THE leader of Derbyshire's Tory group has accused Labour of trying to win support by "scaremongering".

On Tuesday, the county council announced plans to close two children's centres – five fewer than originally indicated by the authority's ruling Labour group.

Voters were also warned Derbyshire's entire mobile library fleet faced the chop due to budget cuts. But Labour now says two out of ten vans will remain, subject to cabinet approval.

Barry Lewis, leader of the Tory opposition, accused Labour of exaggerating the extent of forthcoming cuts so it can be seen to be saving services later on.

He also claimed cabinet members were trying to win Labour support ahead of next year's General Election.

Mr Lewis said: "Look at what they've done with nearly all the public consultations [on proposed cuts]. They paint the worst possible picture so that, at the last minute, they can pull back and save the day by doing the minimal amount of cuts.

"It is scaremongering. Every single thing they've put out in the form of press releases or media interviews has made reference to £157 million of cuts.

"It's all about the General Election. They are trying to scare people into voting Labour."

Labour leader Anne Western said Mr Lewis' comments were "absolutely staggering".

She said: "He knows what the financial position is. I think it's completely irresponsible for him to say that.

"I can't emphasise enough how much work we're putting in to find ways to make the money we do have stretch further.

"The difference between Labour and the Conservatives is we listen. When they went out to consultation [when running the council between 2009 and 2013], they had already decided what they would do."

The two children's centres earmarked for closure are in Ashbourne and Duffield.

Providing plans are approved by cabinet members next Tuesday, opening hours will be reduced from five days each week to two at ten other centres. These are in Bakewell, Crich, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Wirksworth, Arkwright, Killamarsh, Tupton, Sandiacre, West Hallam, and Coton-in-the-Elms.

The Conservative opposition accused Labour of targeting rural areas and Tory heartlands.

But Labour insisted decisions were made based on usage, cost and demand.

"Geography is neither here nor there," Mrs Western said.

PLANS for hundreds of homes on green-belt land in Borrowash have been branded "crazy".

The outline plans would see 291 homes built, about 100 of which would be low-cost housing, built on agricultural land north of Derby Road as visitors enter the village from Spondon.

The site would be accessed by one road and would also include a care home, creche and business units.

But Borrowash councillor Mike Wallis insists that the plans are not appropriate for the village.

He said: "The plans are crazy. It is a bolt-on to the village.

"The piece of green belt that it is being built on is one of the last remaining buffers between the village and Derby.

"If you look at the old A52, there are only a few parts of land that have not been built on.

"Eventually if we carry on like this, villages around Derby, like Borrowash and Little Eaton, will be subsumed into Derby, which is not what we want.

"We want the village to keep its character and this development is totally out of keeping with that."

According to the company behind the plans, the reason for the application is the need for houses in Erewash, the planning authority within which Borrowash lies.

Ken Gorman, director of KPG Design Associates Ltd, said: ''The main driver for this application is the much-publicised housing shortage and the historical under-delivery of housing by the local planning authority.

''It has been noted that the authority (Erewash Borough Council) had identified sufficient land to meet their five-year housing supply target and this is acknowledged by the Planning Inspector in his 2014 report.

"However, in the final paragraphs of that report he expresses doubts that the identified land will be deliverable – 56% of the land in question does not have planning permission and one of the main reasons that brown-fields site plans fail is due to reluctant land owners."

However Mr Wallis does not believe that building on green belt is needed when brown-field sites are available to be built on.

He said: "Brown-field sites will accommodate 90% of the housing needed in the borough.

"The land is important to the village and something that should be kept."

One of the other areas of the plan about which Mr Wallis was concerned, a worry voiced by other local people too, is the traffic increase on an already-congested road.

He said: "If you have ever tried to get through the village at rush hour, you will know that it is a nightmare.

"I can only see the plan making this worse, especially with just one road in and out."

The traffic management scheme in the plan states that the actual impact at the junction is terms of traffic equates to an increase of between "4% and 5% at peak times.

Mr Gorman was at pains to stress that all the plans, apart from the road, have been submitted under reserved matters and that they could be changed.

If plans were approved, a "substantial amount of money" would be given to the area under a developer contribution known as Section 106.

