Firefighters were called to tackle a blaze in a bin which had spread to a vehicle in Derby.

Crews attended the incident, in Osmaston Road, Allenton, shortly before 4am today.

They extinguished the fire and left at around 5.15am. Police were also called to the scene. 

IN the past, football and wine were worlds apart.

In recent years, however, football's landscape has changed immeasurably and now, awash with broadcasting rights riches and foreign talent, our national sport is far more cosmopolitan and wine is very much part of the beautiful game's new era.

Indeed, these days, amongst top flight managers, it's become something of a custom for the two opposing 'gaffers' to set aside their differences by sharing a post-match bottle of wine.

Of course, old habits die hard and the always provocative, ex-Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, ensured a frosty next meeting with Jose Mourinho, then Real Madrid, now Chelsea manager, by saying, in early 2013, "I wouldn't mind him coming back, as long as he improves his wine. Last time he was here, his wine was c**p."

More harmoniously, Harry Redknapp, manager of Queens Park Rangers, has, with the assistance of internationally renowned sommelier, Gerard Basset, created the Premier League Managers Wine Club.

The premise is simple – chirpy cockney 'Arry' shares a bottle of wine with his opposite number at the end of every home match, the managers sign and auction the bottle for charity and then they post their thoughts about the wine online.

Presumably, Redknapp is mightily relieved that the abrasive Ferguson, now retired, won't be available to share his musings!

Of course, football management isn't – I imagine – all about wine drinking and "wheeler-dealer" supreme, Redknapp, really comes into his own during the January transfer window.

I should, for non-football fans, explain: during the football season (August to May), clubs are only allowed to buy or sell players during the month of January and Redknapp, specialising in eleventh hour bargain buys, is a master of the unexpected transfer coup. Fair enough but what's this got to do with wine?

Well, at the risk of sounding like a fantasist, there are, during January, certain parallels between the life of a football manager and the life of a wine merchant.

We too, use the month to scout for new talent from around the world, to extend contracts with favoured suppliers and to discard those that haven't performed as well as we'd hoped.

Obviously, we're free, unlike football clubs, to do this at any time of the year but it makes sense to use our quietest sales month to, hopefully, assemble a crack squad for the coming year.

So, every January, we put together a wish list of the sort of wines we'd like to add to our stock but, like Arsene Wenger (Arsenal manager) buying yet another midfielder whilst supposedly shopping for defenders and strikers, we're more than happy to have our heads turned by great wines of any description.

Pleasingly, last year's self-imposed transfer window went really well and we sourced lots of wines that proved to be big hits with our customers.

Not least, the great value Sauvignon Blanc alternative, El Tesoro Verdejo, which is made by a co-operative in the Rueda region of central Spain.

The wine offers aromas of tropical fruit and hints of citrus. On the palate, it's bursting with passion fruit, grapefuit and tangy citrus flavours and pairs wonderfully with vegetable risottos or grilled fish dishes.

On the red wine front, another co-operative wine, the Il Faggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from central eastern Italy fared especially well. Deep ruby red in colour, the wine has lifted perfumed notes of dark fruits, plums and cherries with underlying notes of mocha and a delicious, chocolate cherry finish. It's great on its own or with most red meat dishes.

There's no doubt, with these two wines on your team, you're assured of a home victory.

DERBY County transfer target Raul Albentosa was in action on Saturday night.
The defender helped Eibar to a 2-1 victory over Getafe in Spain's La Liga.
Albentosa played 90 minutes at the Estadio Municipal de Ipurua in what could be his last game for the club.

The 26-year-old centre-half has played 17 of Eibar's 18 league games so far, scoring two goals.

The Basque outfit are eighth in the table as they enjoy an impressive first season in the top flight following promotion.

Derby boss Steve McClaren confirmed the club's interest in Albentosa after Saturday's 1-0 win at Ipswich Town.

Reports suggest the player is set to join the Rams in a £470,000 deal.

