DERBY Mountain Rescue's plan to build new £1 million headquarters near Mackworth village are set for approval tonight.

If the go-ahead is given at the Amber Valley Borough Council planning meeting, the team will have to raise between £500,000 and £1 million to complete its plan.

The team's project has been met with some objections from local residents as well as Mackworth Parish Council but have been recommended for approval by the borough council's officers.

Mountain rescue team leader Steve Hilditch said the group had been searching for a site for purpose-built headquarters for 10 years.

He said: "The team celebrates its 50th anniversary next year – that's 50 years of volunteers saving lives. It represents tens of thousands of hours of service by people giving their time.

"The need to have dedicated headquarters was identified 10 years ago and in that time the focus has been on rescuing people, which is why it's taken this long to find suitable land."

The barn-style building, if approved, will be built on Ashbourne Road next to the Imperial Commercial building.

The site has been secured at a discounted rate through a conditional purchase by the charity for £75,000 from Mackworth Estates Trust.

The greenfield area will be developed to serve as a base for the Mountain Rescue Team and as a training base for other mountain rescue groups.

Mr Hilditch said: "We're very grateful for the discount and this points to the fact this is not a commercial undertaking.

"As a charity we can't compete in a commercial market, but throughout the project we have been guided by professionals in planning and architecture."

Mackworth Parish Council has raised objections to the development plans despite saying it supports the work of the Mountain Rescue Team.

Councillor Graham Bell said he was fully supportive of the mountain rescue team's work but added: "We must remember that this is a planning application to build on previously undeveloped greenfield land.

"Other interested bodies have highlighted some serious questions about this particular location and the design itself.

"The building is 11 metres from the road with its rear turned towards the conservation village, a settlement which is highly protected, with 75% of it scheduled as an ancient monument."

Local residents also sent in 10 letters of objection to the plans during the first consultation phase of development.

Some objections included the site being adjacent to a scheduled ancient monument – the Mackworth conservation area – and the site being within the setting of Kedleston Hall's historic park. The plans will be considered by the committee at Ripley Town Hall from 7pm.

PAUL Wesselingh admitted he had to pinch himself after ending a fairytale year in stunning style with a dream double yesterday.

He completed a commanding five-stroke victory in the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius – and also sealed the European Senior Tour Order of Merit crown in empathic fashion.

The Derby golfer closed with a three-under-par 69 at Constance Belle Mare Plage for a winning total of 14 under par 202, ahead of defending champion David Frost (66) and Spaniard Miguel Angel Martin (67), who shared second place on nine under par.

"It feels incredible," said Wesselingh. "To do it in the way I have done it, by winning the tournament and playing alongside (playing partner) Colin Montgomerie, winner of eight European Tour Order of Merits and a big hero of mine, is very special.

"It feels like it was meant to be. I feel incredibly honoured and delighted.

"It's hard to believe what I have done this year, really. To win four times and to win the Order of Merit is an incredible achievement.

"I love this course and it suits my game down to the ground. I won the Rookie of the Year here last year and now the John Jacobs Trophy. I really do have to pinch myself at it all."

It was an impressive display of front running from Wesselingh, emulating the feat of Henrik Stenson, who won the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on the European Tour to win the Race to Dubai and finish as the continent's number one.

Echoing Stenson's commanding performance last month, the outcome of neither the tournament nor the John Jacobs Trophy was never really in doubt on a comfortable afternoon over the Legend Course for 51-year-old Wesselingh.

Starting the day with a three-stroke lead over Montgomerie, he quickly extended his advantage on the front nine with birdies on the fourth, seventh and eighth holes, as the 2010 European Ryder Cup skipper faltered, first with a bogey on the second hole then with a double bogey on the fifth after finding water.

Wesselingh then birdied the tenth to open up a seven-shot cushion early on the back nine but suffered a brief moment of concern with back-to-back bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes, before signing off a magnificent season with a birdie on the last hole.

That clinched back-to-back Senior Tour victories following his triumph in the Fubon Senior Open in Taiwan last month.

It was his fourth victory of 2013 and completed a remarkable rise from a long time club professional to the European Senior Tour Number One, 12 months after he had secured the Rookie of the Year in the same event.

Wesselingh took a lead of 47,936 euros in the Order of Merit over Steen Tinning into the Senior Tour's season finale, meaning Tinning needed to win the title to stand any chance of claiming the John Jacobs Trophy.

However, the Dane, who has the consolation of succeeding Wesselingh as Rookie of the Year, finished 13 strokes off the pace in tied 20th position, meaning Wesselingh could concentrate solely on winning the tournament.

