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Philip Hammond as Foreign Secretary is bad for Derbyshire, says Derby MP Chris Williamson

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DERBY North Labour MP Chris Williamson said the appointment of Euro-sceptic Philip Hammond as Foreign Secretary in yesterday's reshuffle was "bad news for British business".

He said this was because being part of Europe had been key to Derbyshire's economic progress.

Mr Williamson said: "This will be bad news for anyone concerned about growth in the British economy.

"We know Toyota came to Derby because Derby is in a country that is in Europe.

"If Britain, wasn't in Europe, Derbyshire wouldn't have got Toyota."

Mr Hammond replaced William Hague, whom former Foreign Secretary and Derby South MP Dame Margaret Beckett said had "largely, not done a bad job" despite their political differences.

But she added: "I think it's unfortunate the way the Foreign Office position has been weakened by the Treasury.

"They have always been under-funded but now they are really under-funded.

"The consequence is that it's lost some of its capacity to inform the Government of what is happening.

"You get the feeling that it was caught unawares by what happened in Ukraine.

"The issue [of funding] is one which you would have hoped the Foreign Secretary would have defended their department over."

South Derbyshire Conservative MP Heather Wheeler called William Hague's move from Foreign Secretary to leader of the Commons "the surprise of the reshuffle".

She said: "His debating skills are second to none and he has a famously quick mind."

Mr Williamson said he was "delighted" that Owen Patterson was sacked as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – replaced by Elizabeth Truss, MP for South West Norfolk.

He said Mr Patterson had appeared to take a "science-free approach" when it came to making decisions on the badger cull.

It was Mr Paterson, a multi-lingual Oxbridge graduate, who had overseen the much-maligned attempt to put the brakes on the spread of bovine TB, by culling badgers.

The second year of two cull pilots, in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset, will go ahead with changes made, in light of a report, to improve the effectiveness, humaneness and safety of culling.

Mrs Wheeler said the way Mr Patterson had tackled the "scourge of bovine TB" had been "brave".

She said: "He has tackled one of the worst crises ever to affect farmers in this country.

"Thousands of cattle have had to be slaughtered and farmers have committed suicide as a result.

"I'm sorry he's gone because he had the courage to do something about this."

Mrs Wheeler said she was delighted for her fellow women who now had high-ranking cabinet positions.

She said: "They are highly intelligent ladies who have been safe pairs of hands in their previous roles.

"They will bring a new perspective around the cabinet team."

Philip Hammond as Foreign Secretary is bad for Derbyshire, says Derby MP Chris Williamson


Derby rescue dog is back home after residents join forces to find her

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A PET owner has thanked residents in Allenton after her rescue dog, Rosie, was found after four days of searching.

Numerous sightings of the Yorkshire Terrier were phoned in to her owner, Margaret Johnson, who was desperately searching for the tiny animal.

Margaret, who lives in Allenton, said: "Rosie was rescued from a puppy farm in Ireland and I adopted her in Derby.

"A friend of mine was looking after her two Saturdays ago and she managed to get out."

Margaret was desperate to find Rosie and began leafleting the area in a bid to be reunited with her dog.

She said: "A local vets put a notice on their Facebook page and they had more than 800 people following the search.

"I had numerous calls to us with sightings. People really rallied round to help."

Eventually little Rosie, who is so small she is often mistaken for a puppy, was found on the opposite side of the A50.

Margaret said: "People tried to get close to her but couldn't because she is so nervous.

"We finally managed to track her down four days later. I really want to thank everyone who helped find Rosie. The community really came together."

Derby rescue dog is back home after residents join forces to find her

Midnight patrols will seek out Derby fly-tippers

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A NIGHT-TIME "enforcement team" is set to be introduced as part of a swathe of new plans to tackle the scourge of fly-tipping.

The move would see Derby City Council bring in, for the first time, a manned council vehicle which community workers in Normanton will help guide to rubbish-dumping hot spots after dark.

Two people from the area's Roma community will be employed by the council to "engage and educate" people from the same background about waste disposal.

Other plans in the pipeline include training council "street champions" on the difficult task of gathering evidence against fly-tippers.

Council leader Ranjit Banwait said that there was "a political will for the changes" but that "the reality is we need the community to work with us much more closely".

The measures have been announced following pressure from the Derby Telegraph and local community organisation the Normanton Empowerment Team (NET).

Dawn Gee, a landlord for Normanton properties and member of NET, said: "We welcome the announcement that the council will be engaging with the Roma community as we think there are real barriers here that need breaking down."

Mr Banwait admitted: "There are issues in Normanton. Normanton has changed and it's changed for the worse – I think we have to acknowledge that."

