring ballads.

Some of the updates don't quite work: changing Annie's residence from an orphanage to a foster home significantly reduces the number of children in care for one of the big song and dance numbers.

Also Carol Burnett's ferocious portrayal of Miss Hannigan has been softened so Cameron Diaz retains a glimmer of likeability, even when she's drunkenly snarling, "You think the world wants a smart-mouthed little girl?".

On the whole, Gluck's reworking possesses the same wholesome likeability including a winning title performance from Quvenzhane Wallis, who was Oscar nominated for Beasts Of The Southern Wild.

Annie (Wallis) lives in Harlem in the dubious care of embittered, alcoholic, faded pop star Colleen Hannigan (Diaz) with four other girls: Tessie (Zoe Margaret Colletti), Mia (Nicolette Pierini), Isabella (Eden Duncan-Smith) and Pepper (Amanda Troya).

Eternally cheerful and optimistic, Annie believes her real parents will return for her and every Friday, she sits outside the Italian restaurant where her folks left her aged four with a note.

During one of her regular jaunts around the city, Annie is rescued from the path of a truck by mobile phone company billionaire Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx), who is running for mayor.

The footage goes viral and boosts Will's approval ratings.

Election advisor Guy (Bobby Cannavale), who masterminded campaigns for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kim Jong-Il, suggests that Will temporarily adopts Annie.

Will agrees and welcomes Annie into his high-tech penthouse, where she befriends the mogul's trusty assistant Grace (Rose Byrne).

Over time, Annie opens Will's heart but just when he is poised to consider adopting her forever, her real parents (Tracie Thoms, Dorian Missick) reappear.

Annie lacks some of the rough charm of the 1982 film but director Gluck and his team add enough contemporary spit and polish without obscuring the story's emotional arc.

Cast lip-sync convincingly and the big numbers are slickly choreographed including a heartfelt rendition of Tomorrow from Wallis on the city streets.

An extended sequence at the premiere of a fantasy film called Moon Quake Lake - featuring wink-wink cameos from Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Rihanna - is rather cute.

"People love musicals, they're magical," observes one character.

This version of Annie has an ample sprinkling of that lustre dust.

Rating: 3/5

Parental advisory: Swearing, violence

Running time: 118 mins

Release date: Friday December 20

by Damon Smith

Jim Carrey likes to compare himself to evolution. "I move slowly, but I definitely move," says the rubber-faced funny man, on why it's taken two decades for the follow-up to 1994's Dumb And Dumber to come to fruition.

"I was never planning on doing a sequel, but people never left me alone. They just kept after me, wanting to see another one, and then I watched it 10 years ago. I'd seen bits and pieces a number of times, but this time, I sat and watched it and was laughing. I couldn't believe some of the stuff we did.

"I was like, 'Gosh, I really like these guys, maybe the world needs them'. Plus the world leaders were calling me," he quips, wafting his hand around. "They said, 'There's unrest, we need your help'."

This is as animated as the 52-year-old, casually dressed in light cargo trousers, T-shirt and bomber jacket, with his hair standing on end, gets during our time together, which is something of a surprise, given his larger-than-life performances in the likes of Ace Ventura, Liar Liar and The Mask.

He might've been papped running around the city armed with a puppet of his co-star Jeff Daniels the night before, but today he's calm, quietly spoken, and listens intently to questions before giving thoughtful answers.

Peter Farrelly, who along with his brother Bobby directed the original and the sequel, describes Carrey as "a genius".

"More than people know," says Farrelly. "We sit down with him and go through the script line by line. It's unbelievable what he adds. Then, after we've shot the movie, we ask him to come into the edit room because he's so smart. I have the highest admiration for the man."

Carrey admits he had "lots" of input on the script. "I can't keep my hands off stuff and come up with as many insane things as I can possibly think of. I just spew and they go, 'Inappropriate... Appropriate'."

His work ethic comes from "being absolutely desperate to make something interesting happen in every scene".

"I have a lot of partners in crime with me on this one, particularly Pete and Bob, who are just a different ilk of people. They're the oddest leaders you'd ever want to follow," the actor explains.

"The Family Guy writers also jumped in for a while and had some fun with it. But a movie like this is not talking about what happens, it's about setting things up and playing them out to the fullest, so the audience say, 'I can't believe they're doing that'."

Fans of the original movie will know what to expect; a lot of slapstick and toilet humour. The idiotic Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Daniels) might be 20 years older but they're as daft as ever, this time criss-crossing the country to find the daughter Harry never knew he had.

The journey takes them from a mental institution, where Lloyd's been languishing in a 'comatose' state for 20 years, to a summit playing host to the world's most brilliant minds. Along the way, they bump into Fraida Felcher, 'the girl from Cranston' who was merely referenced in the first film but is brought to life by Kathleen Turner in the sequel.