"Halfway through the round I knew I had won the Order of Merit, so I had to refocus a little bit," he said. "I wanted to win the Order of Merit first and foremost, but then I had this big lead and it is just a dream come true the way it has all happened this week.

"Winning both titles is just like Henrik Stenson, in a way. I can't tell you how proud I am of myself."

Frost, who has now won twice and finished runner up twice over the Legend Course, eagled the 13th hole and carded five birdies in his round of 66, while Martin had four birdies in a row from the 11th hole to join him in second spot, claiming his ninth top ten finish of the season – a record matched only by Wesselingh.

Roger Chapman, the 2012 Senior Tour Number One, carded a final round of 69 to share fourth position with Spaniard Pedro Linhart on eight under par, with Montgomerie two shots further back in sixth position following a closing 74.

FAMILIES would only be able to claim benefits for two children under plans put forward by a member of David Cameron's policy board aimed at cutting billions of pounds off the welfare bill.

The radical proposals set out by Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi would limit child benefit and child tax credits to families' first two children.

He said capping benefits by family size would "save billions and help the next generation think more carefully about their relationship with the welfare state".

A family with three children, with parents earning below £50,000 and so able to claim child benefit in full, would lose out on £696 by only being able to claim for two children.

Those earning less than £30,000 will also be denied child tax credits worth £2,725 a year under the plan, which Mr Zahawi wants included in the next Tory manifesto.

If implemented after the general election in 2015 it would apply only to those who had a third child from then onwards.

The plan emerged just days after Chancellor George Osborne indicated he would seek to make further cuts in the welfare budget if the Tories won in 2015.

Mr Zahawi said that the welfare state was established as a "last resort, not a lifestyle choice" but "the safety net became a straitjacket" trapping people into a life of dependency on the state.

He said: "Many couples take the decision to delay having a third or a fourth child until they are sure they can afford it. This should be the case for every family, regardless of their income."

Mr Zahawi said people had to understand that "welfare will always be there to help them take responsible decisions about work and family".

JOBLESS people in Derby are set to get a helping hand from a new scheme where they get six-month posts for which the city council pays the salaries.

The Derby's Working Project will fund 80 paid employment opportunities at businesses in the city.

This will cost £249,000, which will be funded by cash given to the city council by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Now the authority is calling on firms to sign up to take part in the scheme.

Councillor Sarah Russell, cabinet member for business, finance and democracy, said: "I'm proud that Derby's Working will support residents while, at the same time, helping local businesses to identify some of the untapped potential that exists in our city, and to benefit from an extra pair of hands at no cost.

"I'd urge businesses to contact us, find out more about the scheme and get involved in giving deserving people the opportunities they so desperately want."

Participants will work for six months for either 20 or 30 hours a week, and be paid at the living wage rate of £7.45.

Asked why six months, a council spokeswoman said: "This is to ensure we maximise the number of people that can benefit from the programme. We are working with local employers to explore the possibility of extending the period."

No participants have yet been signed up as the scheme will not officially launch until February.

But once it has started, placements will be offered to unemployed people through Jobcentre Plus which will also support businesses with the interview process.

Those on the scheme will be provided with a dedicated mentor and employers, who, the council said, "will work with staff to provide references towards the end of the six-month period".

At the end of their placement, the authority will aim to keep in touch with the people to see how they get on.

Businesses that could take part are from the manufacturing, hospitality and leisure, care, logistics and distribution, creative industries and the third sector and social enterprises.

To get involved companies should e-mail derbys.working@derby.gov.uk.

Firms will be contacted by the council and invited to a conference in March 2014.

A PENSIONER died after his car accelerated into a tree when he suffered a "cardiac event" while sat at the wheel on his drive.

Peter Milner and wife Eileen had returned from a funeral when the accident happened.

Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court heard how the 79-year-old got into his car outside his Allestree home.

His wife went to the end of the driveway to check for traffic and gestured to him.

But in a statement she gave to police, read out in court, she said he "moved forward at speed, veered to the right across his garden, mounted a pavement on the opposite side of the road and hit a tree".

A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as "coronary artery thrombosis and fracture-dislocation of the cervical".

In reaching a conclusion that Mr Milner died from natural causes, the assistant coroner, Louise Pinder, said: "It is my view that he died before the car hit the tree.

"Mr Milner suffered a medical episode, an acute cardiac event, that caused the vehicle to accelerate.

"The medical event incapacitated him and he suffered a spine trauma as he collided with the tree."

Mr Milner died after the accident in Alstonfield Drive on August 8.

