STEVE McClaren felt his Derby County side never looked in trouble during their Championship clash with Bolton Wanderers.
The Rams won 2-0 at the Macron Stadium, thanks to a brace from striker Chris Martin either side of half-time.
Martin had earlier seen a penalty saved by home keeper Andy Lonergan.
"We could have won by more but in terms of how we controlled the game, I don't think we looked in trouble," said McClaren.
"They (Bolton) are bound to have spells but we dealt with that, played good football and kept the ball.
"It took us a while to get over the penalty miss but once we did and got the goal, we looked like certain winners."

CHRIS Martin hailed a quality all-round team performance from Derby County against Bolton Wanderers.
Martin scored both goals at the Rams won 2-0 at the Macron Stadium on Saturday, having had a penalty saved early on.
"It was a very good performance, from front to back," said the striker.
"Every man played well and it was a professional display from us.
"I thought we defended very well and kept chances against us to a premium.
"We also attacked very well at times and played some great football.
"It was a thoroughly deserved win."

TOBY McCabe scored a fantastic six goals as his side, Graham St Prims U18s, beat Allestree Juniors 8-0 in the Derby City Saturday League Division One.

Despite two goals from George Coutts, Codnor Boys are out of the Under-18 Challenge Trophy. They were beaten 4-2 by Hilton Harriers Colts, whose goals came from Lewis Hanley, Joshua Bromley, Thomas Watson and Elliott Warren.

There was a good win in Under-16 Division One as Spondon Dynamo beat Ashbourne Aztecs 9-0 led by a hat-trick from Joshua Piggott while Keir Garner-Bell got the only goal as Holbrook St Michaels beat Little Eaton Diamonds in Under-15 Division Two.

For more on the Derby City League - and other local football leagues - see Wednesday's Derby Telegraph for our Parklife spread. And don't forget to send us your pictures and stories, too. Maybe you can be our next Parklife star.

THE temporary management team of Jon Froggatt and Mark Ward made a dream start as Belper Town romped to their first win since being promoted to the Evo-Stik League Premier Division.

Following a difficult week which has seen Peter Duffield resign as manager, the Nailers produced their best performance of the campaign by some distance to thrash Witton Albion – a result which saw the visitors' manager, Anthony Sheehan, step down.

Caretaker player-boss Froggatt made changes to the team's system by adopting a 3-5-2 formation.

Ian Ross sat in front of the back four, while captain Steve Warne and Glyn Cotton – back at the club – were given the licence to get forward.

The home side got off to a flying start, scoring in the ninth minute through winger Rob Stevenson.

A Witton corner was cleared and Belper broke through Froggatt and Cotton, who curled an inch-perfect pass to Stevenson and he cut inside to drill a right-foot shot beyond the reach of keeper Sam Ramsbottom.

Belper took control and the second goal came in the 27th minute.

Aaron Cole beat two men on the right and his low cross was met by Stevenson, who doubled his tally with a similar strike to the first.

Two minutes later, the Nailers made it three with another well-worked goal.

Cole caused more problems before finding Froggatt, who curled an audacious shot over Ramsbottom.

The fourth goal arrived with 31 minutes on the clock – and it was perhaps the pick of the bunch.

A slick passing move ended with Ross playing a precise through ball to Froggatt, who beat Ramsbottom again from the edge of the box.

The second half was played at a slightly lesser tempo, with Belper still well in control.

Striker Bruno Holden came on to make his debut with 20 minutes left and helped himself to a goal to round off a perfect day for the Nailers.

Again, Cole was heavily involved in the move as he turned inside and out on the right.

His cross was headed down by Holden, who then pounced on the second ball to score with a half-volley.

Belper remain at the foot of the table with eight points but they now only trail Derbyshire rivals Matlock Town and Halesowen Town on goal difference.

BELPER TOWN: Martin, Pride, Nadat (Holden, 68), Ross, Varley, Burgin (Edridge, 74), Cole, Warne, Froggatt (Garnett, 74), Cotton, Stevenson. Other subs: Walker, Low.

WITTON ALBION: Ramsbottom, Moyo (Blake, 76), Lea, Harrison (Dawson, 45), Gardener, Davidson, Hancock, Powell, Bakkor, Titchiner (Korol, 80), Andrews. Other subs: Corbett, Koral, Swift.

REFEREE: S Richardson (Mansfield Woodhouse).

ATTENDANCE: 250.

DALE Hopson's 32nd-minute strike condemned Matlock Town to another miserable day as they suffered a home defeat to Whitby Town.

The result leaves the Gladiators joint bottom of the Evo-Stik League Premier Division table, with only goal difference keeping them above Belper Town and Halesowen Town.

In truth, there was little to choose between two poor sides and at least Matlock improved after the break and possibly deserved a share of the spoils.

But while they continue to look toothless in attack, the pressure is intensified on their defence to keep a clean sheet, which on this occasion they could not do.

A free kick on the right was partially headed clear but Hopson, following up, steered a low shot through a ruck of players and beat goalkeeper Jon Kennedy.

From that point onwards, it was always going to be a struggle to earn some reward from the contest.

Confidence looked low, with Matlock on the back foot early on as the Seasiders began well.

But they weathered the early pressure and Jason Stokes might have done better than slice hurriedly wide after a neat through pass from Jamie Yates in the 19th minute.