But while it may sound like a gloomy perspective, it was followed by his revealing proposals to tackle the problem, which give cause for optimism.

The council's Labour leadership had already announced some plans to deal with the tipping blight.

These included a rapid expansion of its "street champions" scheme, in which residents agree to be a point of contact on their road for fly-tipping complaints and queries.

Now Mr Banwait has used the meeting with Normanton Empowerment Team – a group campaigning for more to be done about fly-tipping – to announce a bold new set of plans.

These are:

A council night-time enforcement team that will, for the first time, use intelligence from the community and the empowerment team to crack down on fly-tippers after dark.

Training for the street champions so they know what evidence is needed to prosecute fly-tippers.

Employing two members of the city's Roma community part-time to educate and speak to people about the dos and don'ts of waste management.

Introducing a permit system for private landlords in the city designed to tackle poor management and property conditions.

Under this, landlords would have to pay for a permit with conditions attached that would help the council ensure landlords do all they can to tackle fly-tipping.

In the 12 months to March, there were 6,651 incidents of fly-tipping in the city – 5,173 in the Normanton and Arboretum wards.

The council has been criticised for not prosecuting anyone for fly-tipping in the five years between 2009-10 and 2013-14.

But it has maintained that the law, as it stands, makes it difficult to do so.

At the empowerment team meeting, the authority's deputy chief executive, Paul Robinson, said the same level of proof was needed as for murder.

He said: "Unless you can identify the person who put it [the waste] there, you cannot prosecute.

"So you may well be able to find a bag with somebody's name on [in the fly-tipping] but I can't actually prosecute you for that.

"We need to change the law to make it a very simple offence.

"No council member of staff has the ability to arrest anybody.

"We can't make a person stay in a place while we gather evidence."

Mr Robinson said the training offered to street champions would include details of what was needed to prosecute.

The person making the allegation would need to include the name and address of the fly-tipper as part of a witness statement saying that they would also be prepared to swear under oath.

The statement would also need to include the time, date and place of the offence.

He said that this would need to be provided as soon as possible after the incident and that photos and video could help but that they were not sufficient evidence on their own.

Mr Robinson said a change in the law was needed to make it "simpler" for the council to prosecute.

Mr Banwait said the night-time enforcement team was a response to calls for the council to have a "more visible presence" on the streets.

He told the empowerment team: "We will be looking for [paid] volunteers among council employees and we'll have an enforcement team at night.

"There is no service anywhere in the country that provides a nighttime dedicated service to the extent that you're looking for.

"We will provide a team that will use a council vehicle equipped with a neighbourhood team member.

"We will see if we can get police involved as well.

"So, if we do see somebody doing something, we will be able to do something about it."

He added that a key part of the work would be the team itself, which he asked to provide volunteers to find out where the worst dumping takes place.

Mr Banwait said: "You will be able to help us target these hotspot areas. You'll be able to say to us, 'In our experience, this is where we need to be going'."

Councillor Asaf Afzal, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and Streetpride, said the two new Roma community workers would be in post by September.

He said the council wanted to take its time to find the right people – probably from among the ranks of the street champions.

Mr Afzal said: "This isn't just a straightforward case of having interpreters.

"The project role is to engage and educate around waste management."

Mr Banwait said that having Roma people in positions like this could "raise aspirations".

Most Roma people in Derby come from Eastern European countries where they may face persecution and have limited opportunities.

The council leader said: "The issue is that they don't trust authority. They don't trust people like me.

"They don't trust the police. They don't because they were persecuted by these people in their own country."

Mrs Gee welcomed many of the council proposals but said it would be "difficult" for some of the volunteers to work through the night on the enforcement patrol.

Speaking for the team after the meeting, she asked: "Shouldn't this work be completed by council officials?

"We welcome the announcement that the council will be engaging with the Roma community as we think there are real barriers here that need breaking down.

"We advised Ranjit that we work with a Roma who speaks nine languages and we felt his services would be useful."

She said that the street champions plan was "positive" but that the group would prefer to see "a similar scheme to Crimestoppers where anonymity could be granted".

She added: "We are happy to attend a training day put on by the council to help assist in gathering evidence, subject to it fitting around our work commitments.

"The empowerment team stated that it felt all ward councillors should attend this training and it may also benefit local police beat officers."

People who spot fly-tipped waste should report it to the council, either by calling Derby 642020 or filling in a form at www.derby. gov.uk/report-it.

Midnight patrols will seek out Derby fly-tippers

TV show will focus on Derby's gruesome historical role in death and torture

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DERBY ghost hunter Richard Felix will tonight host a new four-part TV series about one of the most gruesome and horrific periods of British and European history.

