BIRMINGHAM City have approached Burton Albion for permission to speak to Gary Rowett according to reports in the West Midlands.

The struggling Championship club have put together a panel to identify the right man to succeed Lee Clark as manager, with Mike Phelan and Owen Coyle also in the frame.

Already MK Dons have already turned down a request from the St Andrew's club to talk to their manager, Karl Robinson.

Birmingham are to make inquiries about the availability of other managers, as well as set up interviews for those currently without a club.

They have set up panel made up of two members of club staff and two independent advisers with a football background/expertise.

Blues executive director Panos Pavlakis will oversee the search.

MICKLEOVER Royals maintained their great start to the season in the Black Dragon Badges (South) Division of the Central Midlands League.

Royals had to come from a goal down to earn the points against their visitors.

Oliver Buxton fired Mickleover ahead but goals from Reece Bertram and Jerome O'Connor put Real 2-1 up.

However, the league leaders snatched the points with a late double from Kirk Francis to maintain their 10-point lead at the top of the table.

Second-placed Clifton All Whites also came from behind to beat Blidworth Welfare 4-2, thanks to goals from Scott Litchfield (2), Rob Gill and Danny Johnson.

Meanwhile, Belper United eased to a 3-0 win over rivals Harrowby Saints.

Tim Perry's fifth-minute goal put United ahead before strikes from Ash Dhindsa and Sam Vickers completed the rout.

There was more misery for Holbrook St Michaels, who were beaten 6-2 by Bulwell despite goals from Sam Fell and Kyle Johnson.

Jake Fisher and Conor Carter both scored twice for the Nottinghamshire side.

Pinxton took a point from a 2-2 draw at Hucknall's Watnall Road. Jake Vernon and Anthony Rowley scored for Pinxton.

Strikes from Daz Rushton, Rob Selby and Danny James helped Mickleover RBL to a 3-1 win over Hucknall Rolls-Royce. Jack Allen replied.

Ant Lynam scored another hat-trick as Clay Cross Town beat Ollerton 6-1 in the Black Dragon Badges (North) Division.

Ryan Booker (2) and Aiden Ordidge got the other goals for the Derbyshire side.

In the reserve divisions, Borrowash Victoria leap-frogged Teversal into second place with a 3-2 win at Carnarvon Street.

Vics' goalscorers were Sam Tozer, Steve Leek and Joe Illson. Montelle Kamara and Toby Birch replied.

There were mixed fortunes for Central Midlands League sides in the Derbyshire Divisional Cup.

In the northern section, Matlock Town ended Hope Sports' chances of any silverware this season by beating them 7-1.

Dave Edge led the scoring with four goals, Matt Wilkinson got two while there was also one for Matt Andrews.

The southern section saw Mickleover RBL beat Belper United 5-1 led by two goals each from Yakeef Murphy and Rory Davies.

Mick Shardlow scored the fifth for Mickleover.

Swanwick hammered Graham St Prims 6-1 led by a hat-trick from Dave Robinson.

Richard Jeffrey (2) and Chris Turner scored the other goals.

Holbrook Sports beat Gresley 3-1 with Dom Hayes and Ben Wallace on the scoresheet for Sports.

There is to be no further involvement for Heanor Town, though, who were beaten 2-1 by Little Eaton.

Holbrook St Michaels went down 2-0 at Hilton Harriers while Pinxton were beaten 7-6 in extra time against Derby Singh Brothers.

FEARS that "eco-friendly" LED lights may cause blindness have been played down by council chiefs.

Spanish research suggests that blue LED light can irreparably damage the cells in the eye's retina.

But experts at Derbyshire County Council – which is to install LED bulbs in nearly 70,000 street lights – say people should not be worried.

Mike Ashworth, strategic director for transport, said other reports concluded "the intensities used within street lighting are insufficient to cause harm".

In a paper to cabinet members, he added: "The possible health and ecology risks are considered to be minimal and could be managed through monitoring and through the careful selection of products.

"It is proposed that there should be ongoing monitoring and evaluation of research relating to the use of LED lights."

After listening to Mr Ashworth's advice, the Labour cabinet agreed to spend £10 million upgrading 68,796 street lights – 78% of Derbyshire's stock – to LED bulbs.