But Whitby keeper Shane Bland did not have a save to make until the 89th minute when he flung himself to his left to claw away an Adam Yates header.

Matlock's best period came around the hour mark when Danny Holland, captain in place of the omitted Liam Needham, sent a cross flashing narrowly past the back post, with Leon Osborne unable to apply the finishing touch.

Then Jamie Yates saw a power packed effort knocked off the line, possibly with a hand and penalty appeals were also rejected when Richard Pell manhandled Osborne.

Whitby almost added a second deep into added time when Liam Shepherd's effort clipped the bar.

MATLOCK TOWN: Kennedy, Gorman (Needham, 57), Leesley, Ashmore, A Yates, Radford, Stokes, Meade (Osborne, 57), Holland, (Gregory, 77), J Yates, Roe. Other subs: Andrews, Leese.

WHITBY TOWN: Bland, Hassan, Robinson, Burgess, Pell (Bullock, 57), McTiernan, Brown (Gardner, 64), Hopson, Waters (Farrell, 80), Snaith, Shepherd. Other subs: Williams, Campbell.

REFEREE: S Meredith (Mansfield).

ATTENDANCE: 270.

GRESLEY are up to seventh in the table after coming from behind to win 4-2 at home to Rainworth Miners Welfare.

The Moatmen dominated the first half but trailed 2-1 at the break, largely due to the exploits of visiting keeper Liam Roberts, on loan from Walsall.

Roberts saved from Martin Smyth and Jack Langston, while denying Luke Edwards a first-half hat-trick.

He could not stop Gresley taking an 18th-minute lead, Alex Steadman heading in Eric Graves' cross at the far post.

Rainworth levelled six minutes later, Grant Ryan's shot on the turn leaving debutant Ross Atkins helpless as the ball sailed into the top corner.

A defensive mix-up then allowed Alex Ford to fire the visitors into a 43rd-minute lead.

Gresley equalised after 57 minutes, Edwards' clever backheel setting up Kieran O'Connell to ram home.

Eight minutes later, Edwards played in Brad Wells to make it 3-2 with a clinical finish.

O'Connell sealed the win when he diverted Langston's shot beyond the keeper to take his season's tally to eight.

GRESLEY: Atkins, Smyth, Harrison, Roome, Hanson, Graves, Wells (Grice, 90), O'Connell, Edwards (King, 88), Langston, Steadman (Mulonga, 82). Other subs: Barrett, Townsend.

RAINWORTH MW: Roberts, Coupe (Brown, 38) Andrews, Hannigan, Freeman, McGowen, Williams, Mitchell, Ford (Houghton, 59), Ryan, Whitman (Jones, 67).

REFEREE: A Dallison (Kirby-in-Ashfield).

ATTENDANCE: 244.

ALFRETON Town's mini-revival was halted on the south coast to make their journey back from Dover Athletic seem longer still.

The Reds would have had too much time to reflect on the fact that they lost tamely to fellow strugglers who had been beaten in their previous four home matches.

Joe Ironside and Jordan Keane missed clear first-half chances and it was, once again, goalkeeper Cameron Dawson who kept the Reds in contention.

Other than when Dawson was called into action, Dover were repeatedly caught offside but, crucially they did convert one first-half chance.

Keane was the only change to Nicky Law's side, with Andi Thanoj making way for the defensive midfielder.

Alfreton began positively enough, with both Ironside and Karl Hawley going close in the fourth and seventh minutes respectively, then Stefan Payne's angled drive for the home team was ruled out for offside.

David Mellor's 14th-minute bye-line cross was just too deep for Ironside but, five minutes later, came the miss of the game – and quite probably the turning point too.

Ironside was sent clear by Luke Graham's header, only to direct his shot straight at Dover goalkeeper Andrew Rafferty, who parried it.

The loose ball sat up briefly for Hawley but by the time he was able to bring it under control, Connor Essam was on the scene to clear the danger.

Dover's response was immediate, with Chris Nanetti forcing Dawson to parry, Ricky Miller blazing the rebound wide.

Back came the Reds and Tom Shaw's 22nd-minute free kick was taken short to Hawley, who found Mellor on the left flank and his cross was headed over by Keane from no more than five yards with the goal at his mercy.

Almost instantly, Dawson saved superbly from Payne before the keeper somehow managed to parry a blistering free kick from Solomon Tiawo.

Matt Lock's 34th-minute attempt to curl the ball over Dawson produced another save but, four minutes later, Dover made the breakthrough.

Miller cut in from the right and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net from the edge of the area.

By contrast to what had been a lively first 45 minutes, the second half was dire with neither side producing chances until very late in the game, although Anthony Howell did go close from Hawley's 57th-minute pull-back.

Law sent on an additional striker – Paul Clayton – for the final 18 minutes in a bid to rectify the situation but Shaw's free kick drifted wide and Benny Igiehon failed to trouble Rafferty from eight yards when teed up by Shaw in the 83rd minute.

Dover thought they had doubled their lead in the second minute of added time but Chris Smith cleared off the line from Nicky Deverdics, who appeared for the Reds towards the end of last season.

Superb result. Well done Derby. I'm enjoying this!

PeteDerby1

Great result. Isn't it nice to be able to win games like that nice and easy. We're in a good position now to stalk leaders Norwich.

pimpernel

I know I'm nitpicking here but I just wonder whether we actually practice taking penalty kicks? I've been watching Derby since the Brian Clough years and I can't ever remember us being so useless at taking spot kicks.