"For me, having her on the set was a total honour, because she's done such incredible work over the years," says Carrey, who worked with the Oscar nominee on 1986's Peggy Sue Got Married.

Their on-screen meeting involves the cringe-inducing moment Lloyd refers to her character's 'blowfish jowls'.

"Having to say that to Kathleen Turner was very confronting for me," he admits with a goofy grin. "And a lot of people have said to me about the 'Excuse me sir' when she's under the hood of a car covered in grease. It gets big laughs."

They're just two of the many gaffes the pair make during the movie, but Carrey believes it's their innocence which makes them lovable, despite their foibles.

"There's no ego with them. They're completely authentic about their lives. It's like when you watch children, and you're relieved by the fact they're selfish at times and they cry when they want to and they laugh when they want to, and it's the same with these guys. It's the same kind of animal."

Born in Canada's Ontario, Carrey, who has a 27-year-old-daughter from his first marriage (he's been married twice), began his career as a stand-up comic in his teens. He moved to LA at 19 and became a regular at The Comedy Store, where he attracted the attention of comedy legend Rodney Dangerfield, and the pair started touring together.

He then moved onto TV and film with varied success, before 1994's Ace Ventura marked him out as a comedic tour de force.

His career hasn't all been about raising laughs, though - there have been plenty of dramatic roles too, notably 1998's The Truman Show, about a man who realises his entire life is being played out as a reality TV show, which earned him his first Golden Globe.

"I felt so lucky to be a part of that. I'd actually attempted to write something like The Truman Show two years before and couldn't quite find the handle. Then the script came to me and I was like, 'Oh, thank you God'," he says, putting his palms together.

"It's just the idea that to be your authentic self, you have to go into the abyss, the unknown, and trust that you're going to find the doorway," he says of the moment his character realises all is not as it seems and attempts to uncover the truth.

He won another Golden Globe for his portrayal of the comedian Andy Kaufman in 1999's Man On The Moon, and then in 2004, appeared in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, opposite Kate Winslet.

"It was one of those very rare moments where a writer and director capture a primal, human thing, which is the idea of being erased or wanting to erase someone. It was totally original." As was the script for 2009's I Love You Phillip Morris, in which he starred alongside Ewan McGregor.

"The fact a gay man would use the device of AIDS as an escape route? It was amazing to me that someone was doing that," says Carrey, who also wrote his first children's book in 2013.

He hasn't ruled out tackling another dramatic role in the future. "I hope to, sure," he says. "Those are the types of things where I like to wait for something special."

But comedy is where his heart is... Just don't ask him to pick a favourite film from his back catalogue.

"They're tough to choose between," he says, laughing. "They're like my kids."

Dumb And Dumber To is released on Friday, December 19

NOTTINGHAM City Council will try to forcibly take control of a landmark regeneration zone which has lain empty for more than a decade.

Proposals for a £900m redevelopment of the Eastside site on London Road were first put forward in 2004.

But no deals have ever been done to build on the site – despite claims by council leaders that there is significant interest.

Now, they are set to begin legal proceedings which could ultimately see them compulsorily purchase the 26-acre site.

Nottingham City Council leader Councillor Jon Collins says deals aren't happening because the site's owners want too high a price.

The owners, an investment business called Heathcote Holdings, have been trying to sell Eastside. They have so far declined to comment on the council's proposals.

Mr Collins said: "We are deadly serious about this. It's something we don't do very often but in this case enough is enough.

"We feel we have pursued every available option to achieve progress but nothing has happened."

He added: "We have done all we can to encourage and support the site owners to progress with the site's redevelopment but after years of inaction from them, we have no confidence they have any intention of doing so.

"We are prepared to buy the site ourselves, either through the advertised sale or by exercising our statutory powers of compulsory purchase if we have to."

The proposals to begin the first stages of compulsory purchase proceedings are being discussed by the council's executive board on Tuesday.

They will see up to £75,000 spent on the professional advice required before proceedings are started.

Councillors also want enforcement action taken to improve the condition of dilapidated buildings on the site, which Mr Collins says has been "a magnet for anti-social behaviour".

The site lies behind BioCity, a nationally recognised centre of expertise in life sciences, and Mr Collins says he wants to see firms move on to the site who would work in similar fields.

"The first thing I want to see on there is an opportunity for BioCity to expand because it represents an important part of the local economy," said Mr Collins.

"But there is also an opportunity for associated businesses, and we think there is also demand for good quality office accommodation – we have shown people round the city but they can't come because the space isn't there.