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MATTHEW Burrows, 18, of Stirland Street, Codnor, Ripley, was fined £50 and told to pay costs of £110 with a victim surcharge of £20 for an offence in Derby on July 18.

NATHAN Edwards, 25, of Harvey Road, Derby, was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £110 with a victim surcharge of £20 for an offence in Derby on May 28.

CHADD Foster, 35, of Temple Close, Burton-on-Trent, was fined £93 and told to pay £110 costs with a surcharge of £20 for an offence in Derby on May 30.

CHRISTINA Hall, 48, of Mount Crescent, Broadmeadows, South Normanton, Alfreton, was fined £133 and told to pay £110 costs with a surcharge of £20, for an offence in Swadlincote on May 28.

STEPHEN Hallett, 34, of Macklin Street, Derby, was fined £200 and told to pay £110 costs with a surcharge of £20 for an offence on July 23.

BRYAN Healey, 50, of Granville Street, Derby, was fined £133 and told to pay £110 costs with a surcharge of £20 for an offence on May 30.

LIAM Herrod, 25, of Ilkeston Road, Heanor, was fined £200 and told to pay £110 costs with a surcharge of £20 for an offence in Derby on June 4.

JOHN Eustace will miss Derby County's Championship clash with arch rivals Nottingham Forest.
Eustace was sent off for a second bookable offence in the closing stages of the Rams' 1-0 win at Ipswich Town on Saturday.
That means the veteran midfielder will be suspended for the next match, which is the visit of Forest to the iPro Stadium next weekend.
With George Thorne still working his way back from a long-term knee injury, on-loan Real Madrid man Omar Mascarell looks in line to replace Eustace in the holding role.

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IN the run-up to every election, the Electoral Commission run a TV ad to get people registered to vote. I think this is a bit cart before the horse, as the number of people not registered is minuscule in comparison to the number who are registered but will not go out to vote, for whatever reason.

In my opinion, the reason is, that for the last 30 years or so, at every election, I've heard the plaintive cry, "It doesn't matter who you vote for, nothing ever changes".

So, people have stopped going to the polls. The turnout falls and leaves the field wide open to those with a fairly serious political interest to dominate proceedings. It may even leave the door open to electoral fraud, and Derby is no stranger to that.

To this end, I think postal voting needs to be reviewed; indeed the entire electoral system could do with review in our brave new world of technology.

The three main parties all like to use private polling and focus groups to determine (and attempt to lead) public opinion. Consequently, we get three colliding policy groups, with little to choose between them.

So, whoever gets in has roughly the same agenda as the others, there is little perceptible change. Vote for the same old stuff, get the same old stuff.

With turnouts continuing to fall, confidence needs to be restored in the system. People need to feel they can vote for what they actually believe in rather than voting tactically or tribally, otherwise you can end up supporting policies you don't agree with.

Democracies need active, informed and responsible citizens who are willing to contribute to the political process.

Some may believe that staying at home is an abstention – it is not, it is apathy. It only says "you can't be bothered" or "you don't care".

Some countries, and Australia is one, have a "none of the above" box on the ballot paper but here in the UK if you want to register an abstention, the way to do it is to go to the polling station and spoil your paper. This is a legitimate and recognised choice. Spoilt papers are counted and declared, they also contribute to the overall turnout figure, which these days is woeful.

The 2015 General Election has the potential to be the most extraordinary in most of our lifetimes, be part of it and vote for what YOU believe in!

David Gunn

High Street

Linton

WHY are pensioners and a handful of weekend drunks being blamed for the current crisis in NHS A&E departments?

I would suggest that the real reason for the crisis is the number of immigrants using the service. Who can blame them when they are told that they can get free health care?

Of course, they are going to turn up at A&E for minor injuries or ailments. If they had to wait until they had paid into the system for a minimum of five years before they were entitled to free treatment then perhaps they wouldn't be so keen to turn up, unless of course they have health insurance.