Great result all the same. Two home games on the bounce now – but both will be difficult.

terryhennessy

I dare say that the players practice penalties regularly and probably net 10 out of 10 but there is nothing like the pressure of taking one in an actual match.

It takes a particular mindset to be able to convert spot kicks on a regular basis and very often the best penalty takers are not even strikers.

Anyway, that's a minor point which shouldn't detract from the positives. That's one defeat in 12 games, another dominant performance, a clean sheet and one win off second place.

We started slowly but we are really out of the blocks now and what an amazing bench we had at Bolton, even without Thorne, Hendrick, Bucko.

This must be the strongest Derby squad for 40 years. We can carry injuries and take them in our stride.

derwentx

Is it me or is Christie actually playing better than Wisdom? He's creating a lot of goals for a full-back. The momentum is building and I can see us being top in the next three or four games. Formidable!

paul72

Great midfield play, Christie looked good again and we got three points. But Bolton were abject.

If our final ball or finishing was as high as the midfield quality, we'd have thrashed them and Cardiff and others too.

I'll judge us against a good side – like Watford or Norwich. Bournemouth will be a tricky test as well.

teledav

SEARCHING through his late father's belongings, Ken Walters came across a souvenir brochure, in pristine condition, from 90 years ago.

It is the official brochure published by the County Borough of Derby to mark the unveiling of Derby's War Memorial and, as the country marks the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Mr Walters, who lives in Wirksworth, thought readers might be interested to see it.

The booklet shows a photograph of the memorial which has the background of the Market Place blanked out. It contains "the order of proceedings on the occasion of the unveiling and dedication of the War Memorial by Alderman Oswald Ling".

The ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 11, 1924, some six years after the Armistice.

Mr Walters said: "I was quite surprised that it took Derby six years to build a war memorial but I expect it took some time to decide on a design and then raise the funds needed."

The war memorial, which features a woman cradling a small child, was designed by sculptor Arthur G Walker.

On page four, there is a simple diagram showing a plan of the Market Place for the ceremony and the position of official invited guests, including current and former servicemen, relatives of those who died, the mayor, war memorial committee, members of the corporation, magistrates, guardians and subscribers.

The band of the 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters played music in the Market Place from 9.30am in advance of the arrival of the mayoral party at 10.10am.

The dedication service began with the hymn, Oh God, Our Help In Ages Past, and a lesson read by the Rev John Bell, representing the Free Church Council. The Rt Rev Bishop of Derby, Charles Abraham, led the prayers before the Duke of Devonshire, who was Lord High Steward of the Corporation, invited Alderman Ling to unveil the memorial.

More prayers from the bishop were followed by the laying of wreaths at the foot of the memorial by members of the corporation and British Legion. The Last Post was then played followed by two minutes' silence which was ended with the Reveille.

The brochure continues: "The chairman of the War Memorial Committee (Alderman Oswald Ling) will present the Memorial to the Mayor of Derby Fred Porter in trust for the people forever.

"The Mayor will reply accepting the gift. The chairman of the War Memorial Committee will present to the President of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, the Most Honourable Marquis of Hartington, a cheque for £1,000 to endow a bed at the infirmary in memory of the fallen, in the use of which ex-servicemen and women shall have preferential consideration."

The hymn, Through The Night Of Doubt And Sorrow, was then sung before proceedings were brought to an end by the benediction from the bishop and the National Anthem.

The final pages in the booklet explain the decision to build a war memorial and the choice of design.

It reads: "We want to commemorate, quietly and reverently, the devotion, the courage and the sacrifice by which our national freedom was saved for us and for our children in the Great War. Looking back on it all now, at some distance of time, we can see it in a truer perspective then was possible in the first reaction of victory and the excitement of deliverance from our long-drawn anxiety. How then can the ideal be best expressed?

"We never can forget the sheer heroism of the men and lads – our brothers and defenders – who on land and sea cheerfully gave their lives that their homeland might still be free and call its soul its own. That pathetic and glorious heritage belongs to us and to our children for ever. Their memorial is in our hearts.

"But they would be the first to recognise and to proclaim that behind all their brave service – as at once its motive and its source – were their homes and their mothers, their wives and their children. To these they owed what they were; from these they derived their high principles of duty and of endurance; for these they bravely faced the unutterable horrors of war.

"And we, as we recall the agony of those dark years, instinctively see our sailors and soldiers in the setting of a larger vision: a vision of the whole nation united as it had never been since the time of the Spanish Armada; of all its families welded into one fellowship of brave and ungrudging sacrifice.

"And at the heart of that vision splendid were the Mothers of England, giving of their own flesh and blood for the righteous cause, and then turning sadly to their widowed life to bring up their younger children worthily of those who had gone forth to face death that these might live and grow up free and fearless to carry on and develop the national liberty which they had safeguarded.

"So here the whole vision is embodied in a typical English mother, bowed with her sorrow but not broken-hearted, for she is not alone in her grief; she is but one of a countless number of similar sufferers and she is thrilled with the glory of the great sacrifice of her son – cherishing the younger boy who, while clinging to his mother in perfect confidence, looks out and reaches out with a winsome audacity to the call of the high emprise that somewhere awaits him in life, as he in his turn grows into the strength of manhood.