A further £13 million will be spent on replacing 22,000 columns that are at least 30 years old and are at risk of collapse.

A decision on Derbyshire's remaining street lights will be made at a later date and will depend on what money is available.

Labour's Joan Dixon said the costly upgrade would save the council money in the long run as it would reduce its energy bills by at least £1.2 million a year.

Most of the money is expected to be borrowed over the next few years, with work completed by 2018.

Mrs Dixon, the cabinet member for transport, said it was not clear how much money the council would have to borrow to pay for the work.

She said: "We will need to borrow up to £23 million. We may find, as time goes on, that we can pay for some of the cost with funds that we already have."

The amount the council does end up borrowing will be repaid over 20 years. A council spokeswoman said it was not possible to say what interest payments the authority would face, as it was not clear how much money would be borrowed.

She added the council expected to make back its LED investment within "eight or nine years", owing to its reduced energy bills.

Earlier this year, the council decided to turn off 40,000 street lights between midnight and 5.30am to save money.

To date, about 7,000 have been altered to this "part night lighting" programme.

As a result of yesterday's cabinet decision, that programme will now be stopped – and the remaining 33,000 street lights will be switched to LED lighting.

Many of the columns that end up with LED lighting will be dimmed by 50%, from midnight to 5am, to save more money.

Mrs Dixon said some areas will be excluded from this – such as places with a high crime rate, accident blackspots and sheltered housing accommodating vulnerable people.

After yesterday's cabinet meeting at County Hall, Matlock, Labour councillor Dean Collins welcomed the investment in LED lighting.

He said: "By investing in LED street lights we will save money on electricity and maintenance and reduce our carbon footprint."

A CONVENIENCE store in Chaddesden is set to reopen after undergoing a six-figure revamp.

The Co-operative Food store, in Nottingham Road, has been closed since October 13 to allow the £330,000 revamp to take place.

The new-look store will now reopen tomorrow.

The interior of the premises have been "redefined", with a larger in-store bakery and bigger ranges of fresh produce, ready meals and pizzas.

Staff have also been given extra training to enable them to provide expert advice to customers on meal ideas.

Store manager Chris Dylla said: "I'm excited about welcoming shoppers into the new store.

"The transformation will be amazing, and I'm sure our customers will enjoy shopping in the new environment, which will provide them with a convenient location to pick up everything they need to create inspirational and tasty meals.

"The store will be a hub for the local community and customers will be able to find out what is going on locally, and learn about how The Co-operative can benefit local groups."

The store has a "community pioneer", Adam Hamilton, appointed as part of a new programme that sees a member of the store team with an additional remit to foster a strong involvement in community activity, from volunteering opportunities to helping develop solutions to meet local needs.

A BURTON pub company is taking its roadshow to Donington Park tomorrow to give people an insight into working in the industry.

The Punch Roadshow is an opportunity for potential pub licensees to get a glimpse of life in the trade.

Last year, the UK-wide tour took in 10 venues and attracted more than 8,000 visitors, with 60% of all Punch pub licensees attending.

The events had some 135 exhibitors and the pub company has said that this year's shows will be bigger and better.

At the day-long Donington Park event, prospective licensees will be able to find out about pubs that are available to let in the area and gain first-hand experience of the business support packages that Punch provides.

Colette Fellows, head of central property, said: "We have around 3,500 pubs across the UK – ranging from community locals to gastro pubs – and about 200 of those are currently available to take on under a new agreement.

"We are happy to have a no-obligation chat with anyone considering entering the trade to see if running a pub business is right for them.

"They'll be able to talk to Punch representatives, as well as obtain impartial industry advice from the British Institute of Innkeeping.

"Existing Punch Partners will also be on hand to answer any queries and explain how our best-in-class training, award-winning tailored lease agreements, comprehensive marketing resources and other specialist support has helped them build their pub businesses."

The Donington Park roadshow takes place from 10.30am until 4pm.

Interested parties can register by calling 01283 501999 or by visiting www.punchtaverns.com.

DERBY County forward Simon Dawkins played for an hour and scored twice on his return to action today.

Dawkins struck in each half as Derby County beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 in a Barclays Premier League Division Two fixture at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground.

Substitute Alban Bunjaku grabbed the Rams' other goal before Wolves pulled one back late on through Ibrahim Keita.