We have to have health insurance when we go abroad, why shouldn't they when they come here? Remember this; all these pensioners that are taking the flack have paid into the system all their working lives. Probably most of the weekend drunks have too. How many "economic migrants" have done the same?

Making immigrants pay would greatly ease the pressure on A &E and save millions for the NHS.

David Maynard

Mickleover

MORE: Read more letters from our readers here.

POLICE in Derbyshire are trying to reunite these stolen bikes with their owner.

The bicycles were found as part of an investigation by Nottinghamshire police and it is believed they may have been taken from Amber Valley.

Anyone who recognises the bikes is asked to call Detective Constable Christopher Whiteley, at Amber Valley CID, on 101.

A MOTOR neurone disease sufferer died on Christmas Day only hours after his grandson told him he loved him for the first time.

Former social worker Brian Moss fought the incurable disease for 17 months but died at his Allestree home.

For most of his life, the 67-year-old lived in Chaddesden and was well known in the area because of his former job working with British Rail, in Derby.

The father-of-two was diagnosed ten days before his grandson, Maximilian, was born, in 2013.

Brian's son, Stuart, said: "What's happened is heartbreaking. He was 66 when he was diagnosed. He was retired and he couldn't wait to have his third grandchild.

"When he was diagnosed with the disease, we thought he would overcome it and improve.

"But then we looked into it and realised nobody in the world had managed to do that."

In the months following his diagnosis, Brian lost the use of his legs, arms and speech and was unable to swallow. But the family installed a Tobii Eye Tracker, a device which allowed him to communicate with them and doctors.

Stuart, who lives in Loughborough, visited with Maximilian on Christmas Day and wanted to organise something low key.

Stuart said: "Max had only just started to talk and his Christmas present to his grandad was to say, 'I love you'.

"We got there, woke him up and made a fuss of my mum, who had been through so much. We went back to Loughborough and there was not a lot more we could do."

Stuart's family got a phone call a few hours later to say that Brian had died holding the hand of his daughter, Angela, who lived a few doors down and was visiting to wish him a happy Christmas.

Since his diagnosis, Angela had spent a lot of time helping her mum care for Brian.

Stuart said his dad's job as a social worker for Derby City Council was something which made him proud.

He said: "My dad was a very popular man. We could never walk through town without him seeing somebody he knew. He was that sort of person.

"He always believed that everybody was equal and that people should be treated the same. He absolutely loved Derby and Derbyshire.

"When he was working at British Rail, he heard there was a job going as a social worker.

"In those days, you didn't need a string of qualifications, but he had the right attitude which would be perfect for him to get the job. He later went on to be an accredited mental health practitioner.

"His judgment would have to be impeccable and he had to make some very tough decisions about whether somebody had to be sectioned or not.

"He worked extremely hard and would be on call all the time. He worked nights towards the end of his career so, when the rest of Derbyshire was asleep, he'd be the man who would go and help people."

Brian was married to Sheila for 43 years and they had three grandchildren.

His hobbies included golfing and riding his motorbike. He also had an allotment at Chaddesden Park.

Stuart said the first signs of his dad's disease arose when he was playing football with grandson Billy in August 2013.

Brian collapsed, with the family thinking he had suffered a heart attack. But he was back on his feet five minutes later.

Another incident happened seven days later when Brian was picking up the toys of his granddaughter, Poppy. That was when the family urged him to go for tests.

After ruling out other conditions, his condition was confirmed as motor neurone disease.

Now Stuart and the family are raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Brian's family and friends did an ice bucket challenge last year. They also ran the Derby 10k and Stuart cycled over 100 miles in his memory.

They have set up a page for donations which can be found at www. justgiving.com/brianmoss.

Adam Wilkinson, chief executive of Derby City Council, has taken voluntary redundancy.

He will receive three months' pay and a compensation payment of £100,000.