"It is a picture, a cameo, of the English home influence which through the stress of war won freedom for our own land and for the world. And the background of the picture is a suggestion, a reminder of the Cross that is the token and the power of victory through sacrifice – the Cross encircled with the Crown of triumph.

"The men who passed from us in the war are not forgotten. The inspiration and the hallowing of their devotion, their courage and their sacrifice are here expressed and honoured with understanding sympathy."

Dave Thomson, of Littleover, recalls his family's first-ever trip to the seaside in the 1950s.

DURING this year's holiday period, I've sat and thought about our first family holiday when I was a child.

I was the oldest of six children and was 12 years old at the time and it was my first recollection of seeing the sea.

My mother was keen on holidays but, as it was the 1950s, we couldn't afford them.

But, in 1955, my mother really pushed my dad and we booked a week in a bungalow at Ingoldmells on the east coast.

We caught a coach to Skegness and then on to Ingoldmells and found the bungalow which was one of six owned by the same person.

The first thing when we arrived was to find the toilet, which was difficult.

It was outside in what looked like a little shed. We opened the door and there was a very large bucket with a lid on the top.

It was quite difficult for us to reach the seat and, unfortunately, it was full to the brim so we couldn't sit on it.

My mother had to find a phone quickly and arrange for it to be emptied and we had to quickly find another toilet!

That night, at about midnight, we were woken up by lights shining through our bedroom window and the sound of a lorry engine.

Our faces were stuck to the window where we saw that the lights were from miners' helmets on the heads of the men who had come to empty the toilet buckets at the bungalows.

They wore strong-looking Army-type jackets and had to manhandle each of the buckets onto their shoulders with the obvious consequences and walk to the lorry before tipping the contents into a tank on the back.

They waved to us as they returned the bucket.

That first day we soon headed towards the beach and had our first look at the sea.

We saw the donkeys and soon found that you could lead them round for half a day, either morning or afternoon, no payment apart from the reward of a ride on a donkey at the end of your shift.

We found it was oversubscribed and you had to get there early to have a chance of the job.

Then it was a case of finding out which donkey you could look after.

It was Paddy I wanted but he was popular. I spent a lot of time standing there but was only picked for two shifts.

As the eldest, I had an interest in music of the time. There was a juke box in the cafe at Ingoldmells Point and I spent some of my holiday money on popular records of the time, including Unchained Melody by Jimmy Young and Love is a Many Splendid Thing by the Four Aces.

We though nothing of walking all the way into Skegness, sometimes for the day or in the evening.

If it was the day we walked back, as well, with my dad reminding us that "When you're in the Army you'll be marching or running most of the time – no buses".

As we walked round Skegness, we spent a lot of the time trying to avoid the Wrates photographers.

They wore striped blazers and used a small horn attached to their camera to attract your attention.

As you looked for where the noise was coming from, they took your picture.

They then gave you a ticket which told you the time and the place where you could view and purchase the photograph.

Not everyone had a camera then and these photographs were sometimes the only one you would have of your holiday.

Each morning when we stopped in Ingoldmells we had breakfast and then headed for the beach.

We found a spot and laid all our bits down.

Mum was in charge and we sometimes had a donkey shift. If not, it was sand castles, football, sea shell finding and, if the sea was out, we'd try to find it!

My dad used to go out early for a walk and we would see him late morning on the beach.

I think he bought a paper, went for breakfast at the cafe, studied the horse racing form and then went and put his bet on.

When he arrived we'd get the ball and he'd show us how good he was at scoring goals.

He then went off to the chip shop, coming back with a large bag of chips.

He would place it in the middle of a large beach towel, rip the bag open and we all dived in. There was never a chip left.

The sleeping arrangements at the bungalow were six children in one bedroom and mum and dad in the other.

It didn't lead to a good night's sleep with the older ones, including me, chatting into the night.

After a while, a couple of visits from my dad used to calm us down. I think his early walk was his rest period.

Another episode that didn't please him too much was when we all walked along the beach heading for Mablethorpe on a cool, windy day.

The tide was going out and one of my brothers saw a beach ball bobbing on the waves.

We'd never had a beach ball but several requests to my dad to swim out and get it were turned down.

But, finally, to loud cheers from us, he stripped down to his underpants and swam out a long way with my mother getting more worried by the minute.

He reached the beach ball and managed to swim back.

Dad was exhausted. He dried himself down and decided Mablethorpe was a step too far so we had reached Chapel St Leonards when we started walking back.

We were all very excited playing with our new beach ball but it only last 15 minutes before the wind took it back into the North Sea

Dad wasn't a happy man!

On the last evening, we walked into Skegness and spent our last money at the fair and my dad stumped up for a few more rides and paid for the bus ride back to the bungalow.

We had some good memories of that first holiday but the one thing that stuck with me was those lads emptying the toilet buckets.

When I started work, first at Leys and Ewarts, on to Qualcast and finally at Rolls-Royce, there were times at all three when I was bored, had a dirty job, was in the middle of a night shift or scrapped an expensive part.

It helped me to think I could have been worse off and been emptying those toilet buckets!

That was the only full family holiday we had. Although my mum took us on a few more, obviously funded by my dad, but he stopped at home and, ironically, spent his two weeks' holiday from Qualcast working with a gang that painted and generally made the toilets at Rolls-Royce sites in the East Midlands a fresher place to return to after the two-week summer shut down.