"We're also looking at other uses. There could be another hotel on there and the right kind of housing."

Nigel Brunskill, who represents the site's owners, Heathcote Holdings, told the Post: "I have no comment to make at this stage because I don't know anything about this."

There's no shortage of dim-witted, foolhardy and empty-headed characters on the big screen.

Watch any horror film and at least one victim will venture into the dark to investigate a strange noise when common sense dictates you run in the opposite direction. Inspector Clouseau blundered through various investigations yet somehow always solved the case, A Clockwork Orange featured a droog called Dim and Kevin Kline won an Oscar as numbskull assassin Otto West in A Fish Called Wanda.

Forrest Gump, one of cinema's great innocents, famously remarked that "stupid is as stupid does" and using that barometer, Dumb And Dumber To takes the art of moronic tomfoolery to new depths.

From the eye-watering opening gag of a DIY catheter removal, Bobby and Peter Farrelly's mindless sequel to their hit 1994 comedy embraces every crude, lewd and inappropriate set-up imaginable in its relentless pursuit of cheap, grubby titters.

If this is the future of comedy on film then the art form has flat-lined and I would strongly recommend for a Do Not Resuscitate order.

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprise their roles as best pals Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, who mix up their words ("That's all water under the fridge") and are blinkered to the perils of modern life.

They merrily take a shower under the waste water pipe from a nuclear power plant.

For two decades, Lloyd (Carrey) has been consigned to Baldy View Psychiatric Hospital, where Harry (Daniels) visits and helps nurses to wash, dress and feed the comatose patient.

Thankfully, Lloyd regains the few senses he possesses and supports Harry through his own medical emergency: an urgent kidney transplant.

Since Harry is adopted, there is no familial donor and the future seems bleak.

Out of the blue, Harry learns that he fathered a child in 1991 with old flame Fraida Felcher (Kathleen Turner).

"Do you know what this means? You have a grown kid... with grown kidneys!" shrieks Lloyd.

The dim-witted duo tracks down the fruit of Harry's loins, Penny (Rachel Melvin), to her adopted parents: reclusive scientist Dr Pinchelow (Steve Tom) and his trophy wife (Laurie Holden).

Alas, Penny has already departed for a convention in El Paso to honour her father's ground-breaking work. So the simple-minded pals hit the road - and occasionally each other - in order to reunite Harry with his long-lost offspring and persuade her to give up her organ.

Dumb And Dumber To is a greater ordeal for us than it is for Harry and Lloyd, who are battered and bruised by misfortune.

The plot is nonsensical and includes pointless diversions including a brief reappearance of the Mutt Cutts dog van from the original picture.

Carrey and Daniels fling themselves into the fray with gusto, at the mercy of a script that lacks subtlety, sophistication or any discernible laughs.

Rating: 1/5

Parental advisory: Swearing, sex, violence

Running time: 109 mins

Released: Friday December 19

By Damon Smith

Ex-partner Vaidas Balandis was described by a judge as a "control freak" after he harassed and blackmailed his former girlfriend over the course of a year.

Balandis, 31, of Hill Vue Avenue, Newark, demanded money from her and threatened to break her teeth after she moved in with a male friend.

Judge John Pini QC said on Tuesday, December 15, at Nottingham Crown Court: "He is a man who drinks, becomes a control freak and makes her life a misery."

The judge passed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a two-year restraining order to put Balandis on a "long leash".

"You and your partner have a six-year-old son," said the judge.

"You have been together for about seven years and all would be well were it not for the fact that you drink far too much."

Balandis was fined £350 for breaching a suspended prison sentence for an offence of battery on his ex-partner in July 2012.

His former girlfriend had followed him to Newark from Manchester to find work and they briefly stayed together until she found her own home and then her male friend moved in.

"Unfortunately, this seemed to have triggered a degree of unhappiness in the defendant and he demanded £1,000 to leave her friend alone, and threatened to break her teeth," said prosecutor Esther Harrison.

"She felt when he was in drink, when the threats were made, he was capable of carrying out such threats.

"In August 2013 he sold a £120 mobile phone to her but she agreed, because of the threats, to pay him £500 to specifically stop him assaulting her friend."

The woman told him she had paid him enough and he should leave her alone.

But in summertime this year he began asking for money and called her abusive names.

She went to police and he was arrested.

He admitted harassing and blackmailing her when he appeared in court.

Lisa Hardy, mitigating, said Balandis misread his ex-partner's move from Newark to Manchester that there was a possibility of them resuming their relationship.

"He is desperately keen to sort his life out, his attitudes and his drinking," she said.

The judge addressed the boozing problem by ordering Balandis to get alcohol treatment over ten help sessions.