His departure is said to come as part of the budget consultation for 2015/16, in which the council has proposed a review of its senior management structures.

In a statement released by the authority, it states that "Mr Wilkinson feels it is the right time to look for a new challenge, perhaps in a different sector".

The leader of the council, Ranjit Banwait, said: "Adam has served the council and the city for over five years, and leaves a positive legacy of regeneration across the city.

"He has recognised that his departure at this stage will enable the council to undertake a more fundamental review of its options for the future shape of its senior management structure that will be required to meet the challenges that lie ahead." 

Conservative group leader Philip Hickson said, on behalf of his group, he was "extremely saddened and concerned Adam is leaving".

He said: "From my point of view, Adam is a very talented, capable, and motivated chief executive who has transformed this council from where it was to where it is now.

"Adam raised the profile of the city and to a considerable degree was instrumental in most of the positive things that have happened at the council in the past five years."

Mr Wilkinson was involved in a number of major projects during his time at the authority.

These include Streetpride, managing the council's transformation programme and refurbishment of the Council House, the Multi Sports Arena and Velodrome project and, more recently, the Infinity Park Derby project which will create up to 8,000 jobs over the coming years. 

The council said in its statement: "In respect of the terms agreed for Mr Wilkinson's exit, the council's external auditors have been informed and are content, as are we, that the value for money test is being met.

"These payments are well within the affordability test that the council applies when considering all voluntary redundancy applications. We wish him well in his new endeavours."

MID Derbyshire MP Pauline Lathamresponds to a recent Derby Telegraph article by the Bishop of Derby:

I RECENTLY read an article in the Telegraph (December 27) concerning the Bishop of Derby's new book, which is due for release in the coming weeks.

Over the years, I have been supportive of the many useful initiatives he has led, like his campaign to get Derby to sign up to the UN Charter on Human Trafficking.

On a side note, it would be nice if more local initiatives included MPs, who are well placed to offer the practical support campaigns of this nature require.

However, I am concerned that the comments that the Bishop made in the article unfairly represent the nature of both local and national politics.

It goes without saying that there are occasional examples of MPs flouting the rules, but the vast majority do work really hard to represent their constituencies.

Times have been hard over the last few years, owing to the catastrophic state in which the previous Labour Government left the country's finances, and it is not surprising that the public are anxious for change.

The best way to institute this, however, is not to be apathetic and refuse to vote, as the power to exercise this democratic right is denied to many people around the world.

In some countries, the local population queue for hours, having walked miles, to have the privilege of exercising their democratic right to vote.

Instead, here people should vote for the party that best represents the change that they believe is needed.

Another issue that the Bishop addresses is the use of food banks.

It is a sad state of affairs that some people have to rely on them to feed their families. However, this is a situation that is prevalent across many countries in the developed world.

I visited the Basic Idea food bank run by Hope for Belper some time ago, and it was clear that the volunteers there were doing a fantastic job.

I am proud that members of the local community in my constituency are so community-conscious and use their time to help others. That, to my mind, is Christianity in action.

In his article, the Bishop rightly identifies UKIP as a false friend in bringing about a reform of the system.

I believe, as do many others in the Conservative Party, that Britain's treatment at the hands of the EU has been appalling and that more should be done to control immigration levels into this country.

This, for many members of the public, is what is appealing about UKIP's stance but, taking into account the rest of their manifesto, it is clear that they lack direction and forethought in their other policies.

They promise to reduce taxation for those earning over £42,285 per annum and abolish Inheritance Tax but, in the same breath, say they want to improve the country's finances.

Whilst I agree with the Bishop that more powers currently held by the Government could be devolved locally to increase public engagement with democracy, many local authorities lack the professional talent to be able to operate on such a level.

Councils require people with experience in business, who would be up to the challenge of running a large-scale operation while still balancing the books.

Often, however, being a councillor is intrusive and many business people do not want to subject themselves to that degree of public scrutiny.