A couple of beers in the Osmaston Park Tenants Association club on Elton Road finished a far more relaxing day off than being on holiday with us!

Happy days.

POLICE are today expected to name the man whose body was pulled from the River Derwent in Derby.

Police said yesterday they believed they knew the identity of the man who was recovered from the river, close to North Parade, shortly after 4pm on Friday.

He will be "formally identified" this morning, after which his name will be released to the public.

Police have previously said that they believed the man to be aged 18 to 30, 6ft 2ins tall, with short, mousey-coloured hair.

Yesterday, a police spokesman said the cause of death was yet to be established, and inquiries were ongoing to understand the events that had led to his death.

Locals described the area, near Derby Rowing Club, as being cordoned off for a number of hours while the police investigation took place.

A force spokesman said yesterday: "Derbyshire police believe they have now established the identity of he body recovered from the river Derwent near to North Parade on Friday afternoon.

"A formal identification has not yet been carried out and we are not currently naming the person.

"A cause of death has yet to be established, and inquiries are ongoing to understand the events that have lead to the death."

Audrey Parmenter, 61, of North Parade, said she saw a number of cars and officers at the scene at about 5pm on Friday.

She said: "The bridge that crosses over to Chester Green was cordoned off and there must have been three or four police cars.

"The blue and white police tape was pulled out and no-one was allowed to get close to the scene.

"My thoughts are with the family of the young man."

Louise Fee owns McFee's Stores, on the corner of Margaret Street and Arthur Street, close to where the grim discovery was made.

She said: "The area was gridlocked to traffic because the police cordoned it off and no-one was allowed down to the river or down the road.

"People were coming into the shop asking me if I knew what was happening but, of course, I didn't.

"I have five sons myself and when I heard there had been a body pulled from the water a shudder went down my spine.

"I hate to think what his wife, mother or children or family are thinking.

"My heart goes out to them."

Jonathan Drewery, 39, who lives in Duke Street, close to the river where the body was found, said: "To hear that this is a young man is quite shocking really. My condolences go out to his family."

A police spokesman said last night: "Derbyshire police will be liaising with the coroner to arrange a post-mortem in the next few days to try to establish the cause of death."

TESCO has reaffirmed its intentions to build on a site in Allenton, despite no work being started on the proposed plans.

The supermarket giant was granted planning permission to build a 24-hour superstore and petrol station in July 2011 – but the site just off Spider Island still lies unused.

Recent news that the firm had overestimated its half-year profits by £250m raised questions as to the site's future – after the company pulled out of a project in Belper when annual sales fell in 2013.

But now Tesco has told the Derby Telegraph that it remains committed to the site despite the delay.

Tesco spokesman Mark Thomas said: "We understand that it's taken longer than anticipated for a start to be made on the site in Allenton.

"We've been in discussions with the local authority over our site for an extended period of time. Our time scales are kept under review and, if there's any further update, we'll be sure to let the community know."

CouncillorMartin Rawson, deputy leader of Derby City Council and cabinet member for planning, environment and regeneration, said: "It is for Tesco to bring forward detailed plans for the site and for the council's planning control committee to make a decision based on planning law specific to those submitted plans."

Meanwhile there have been calls to save the Mitre pub, which stands on the site.

Julian Tubbs, treasurer of the Derby branch of the Campaign For Real Ale, said: "I live in Shelton Lock and travelling down the Osmaston Road you used to have a whole range of pubs – the Mitre is one of the very last remaining ones now.

"It would be an awful shame to see it disappear and I would call for a pub, even if it is not the original Mitre building, to be included in the scheme."

Camra was originally set up to save real ale in the early 70s but now has a much broader remit, with vocal campaigns to help save pubs and also lower prices charged by pub companies and taxes on alcohol.

Mr Tubbs says the Derby branch wanted to see the city council do more to help pubs in the area.

He said: "The businesses in the city centre are doing well. But in the suburbs there have been real losses for the trade. Just on the stretch from the centre of city to my home there have been at least five closures and in Chaddesden, over a few years there have been around four.

"There have been instances where councils have taken on pubs when they have closed, helped to turn them round and then sold them on.

"This is something that we would be eager to talk to the council about and hopefully help pubs in the future."

Tesco told the Telegraph that a final decision has not been reached on the future of the Mitre pub.

A spokesman said: "We welcome any suggestions about the Mitre pub and we'd be happy to look at any options that are proposed."

And the city council were also positive in their reaction to the call by Camra for them to do more to help businesses, saying they recognised the "importance" of them.

Mr Rawson said: "The Labour administration recognises the importance of pubs as community hubs and will be very happy to talk to Camra and others about how we can best protect our local pubs as community assets."

THE parents of a three-year-old boy have thanked nursery staff who helped to discover their son had a brain tumour.

Tony and Laura Wootton had concerns about son Thomas's eyesight but it was only when staff at First Friends Day Nursery, in Chaddesden, flagged up his fluttering eyes that their suspicions about his health were reaffirmed.

The couple took their son to the Royal Derby Hospital, where it was discovered he had an abnormality on his brain, which was later diagnosed as a "significant" tumour.

Emily Edwards, the nursery's manager, said: "Thomas's eyes would flutter and he would find it difficult to engage in activities, which was noticed immediately by staff.

"We spoke to Tony and Laura about it and told them about our concerns."