Dawkins has been out for a month with a hip-flexor injury.

Midfielder Paul Coutts completed the 90 minutes as he continues his comeback from a similar problem while defender Jake Buxton also played the full game.

Dawkins put Derby ahead after 25 minutes and doubled the lead nine minutes after the break before Bunjaku added a third goal on 77 minutes.

WOLVES: Flatt; Iorfa (Rainey, 85), Hanlon, Weeks, Swan (Carter, 75), Ricketts, Leacock-McLeod (Ronan, 63), Ortega, Keita, Torras, Reid. Other subs: Burgoyne, Erdei.

DERBY COUNTY: Roos; Hendrie, Hanson, Buxton, Lowe; Koblenz; Bennett (Santos, 80), Coutts, Dawkins (Bunjaku, 61), Calero; Thomas. Other subs: Etheridge (gk), Lelan, McDonald.

AN AMBULANCE car and lorry have been involved in a crash in Derbyshire this afternoon. 

Police were called to Burton Road, in Midway, Swadlincote, shortly after 2.30pm.

A Derbyshire police spokeswoman said the driver and passenger of the ambulance car had suffered neck injuries but they were "not thought to be serious or life-threatening".

Burton Road is currently closed while the incident is being dealt with. 

A FORMER Derby County footballer who masqueraded as a Premier League star to maintain his celebrity life of champagne and shopping sprees has been jailed for four years.

Medi Abalimba, who admitted multiple fraud offences, has had stints as a professional footballer with Derby County, Oldham Athletic, Southend United, Fulham and Crystal Palace and at one time even commanded a transfer fee in excess of £1m.

Manchester Crown Court heard that midfielder Medi Abalimba, 25, was so ashamed at his career at top-flight clubs foundering due to injury that he falsely claimed to be multi-millionaire Chelsea midfielder Gael Kakuta to get drink and clothes on credit.

Abalimba, pretending to be Kakuta's agent, would ring a venue in advance, advising them of the imminent arrival of the elite sports star, often also requesting discretion. Compromised credit card details would then be used to pay for goods and services.

Abalimba, of Burton Street, London, who was a Derby County trainee between July 2010 and January 2011, used his scam across the UK to stay in boutique hotels, eat in expensive restaurants, order designer clothes and travel everywhere in chauffeur driven limousines.

In all cases the businesses have lost the money as the credit card companies have charged the costs back to them.

In June 2014, Abalimba visited a nightclub in Manchester and throughout the course of the evening he ordered champagne worth £2,600.

At the end of the night, he claimed he had left his wallet in a limousine and told staff that he had his credit card details on his mobile phone. The payment, which was made using compromised credit card details, was authorised and Abalimba then pre-paid more than £2,000, telling staff he would return the following day, which he duly did, again quaffing champagne with friends before leaving in a chauffeur-driven Bentley GT.

It was not until several weeks later that the fraud was discovered by the true card holder.

In early July 2014, Abalimba visited Selfridges in the Trafford Centre, Manchester. He chose more than £20,000 worth of clothing - even practising his football skills inside while browsing - but could not pay with his credit card due to it being deliberately damaged. He later telephoned the store and made a payment over the phone, again using compromised credit card details. Just as a chauffeur was sent to collect the goods, a store detective became suspicious and withheld the items.

He even maintained the pretence in order to woo women. While in West Yorkshire he befriended a woman and convinced her he was Gael Kakuta, stating that he didn't want to use his credit cards as he wasn't supposed to be in the UK and his agent wouldn't be happy. Promising to pay her back he used her credit cards to rack up a £4,633 bill at a spa and also used her card to hire a Range Rover at a cost of £2,397. 

On another occasion he took four girls from Manchester on an £1,100 helicopter tour over London before having them stay with him at an £800 a night rented mansion in Berkshire, which he claimed was his home. Greater Manchester Police tracked him down to the mansion and with the help of Thames Valley Police, he was arrested. He was transported to Manchester and admitted all the offences on interview, telling officers he regularly broke into lockers at a sports club in Camden and, using master keys, stole and used his phone to photograph members' credit card details. 