An organisation has been formed to protest against the plans, called Borrowash Action Group. It is holding a meeting at the Methodist Church, Nottingham Road, Borrowash at 7.30 tomorrow night.

DERBY County have been drawn away against fellow Championship side Fulham in the Capital One Cup fourth round.

The Rams beat Fulham 5-1 in the Championship at the iPro Stadium on August 23 this season and will now face them again at Craven Cottage in the week commencing October 27.

Since that convincing Rams' home win last month, Fulham have sacked manager Felix Magath, with former Wales international Kit Symons currently in temporary charge at Craven Cottage.

The Rams booked their place in the third round with a 2-0 home win against Reading on Tuesday night.

Nottingham Forest were knocked out tonight, losing 3-1 at Tottenham Hotspur in the third round.

Capital One Cup fourth round: Man City v Crystal Palace or Newcastle, Fulham v Derby County, Liverpool v Swansea, MK Dons v Sheffield United, Bournemouth v West Brom, Shrewsbury v Chelsea, Tottenham v Brighton, Stoke v Southampton

TRIBUTES have been paid to one of the founder members of a Derby church who has died at the age of 101.

Great-grandmother Mary Williams, known as Mother May to friends and family, was a founder member of the Assemblies of the First Born at the Holy Trinity Church on London Road, as well as being a nurse in the city.

Mary came to Derby from Jamaica in 1956 on her own and began sending money back home to help support her family. She worked at the Manor Hospital before retiring in 1971.

Her home was in Normanton, initially in Lowerdale Road before she moved to Hastings Street, where she lived until her death from heart failure at the Royal Derby Hospital.

Grandson Paul Shippey, 42, said his grandmother had a huge influence on the whole Jamaican community in the city.

Paul, of Lyttleton Street, Derby, said: "Everyone knew my grandmother. You used to dread going shopping with her as it would take all day.

"Everyone wanted to speak to her. She always had a huge amount of love for everyone that she spoke to and would do absolutely anything for you."

Last year, 400 people attended a huge party in honour of Mary's 100th birthday and the Derby Telegraph interviewed her about her experience travelling to England.

She said: "It was on a boat and it took a very long time. I remember seeing the White Cliffs of Dover and thought it was so beautiful."

She initially came to Derby because she had friends in the city. She then went to London but only stayed for six months as she missed the friendliness of the Midlands.

She said: "I really liked it here, everyone was so friendly and nice to me – everyone was nice to everyone. They would say 'hi' in the streets, it was really friendly and wasn't like that in London at all."

A devoted Christian, Mary put her own money and time into the creation of the Assemblies of the First Born, which began on Upper Dale Road, close to her home.

Her granddaughter, Maria Dodson, 43, said: "She used to run the choir and was even on Songs Of Praise years ago. She always made sure that there were fresh flowers for all the events, from baptisms to weddings and funerals.

"And she baked cakes for everybody. She would make them all at home in her little kitchen and she had a shelves of dried fruit all soaking in rum and other spirits.

"You would never dare drive after one of her cakes, that's for sure.

"She made my wedding cake as well. It was five tiers and traditionally you keep the top tier. But people loved it so much that it all went. But they were all secret recipes that she never passed on, so they have all disappeared now."

A keen organiser, Mary put together trips away to the seaside for coach loads of people and even supplied food for everyone as well.

Paul said: "I particularly remember that when Prince Charles came to Normanton, she made me and Maria take out cups of tea and cake to the police and the people waiting outside. She was just that type of person.

"We are expecting hundreds of people at her funeral. We want to it to be a real celebration of her life."

Mary's funeral will be held on Thursday, October 9, at 10am at Holy Trinity Church before a burial at Nottingham Road Cemetery and then a wake at Metro Inns, Macklin Street.

SHOULD Britain go to war against the brutal terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq?

That's what Derby North MP Chris Williamson wants Derby Telegraph readers to answer so he has an idea of the thoughts of the electorate ahead of being asked to vote on the matter.

Should we go to war?: We want you to have your say. Please vote (it's quick and anonymous) on the poll, on the right. The terrorist organisation has taken control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria, leaving a trail of murder and destruction.