Thomas's dad, Tony, 42, said his son would often bump into tables and doors, which he and his wife put down to eyesight problems.

He said: "Thomas kept bumping into the dining room table.

"When nursery staff pointed it out too we knew something was wrong and it wasn't just us.

"In the long term, if it hadn't been picked up on, the oncologist said it could have led to fatality. The tumour would have squashed Thomas's brain eventually.

"We cannot the staff at the nursery enough. They have been so great and have really helped Thomas."

Tony said Thomas had struggled with focusing since he was six months old.

Tony, of Wilson Road, Chaddesden, said: "He would walk into doors and was never interested in sitting down or watching TV.

"When he was at nursery he could not focus on pictures and found it difficult to concentrate.

"We kept raising that there was an issue with his health workers and when Thomas had his two-year review we mentioned it again and that is when he was referred to the Royal Derby Hospital to have tests done."

Thomas underwent examinations on his eyes and tests later revealed that he had an abnormality on his brain.

He was referred to the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, for an MRI scan and in December 2013, he was diagnosed with optic pathway glioma – a type of brain tumour.

The condition occurs along the nerves that send messages from the eye to the brain and can occur anywhere along its path, causing fluttering eyes, reduced vision, and, in some cases, fits and seizures.

Although Thomas's tumour is non-cancerous, it is slow-growing and can cause pressure on the brain.

Tony said: "When we got the results, it was like a big hole opened up and we fell through it.

"It was such a big shock. We just thought there was something wrong with his eyes."

Thomas has undergone chemotherapy treatment to reduce its size with an aim of saving his remaining vision.

He now has sessions every three weeks at the Children's Oncology Day Care Centre, at the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, and has eye tests every three months.

Tony, who gave up his job working on a project to create ceramic poppies for the Tower of London to care for his son, said: "They cannot operate on it or take a biopsy because of the location on his brain. If he didn't have chemotherapy, the pressure on his brain could leave him paralysed.

"Thomas has been so brave. It's been really hard for us all but we've just had the mentality that we have to crack on with it.

"We haven't got time to think about what is going on. It has just become part of our lives.

"Thomas is a very confident and outgoing child and is very strong-willed."

Thomas's consultant, Dr Sophie Wilne, a pediatric oncologist at the Nottingham Children's Hospital, said he had made great progress.

She said: "This was a large significant tumour, one of the largest I have seen in children.

"We think there is a possibility that he may have had the abnormality for a long time.

"Thomas has had a really good response to the chemotherapy and the results from his latest MRI scan have been very positive."

Staff at First Friends Nursery have raised £602 for the Nottingham Children's Hospital, through organising a disco, stalls and barbecue at the nursery.

The money was presented to Dr Wilne, who said the funds would go towards redeveloping the hospital.

Dr Wilne said: "A £4.5m redevelopment project is under way and we need to raise £500,000 to ensure the redevelopment is not just standard, but truly first-class.

"We are really grateful for this funding and it will go towards helping to provide quality care for children."

To donate, text NUHC14 and the amount to 70070 or visit www.not tinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk.

SPOTTING THE SIGNS OF A BRAIN TUMOUR 

CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

Persistent/recurrent vomiting

Balance/co-ordination and walking problems

Abnormal eye movements

Behaviour change, particularly lethargy

Fits or seizures (not with a fever)

Abnormal head position such as wry neck, head tilt or stiff neck

CHILDREN AGED 5-11

Persistent/recurrent vomiting

Persistent/recurrent headache

Balance/co-ordination and walking problems

Abnormal eye movements

Blurred or double vision

Behaviour change

Fits or seizures

Abnormal head position such as wry neck, head tilt or stiff neck

YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 11-18

Persistent/recurrent vomiting

Persistent/recurrent headache

Balance/co-ordination and walking problems

Abnormal eye movements

Blurred or double vision

Behaviour change

Fits or seizures

Delayed or arrested puberty, slow growth.

According to the HeadSmart campaign, if your child has one of these, see your doctor. If two or more, ask for an urgent referral.

DEPENDING on your viewpoint, I am either the mastermind of a wonderful new product or I should resign immediately.

Even my long experience in the newspaper industry didn't prepare me for the variety of reaction to the relaunch of the Telegraph nine days ago.

Of course, I was aware that I would not receive pats on the back for being party to a price rise of 10p.

But I didn't expect one reader to be so outraged that she needed restraining when she spotted one of our reporters in the city centre.

I was also surprised by critics who claimed that there was "nothing in the new newspaper except adverts."

The fact was that there was 104 pages in the Saturday launch edition, up 40 from the previous week.

Yes, there were more adverts but there were MANY more features too.

For the remaining five days of the week, the price of the Telegraph was unchanged, despite inclusion of a new Celebrations supplement on Tuesday and a 120-page edition on Thursday.

The issue of price is an interesting conundrum and one which we specifically addressed when interviewing readers during market research.

There was a wide variety of answers to the question of how much people would be happy to pay for their Telegraph.

We were pleasantly surprised how many people said they would be prepared to pay more. In fact, some said as much as £1.

What is clear is that if we are to offer additional content we have to pay for it and that has to be passed on to our readers.

But the fact is that we have been the cheapest regional newspaper in the country for some time and a price increase was becoming inevitable.

To counter that, our promotions team have come up with a host of offers which mean that Saturday's paper will be worth more than you pay for it.