He was subsequently interviewed by detectives from Derbyshire, West Yorkshire, Scotland and London. In London he ran up huge bills during hotel stays, including: £7,000 at the Corinthia hotel; £3,000 at Mandarin, £2,000 at Millennium Hotel and £1,400 at Bulgari Hotel. He also enjoyed drinks at several nightclubs and restaurants including the Gilgamesh, where he ran up a bill of £8,000 for 20 of his friends. In Manchester he deceived hotels including the Park Inn, Worsley Marriott and the Great John St Hotel. He also attempted to book £4,206 worth of rooms at The Midland but was thwarted by extra security checks by staff there. The value of the frauds that Abalimba was charged with amount to approximately £53,000. A further 19 similar offences, to the value of a further £88,000, were also taken into consideration. He was also wanted for failing to appear at Islesworth Crown Court in June 2014, for attempting to fraudulently obtain a £9,000 Rolex watch from a jeweller, taking the total value of the frauds committed to £163,000. 

With no assets or cash to his name there is no opportunity for financial compensation to be paid to any of his victims. 

Sergeant Adam Cronshaw said: "Having spoken with many of the victims in this case it appears that Abalimba is a charming and charismatic individual who was able to call on his previous football experience and the fact he bears some resemblance to the real Gael Kakuta to deceive them. 

"He was able to trick most people he came across and grew in confidence the longer the charade continued. He became so skilled in lies and deceit that his character went from being plausible to unquestionable. 

"Abalimba told us that many of his victims treated him so differently because they thought he was a celebrity footballer. Unfortunately this trust and goodwill was misplaced. 

"While I have some sympathy for the way his promising career was curtailed, there can be no excuses for the persistent and deliberate frauds that have left numerous people and businesses out of pocket.

"I'm glad we were able to catch him and prevent further loss to other potential victims as he showed no signs of halting his activity. I hope more businesses are now aware of this scam and have the necessary security measures in place to prevent similar occurrences."

A SIX-MONTH-OLD calf had to be rescued by firefighters after becoming stuck in a cattle feeder for five hours.

Fire crews attended the incident in Bridge Road, Denby, shortly after 10.30am today. 

A Derbyshire fire and Rescue Service spokesman said it was believed the calf had been stuck for around five hours.

Crews from Heanor and Matlock released the cow with the assistance of a vet. 

DERBY-born centre Jonathan Joseph is one of seven Bath players to be selected for England's squad for the autumn rugby union internationals.

Joseph is included with Manu Tuilagi injured and head coach Stuart Lancaster is confident that he, along with a number of others, can stake a claim for a permanent slot in the squad.

Lancaster said: "We have included Jonathan as an injury replacement for Manu.

"It is obviously disappointing to lose Manu but JJ has been in great form and deserves this chance.

"Our medics will continue to work closely Leicester's and ensure that Manu is supported in his rehabilitation from his injury."

England have called up three uncapped players in Bath winger Semesa Rokoduguni, Saracens second row George Kruis and Northampton flanker Calum Clark.

MOVING into his own flat was something Ryan Hickton had wanted for a long time, having lived in the YMCA and shared accommodation following his release from custody four years ago.

But sitting on his sofa – the only piece of furniture he owned – Ryan looked around at the new bare abode and felt depressed and lonely.

It was only after he was given a cooker and fridge-freezer, among other household items, by the Hope Store in Derby that he started to feel the satisfaction he imagined he would have at moving in on his own.

The 21-year-old grew up in Allenton and got into crime as a teenager after falling in with the wrong crowd, when he started drinking and taking drugs. He said: "I had a terrible time in shared housing – people were stealing my food and I was having sleepless nights because of the noise and anxiety, so I was desperate to live on my own.

"But with just a sofa to sleep on and a television for some comfort I started feeling depressed, so being given a cooker, a microwave and a fridge-freezer has made a big difference – I can now eat and be healthier, which for me means less mental health issues.

"I think the Hope Store will make a massive difference to people. Society at the moment makes out that no-one cares. The Government is taking money away, the council has no money and it's good to know that someone does care."

For the past two months, Ryan has been volunteering for the Hope Centre, which runs the Hope Store.

He said: "I want to give something back and show that I care and do a bit of good."

The Hope Store was set up in May last year by the Hope Centre, which is part of Derby City Church, in Curzon Street.