Its sights are set on control of all the world's Muslim regions.

And Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that the group is also planning attacks on the UK.

It was announced yesterday that Parliament would be recalled to debate air strikes against Islamic State.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has said that bombing in Syria would need a UN security resolution before getting his party's support.

On that basis, it has been reported Parliament would be asked to approve UK involvement in military action in Iraq but not in Syria.

Mr Williamson was against the Iraq War against Saddam Hussein in 2003 but said he was moving towards voting for military action this time.

He said: "I get the sense that the public are now favouring action being taken against Islamic State and I want to get a stronger feel for what local people, who I represent in Parliament, think I should do.

"I'll obviously listen to the debate [in the Commons] about this and look at what the wording of any motion is that I'm asked to vote on, but I want to give local people the chance to have their say."

Mr Williamson was against the 2003 conflict because, he said, UN weapons inspectors were not given enough time to determine whether or not Iraq had weapons of mass destruction – and he feared a terrorist backlash.

He also said he did not want British lives risked for something that was "at best speculation".

But he said Islamic State seemed to him to be a different situation as they seemed "impervious to any kind of reasoning".

He said: "My instincts are to take non-military action wherever we possibly can but, given their brutality, I'm not sure that's achievable."

Islamic State, also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, is formed from extremists from the Sunni branch of Islam, and describes other Muslims as heretics.

On September 13, Islamic State released a video which it said showed the beheading of UK aid worker David Haines.

South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General, the Government's chief legal officer, said it would be her boss who would need to give David Cameron the legal powers to take military action. She said that this would require one or more of four circumstances:

1) Being invited to help by an elected government – something which has been widely reported that at least the Iraqis intend to do.

2) A need for humanitarian aid which in this case would involve stopping people committing atrocities.

3) A direct danger to our nation.

4) A UN resolution.

Mrs Wheeler said her mailbag was already telling her the public felt military action should be taken. She said: "I think we have a humanitarian responsibility to join with the local Arab States who are forging a coalition to attack these terrorists. If we are asked to join in we should join in."

Derby South MP Dame Margaret Beckett said Islamic State seemed to be "people about whom everyone has cause to be concerned".

Rolls-Royce worker David Sleman, who is of the Yazidi faith and whose parents have been forced from their home in Iraq by Islamic State, said he felt most people would vote for military action.

The 40-year-old, of Swadlincote, said: "The Islamic State is a virus which is affecting Yazidis and Christians in Iraq but which, in time, could affect everyone."

Derbyshire holidaymaker was asked to pay a whopping £23.7bn - for two return flights to Portugal!

Marion Sessions, who owns and runs two holiday cottages in the Peak District, was about to click 'proceed' on the eDreams website for flights from Birmingham to Faro for them when she noticed the cost of thereturn baggage check-in cost, Sky News are reporting.

She told friends on Facebook: "I Googled 'cheap flights to Faro', found eDreams ('Great Trips at Great Prices' is their slogan) were offering the best, with Ryanair and Monarch Airlines, at a cost for the two of us of £164.07.

"I duly booked and fortunately was alert enough to realise - before clicking 'confirm' that the final cost was the truly - as advertised - great price of £23,659,382,125.95!!!"

She added: "Don't think our current account would have run to it this month..."

MARK Footitt was an overwhelming winner of the Derbyshire supporters' player of the year award.

The leading first-class wicket-taker in the country with 101 wickets for the county in all competitions, Footitt earned 79% of the votes among the Derbyshire members.

The left-arm fast bowler was named in the England Performance Programme squad to go to South Africa this winter with the chance of claiming a place on the England Lions' tour to South Africa in the new year.

A ROCKET powered car which will attempt to smash the world land speed record is coming to Derby to help the city celebrate its engineering and manufacturing prowess.

The Bloodhound SSC (supersonic car) promises to be the star of the show when it makes an appearance at the Derby Mini Maker Faire, which is being held at the Silk Mill next month.

It is the third time that the event, which will take place on October 25 and 26, has been held to showcase the city's growing maker movement, with participants demonstrating their electronic, engineering, robotic and craft projects.

One of the event's main supporters is Rolls-Royce, which is playing a major role in the development of Bloodhound.