Inquisition, which will be on the Yesterday channel at 9pm, promises to "shed new light" on a time when "everyone was a suspected heretic, from religious and faith groups, witches, fanatics and psychopaths."

Filmed over the past year, Mr Felix said it would include a number of stories from Derby and Derbyshire including how witches were burned at the stake in the city.

He said: "The Inquisitions swept like a plague across medieval Europe, with thousands of innocent people arrested, tried and executed for heresy.

"This is an extraordinary story of nearly 500 years of bigotry, fear, persecution, torture and death.

"The institution of the Inquisition allowed the Roman Catholic Church and political movements to exercise control and gain wealth over powerless people across Europe from the 12th century. The inquisitors were the eyes and the ears of society and they were everywhere."

Mr Felix said part of the series was filmed at Derby Gaol in Agard Street, which he owns.

He said: "The show was tremendous fun to make, with some grisly and gruesome stories discussed.

"Torture was synonymous with the Inquisitions, and was used liberally to extract confessions, guilty or not, and often the victims would simply die of the pain trauma and blood loss.

"Methods include hanging by the wrists, with weights suspended from the ankles, the rack, water boarding, removing finger or toes nails, hot coals, castration and beatings.

TV show will focus on Derby's gruesome historical role in death and torture

Derby Telegraph Comment: Mind-boggling stupidity by teacher in knife 'joke'

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ONE question, above all others, just screams out concerning the knife incident involving teacher John Holmes at Landau Forte College:

What on earth was he thinking about?

He, the pupil directly affected by the "threat", the other children in the classroom and the disciplinary bodies who investigated it seem to be agreed that it was not intended to be taken seriously.

But what a "joke" for any adult to embark upon – grabbing a pupil and putting him in a headlock, pulling a knife from his pocket, extending it and then threatening to kill him with it.

Not meant to be taken seriously? No alternative reaction could be contemplated by the school or, in the fullness of time, the National Council for Teaching and Leadership.

Even had Holmes not had a knife in his possession, the "mere" act of grabbing a pupil in a headlock would seem guaranteed to land him in hot water.

That in itself could have ended his career.

You wouldn't even get away with it in a staff v school rugby match.

Holmes has now been banned for teaching anywhere for at least the next two years.

There may be some who feel this is a heavy-handed response for a moment's madness, but it really cannot be defined or dismissed as that.

What was he doing with a knife in his possession in the first place, whether or not this geography class incident was premeditated?

Police, when called into the investigation, issued him with a caution.

He is extremely fortunate to escape with that.

People found with a knife in their pocket in the street can expect to finish up before the courts – certainly if they brandish it.

And to take it into a school, where security issues have always been prominent and a concern, ever since the Dunblane horror two decades ago? Mind-boggling in its stupidity.

Teachers are intended to be role models.

The memory of this incident will surely live with everyone who was in that classroom for a very long time.

Landau Forte, remember, was the school in the spotlight when a youngster was stabbed in a nearby underpass in February of last year.

Crass as a descriptive word scarcely does justice to this whole incident.

This was not some rookie teacher, perhaps only a few years older than his pupils.

He was 53 and, according to the disciplinary body, "is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial."

Holmes will be extremely fortunate if he finds a school willing to employ him in two years' time.

What a tragedy this whole incident has been, with the probable loss to the profession of a capable teacher who perpetrated an act of such stupidity.

Derby Telegraph Comment: Mind-boggling stupidity by teacher in knife 'joke'

Soapbox, Anne Johns: A good education is not simply about getting a degree

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IT'S hard to know where to begin to respond to David Culm's Soapbox, ''There is a ready solution which will help create employable school-leavers" (July 9).

I'm intrigued that he knows why I married my husband, though I don't understand his differentiation between "an education", and "a freely available state education".

I also do know a considerable number of university graduates very happily married to non-graduates. But a degree, though a measure of academic ability, is by no means a guarantee of overall intelligence; having graduate parents does not ensure inherited academic ability. Nurture plays a hugely important role in the development, and speed of development, of children of whatever inherited ability.

It would also be quite wrong to assume that those who choose career/employment paths other than university may be less able and ambitious, and their qualifications less valid, than those with degrees. So what is Mr Culm's reasoning?

Very many single-parent families do not depend on benefits, though since the vast majority of benefit-dependent families have one or more members in work, it is employers who pay inadequate wages rather than their underpaid employees who deserve criticism. Many single-parent families result from the death or disappearance of a spouse, as opposed to choice.

Many disruptive pupils have deeply troubled domestic backgrounds not of their own making. How could a head teacher resorting to further violence (caning) and the contemptuous ostracism of more fortunate pupils possibly ameliorate this?