The centre has been running a food bank in the city for people in need since May 2011.

Paul Brookhouse, director of community development at the Hope Centre, said: "We recognised that people needed more than just food when they were in crisis and need and we drew up a list of what we thought were essential items."

These are handed out to people who come in with a voucher given out by various agencies in the city. A Hope Centre volunteer will then draw up a list of essential items that person needs, before taking them to the store to pick out the items.

People can only visit the store once in a three-month period, whereas they can have four vouchers for the food bank in this space of time. The Hope Store currently gives out items to about 10 to 12 people a week.

The Hope Store will also provide clothing to homeless people through Derby Churches' Nightshelter project, which will begin again on December 1 and run through to the end of March.

The store is stocked entirely by donations and, with a constant demand for supplies, Paul is appealing to the public to donate unwanted household items, clothes and toiletries.

He said: "We have our own dignity stance – if it's not something we would use ourselves, in terms of its condition, then we won't give it to other people.

"Just because someone is in crisis or need doesn't mean they should accept any old rubbish."

They have recently started renting a storage unit to keep bulky household items. They also have a van to transport them.

People can drop off their donations at the Hope Centre on Thursday, October 30, between 4pm and 7pm and on Saturday, November 1, between 10am and noon.

WHAT DOES HOPE BRING TO THE CITY?

The Hope Centre opened in May 2011 to serve the community of Derby city. It runs a food bank twice a week giving out emergency food parcels, as well as a weekly parent and toddler group called Jumpin' Jack, a lunch club for the elderly called Happy Days and a drop-in on Fridays.

Talk it Over, a pregnancy options and loss support service, also operates from the centre. It offers free pregnancy testing, confidential support and information regarding pregnancy options and post-abortion support.

APPEAL FOR GOODS AND CLOTHES

An appeal has been made for clothes and goods for the Hope Store, which people can drop off on Thursday, October 30, between 4pm and 7pm and on Saturday, November 1, 10am to noon.

Clothes

Men's jeans 34" and under Ladies' jeans - size 12 and under

Men's and ladies' belts for trousers

Jumpers - large and under

Men's t-shirts/long sleeve tops/vests – large and under

Ladies' tops/long sleeves

Coats of all sizes/waterproof

Waterproof condition trainers size 7-10 for men and all sizes ladies

Men's and ladies' new socks and underwear – small/medium – no second-hand

Gloves, scarves and hats

Goods

Towels and bedding in good condition

Curtains

Cutlery and kitchenware - no chips, dents etc

Microwaves, kettles and toasters - kettles must be descaled or will fail PAT Testing

Fridges, freezers or combined

Collapsible beds

Dining room tables and chairs

Please call Derby 341189 and ask for Paul if you need help collecting large items.

TWO goals each from Shane Hill and Ashley Harris ensured a first home win on East Midlands Division Two for Derby.

Hill gave the home side an early lead against Long Buckby, who equalised shortly after.

Harris restored the advantage and further goals from Andy Hooton, Hill and Harris completed a 5-2 win for Derby.

There were wins, too, for the men's third and fourth team but a disappointing 4-0 defeat at the University of Nottingham for the ladies' first team.

The ladies' seconds, though, edged past Staveley 2-1, thanks to goals from Lucy Brown and Theresa Alton.

Derby Ladies' third team suffered a 5-2 defeat by Belper thirds, while the fourths were beaten 2-1 at Staveley seconds.

ELECTRONIC, robotic, knitted and musical projects will be showcased this weekend as part of a special festival at the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

More than 80 events are being held during the Discovery Days festival, which runs from Saturday to November 2.

Helping to kick-start the annual event, which has now been running for ten years, hundreds of creators will take their crafty projects to the Silk Mill in Derby on Saturday as part of the Derby Mini Maker Faire.

The free event, which includes workshops, will run from 11am to 4pm on Saturday and from 11am to 7pm on Sunday.

There will also be a walk from Strutt's North Mill in Belper to the old workhouse exercise yards.

This event will take place from 2pm to 4pm, costing £4 per person.

And Saturday will also see 400 floating lights continue to cascade down the River Derwent as part of Derwent Pulse, one of the largest art projects ever commissioned in the county. The illuminated spheres can be spotted from 4.45pm to 6.30pm at Cromford Mills.