It is part of the consortium which built the car's EJ200 jet engine – which is normally found in the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Rolls-Royce also hosted a high speed spin test, which saw one of the car's four wheels achieve 10,429 revolutions a minute at the company's aero engine test bed in Sinfin in June.

Tony Butler, executive director of Derby Museums Trust, said: "We are all extremely excited that Rolls-Royce and the Bloodhound team have kindly agreed to bring the car to the Derby Mini Maker Faire.

"The event brings people together to celebrate and encourage creativity, ingenuity and engineering talent, qualities which embody both Bloodhound and the city of Derby, which, as our museum collection reminds us, has played such a huge part in the UK's engineering and manufacturing story over the years.

Gill Fennell, community investment manager at Rolls-Royce, said: "Derby has a strong history in engineering and manufacturing and the Bloodhound project plays an important role in raising interest in science, technology, engineering and maths among young people, enabling them to pursue careers in the industry."

Next year, Bloodhound will undergo low speed testing – albeit at 200mph – in Cornwall, before it flies out to the Hakskeen Pan, in the far north west of the South Africa, for the world record bid itself.

For more details on Derby Mini Maker Faire visit www.makerfairederby.com

SOLDIERS from Derbyshire have spoken of their pride at going on their first United Nations peacekeeping deployment.

More than 200 members of the 2nd Mercian Battalion will fly to Cyprus to patrol the buffer zone that separates the Greek half of the island from the Turkish half.

This week they received their UN blue berets ahead of flying to the Mediterranean, where they will be stationed until the new year.

Private Lee Cudworth, of Mickleover, is among the Derby men who will be part of the prestigious deployment. The 25-year-old former John Port School pupil joined the battalion last year after spending the previous seven years working at the Tesco store in Hilton.

He said: "It is certainly going to be different but at the same time I feel really proud that we are going to be leading this operation on behalf of the United Nations.

"We have been training hard and as well as riot training for any potential flash points which might arise, there has been a lot of classroom work, as we have had to learn why the situation arose in Cyprus and what the issues are between the two parts of the island.

"I'm looking forward to getting out there on my first deployment."

The peacekeeping mission in Cyprus is one of the longest running United Nations missions and 2 Mercian's contribution is known as Operation Tosca.

In total, 2,134 members of 2 Mercian will be involved in Cyprus and will work alongside 62 soldiers from the regiment's reserve unit, the 4th Battalion Mercian Regiment.

The buffer zone they will patrol is known as the 'Green Line' and will see them keeping a watchful eye under the opposing forces who have been at a stalemate since 1974.

Private Sam Beardsley, 22, of Ripley, has been with the Woofers, as the battalion is affectionately known, since 2012.

It will be the former John Flamsteed School pupil's second deployment, having previously spent six months in Afghanistan.

He said: "Being a soldier was something that I always wanted to do and, having spent six months in Helmand, I'm looking forward to getting out on deployment again.

"This will be a very different experience to Afghanistan but equally important in terms of why we are going out there. Learning about the troubles in Cyprus has been a learning curve and putting on the blue beret to head it on behalf of the United Nations is something I am very proud to be doing."

The soldiers will patrol by vehicle, foot or by mountain bike, depending on the nature and type of patrol. They will talk to the local people of the island and helping to ensure that the UN mandate is maintained.

One of the areas the troops will be in is a UN base in the centre of the Cypriot capital Nicosia, as well as a disused international airport between the opposing sides.

Private Matthew Lucic, 21, from Swanwick, is a former Swanwick Hall School pupil and will deploy with 2 Mercian for the first time.

He said: "The training has been hard work and when we are out there, there is an anniversary of the formation of the Turkish republic, which is potentially a time when hostilities between the two sides could increase.

"Our role is keeping a lid on things such as that is a very important one and I am confident we can do that. I will be away for Christmas, which is going to be tough, but that is part of the job."

The soldiers have finished a three-month training programme which included public order training for the worst-case scenario should they need to de-escalate tensions, but that is unlikely.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul 'Shove' Gilby, the Commanding Officer of 2 Mercian, said: "Peace-keeping duties require very different skills to those some of the soldiers have put to use in tours of combat zones, such as Afghanistan.