Mr Culm seems to approve of separating "art-based" (what does this mean?) and "O-level" (does he mean more academic?) students. Is he seriously recommending that arts-orientated children today should have a less academic curriculum than others and somehow be educated separately from them? What would he suggest for multiply-gifted children, especially if their abilities emerge at different stages in their development?

I do not understand the proviso "before comprehensives can work..." They can and do work and have done for decades, in Derby and elsewhere. But most of them would probably at least spell my name correctly – which the Telegraph always does but which, for all his grammar school education, Mr Culm does not!

Soapbox, Anne Johns: A good education is not simply about getting a degree

Allestree estate agent Michelle Lerner celebrates 30 years in the business

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An estate agent has celebrated 30 years in the business. Michelle Lerner, right, a director of Lewis Adam Estate Agents, in Allestree, was presented with champagne and flowers by interior designer Kay Ward, who has worked on TV makeover programmes and is a regular on local radio.

Picture: Geoff Merryweather DEGM20140702F-011_C

Allestree estate agent Michelle Lerner celebrates 30 years in the business

Cars are the shining stars of Derby Telegraph Motor Show in the Market Place

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Summer's here and tomorrow the Derby Telegraph Motor Show returns to the Cathedral Quarter. Here we preview a little of what visitors can expect.

THE Derby Telegraph Motor Show will roar on to the Market Place tomorrow.

Between 8.30am and 4.30pm, a number of local dealerships will be displaying their wares.

The event will give people the opportunity to see a wide variety of cars up close and have the opportunity to speak to representatives of different marques.

It has been designed to be a convenient way for people to shop for a car without having to drive between the city's dealerships.

Vehicles from Mitsubishi, Vauxhall, Ford and several other manufacturers will be on the Market Place.

Also expected are Ssang Yong, Hyundai, Jeep, Chrysler and Alfa Romeo.

Some of those dealerships attending are lining up a few special offers for visitors to the event.

Beechwood Mazda has decided to show off the latest Mazda2, the Mazda3, the Mazda6 and the sporty MX5.

A unique experience is being served up by the Siddals Road business.

It will select a number of attendees to be treated to a special test drive with a professional driver who will use their expertise to work out which car would best suit them.

Kerry Poole, of Beechwood Mazda, said: "A professional driver will contact people and ask them about what they use their cars for and find out about their style of driving.

"From that information, they will be invited to a Mazda ride and drive event on the weekend of August 2 and 3.

"It is so much more than a test drive and really gives people an insight into their driving."

Alongside sales executives from the dealership there will be representatives from Mazda who will be available to answer any questions on the day.

Miss Poole said: "We are doing really well at the moment and the Mazda2 is particularly popular because of the finance package available.

"Plate changes are coming up as well and it will soon be the 25th anniversary of the MX5 and that will be exciting as well."

TC Harrison, based on Pride Park, will be bringing down one of its new sporty models, the EcoSport sports utility vehicle and the Tourneo, a people carrier roomy enough for up to seven people and their luggage.

To add a sporting note, visitors will be able to look at one of the latest additions to Ford's ST family, although as we go to press it has not been decided whether this will be the Fiesta or the Focus.

The dealership will also be showing a range of commercial vehicles. On display will be the Ford Ranger, the Connect and the latest version of the ever-faithful Transit.

James Dempsey, commercial vehicles sales executive at TC Harrison, said: "The all-new Transit van is bigger, better and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor

"It's the backbone of Britain and it has got stronger.

"The Ford Connect is the new edition to the Transit family and the one we're bringing along to the show will be in a colour called deep impact blue to show that commercial vehicles are not just all white vans."

Dealer representatives attending Friday's show will also be able to give advice on finance deals available.

Sunshine is expected for tomorrow, so it may also be an opportunity for visitors to top up their tans while they browse the vehicles on show.

Cars are the shining stars of Derby Telegraph Motor Show in the Market Place


Couple all fired up over their new Airsoft game business in Derby and Brailsford

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A COUPLE who are keen players of shooting game Airsoft have launched a business to help other people to play. Julie and Joe Craft have started Crafty's Airsoft Store in Abbey Street, Derby, and the Combat Ready game site in Brailsford. The sport involves participants eliminating opponents by hitting one other with non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms called Airsoft guns. For details visit, www.craftysairsoft.co.uk

Picture: Geoff Merryweather DEGM20140617E-00001

Couple all fired up over their new Airsoft game business in Derby and Brailsford

Oakwood's Treetops Nursery hold mini graduation

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A mini graduation ceremony took place for the tiny tots of Treetops Nursery in Bishops Drive, Oakwood. The event takes place each year at the Church on Oakwood. Pictured from left, are nursery manager Sarah Mia-Johnson, Dughan Wright, four, Neveah Sims, three, Ronnie Byrne, four, Lottie Mekniks, four, nursery worker Neesha Manan and Kacper Jarosz, four.