Also on Saturday, families can take part in free Lego activities at Quad in Derby from 11am to 4pm.

On Sunday, there will be a host of demonstrations by traditional wood carvers at Cromford Mill Yard from 10am to 4pm.

Next week, as part of Discovery Days, there will be a Shakespeare Workshop with Derby's 1623 Theatre Company in Strutt's North Mill on October 28, as well as an exhibition of working fairground models – to coincide with Belper Fair – on November 1.

World Heritage Site director Mark Suggitt said: "The mix of activities stays as fresh as ever.

"The festival just goes from strength to strength and much of that is down to the input from our many hard-working and enthusiastic volunteers."

Also taking place this weekend is a civic service to celebrate 175 years of Derby's railways.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin will give an address at Derby Cathedral on Saturday followed by a reception hosted by the Mayor of Derby, Councillor Shiraz Khan, at the Council House for invited guests.

On Saturday, the Poppy Appeal in Derbyshire will be launched.

Pipers, a drummer and sixth-form students from Littleover Community School will perform at Intu Derby from 10.30am and will read the poem In Flanders Fields.

Meanwhile, rare footage of Derby and Derbyshire back in the 1970s and 1980s will be shown to the public this weekend as part of a special exhibition. Our Heritage will be launched in the upstairs gallery of Derby's Market Hall on Saturday .

It will then open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm until the middle of 2015.

Project manager Alex Rock said: "The exhibition questions the meaning of 'heritage' and provides a snapshot of the lives of different people from different backgrounds and their contribution to the one community we all live in."

Martin Langsdale, chairman of the Cathedral Quarter management group, said: "The historic Market Hall is the perfect venue for an exhibition of this kind.

"The Market Hall and indeed the whole Cathedral Quarter is very much a community in its own right and I am sure that visitors to this wonderful area will thoroughly enjoy this pioneering and thought-provoking exhibition."

For more information, visit www.derbyopencentre.org/our heritage.

EVENTS taking place during half-term include:

Starlight Specials at Crich Tramway Museum.

Visitors have the chance to ride the trams into the evening with special lighting effects and activities throughout the week, from Saturday, October 25, to Sunday, November 2.

For more details and prices visit www.tramway.co.uk/events/starlight-specials.

Pumpkin Week at Shipley Country Park Visitor Centre.

You can follow a Halloween trail and search for the spooky clues that will help you learn about creepy critters and beastly bugs. Then use the treasure map to track down the hidden pumpkins.

Event runs from Saturday, October 25, to Sunday, November 2.

Family Arts Festival at Sharpe's Pottery Museum.

As part of a national event to encourage people to participate in the arts, the museum in Swadlincote will be staging workshops and performances and displaying community art.

The free event will run from 10am to 4pm from Wednesday, October 29, to Friday, October 31.

Half Term Spook-tacular at the National Forest Adventure Farm, Burton.

Events, including pumpkin carving workshops, run from 10am to 6pm from tomorrow to Sunday, November 2.

Tickets cost £9.75 for anyone aged over two years, £9 for the elderly, disabled and carers. Children under two get in free.

Trick and Treat Week at Gulliver's Kingdom.

Events at the Matlock Bath venue include a trick and treat trail and costume party. It runs from October, Saturday 25, to Friday, October 31. Entry is £48 for a family of up to six.

For more information, visit www.gulliversfun.co.uk or call 01925 444 888.

Autumn crafts and spooky activities at Eyam Hall and Craft Centre.

From Wednesday, October 29, to Friday, October 31, from 11am to 3pm. Admission £3 per child.

For more information, call 01433 639565 or e-mail eyam@nationaltrust.org.uk.

REGARDING my idea of placing a skip on a trial basis in Normanton to help alleviate the fly-tipping problem and the subsequent replies from Mr P Radford and Martin Bardoe:

I commend Mr Radford for suggesting CCTV as an alternative. However, the cost of the installation would be expensive and would not deal directly with the problem.

Both Mr Radford and Mr Bardoe suggested people in Allestree would not like to see skips outside their homes, although one has appeared on The Green as I write.

The person concerned is dispensing with his rubbish and to my knowledge no-one has or will complain about the skip.

E G Redfern

The Green

Allestree