"Our aim over the six months will be to make sure the situation between the Greeks and the Turks remains stable.

"This is very much a thinking tour. The ability to understand the situation and the issues involved, then absorb and assimilate the information before acting upon it, will be key and I know they will deliver in spades. There is not likely to be any combat but the troops will be out on foot patrol in a sensitive area, so they will face situations where they need to use diplomacy and negotiation.

"It will be a more subtle operation and for these next six months they will cease to be British soldiers and will be under UN command."

Private Andrew Booth, 27, is a veteran of two tours of Helmand Province. The Ilkeston soldier will leave wife Tiffany and three-year-old son Leo behind in the UK while he is in Cyprus. He said: "That is going to be the hardest part, being away from them, as when I've done previous tours I wasn't married or a father.

"I have been in the battalion for a long time, so I will be aiming to pass on my experience."

This will be the first time that the regular battalion 2 Mercian and members of the reserve battalion 4 Mercian have deployed on an operation together.

Lt Col Gilby said: "Throughout the training our regular and reserve soldiers have been working as one group, building up working and personal relationships. Our reserve soldiers are just as dedicated and motivated as a full-time regular soldier.''

He urged Derby and Derbyshire to get behind his soldiers in Cyprus. Anyone who wishes to send letter of support or Christmas cards to them should write to 2 Mercian Battle Group, Sector 2, Ledra Palace Hotel, Nicosia, Cyprus BFPO 567.

The United Nations buffer zone in Cyprus is a demilitarised zone, patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.

It was established in 1974, following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and partitions the island into the area controlled by the Government of Cyprus in the south and that under the administration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The zone runs for more than 110 miles along what is colloquially known as the Green Line.

The zone cuts through the centre of the old town of Nicosia, separating the city into southern and northern sections.

There is also a buffer zone around the Kokkina exclave in western Cyprus.

The width of the zone ranges from 11 feet in central Nicosia to 4.6 miles at the small village of Athienou.

About 10,000 people live in several villages and work on farms located within the zone.

The village of Pyla is famous for being the only village on Cyprus where Greeks and Turks live side by side.

JEFF Hendrick is back training and could return to action for Derby County next week.

The Republic of Ireland international midfielder dislocated a shoulder in the home draw against Ipswich Town four weeks ago.

Head coach Steve McClaren said Hendrick had made good progress.

"He could feature Tuesday or Saturday," added McClaren.

Rams have back-to-back home games against Bournemouth on Tuesday and Millwall a week tomorrow.

FIREFIGHTERS were called to a fire at the Trent Barton bus depot in Derby.  

A spokesman for Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the site, in Meadow Lane, following reports of a smell of burning and light smoke. 

He said the incident involved a small fire in a compressor unit in the basement of the garage. 

Fire crews extinguished the fire and ventilated the property before leaving at about 3.55pm. 

Staff were evacuated from the premises while fire crews dealt with the incident. 

DERBYSHIRE were well on their way to their biggest-ever runs victory in the LV County Championship at tea on day three against Leicestershire.

After Ben Slater scored his second century of the match and Cheteshwar Pujara his first century for the county as Derbyshire declared 520 runs ahead at the 3aaa County Ground, Leicestershire slumped again to 76-7 coming to the final session of the day and, probably, the season.

Their biggest victory by runs is 363 against Middlesex at Derby in 1996.

Slater was out in the last over before lunch for 119 and Pujara moved on to an unbeaten 100 before Derbyshire declared on 373-3. Mark Footitt then tore through the Leicestershire top order for four more wickets.

That took Footitt to 105 wickets in all cricket for Derbyshire this season, which is the most since Brian Jackson and Harold Rhodes in 1965.

Following his 104 in the first innings, Slater moved to three figures off 251 balls with his 13^th four. That made him the first Derbyshire player to score the first two hundreds of his career in the same match.

He was finally lbw to Dan Redfern, ending a stand of 124 for the third wicket with Pujara, who moved imperiously on to 65 not out on his home debut.

Derbyshire added only four runs to their overnight 162-1 when Wayne Madsen mistimed a pull and lobbed a catch to mid on to give Ben Raine a wicket. The skipper made 69.