Oakwood's Treetops Nursery hold mini graduation

Derbyshire CCC's Wes Durston glad to be back in the thick of it against Gloucestershire

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A BIGGER score would have been nicer but Wes Durston was happy to finally put any lingering fears to bed with his half-century for Derbyshire yesterday at Cheltenham.

Tight Gloucestershire bowling made it a tough start for the 33-year-old batsman but he went on to make 58 off only 55 balls with 10 fours and a six after getting off the mark with a pull to the boundary from a short ball.

That was an important confidence booster for Durston, who was concussed when he took a hefty blow to the head in the match against Essex last week.

"I wasn't too worried or anything from a length point of view from last week. In fact, with these short square boundaries I was wanting them to bowl a bit shorter to me!" he said.

"But I would be wrong to say I didn't have any apprehensions going into bat today, knowing it was going to be back into battle, if you like, and would my reactions stand up, would my judgement be there and I've got a brand new helmet – would that stand up?

"They bowled nicely to me up front. They gave me nothing to hit and I was beaten a couple of times on the outside and inside edges.

"It wasn't like that pull was a release of pressure shot, it was just that it was the first bad ball they bowled."

After getting on his way, Durston was soon in full flow only for his stay to be cut short just before lunch.

"I was pleased with the way I played and was devastated when I got out," he added. "The ball just bounced a bit and to walk off with 58 after the way I played I don't think was a fair return.

"I knew I was on nought for a number of balls and then to hear I got 50 off 49 was quite surprising. It's been an exciting but interesting month for me and I'm looking forward to continuing that form."

Durston was not alone in falling short of the big score that had been threatened but he still feels Derbyshire are in a good position going into the final day.

"Four of the top five made half-centuries and Alex Hughes made 39 and looked very good at number six," he said.

"On another day, we could have a guy get a hundred out of a score of 240, so we would much rather all click and make a big score of 370 than rely on one or two.

"The wicket and the outfield and the dimensions of the ground merits people going on to make three figures but hopefully we won't be chasing that many tomorrow for that to come into play."

Derbyshire CCC's Wes Durston glad to be back in the thick of it against Gloucestershire

Derby teacher banned in UK after pulling knife on pupil in classroom

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A TEACHER at a Derby school, who grabbed a pupil round the neck and jokingly threatened to kill him with a knife if he got an answer wrong, has been banned from the country's classrooms.

The ban – for a minimum of two years – follows a disciplinary panel finding that John Holmes, 53, was guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" whilst employed at Landau Forte College in Fox Street.

The National Council for Teaching and Leadership panel's findings, which identify the pupil concerned only as pupil B, said: "Mr Holmes made physical contact with pupil B by placing his arm around pupil B's neck, and then took his knife from his pocket and pushed it open so that the blade locked into place. Mr Holmes then made a pretend threat to kill pupil B."

Pupil B had stated that Mr Holmes had "placed him in a headlock during a geography lesson whilst holding a knife and threatening to kill him for giving the wrong answer".

He left the school following the incident, which happened in the summer term of 2012.

The panel said Holmes received a caution on August 2, 2013, from Derbyshire Police for possession of an article with a blade or sharp point on school premises.

NCTL official Paul Heathcote, giving the panel's decision, said: "Mr Holmes' actions were not perceived by pupil B or other pupils in the class to be a genuine threat. Mr Holmes is an experienced and successful teacher, valued by the school and many of its pupils. His current employer has provided a positive testimonial.

"However, his conduct represents serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teachers' Standards. He was in possession of a bladed or pointed article on school premises and there is a strong public interest in deterring the carrying and use of knives in schools.

"He has not shown clear insight into the implications of his behaviour."

The panel also found that Holmes previously received a verbal warning from the school in April 2010 after a pupil injured himself on a door. The pupil claimed he was pushed by Holmes, but accepted the collision could have been the result of Holmes trying to prevent him from leaving a classroom.

The panel also found that Holmes made contact with colleagues, in breach of the terms of his suspension from the school following the knife incident by sending an e-mail commenting directly on the circumstances which led to it.

Stephen Whiteley, chief executive of Landau Forte Charitable Trust, said: "Following the reporting of the alleged professional misconduct of a member of staff, we as a responsible employer, investigated and dealt with the matter under staff disciplinary and safeguarding procedures.