Fortunately, the early salvo of negativity from largely anonymous readers was countered by some wonderfully positive feedback as the week went on.

But the transformation of the Derby Telegraph does not stop here.

I want our newspaper and our website to move with the times and to reflect the lives of our readers.

And we should continue to make sure we listen to you.

For example, this week, on social media, we asked whether we should publish the story of a public utility worker who is being investigated for watching pornography in the workplace.

If child porn images had been involved I would not have hesitated but they were not and I was keen to know if our readers believed the story was in the public interest.

We have the person's name and know where he works but scores of people said that the story was not serious enough to be highlighted by the Telegraph.

So I went on to social media to say we were dropping the story.

This will not be the last time we consult our readership.

In fact, I vow that we will listen more than ever before.

HIGHWAYS chiefs are under more fire from Derby motorists over roadworks at Markeaton Island – this time because of a lack of diversion signs.

The roundabout has been closed overnight in recent days as work on a £4 million project aimed at reducing travel congestion continues.

Hayley Forde, from Mickleover, said she was unhappy after arriving at the roundabout at 11pm and finding it closed.

She said there were no diversion signs and that anyone with little or no knowledge of the area would have become lost.

Mrs Forde said: "I left Chaddesden for Mickleover at about 11pm.

"I drove down Nottingham Road, went around the Pentagon Island and past Radio Derby. I turned left on to Friar Gate and down Ashbourne Road. Neither I nor my passenger saw a single sign.

"I then travelled up Windmill Hill Lane to get to the slip road access towards Kingsway. When I got to the slip road, this again was closed and there were four cars in front of me – one being a taxi – that were doing u-turns in the road.

"I would have thought that a taxi driver, spending their working hours on the road, would have spotted a 'road closed' sign if there had been one."

The Highways Agency insisted signs have been put in place.

A spokesman said: "We believe that the diversions in place were adequately signposted, with extra signs on the inner ring road and the A52 warning drivers leaving Derby that the A38 at Markeaton was closed.

"In some cases, diversions can begin some distance ahead of the actual road closure – we urge drivers to heed the signs at the earliest opportunity."

Mrs Forde, however, insisted that no diversion signs were in place along the route she took from Chaddesden.

"It seems to me they are only putting signs on major arteries and that the signs are insufficient," she said.

"If signage had been at the traffic lights at the junction of Stafford Street and Ashbourne Road, I would have driven down Uttoxeter New Road to get to Mickleover.

"There was not a single diversion sign in place so anyone without local knowledge, a street map or a sat nav would have struggled."

The project at Markeaton Island was expected to last until mid- October but work was delayed as Severn Trent needed to repair a water pipe in the same area.

Frustrated motorists say the roadworks have caused daily delays of over an hour.

Staff at the Royal Derby Hospital and ambulance crews are among those who have been badly affected.

CHRIS Martin managed to brush off his penalty disappointment to fire Derby County to victory against Bolton Wanderers.

Martin's afternoon did not get off to the best of starts at the Macron Stadium, seeing his ninth-minute penalty saved by home keeper Andy Lonergan.

But the striker did not let that affect him and he responded by scoring both goals in the Rams' 2-0 win.

The Scotland international put Derby ahead in the 38th minute, convering Cyrus Christie's low centre from the right with a neat first-time finish.

His second came after 57 minutes, smashing a shot past Lonergan after Craig Bryson had won back possession from a Bolton goal kick.

"Obviously, it was disappointing not to score the penalty," said Martin.

"I want to score every single minute I'm on the pitch, so I wouldn't say it made me more determined.

"But I suppose maybe it gives you that extra bit of bite as you're attacking the ball.

"In those situations, I think you have to try to back yourself even more and remain confident and calm, so you can deliver when the chance comes along.

"I was lucky enough that Cyrus put one on a plate for me and so did Bryso.

"So I was delighted to get the goals and, more importantly, the three points.

"I think it's a massive three points for us."

Martin was relieved that his failure from the spot did not prove costly in the end.

"If we hadn't scored or the game had been a little bit tighter, it would have mattered that little bit more," he said.

"I practice penalties a lot and I've missed a few now, so that's disappointing.

"That's something I need to try to improve on but I don't think you can get too hung up on it.

"I've taken good penalties in the past. I've just got to try to remain confident in front of goal.

"I usually do, in most situations. I've missed one but it's on to the next one and forget about it.

"I'll keep going and try to get as many goals as I can."

Martin was the man who scored the goals but he hailed Derby's all-round team display at Bolton.

"It was a very good performance, from front to back," he said.

"Every man played well and it was a professional display from us.

"I thought we defended very well and kept chances against us to a premium.

"We also attacked very well at times and played some great football.

"It was a thoroughly deserved win."

Play was stopped twice during the second half due to disgruntled Bolton fans invading the pitch.

This could have proved a distraction for the Rams but Martin felt the players dealt with it well.

"I thought we channelled that in the right way and used it as a positive, because it meant their fans were getting frustrated," he said.

"We didn't let them play and shut them out very well.

"It was a little bit unnecessary, to be honest, with the fans coming on the pitch. I don't think it helps anybody out but it is what it is

"We just tried to ignore it as much as possible and keep playing.

"I thought we did that and got stronger towards the end and were perhaps a little bit unfortunate not to get a third or fourth goal."