Batting was tricky for the first hour but Slater and Pujara pushed on after that and though he survived a very confident appeal for caught behind on 99, he edged one through to the third man boundary to get to his hundred.

Pujara cruised to 100 off 115 balls with 15 fours and a six – the 27^th century of his first-class career. Wes Durston was 40 not out when the declaration came.

Footitt took the first Leicestershire wicket with the third ball of the innings, bowling Greg Smith at 0-1. He then bowled Ned Eckersley (4), had Dan Redfern (2) lbw and had Angus Robson (20) caught behind down the leg side at 41-4.

Niall O'Brien bagged a pair when he was caught behind off Tony Palladino, Tom Wells (13) was lbw to Ben Cotton and Wayne White bowled Rob Taylor (15) to leave Leicestershire on their last legs at 76-7.

POLICE have been called to a three-vehicle crash on the A38. 

The collision, involving two cars and a lorry, happened on the northbound carriageway between Alfreton and the M1 at about 4.10pm. 

A Derbyshire police spokeswoman said restrictions were in place on the carriageway.

She said: "People should avoid the area if they can as there is traffic congestion."

DERBYSHIRE completed their biggest-ever runs victory by runs in the LV County Championship when they beat Leicestershire by 408 runs.

After Ben Slater scored his second century of the match and Cheteshwar Pujara his first century for the county as Derbyshire declared 520 runs ahead at the 3aaa County Ground, Leicestershire slumped again to 112 all out.

Their previous biggest victory by runs was 363 against Middlesex at Derby in 1996.

Slater was out in the last over before lunch for 119 and Pujara moved on to an unbeaten 100 before Derbyshire declared on 373-3. Mark Footitt then tore through the Leicestershire top order for his sixth five-for of the season.

That took Footitt to 106 wickets in all cricket for Derbyshire this season, which is the most since Brian Jackson and Harold Rhodes in 1965.

Following his 104 in the first innings, Slater moved to three figures off 251 balls with his 13^th four. That made him the first Derbyshire player to score the first two hundreds of his career in the same match.

He was finally lbw to Dan Redfern, ending a stand of 124 for the third wicket with Pujara, who moved imperiously on to 65 not out on his home debut.

Derbyshire added only four runs to their overnight 162-1 when Wayne Madsen mistimed a pull and lobbed a catch to mid on to give Ben Raine a wicket. The skipper made 69.

Batting was tricky for the first hour but Slater and Pujara pushed on after that and though he survived a very confident appeal for caught behind on 99, he edged one through to the third man boundary to get to his hundred.

Pujara cruised to 100 off 115 balls with 15 fours and a six – the 27^th century of his first-class career. Wes Durston was 40 not out when the declaration came.

Footitt took the first Leicestershire wicket with the third ball of the innings, bowling Greg Smith at 0-1. He then bowled Ned Eckersley (4), had Dan Redfern (2) lbw and had Angus Robson (20) caught behind down the leg side at 41-4.

Niall O'Brien bagged a pair when he was caught behind off Tony Palladino, Tom Wells (13) was lbw to Ben Cotton and Wayne White bowled Rob Taylor (15) to leave Leicestershire on their last legs at 76-7 at tea.

They did not last long afterwards. James Sykes was bowled by Durston for eight, Charlie Shreck skied a catch to mid on to give Footitt his fifth and Atif Sheikh was lbw to Durston, leaving Raine 33 not out.

Footitt finished with 5-34, giving him 82 Championship wickets at 19.12.

FIVE teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of robbery following reports that two youngsters had been forced to hand over cash. 

Officers say a 13-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were separately stopped and asked for money by a group of youths near Derby Bus Station.

The incidents happened at about 3.30pm on Wednesday, September 24.

A Derbyshire police spokesman said that, in one of the robberies, a woman stopped to intervene and detectives want to speak to her about information she could have that may help the investigation.

A 16-year-old boy, two aged 15 and two aged 14 were arrested on suspicion of robbery and have all been bailed pending further inquiries.

Witnesses or anyone with information should call Derbyshire police on 101, quoting crime reference 40400/14, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a fire destroyed a garden shed and badly damaged a greenhouse. 