Matthew Giddings saw the accident. His statement, which was read out by Miss Pinder, corroborated what Mrs Milner told the police.

She said: "He said he saw the car flying off the driveway and then striking the tree."

An inspection of Mr Milner's Nissan saloon car found no defects and a toxicology report showed he had no alcohol in his system.

Miss Pinder said: "The collision investigation considered whether this could have been explained as a case of sudden acceleration syndrome, whereby there is an unintentional, unexpected and uncontrolled acceleration.

"But they have discounted that in this case. Sergeant Sue Hancock, the senior investigating officer, has asked me to send her condolences to Mr Milner's family.

"Her evidence states that Mr Milner suffered a medical episode, causing the vehicle to accelerate."

POLICE allegations of glassings look to have scuppered plans for a venue to sell alcohol late at night at Christmas and New Year parties.

The Derby Rastafarian Association applied to the city council to sell booze at parties at Colombo House, Colombo Street, from midnight to 6am on Sunday, and 10pm to 7am at New Year.

It has a long-term lease to run its place of worship on the bottom floor of the building which doesn't have any licence to sell alcohol so would need the temporary permission.

City councillors turned down the application after allegations were made by Derbyshire police about the venue.

A statement from the force said: "We objected because we felt the events posed a risk of attracting crime and disorder.

"At one event, held at the centre this year, a member of door staff was glassed and, at another event, a fight spilled out from the centre onto the street outside where a man was then hit with a glass."

A police objection made against the application, ahead of a meeting of the General Licensing Sub-committee to decide on it, says: "The police have great concerns that the applicant and other supervision at these premises have not been able to work with the responsible authorities in an effort to support and uphold licensing objectives."

The association has appealed against the decision at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court, saying it feels "the hearing was not conducted in accordance with law".

Association secretary Raj Narroya said they had asked for evidence at the meeting of what the police had alleged but this was not provided.

A police spokeswoman responded: "The panel didn't request any further information about the two recorded crimes."

Mr Narroya said: "It's the sale of alcohol that you need a licence for. The events are going to take place anyway and people would be allowed to bring their own alcohol, but alcohol can't be on sale at any point."

Asked how many would attend the parties, he said the capacity of the venue was 200.

As part of the original application, association treasurer, Peter McNally, said: "Temporary event notices have been applied for and granted at the premises with similar opening and closing times, with no objection from the police. I see no valid reason why the police continue to try and obstruct events taking place at our premises; I feel their input is irrelevant, frivolous, and vexatious."

Councillor Jangir Khan, who chaired the licensing meeting, was unavailable for comment.

A BRIDE who was left without a wedding dress the week before her big day has told how a Facebook plea saved the day.

Dannii Robinson was left with no money to pay for a wedding dress due to a financial situation out of her control.

But just 24 hours after a Facebook appeal was launched, the bride-to-be had more than 10 dresses to choose from.

She said: "I was absolutely gobsmacked that people came forward.

"I was so shocked. It really made my day."

Dannii, 25, of Matlock Bath, and her partner Mark, 33, planned to marry at Bakewell Register Office.

But just one week before the wedding, Dannii still had no dress.

"I was upset and stressed and we were moving house the same day," she said.

"Everything was up in the air.

"I thought I would just have to wear something that I'd already got."

Firefly Photography Studios, on Friar Gate, Derby, heard about Dannii's situation after meeting her at an interview.

The staff were horrified to hear she was left stranded without anything to wear, so they put out a plea on their Facebook page.

And just hours later, the status had been shared 30 times and more than 10 people had offered their dresses for Dannii to use.

James Corbett, managing director at Firefly Photography, said: "The response was overwhelming.

"We were only hoping for one dress and Dannii had over ten to choose from.

"People had responded from Derby, Nottingham and even Leeds."

Dannii settled for a dress which belonged to Tracy Clements, a member of the Ann Summers party team, which Firefly supports through its corporate partner scheme and is based in Derby city centre.

"When Dannii said she had chosen mine, I was quite shocked as there were so many offers already," said Tracy.

"When she asked me and my husband to attend the wedding, it felt right.

"We arrived early so I could do her hair and help her into the dress.

"For me, seeing this beautiful lady wearing my dress made me feel extremely proud."

Dannii said: "I had an amazing day.

"Without James' and Tracy's help, my day wouldn't have been the same.

"Tracy even let me wear her wedding shoes as well. My husband was happy because I was. Tracy and Firefly really made our wedding special and we will never forget it. We had a lovely day."

The couple married on November 14.