"Following detailed internal and external investigations appropriate employment procedures were then followed. Mr Holmes ceased to be employed at Landau Forte College as of August 31, 2013."

Derby teacher banned in UK after pulling knife on pupil in classroom

Derby County coach Paul Simpson says Rams' trip to Austria is vital

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DERBY County's pre-season trip to Austria will provide a vital learning exercise both for the players and backroom staff, says coach Paul Simpson.

The Rams fly out for a six-day training camp on Sunday, following Saturday's friendly at Notts County, as they step up their preparations ahead of the 2014-15 Championship campaign.

During their stay, Steve McClaren's men will take on Russian side Zenit St Petersburg and Slavija Sarajevo from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"We wanted to get all the players together more than anything," said Simpson.

"Pre-season is a really important time for your preparation.

"We wanted to get the players on a camp where we can see what they're doing 24 hours a day and work them as much as we want to.

"It might be a case of three sessions a day when we don't have a game.

"We're going to get the spirit together and you learn so much about players when you're with them all day long – and they learn more about us as well.

"So it's going to be interesting from that side of things."

Since reporting back for training following last season's play-off final disappointment, Derby have so far come up against Matlock, Ilkeston, Nuneaton and Northampton Town.

They are due to face Zenit, managed by former Spurs and Chelsea boss Andre Villas Boas, at SC Kalsdorf's Stadium, Sports Zentrum Kalsdorf, on Tuesday, kick-off 6pm (5pm UK time).

Slavija will then provide the opposition three days later, on the Friday, at a venue yet to be confirmed.

"We wanted to test ourselves against some different types of teams," Simpson added. "The first game against Zenit will be a really tough test for us.

"The second game will also be a good test against European opposition.

"It's all part of the plan to try to do something different."

On their return from Austria, Derby take on neighbours Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday, July 29, and Scottish side Rangers at the iPro Stadium on Saturday, August 2.

The Rams begin their new league campaign at home to newly-promoted Rotherham United on Saturday, August 9.

Derby County coach Paul Simpson says Rams' trip to Austria is vital

Derby Museum has sights on ancient gold ring found in Derbyshire field

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A 15th-CENTURY ring found by a metal detector user in a field in Derbyshire is wanted by Derby Museum.

The gold band, which weighs 1.9gm, was unearthed by the enthusiast on land at Barton Blount, near Church Broughton.

An inquest heard how that it dated back to between 1400 and 1500 and was inscribed with the French words 'En Bon Desire' which translates as 'in good desire'.

Assistant coroner Louise Pinder told the hearing yesterday that the finder of the ring, who did not appear in court, was a local man. His identity has not been revealed.

Details about the exact location where the ring was found were not revealed in court.

Miss Pinder said: "The gold finger ring was unearthed by someone using a metal detector on land in Barton Blount in early November 2013.

"In turn, Derby Museum were made aware of the find and sent it to the British Museum.

"They have analysed the ring and have produced a report for this inquest in which they say the ring is from the 15th century, so sometime between 1400 and 1500, and that it was found in what would probably have been an old ridge and furrow field.

"It is gold and would have originally contained enamel and weighs 1.9gms.

"It is inscribed with French wording that translates as 'in good desire' and has feathers engraved into it.

"There is a declaration of interest from Derby Museum that they wish to acquire it."

A report by Becky Dodson, from the British Museum, concluded that the ring was at least 10% precious metal and was more than 300 years old.

This meant Miss Pinder could declare it as treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act at Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court.

When treasure is found – and officially declared at an inquest – museums have first refusal on ownership.

If they are not interested then the treasure can be sold, but the land owner has rights over some of the funds.

Usually 50% of the selling price is handed to the finder and the remaining half to the land owner. The ring's value is not yet known.

Spencer Bailey, from Derby Museum, said: "We have expressed an interest in buying the ring but we are not committed to doing so.

"What will happen now is that the ring will be independently valued. When we discover what the valuation is we will decide if we have the funds, or can raise the funds to buy it."

Two weeks ago a coroner in Derby declared a medieval gold ring, along with a silver pendant, found in a South Derbyshire field as treasure.

The finds by metal detectorist Philip Jackson could be staying in the county after the Derby Museum and Art Gallery expressed an interest in them.

Derby Museum has sights on ancient gold ring found in Derbyshire field

Derby Falklands veteran tries to rid his demons by seeking family of soldier he bayoneted

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GORDON Hoggan will never forget the day he killed an enemy soldier in the Falklands. 

The moment he stabbed him in the neck has had a profound effect on the way he has lived his life since.