Firefighters and police were called to Vivian Street, in Shuttlewood, Chesterfield, after the shed caught fire at about 1pm on Sunday, September 14. 

Police said the shed and various items of garden equipment were destroyed and a nearby greenhouse was also damaged by the heat.

An investigation later revealed that the fire had been started deliberately.

Officers want to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area or might know the people responsible for the blaze.

Anyone with information should call Derbyshire police on 101, quoting crime reference 38927/14, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Funeral arrangements have been announced for the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, who died aged 94 yesterday.

The funeral service will be held at St Peter's Church, in Edensor, on Thursday, October 2 at noon. 

A spokesman for Chatsworth said: "The funeral cortège will leave Chatsworth at about 11.15am.

"Everyone is welcome to attend. There will be refreshments at Chatsworth after the service.

No memorial service will be held, as were her express instructions. Donations in her memory to the Addington Fund and /or Helen's Trust will be much appreciated."

The duchess, born Deborah Mitford, was the last and youngest of the famous sisters. 

Burglars stole a large number of rabbit hutches, dog cages, fish tanks and cat scratching posts from a pet store in Derby.

The offenders broke into storage containers that were kept behind Pets at Home, in the Meteor Centre, off Sir Frank Whittle Road.

Several cages, hutches and tanks were among the items stolen during the incident, which happened between 8.30pm on Tuesday, September 23, and 9.30am yesterday.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity or a vehicle being driven out of the area around the store during those times.

Witnesses or anyone with information should call Derbyshire police on 101, quoting crime reference 40305/14. You can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

OBJECTIONS to plans for a giant pig farm now stand at 38,000 – but the company behind the proposal says it is unfazed.

Local residents and campaigners from around the world have written to Derbyshire County Council to urge councillors to reject the scheme, which is planned for Foston.

Objections stood at 20,000 at the start of last year and there has been no let-up from animal rights groups during the time it is taking for the application to be decided.

The farm would house 2,500 sows, producing 1,000 pigs a week, so that there would be up to 25,000 animals on site.

Tracy Worcester, director of the "Farms not Factories" campaign group, said she hoped the sheer number of objections would lead to the plans being thrown out.

She said: "Opposition to the development by local residents is almost unanimous.

"They have not been persuaded that the development will not poison them with toxic emissions, pollute local waterways, increase the risk of flooding and disturb the amenity of the area with vastly-increased heavy vehicle traffic.

"Many objections from outside the area are based on the failures of factory farming – a system that relies on the routine use of antibiotics to keep the animals alive in the unhealthy, overcrowded and stressful conditions, and in which tail biting leads to illegal tail-docking is commonplace. Owners of factory farms always claim to have found ways round the systemic problems of cruel and unhealthy animal confinement but once the factory is built, where is the authority to close it?"

The company behind the application, Midland Pig Producers, said the hostility towards its plans was not as fierce as the number of objections suggests. A spokesman said: "Last week we held an open day in Scropton so that people could come talk to us and see the final plans for the farm.

"After widespread publicity for the event, we had just 36 people through the door, not all of whom were objecting to our proposals.

"We are aware that some activist groups have been asking their supporters, on a worldwide basis, to send in objections which they have clearly done, but it is doubtful that many of these people live in the area, or even in the UK."

Midlands Pig Producers first submitted proposals for a pig "super-farm" in 2009. The plans were rejected and, last year, the developers returned with a new application.

Derbyshire County Council has yet to make a decision as it is waiting for the Environment Agency to decide whether to give a permit for the £15-£20 million scheme to go ahead. The deadline for Midland Pig Producers to submit information for the permit was due to expire this month.

A date for the application to be determined is yet to be set, although it is expected to be before Easter.

Earlier this month, James Leavesley, chief executive of Midland Pig Producers, challenged claims about the size of the farm made by protesters, describing it as "large" and not an "American-style mega-farm".

He said the proposals had been drawn up to the "highest specifications", with animal welfare at the forefront of the design process.

Mr Leavesley also said there would not be a smell from the site as pig waste would be flushed away from the pens every 48 hours and there would be no "open slurry pits".