Many say that these skilled professionals could be involved as quangos but I would argue that would take away from the democratic element of local government.

Quangos are not accountable for the decisions they make and I believe that their involvement in local decision-making should be reduced.

It is undeniable that, over the last few years, things have been difficult for many people, but that is precisely why it is crucial that people exercise their right to vote on both a local and national level.

They should feel more able to engage with their local representatives; whether they be an MP or a local councillor, to make them aware of the issues that matter in their area.

MORE than 600 pupils at a Derby secondary school will miss a day's learning tomorrow - the first of six proposed strike days over pay.

Two unions have united to take action at Merrill Academy, which is run by Derby College, over a performance pay-related issue.

The Alvaston school will only be open to year 11 pupils so that they can continue their GCSE studies, while all other year groups will take the day off.

Sue Arguile, branch secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "The academy has denied many teachers the pay rise to which they should have been entitled.

"Teachers' 'performance' has been judged against targets which are unachievable and teachers have then been punished for failing to meet them.

The other union involved is the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers.

The unions have said that if Derby College does not agree to talk to the unions about a positive way forward "this will be followed by two days of strike action the following week and three days the week after than with possible escalation thereafter".

Academy principal Andrew Scott said: "Derby College and the academy are clear that we have followed the policies set out at the beginning of last academic year regarding performance appraisal, pay awards and pay progression for teaching staff which were drawn up in consultation with the unions concerned.

"We continue to meet with the unions concerned and I will do everything I can to keep the academy open on these days for as many of our students as possible."

Heather Simcox, academy chair of governors, said: "Ofsted ratified our position that we rightly use powers to withhold pay rises where they are not merited.

"We gather there are now claims that targets set were unachievable.

"However a significant number of teachers have achieved these targets and have therefore been recognised with pay progression."

Parents have been informed by letter and on the school's website about the situation.

A 36-YEAR-OLD turned to shoplifting after he was told his benefits were being stopped "as he had not made enough effort to find work".

Stuart Crofts escaped from supermarket security staff after they stopped him when he tried to walk out of the store carrying a bottle of champagne and three legs of lamb.

But moments later he walked into a nearby hardware store and fled carrying tools he had stolen.

Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard that Crofts, of London Road, Alvaston, was chased and caught by police and arrested for the offences.

At the time he was on bail for stealing two blocks of cheese from another store three days earlier.

Jazz Soodi, for Crofts, said: "These were not sophisticated crimes. He simply walked out of the store while trying to conceal the items.

"He said his benefits had been stopped as was not making enough effort to find work."

Peter Bettany, prosecuting, said the first offence took place on November 29 when Crofts walked into the Iceland supermarket in Derby's intu centre, picked up two blocks of cheese and tried to walk out with them.

On that occasion he was stopped by security staff, the police were called and Crofts was arrested.

Three days later, on December 2, Crofts and a second man entered the Co-operative store, in Borrowash, picked up the meat and champagne and again tried to leave without paying.

Mr Bettany said: "They started arguing with the staff at the store before running off and into a nearby hardware store.

"A few moments later they were seen running out of the hardware store and were caught by police."

Mr Bettany said a second man had denied the offence and was awaiting trial.

Crofts pleaded guilty to two counts of shoplifting in relation to the three incidents.

Mr Soodi said: "Mr Crofts accepts that he has a record but there was a significant gap in his offending between 2004 and 2011.

"During that time he was caring for both of his parents who were both suffering from cancer and died within a short period of time to each other. He does not have any other family members and was very close to parents.

"He sought solace in alcohol and wants help because without it he will end up in a vicious circle."

Magistrates jailed Crofts for 16 weeks concurrent on each count and ordered him to pay an £80 victim surcharge. Guy Wildgoose, chairman of the bench, told him: "If you have problems with benefits you go to the benefits office, not decide to steal from shops."