It was 1982 and he was in fierce fighting in the famous Battle of Mount Tumbledown. The screams of pain formed the beginning of years of problems with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Gordon, of Chapel Street, Spondon, served in the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.

The 55-year-old said: "I used my bayonet to stab him in the neck after he stalked me with his rifle and nearly shot me, but it never fired.

"I was covered in his blood and I remember his screams of pain and agony.

"At the time I thought this was war. It was either him or me. It didn't have any effect on me. It was part of my job. If he had shot me then I would not be sat here now and he would have lived."

Gordon took the helmet from the soldier as memorabilia, as is often the case in war. At the time, he had no idea the ghosts of the incident would come back to haunt him years later.

After finishing in the Falklands, he moved to London where he was stationed for five years guarding Buckingham Palace and other Royal households.

He left the armed forces in 1993 and moved back to his native Scotland as a bus driver.

He said the incident never used to affect him until 2001 when he started to wake up in the middle of the night screaming and having flashbacks about the attack.

Post-traumatic stress disorder can be caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Military combat and violent conflict are prime examples according to the NHS.

He said: "They reckon it takes so long to come out and mine took 20 years. I was having nightmares and was thinking about different things.

"As a bus driver I became incredibly irritated and used to deliberately miss stops, which got me in trouble. But that was how worked up I used to get because of the condition.

"But at this point I was never diagnosed with it and just carried on living with it. I didn't really know there was a big problem.

"My life spiralled out of control and I hit the bottle. I became a beggar on the streets and was homeless.

"It was a horrible time of my life. I cried my eyes out quite often and thought 'what is going on?'

"I used to be a proud soldier. And this is what I had become."

But after a chance meeting on the streets with a volunteer from the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – SSAFA – Gordon was taken in and given help.

They found him a home in Derby and he moved to the city.

Now Gordon hopes he can be rid of all of his demons by contacting the family of the soldier through the helmet. He has been in touch with an Argentinian worker at Asda who is moving back to the country. He hopes he can take the helmet back to Argentina and track down the soldier.

Gordon, who is now retired, has come a long way since his previous troubles.

He said: "I still drink socially with friends in the pub. But I don't drink to block out those horrible thoughts anymore. I go for the social side of it.

"I have spoken to him (the Asda Argentinian) and he wants to take it back and help reunite it with a family over there.

"Hopefully the power of social media could help. I truly believe it will work.

"I will feel a lot better about myself when they found out and would love it if I could find them.

"To know the soldier has a family and people with him would make me feel better.

"At the time of taking the helmet it felt like a trophy. I felt like it was pride that I had killed him and it didn't bother me. But now it does.

"It haunts me and to have the helmet is not right.

"It upsets me to look at it and it gives me the creeps, so to reunite it with the family, and to find out about them would be helpful.

"It would put a lot of my remaining ghosts to bed.

"I'm on medication now so I feel a lot better about myself. June is tough because it's the anniversary of the conflict.

"I'll be on the medication for the rest of my life but things are going well."

THE FIGHT TO FREE THE FALKLANDS

The Battle of Mount Tumbledown  took place during the Falklands War as the British Army advanced towards Port Stanley, the islands' capital.

It took place between June 13 and 14, 1982, and forced the Argentinian forces from the mountain.

The battle was the subject of a BBC film called Tumbledown.

The Falklands War began when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands on April 2 1982, and, then South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, in an attempt to establish the sovereignty it has long claimed over them. On April 5, the British government sent a naval task force before making an amphibious assault on the islands.

Other battles in the ten-week conflict included the landing at San Carlos, the Battle of Goose Green and the Special Forces assault on Mount Kent.

The conflict ended with the Argentine surrender on June 14, 1982, which put the islands back under British control.

The death toll included 649 Argentinian military personnel, 255 from the British forces and three Falklands islanders.

Relations between the United Kingdom and Argentinian were restored in 1989 after the governments met in Madrid. 

Derby Falklands veteran tries to rid his demons by seeking family of   soldier he bayoneted


Five homes left empty in Derby for years may be taken over by city council

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FIVE homes in Derby with a combined market value of £690,000 could be taken over by the city council as they have been empty for a long time.

At a cabinet meeting last night, the city council's Labour leadership granted its officers permission to start compulsory purchase proceedings on the houses.

Two of the properties, in Normanton and Mickleover, have been vacant for more than a decade. The others are in the city centre, Chaddesden, and Alvaston.

If the council takes over the homes, they would either be offered for sale at a public auction with the condition that they would be renovated and returned to use in a year, or offered up to become council housing stock. The sale price would then be used as a basis for compensating the owners.