I'VE come out as an Englishman!

"Mum, Dad, I've got something to tell you."

"What is it, son?"

"I think, I think I, I think I might be... English!

"What!"

"I know, I'm so sorry, I've tried to hide it for so long, but after the Scottish Referendum I just felt I couldn't keep it in any longer. I'm English and I'm proud!"

"You absolute disgrace! What have we taught you about tolerance and loving everyone, accepting everyone's different. No-one is English!"

"I know, Dad, you must be revolted at me. At first I thought I might be just English-curious, just a phase I was going through, but no, when I saw all those Scottish Pride marches and the flags, the dancing and the hope, I just realised that I was born English, and I had to live like an Englishman"

"You do know you can get aversion therapy? Have you tried The Guardian, Radio 4, The Labour Party?"

"Yes, Mum, but I can't help it. I just find the St George flag more attractive than the Union flag."

Mum (with head in her hands) : "Is that why I found the Daily Mail under your bed?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't tell me you've been hanging around English pubs, with working-class people."

"They understand me. They believe in English rights like the freedom of English people to come together and pass laws and things."

"The perverts! Doesn't that mean you're one of those racists?

"No, Mum, I still love everyone, but I can't deny my nationality. I just want to live openly in the community as an Englishman."

"Stop it! If you want to ruin your life it's up to you, but don't be bringing any of your English friends around here, they won't be welcome. Oh where did we go wrong?"

"It's okay, Mum (standing and looking into the middle distance). One day I believe all Englishmen will be able to celebrate their Englishness, without fear of ridicule and damnation. When Englishmen will enjoy the same rights as other nations. I'm English and I'm proud – I am what I am."

Curtain.

Ken Davies

Littleover

PLANS by Derby City Council to buy the Duckworth Square site and sell it on to a developer have been described as a "positive move forward" by an organisation which represents retailers in an area of the city.

Last week, Councillor Martin Rawson, who is in charge of regeneration, told the Derby Telegraph that the authority was considering buying the derelict site.

It is also contemplating making a bid for the former Debenhams site nearby, part of which is occupied by Silly Sid's and is owned by Intu.

The proposals have been welcomed by St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District, which works on behalf of local businesses to improve the retail offer between the Cathedral Quarter and the Intu Derby shopping centre.

Duckworth Square falls within the St Peters Quarter area.

Stephen Jeffery, who chairs the BID, said: "Since St Peters Quarter BID was launched in 2011, we have achieved a great deal of our five-year business plan to promote the area, improve the experience for visitors and support business growth and investment.

"Duckworth Square is an area that regularly comes on to the agenda of our board and management groups.

"We have long been asking questions about its future and I'm delighted that there now seems to be a real appetite within the council to take action and invest much needed resources to try and kick-start its regeneration.

"Duckworth Square is a prominent gateway into St Peters Quarter but has been neglected for too long.

"Its dilapidated state therefore gives the wrong impression to visitors and brings down the whole look and feel of the surrounding area."

Mr Jeffery said it was also important that the future of the former Debenhams site be resolved.

He said: "High on our priorities is to see some positive plans for the future of the former Debenhams site, whose future will be integral to the overall regeneration and improvement of the Green Lane area."

DERBY County have lost only once in the Championship this season.

They have suffered defeat only eight times in 46 league games (26 wins, 12 draws) in the past year.

It is an impressive record, one that makes them a feared opponent at this level and, rightfully, one of the favourites for promotion, having gone so close last season.

Given those facts and given Derby's recognised approach to matches and their style of play, it was difficult to fathom Dougie Freedman's game plan.

The Bolton Wanderers manager held up his hands after his team were beaten 2-0 by Derby at the Macron Stadium.

"I take full responsibility for the way I set up the team. We tried to out-football Derby, we thought we could. I was disappointed with my performance. Tactically, I got it wrong," said Freedman.

Freedman should have asked himself the following question. How many Championship rivals have "out-footballed" Derby in the past year?

Just the one.

That was Leicester City, who walloped the Rams 4-1 at the King Power Stadium in January.

To his credit, Freedman did not shy away from questions afterwards and you have to admire his honesty, although I am not sure what the Bolton supporters made of his explanation.

Some had already called for his head and that of chairman Phil Gartside during the game. One fan ran on to the pitch and threw his ticket towards Freedman.

The Bolton boss believes Derby are the best side in the League, while his team have taken a meagre five points from 27 and occupy a place in the bottom three.

Those two stats alone make Bolton's "expansive" approach all the more questionable.

To outplay Derby, an opponent must first match their energy, then shore up the channels where the Rams are so potent and then create chances themselves.

Bolton fell short on all three counts. They had two efforts on target all game.

Teams are asking for trouble if they play expansively against Derby, as Bolton discovered.

Nor did mistakes by players help Freedman, especially those made for Derby's second goal.

"Some things I cannot legislate for and football suicide is one of them," said the Scot.

I hope Freedman rides out the storm.

Management can be severely testing at times but Freedman did a terrific job in difficult circumstances at Crystal Palace before taking the Bolton role.

Rams boss Steve McClaren offered Freedman words of comfort.

McClaren has been in the firing line at times in his career, at Middlesbrough and with England.

"This is management and it can be cruel at times. You live and die by results," he said.

"When the pressure is on you need a performance from your players. We have all been in that situation and we all feel for each other."