Councillor Sarah Russell, cabinet member for housing, finance and welfare, said: "Council officers have gone to great lengths to encourage voluntary progress from owners of the reported properties but have so far been unsuccessful.

"However, this encouragement will continue and in our experience cabinet authority to initiate a compulsory purchase process can often convince a previously uncooperative owner to progress voluntarily.

"The average cost to the council of bringing such properties back into use, where a compulsory purchase is unavoidable, is about £8,000 per house. This includes capital expenditure and the administrative and legal costs of the enforcement proceedings. However, when the council successfully returns a long-term vacant house to the housing market, they are given a New Homes Bonus payment from Government, which can balance the costs incurred."

The council said it was not able to reveal the exact addresses of the homes due to the Data Protection Act.

Five homes left empty in Derby for years may be taken over by city council

Britain's Got Talent star Joe Oakley brings his show to Derby's Big Cycle Day Out

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PEOPLE in Derby are being invited to take part in The Big Cycle Day Out this weekend.

The event, by Cycle Derby and Connected, is on Saturday at the Cathedral Green from 10am until 4pm to celebrate and enjoy cycling.

As well as free cycling activities, there will be cycle support and advice on hand.

Joe Oakley, star of Britain's Got Talent, will also be bringing his Extreme Mountain Bike Show to the event.

Britain's Got Talent star Joe Oakley brings his show to Derby's Big Cycle Day Out

No hiding place from police, Derbyshire web child abuse perverts are warned

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DERBYSHIRE people who look at child porn on the internet have been warned by police: "We're certain to track you down and prosecute you".

The warning has come from a senior officer in the force and also from Alan Charles, Derbyshire's police and crime commissioner.

Early in 2013, the force established a dedicated team of officers to use the latest technology and techniques to target those involved in indecent images of children online and associated offending.

Since then, a total of 68 individuals have been prosecuted for indecent images offences, with more than 40 investigations still ongoing.

It comes as the National Crime Agency released statistics for Operation Notarise – a nationwide campaign that has been running for the past six months.

Derbyshire Constabulary said it had been conducting these investigations for some time before Operation Notarise was launched.

Mr Charles said: "Web-based offences represent one of the biggest challenges in modern-day policing and tackling the problem requires people equipped with a wealth of technical expertise – not a highly visible uniform. 

"This illustrates the increasing complexity of allocating scarce resources to meet demand, particularly when some of those resources are practically invisible to the public.

"Together we need to send a clear message to perpetrators that they will be caught and they will be brought to justice. 

"The public can help us by reporting suspicious behaviour and making it clear that abuse of any kind is absolutely unacceptable."

Nationally, Operation Notarise targeted people accessing indecent images of children online. It resulted in 660 people being arrested for offences ranging from possession of those images to serious sexual assault.

During the six-month national operation, Derbyshire Constabulary arrested nine people on suspicion of accessing indecent images of children. The operation built upon the work that Derbyshire police's team of dedicated officers has been carrying out since last year.

Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Meadows, who leads the force's child sexual exploitation unit, said: "Since it launched, we have been fully engaged with Operation Notarise, which has been led by the National Crime Agency.

"We recognise that for every image that is sold, shared or distributed on the internet, a child somewhere in the world has been subjected to abuse.

"We tackle this daily and along with local, national and international partners work to identify victims and bring to justice those involved.

"People with such images on their computers perceive it as a secret crime for which they will not be caught, and they seem to ignore the sickening offending that has to take place to support their perverted and criminal interest. 

"Such people need to be aware that we use a variety of overt and covert methods to identify who these people are, and we will prosecute."

No hiding place from police, Derbyshire web child abuse perverts are warned

Intu Derby: Topless man sought over alleged sex assaults in shopping centre

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THIS man is being sought in connection with two sexual assaults that took place in a Derby shopping centre.

Police in Derby have issued CCTV images the man to whom they would like to speak in connection with the allegations.

The two offences happened at about 6.20pm on Thursday, June 12, near the food court in Intu Derby.

A man allegedly approached a 13-year-old girl and a 21-year-old woman and touched them inappropriately.

The man in the images is thought to have tattoos on both shoulder blades.

Anyone who recognises him should contact PC Phil Harris on 101.

Intu Derby: Topless man sought over alleged sex assaults in shopping centre

Littleover house fire leaves three people needing treatment

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An electrical fault is believed to have caused a house fire in Littleover last night in which three people were treated with the effects of the blaze.

Crews attended the scene in Meadow Brook Close at 11.25pm and treated three adults with smoke inhalation.

This morning a fire spokesman confirmed the believed cause. Crews left the scene at 11.55pm.

Littleover house fire leaves three people needing treatment

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